Question:
I had surgery six and a half months ago now on plateau

hit a plateau and can't bring myself to get motivated on excercise and am so mad at myself for screwing this up. Did anyone else have a problem getting started this late and does anyone have some plateau breaking diet ideas?    — LAURA G. (posted on July 23, 2002)

July 23, 2002
I plateau ALL the time! My first one was at 3 weeks out and I have one every month. Up your protien, water and exercise and it will break in good time. I know what you mean about getting motivated to exercise. I wish I could be one of these people who love it now. Its still a struggle for me and I have all the equipment downstairs! I don't even have to go anyplace to do it! What's my problem?! Do you have friends that will go walking with you? A husband? a Dog? Try and find something you've always wanted to do but couldn't before. I think I should take my own advice! Good luck!
   — Kris T.

July 23, 2002
You did not say how much weight you lost so far..I saw on your profile in May you were down 70lbs. GREAT, how has it been going since. I had mine in December of 01 and started at 278 and now weigh 194lbs 84 lbs..believe me..it was ALL from the surgery, I only started exercising recently because I knew at 7 months out I would need to put something into this process to keep getting good results. I never liked exercise...still don't the trick is to find something that you like to do and do it! Swimming, skating, dancing...anything like that would help. If not and you are like me..we just have to grow-up and do it because we know it is the best thing for us! I tried every excuse and finally ran out, It is like I tell my 8 year old about eating his veggies..you don't have to like them, just eat them because they are good for your body, and it is the only body you have so sometimes you have to do something you may not want to to keep it healthy! I use Leslie Sansone Walk-away the pounds for abs..comes with a belt thing to help work your upper body also, I do the 15 minute mile ....So far so good, I don't LOVE it, but I don't dread doing it. It is easy, quick and a nice work out to start you going. You have not "screwed" anything up..yet..you are asking for help and you want to make it work..so you will!
   — Patricia R.

July 23, 2002
Since I hit about month 7, weight loss has slowed and I was on a plateau for about a month. Last week I lost 3 pounds!! I was thrilled. Granted, I haven't lost anymore. I guess I look at it this way, it's better then GAINING even though I still want to lose another 15 pounds. I figure it will happen but it will take a few months. We get spoiled with the 3, 4 and 5 pound weight loss every week UNTIL we hit month 6 when it slows to a snails crawl. Start exercising and you should see some movement. I've been exercising 5 days a week for the past 7 months so I increased it a little to try and get off the plateau.
   — Patty H.

July 23, 2002
Laura, I have been on a few plateaus to date and each time, a few days of increased protein, less carbs, up the water, and I know you don't want to hear it, but exercising more than 1 day in a row, seems to move it along. Without exercise, I found the plateaus lasted longer....any reason you can't exercise, except you don't want to? Try something fun you like to do, like swimming, or even belly dancing!!
   — Cindy R.