Repost: new post op and stalling?

At last month's support group meeting, I only spoke for a half an hour to intro the group and do the "round robin" around the room. But I let something slip that got a lot of reaction in the room. I can't even remember WHY I said it but it was like an "a-ha" moment across the room. It slipped out for the tiniest reason but hit home with a lot of the newbies in the room.

I keep forgetting that so many people go into surgery not knowing as much as I did when I went into surgery. I need to remember this and remind the members of things that they might not know in the future.

When I was going through surgery, I was ready for and expecting the inevitable 3rd to 7th week stall. I often forget that some newbies don't know to expect it. They should. You should be expecting it when it happens so you know that it is coming and you are mentally prepared for that period when the scale doesn't budge early out.

(and don't forget to take your measurements every week early out too so that you have something else to measure yourself by other than the scale).

When your body first goes into surgery, it knows shortly afterward that it is starving. It needs food but you are taking in such little nutrition after surgery that it tries to sneak your glycogen stores. Glycogen stores are the "quick energy" stores that allow you for instance to run out quickly if a mouse is on the floor. It's your "instant energy" in your body.

So your body thinks "hmmm...it's just a little hurdle, I'll get my energy from the glygogen stores".

Well after a few weeks of this, your body realizes that this is not a short term thing anymore. It realizes that using energy from your glycogen stores isn't very efficient and very long term. So it has to THINK a bit.

(This is where the stall comes in).

Then it says "A-hah!!!!". It realizes that it has a lot of fuel on your body - your fat stores, so it's going to start burning some energy from there and shrink those fat cells.

Then the body will resume into full burning mode and guess what? The scale will start moving again.

This is a GREAT things when it happens. Although it sucks that the scale doesn't move, it means that is going to start burning the stored fat you have (especially the stuff in your butt! LOL!).

So be happy about that inevitable stall - it's fat burnin' season!

Dawn

 I learned that on here, I think from you...Right now am stalled around 310 and I know that is ok, because although am not taking measurements I know i am loosing inches as clothes that didnt fit a few weeks ago ane fitting now...woo hoo...I almost screamed when I shirt i have been dying to get into for the longest time finally fit!!

Great post, Dawn!  Similar to another "reminder" post I read this morning about the reality of hair loss after surgery.  Good info for all. :)

Great post Dawn. Your blog of your journey and kind words are what helped me through my first stall. At first I thought I was the only one and was glad to know it happens to almost everyone.

Thanks again for your advice and insight.

Kristie

Excellent reminder Dawn!

Dawn i really like when you explain those things i read it before but im glad you refreshed me so thanks and keep posting anythng you feel we should know as you have abit of knowledge about it.


thanks

Thank you so much for posting this information, Dawn.  I'm 5.5 weeks out and was starting to get really down on myself because the scale hasn't been moving much in the last week and a half. 

With this newfound knowledge, I will hold my head high and keep up with the walking and weighing and measuring all of my meals.  I know I'll see that scale move again soon!

Thanks again,

Becky