Plateau: giving up or just taking a break?

Don't get in a hurry with the resleeve thing. It took me 26 months to lose 100% of my excess weight.

And here I am thinking I'm the only one going through this!!! I started out at 410 and currently weight in at 290. I've only lost 120 lbs, which to some might sound good, except I stalled for three months, unstalled for 12 lbs and then have been stalled again for the past 6 weeks. I am so fustrated!!!!  How early is too early you think to talk to your surgeon about a resleeve?

You're much too early. I started at 400 pounds and it took me 26 months to lose 100% of my excess weight.

Nope, I didn't take any breaks.  Of course, by one year out, I was just really over the whole dieting thing, but I worked hard and really controlled my diet to maximize weight loss and was happy with where I ended up by then.

At 18+ months out, I can eat a lot of food.  I have some restriction, but sitting down to a meal with me, I eat a pretty decent amount, often just as much or sometimes more than the "normal" people I'm with.  It would be waaay harder for me to lose weight now than 9 months post op, because I still had plenty more restriction back then.

But, it was important to me to reach a normal BMI.  Not everyone's approach is the same.  Plus, once you go on a carb-eating binge, it's really hard to stop.  Carbs are addicting.

I lost like 190 pounds in the first year, then in the 6-7 months after that I stopped being quite so restrictive with eating and I've lost about 20 more.  Weight loss really slowed for me when I added in the carbs.

You really did an exceptional job, Kayla!  That must have taken alot of control and hard work. 

I don't have much (or any) restriction now at 9 months.  Well, I guess I have more restriction than I did pre-op.   But I can definitely eat a normal sized meal (such as two chicken thighs and some mashed potatoes at KFC).

I do need to wean off the carbs again.  Not eating sugar very often (2 times a month?) so that is good.  In another few days, I'll get serious again.  I think I just really needed a short break.  After all, 150 pounds in 9 months is alot for a body to get used to.

Cheers,
Julie

I did have several stalls along the way, it was never down down down all the time. At 12 months out, I did have a epiphany - just because I COULD eat more, didn't mean I had to!  I had to change my mind from eating as much as I could to eating as little as I could and still feel satisfied.

If I went to KFC, I still just got a kids meal with a chicken leg and yes, the mashed potatoes or macaroni and biscuit. But I would eat the chicken and biscuit and leave the side of mac for later. Could I have eaten the rest? Probably, but I chose not to because I wasn't hungry anymore and I didn't need it.

I still order kids meals - 4 piece nugget and mcd's and try not to eat all the fries... that sort of thing.  It's really a lot of mental stuff.  Or maybe 2 chicken legs at popeyes and that's it.

I think we have to watch those carbs forever. I know I could gain if I let myself go - that's why I do weigh myself every day. Constant Vigilence!  All the thin eaters I know have to watch themselves, too, most thin people I know just eat small amounts naturally or watch what they eat - big breakfast? Small lunch then,etc.

Best,

Now, sweetie, I'm not telling you to cut out ALL carbs, but 150 to 200 grams a day with that much weight still left to lose might very well be the culprit.    I gain like crazy on that many carbs these days.   Try going down to 50 for a few weeks and REALLY upping the fat and protein.  See how that works.   Make your self a big ol' sugar free cheesecake, dip some crab legs in butter and make a vat of deep fried chicken wings.    See what that does to jump start your weight loss.  Also, talk to Zappre' - his weight loss really picked up when he started cutting back on carbs.    I'm not saying go gonzo Atkins style, but give it a try.  

Hi Julie R.,

Isn't it crazy that we should gain weight on 200g carb a day, when the daily recommended allowance for an average person (who absorbs more than we do) is 300g a day?  What's up with that?!

But I know that your advice is correct.  I'll have to look for a sugar-free cheesecake recipe.  I've been so sick and tired of protein, but time to get back into it, I suppose.  (Been doing the 80g-100g/day, but it's been tough.)

Another few days vacation from all of this and I'll be good to go again.

Thanks for the encouragement.