To 'Really' Break A Plateau

Re-post- Skip if you've seen before... ----------------------------------------------- OK Guys, We see this all the time- "I’ve hit a &$@#$^%!!! PLATEAU!!!" Typically on the Mainboard this is immediately followed by- "Plateau Buster? Will someone Re-post?" Sometimes over the past years in the past I’ve just copied the "Plateau Buster" From my hard drive and posted. More and more I started including the Caveat of- "Stalls or Plateaus are normal. Stay with protein first And stay the course, but don’t fall back into the ‘Diet Mentality’ That didn’t work for you before WLS." Well, that’s not what they asked for, So who am I to "tag on" the little But what to do? Then it occurred to me…. What about a whole NEW PLATEAU BUSTER! A "Life-Style for Life." Not just a terse little list that reinforces the Diet Mentality that "Yo-yoed" so many to where they needed WLS to get a new start.

Here’s my "beta-version" that I posted o the Grads-Board some years back. I’m not sure about the feasibility of it at all. But Like Me, It’s a "Work in Progress."

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To ‘really’ Break A Plateau:

BEFORE DOING ANYTHING- Realize many, in fact Most Post-Ops Share this common experience- Done everything right and lost weight steadily, Suddenly- the scale won't budge. Like many others, you've reached a plateau. When weight loss slows and comes to a stop. Before you get discouraged and abandon Your long-term weight loss Strategy of life-style change, Understand that plateaus occur in any slimming-down process. Stick with the program and your weight loss will kick in again. Before you rush to "prosecute," And take drastic action, Do some investigation. Figure out if you really are on a plateau. The scale may be a less than least reliable reflection of fat loss. Look at other indicators. Are you feeling better? Do your clothes feel looser? If you're losing inches but not pounds, Your fat cells are still shrinking/re-arranging location. Figure in the duration of the stall. You're only on what could be called a "plateau" If there's NO change at all For more than four weeks. And even at 4 weeks, don’t "assume" anything. There may be a very Tangible Reason For the slowdown and Plateau. If you Truly want to BREAK a Plateau, Identify and understand the true "Culprit" Before you just "Open Fire!" Get this one out of the way first By being scrupulously honest with yourself. Are you "Cheating?" Cheating? It’s not a Diet! Correct, But weight loss is directly the result of – Calories in versus Calories Used. Are you putting in any "unplanned" nutrition? Empty Calories? A little thing will be the "tipping point." Emotional and compulsive behavior May allow you to "sabotage" yourself. It certainly does. For so many Pre-Op. Yes? Look at what you are doing with Extreme Objective Scrutiny. Then- Check for hidden sources of – Calories / Carbs / Sugars / Un-wanted Fats- Read Your Labels Carefully! Sugar goes under many different names And in some cases does NOT appear as "sugar" on the label. Many vitamin tablets have sugar fillers. CHECK! Conversely, Are you taking in too Little Nutrition? Many times you carry over habits from other diets & eat too little. EAT UP... Food is Necessary Fuel, not the Enemy! Don't skip meals. Just eat Protein First, Higher nutrition, Lower Calorie Foods. Don't cut your caloric intake to less than 1000 calories per day. Increase the amount of protein in your meals. Don't starve yourself. Cutting calories to an extreme will eventually cause loss But at the expense of your health. It Does Not Help you. Try cutting excess fat and calories to a reasonable level (usually 1200 to 1800 calories a day, but determined by YOUR Size.) And divide these up into frequent small meals (of about 200 to 300 calories each) every few hours. Eat a decent amount of protein with each meal To help you feel satisfied longer. If you keep your carbohydrate intake to no more than 20 grams a day Your body will go into a state of Ketosis and it will be Hard Not to lose. A frequent eating schedule will provide a constant source of energy, Keep your metabolism higher without the insulin rebound. Six small feedings a day are better AT maintaining level metabolism Than 3 large meals. (notice I did not say that 6 meals are better than 3, just better at…) Perhaps aim for foods with a lower glycemic index. Check into it at- http://www.glycemicindex.com/ You may have a mineral imbalance. How’s your blood-work? Such as zinc/copper. Or a trace mineral shortage. Such an imbalance can definitely slow the metabolism Reducing your "resting consumption" of calories. Certain nutrients are often recommended to aid in weight loss, Including chromium, pantethine, selenium, vanadium And biotin to help stabilize blood sugar and metabolize fat. Getting enough Potassium? Potassium shortages are common For early out Post-Ops. How’s your blood-work? Exercise? Exercise can improve circulation, Stabilize blood sugar & other important metabolic benefits. If you’re