Need some encouragement...

Hey guys, I am 2 weeks post op and have lost 32 lbs.  However, the past 3 days I have been stalled and have not lost a thing.  Am so frustrated.  Am getting the water and protein in and exercising an hour everyday.  It seems too early to be stalled like this.  Calorie intake is around 500-600 a day.  I have been thinking maybe I am not eating enough.  Anyone experience a stall like this so early on?  Need your encouragement and support guys.  Also, any ideas on how to push through this plateau.  Thanks!!! -Dalton

3 days is not a plateau....3 weeks might be, 6 weeks defintely is....you will not lose weight everyday post op. You will not lose weight every week post op, you just have to go with the flow, throw away the scale, and do what you know to do, protein, water, limit simple carbs, and exercise, and the weight will come off.  So no sympathy today, no instructions on how to "push past" a 3 day stall, but just a bit of tough love....and a word of advice to step away from the scale. Scott

It's all a process. One week can vary from the another. Don't give up. Keep on doing things right. Even though you did not lose weight, if you're exercising, you've probably lost an inch or two here and there.  No way to "push through" just be patient.

Man I was in you shoes three months ago, don't sweat it the weight will come off.

The “Stalls” are normal/typical. I had about 3 big ones while on my way down to goal. It’s really not even considered a true “Plateau” until it hits 4 weeks. Although it sounds counter intuitive, It really could be a case of “Are you getting “Enough Calories?” Pull back from your ‘daily’ charting, and look at a weekly or even monthly. There are up and down spikes each day, But if you ‘graph’ the highest to the lowest, I’d bet there is still A downward slope over the course of the month. There’s an 8 to 10lb. volume of “wiggle room” due to water alone. And it comes into play a lot. This has to do with our bodies using glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, But it is stored in our muscles for quick energy – One pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, And the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, (Like when you drop down to your calorie intake) Your body turns first to stored glycogen, Which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, You also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it Voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of any diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, Your body starts to ‘realize’ that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue And burning fat for energy. But your body also ‘realizes’---- (by way of your liver releasing hormones signaling low Cal intake) ---That fat can't be used for short bursts of energy – It starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, And rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, (Thus showing negative Calorie load overall) Your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while As you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. Yes? The whole ‘weight-loss’ process is not a straight “Slide” down the scale. More like “Stair-Steps,” (Down then forward, then down, then forward, etc... As your body cycles fat out of “deep storage” and through the Liver Into the muscles as Glycogen. The muscles and Liver can hold about a 3 weeks supply. This is why many people find that their “Stall” or “Plateau” Breaks when adding a bit of exercise And upping their water intake, or in the case of an “extreme exerciser,” The total Calorie or Protein Intake, To signal the liver to let go of more Glycogen. Fear not, many people who are now enjoying life at a normal BMI Once had a few weeks or so of thinking- “...my weight loss has been awfully slow, has it stopped...”? Hope this helps some. You are doing Great! Keep it Up! Best Wishes- Dx

 

Great post as usualy DX.. thanks for that info.. I'm at that UH OH stage right now too.. LOL.. it's nerve wracking.. like.. dang, I CAN'T be slowing down YET  !! FAT... Dale

Wow. This is a great post, Dx. What I guessed, but with some real info to back it up. I'm saving this one.

Yeah man, great post... Im stalling real bad... same 5lbs for the past 4 weeks, and im only 16weeks out.  Im struggling to choke down 500-700 calories, let alone 1000!! Today I had a 3/4 of a bagel, 3oz of chicken and some okra, then small dinner of mac & cheese, collard greens and chicken...when I say small, I mean like 6 mouthfuls... at best.  My appetite is nonexistent... I have my 2 or 3 protein drinks... bullets, to get my 100grms in a day, but thats about it. All the food Ive eaten this week, wouldnt even fill a regular size dinner plate.  So what do I do?? Meanwhile, I have no car...so I walk 3-5miles a day... swear to god. Then I do aerobix, a few times a week, in the morning or after work. But still scale doesnt move.

When I stall the best thing I do is get the hell off the scales and spend that time checking my intake and exercise. Good luck, it's a long road! CB

Scale / no scale, stall / no stall.... it doesn't really matter what you think or do at this stage.   Your WLS was only two weeks ago    it has a mind and schedule of it's own.  You WILL lose a lot more weight, no matter what you do. That being said, follow your doc's advice to make the best use of your "honeymoon period"... although your calorie intake does seem a little low.