stalled

My weight loss has stalled. I'm almost 6 months out and have lost 82 lbs. I haven't lost any weight in the past 10 days though. I'm frustrated. I work out 4-5 days a week  for 40 mins. to 90 mins.  Do you think I need to do more? Any suggestions welcome. Help. I still have 30-40 lbs to loose.  Shari Oak Creek, WI RNY 10/15/07

Hey Shari! Your weightloss is incredible for that amount of time...but that's not what you want to hear...LOL. Are you getting your water in?  Protein?  As for your workouts...I don't think you need to do more.  40-90 minutes 5 times a week is wonderful.  I do 5 days for a steady hour a day.  What do you do for exercise?  Is it time to switch it up and surprise your body? Hope everything is well.  I was up by you last weekend, Skip did the South Milwaukee Tin Man and I was talking about you as we went through Oak Creek. 

Hi..     I do try to mix it up. I usually run on my treadmill 2 miles 2X a week and go to the gym the other days. I do recumbent bike, eliptical trainer, weights. Switching it up. I better go back to swimming once a week for an hour. That really seems to boost the weight loss. I know I'm starting to eat more and I'm sure that's why too. Not bad food just getting in more calories then I did the first few months post op. I think I take in about 1000 calories a day. How about you?  We're both doing awesome arn't we? I just don't want to stall quite yet. Thanks for your words of wisdom. I'll keep you posted. Should have stopped by for a water bottle when you went through Oak Creek : )     

You need those extra calories with all you burn lady!!  I'm hitting around 850 a day...sometimes less...sometimes more.  Have you tried any classes?  You know that I swear by my Tae-bo...but I also...like as of today...am trying running.  WOW...that's a WHOLE other ballgame.  I only lasted 35 minutes and 10 of that was walking because I thought my lungs were going to come out of my chest!  But at least it's something to work at...and my dog sure enjoyed it.  I'm thinking of doing the Tin Man with Skip next year so I need to start swimming too.  It's 15 minutes in the pool, 15 minutes on the bike, and 15 minutes on the treadmill.  We are doing awesome!  I'm down 75 pounds and tomorrow is my 5 month surgiversary.  It was a really slow month..like 6 pounds or something...and that scares the hell out of me.  I'm still 35 pounds from the only goal anyone has ever given me which was 135.  I think that may be too low....but who knows. 

Hey Shari, My name is Erin and I am just over 3 yrs out. I maintained my weight for the better part of 2 years. I would say it took me about 8 months to get to my goal which was 100lb weight loss. Recently my hubby and I quit smoking and I gained about 10 lbs back.   I remember being where you are, being worried that I wouldnt reach my goal weight.  All I can tell you is you are exercising way more then most post ops WLS people do.  You are building muscle and that will cause your weight loss to "appear" slower.

The best thing that you can probably do for yourself is measurements weekly of your thighs, abdomen, and hips(buttocks). Also gauge it on how your clothes are fitting. Hope this helps, and congrats!!!

I haven't had my surgery yet, but I am a voracious researcher and know several veterans. Everyone tells me that plateaus of up to three weeks are not only common but to be expected to happen to almost everyone at some point. I know you didn't want to hear that, but they also said that following a plateau, they often lost several pounds all at once. This is good news. My doctor made me promise to only measure myself every three to four weeks after surgery. He insisted that I'd not be so disappointed with what seemed like slow progress. He also said that the scale meant little as muscle weighs more than fat and is much more dense. It sounds like you are doing fantastic! Don't give up and don't kill yourself by bumping exercise up so much that you injure yourself. Then you really will plateau for the several weeks it takes to heal a muscle injury. As I said, this advise isn't first hand from me but from the trenches of postops that go out several years. Hope it helps.

Wow--you guys are really doing well.  I lost 41 lbs in 8 weeks, but did not lost anythng in weeks 9 or 10.  I'm going to weigh myself tonight and will see if i lost this week.  I try to not worry as I know it will come off sooner or later.  I have been feeling a little better this week, so that is good.