walking, great. But at some point in your loss, Walking becomes just Activity And no longer "Exercise." Are you Breaking a Sweat? If you have been only walking or cycling, Try doing some weight lifts and vice versa. If you are not yet exercising Try to add some sort of activity to your regular schedule. At least 20 minutes a day is recommended for beginners. Walk, Walk, Water, Water… There’s a reason for that "Mantra." Increase your water consumption to stimulate lipolysis (The breakdown of fat stored in fat cells ) And clean your system of excess ketones. Many Nutritionists recommend Avoiding eating within 3 hours of bedtime. Especially avoid any foods that are higher in carbs As this can trigger insulin production which in turn Will inhibit fat-burning while you are asleep. Have you considered Food Allergies? These may cause all sorts of problems, fatigue, headache, etc… Check possibility of such causes by dropping out one food From your diet and checking for changes in how you feel. The most common culprits are- Milk, Eggs, Nuts & Peanuts, Fish, Shellfish, Soy and Wheat. Perhaps checkout- http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html Maybe you have issues with food additives. Some food colorings cause metabolic responses Such as sluggishness or hyperactivity in some sensitive children. Example- YELLOW 5 ... Artificial coloring found in Jell-O, baked goods, etc... Causes mild allergic reactions, Primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons. Check some of the food additives that show up on your labels. Perhaps a look at- http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/index.html Caffeine? Yes, it’s a "fence sitter" when it comes to "Dieting" But- Coffee, cola & tea stimulate release of insulin With a temporary lift in energy, But followed by hunger, Fatigue & slower weight loss. Are you Drinking Alcohol? Empty Calories and Alcohol stimulates insulin. While we’re on "the bible-belt vices," Smoking? Smoking uses up vitamin C & stimulates the adrenal gland. Although quitting smoking is classically A cause for weight increase, Long term non-smoking, actually aids The metabolism to remain a constant fat-burning, healthy machine. None of the above? It may be medications you are taking. Many drugs, even aspirin, can cause or increase incidence of hypoglycemia. Watch out for hormones, amphetamines, diuretics, antihistamines, Anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, anticoagulants, antidiabetics, Antibiotics, tranquilizers, clofibrate, acetaminophen, and propanolol. Beta-blockers, can make your body extremely resistant to weight loss. Sometimes it isn't what you ARE taking But what you WERE taking that slows you down. Different meds last month? Hormones? They can slow down weight loss And stimulate the production of insulin. Estrogen (for the Gals-used in birth control pills) and Testosterone have much the same effect. Too much Salt? Typically early on this is not an issue, But later, excessive salt can cause some water retention. What about ‘plain old’ portion sizes? Many people misinterpret the instructions regarding Eating as "Just Eat till you are Full! The pouch size will ‘tell you’ when it’s too much." That assumes you have "re-learned" the feeling of Satiety As opposed to "Full." You may need to track your caloric intake and exercise more closely. Many people find "tracking at fitday.com" a very useful tool. Check it out at- http://fitday.com/ So you’ve made it through this long list and everything Checks out. Perhaps you have a metabolic resistance to losing weight, And if that is the case, you must consider everything – Except giving up and admitting defeat. Your Plateau, if it continues, could possibly require Medical attention. Continued thyroid problems would definitely call for medical solutions. Excessive yeast infestation may be part of your problem. Overgrowth of yeast in the digestive tract has been shown To provoke food intolerance, headaches and immune-system weakness, And can keep you from losing weight By causing unstable blood sugar. If your plateau WON’T Break, Enlist your physician to help find the problem. Done all of this and still looking for the "short list?" Then what can I say- "Eat Meat, Cottage Cheese and water for 10 days! – NOTHING ELSE! NO EXCEPTIONS! Just try Not to Think of it as a Diet." (this is of course very tongue in cheek) You will most likely get a "Bang!" That will jolt your metabolism into losing. But if you want more than a bang, If you want a real "Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster" To make your system Un-inhabitable for excess fat, For generations to come, Then adjust your "Life-Style for Life." Best Wishes- Dx

Excellent post Dx. Timely too as I have been on a plataeu now for almost 1 1/2 months. Reading that though made me realize that I have not been too faithful to my food plan. I also notice that I stall when I have to take my anti-inflammatories. I think my plateau may have broken though as I have dropped about 5 lbs in a few days now.

Thanks for the revisions and offering. I'm still stuck at 230 since July but staying the course and trying to be patient. I was at 230 for about 3 years on my way up so maybe its a real comfort weight for my body/metabolism,...I dunno.  I haven't gotten desparate enought (yet) for the meat and cottage cheese program ut it does raise an eyebrow.

Great post!  Thanks.

very interesting info.   !        I wonder which doc wrote it (name is left off) ..   the biggest question though (no pun intended):  how do you know if it's a plateau, or you've finally hit your bottom weight (e.g. post-op set point)?     In my case, after losing over 200 pounds in less than 11 months, I didn't lose a single pound more  for almost 3 months .. and then suddenly I lost 8 more over about 2 or 3 weeks (have since re-gained 9, though - UGH) ..   so am I over or what?  I still need about 50 or so to go to goal ..  &:-(..

Paul, Doctor “left off” cause the author (myself) who glommed all of this together from many sources, conversations, support group materials, and “personal experience contributors” over a period of a few years, Has no Phd. The “Set-Point -Theory of why some remain at a particular weight, has had some “buzz” in the diet industry, But hasn’t had the science or enough evidence producing studies to support it. Even just a simple uneducated ponder raises some huge problems With the theory in general. If we actually have a genetic Weight/body fat % ratio - “Set-Point” (and a lot of Diet pill salesmen claim we do) Then how could the avergae BMI of Americans Make such huge and steady rises each year?  The model seems more like an epidimic that would be non-existant If there actually was a “Set-Point” responsible. Yes? Yep, genetic propensity for a range of BMI’s, But not one that would over-ride an individual’s efforts. Now, I’ll quote a Dr.- Dr. Roland Weinsier from the University of Alabama (of “The Roland L. Weinsier Award for Excellence in Medical/Dental Nutrition Education / American Society for Nutrition) -- states that, "Confusion arises from the fact that our metabolic rate falls when we cut back on calories. This is nature's way of preventing starvation. But our results show that, after you lose weight and stop restricting calories, your metabolic rate returns to normal. Therefore, factors other than an abnormal metabolic rate must be responsible for the weight regain tendency." The true reason for weight “re-gain after a loss,” according to Weinsier, is more likely due to the fact that calorie restriction was not maintained. “… failure to lose weight permanently is not due to a shift in metabolism - but an inability to continue on a well-designed weight loss program.” From Psychology Today- article- “Weight Loss Myths Blasted” “The set-point theory holds that we all have an internal weight regulator, like a thermostat, that adjusts our metabolic rate up or down whenever we gain or shed pounds in order to return our body to its predetermined weight. Undoubtedly, some controls do exist or we would all be obese, or, alternately, wasting away, says Roland Weinsier, M.D., chair of the department of nutrition sciences at the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But studies show that when we lose weight, our metabolism actually shifts to a normal rate for that new weight, independent of individual differences. People nevertheless embrace the theory to blame their bodies, rather than their own behavior, for their weight-loss failure, says Weinsier. "It offers comfort to those *****fuse to accept the fact that weight control requires a commitment to a physically active and calorie-conscious lifestyle." There is a “Bottom” to most folks Healthy Weight Range, and for those of us who have been MO in the past, excess skin can figure into it as can higher Bone density from carrying excess weight for quite some time. And the" Normal"BMI?” It’s an OK measure in most cases, But fairly crude way of determining who is Over-weight or Obese. Particularly when figuring in Muscle mass for men. Sylvester Stallone (BMI 34), “The Rock,”(BMI 33)  and Arnold Swarzenegger, (BMI 33) All fall into the category of Obese using the standard BMI. Whereas- “Tom Cruise (BMI 26), George Clooney (BMI 29), Mark McGuire (BMI 30) and President George W. Bush (BMI 26)”- All fall in the Overweight range….. Pretty crude measurement…… Best Wishes- Dx

 

Amen to this Dx --- “… failure to lose weight permanently is not due to a shift in metabolism - but an inability to continue on a well-designed weight loss program.” "It offers comfort to those *****fuse to accept the fact that weight control requires a commitment to a physically active and calorie-conscious lifestyle."

Great read, thanks

Boner

If you're interested in why something happens in the political/social/criminal arenas, follow the money. If you're on a plateau or gaining weight back, follow the carbs. I speak from experience. The plateau buster diet is nothing special, BTW. It's the opening phase of every lo-carb diet out there.