Question:
Scales don't move for weeks at a time. Anyone else with this problem?
Jan. 2 I will be 5 months post-op. I lost 61 pounds the first 3 months. Now at almost 5 months I have lost a total of 69 pounds. This is only 8 pounds in 2 months. My scales will stand still for 2-3 weeks then move only a few pounds before stalling again. I'm scared I won't lose enough weight. I am 5'5" and was 240 before surgery. Now I am 171. Did anyone else do this? I'm scared my weight loss may slow drasticly at 6 months and I still need to lose about 41 more pounds. Help! — kimber2 (posted on December 30, 2005)
December 30, 2005
you have encountered the bitter sweet joys of plateus. Initially your
larger body needed more calories than it does now, but with diminishing
weight it needs less. However you body has this "cute" mechanism
that led you to be overweight in the first place. You are blessed with an
efficiency gene that allows you to survive a famine by slowing down it's
metabilism in just the way a bear does when it goes into hibernation. You
have to trick your metabilism by exercise. "Further faster further
faster" as my Doctor says. So to get off your plateau, you need to get
out there and walk. Do the walk of life, everyday, and if you want to
achieve your miracle, do it at least twice. Use incidental exercise too,
that is, throw away the remote controle of your TV and get out of the
chair, change chanels manually, beter still throw away the TV (small
giggle) walk further to the shops from the car park, if you travel by bus,
get off a couple of stops before your destination. take the stairs and not
the elevater, infact do everything with zest.
If you have children or grandchildren, don't sit on the park bench, while
they play, go play with them too. Exercise the big kid in you. Bike ride
with them, do everything moving from a childs point of view.
It is important though that you don't get too focused on the scales, rather
the inches that you lose, oftentimes you will see that you have lost inches
not pounds. Make a note of your inches lost in your journal. If you haven't
got a journal, start one now and read your success story daily and be
encouraged by it.
Lastly if you haven't joined a support group do it post haste. See if you
can find a phone buddy to share with and your weight loss program will soar
to new heights. Keep us posted in 2006
Congratulatiuons thus far.
happy new you in 2006
— Lise K.
December 30, 2005
I had the same problem post lap-band. The scale didn't move for 4 months.
I even gained weight one month. I decided to measure and had lost 15 inches
during that time. Don't give up. I have begun to lose weight also again but
it is slow. Never give up, give yourself credit for what you have
accomplished and exercise is helpful.
Mary M.
— gramamckibben
December 30, 2005
I had surgery on March 28th and have lost 125 pounds, but over the months
I've had several plateau's where I couldn't budge the scales. Usally when
this happened I noticed that even though the weight seemed not to be
comming off the inches were. Be very patient, don't get frustrated and
things will smooth out. Everyone loses at different rates of speed, if your
really concerned, talk to your doctor.
— Zimpo
December 30, 2005
I am 31/2 months post op and have had a decline in my losing weight. I
have had several problems with my surgery and a complicated surgery. I
have lost 75lbs so far and am down to 268. I am not discouraged as I know
that my other health problems are the cause of the slow down. Have you
been sick or anythinglike that. I am on steroids for my asthma and
sinisitis problems and am only some better. The steroids make me gain
weight and tip my blood sugars.
— vickicarson
December 30, 2005
Hello , Jan .2nd I will be 10 months post -op I have a total of 100 lbs. to
lose all together. Within the first 5 months I lost over 50 lbs. after that
I started losing about 2 -3 lbs. every 2 months or so . I am now down 75
with 25 more to go . It is the hardest thing to do , all I can suggest is
to eat alot more protein ( which I should take my own advise ) or try
protein shakes if you can handle it . I could not handle the shakes . If
you come up with better ideas please feel free to let me know. Good Luck .
— mycrazycat
December 30, 2005
Hey! I am only 1 month post-op! The 1st week on the scales I lost 30 lbs!
The next weigh in was 2 wks later, I only lost 2lbs?! But I did lose 3
inches off my waist, 1 off my hips & 1 off my bust! I weigh in on the
3rd of Jan. So I will hope that I do better. But I do agree w/ the other
girls about the inches coming off when the lbs don't! Just think back
through your size's! Keep up the good work & stay positive!
— Mrs52092
December 31, 2005
On Jan. 7th I will be 6 months out and I have been since last week on a 7
week plateau. Nothing was moving and to make it worst I had my monthly
last week and I gained 7lbs. I was like WHAT but now for some odd reason I
lost the 7lbs and now back to what I was 7 weeks ago. So just hang in
there, the scale will move. Take care!
— SWTBETTYLU
January 1, 2006
Kim, check out this resource.
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/post+op+planner.php
It is a great way to see if you are on target or not.
— tperry
January 1, 2006
I guess links do not work here. I was having the same problem 2 months
after surgery (3rd month now), that link I gave settled my fears real
quick. I found out I was excatly on target when I entered my height and
weight. Remeber, you need to enter your weight when you went in for
surgery. My Dr. required me to lose about 15 lbs first before the surgery
to help kickstart the weight loss, I was all concerned when I entered in
that weight at the time. I went in at 315lbs on the day of the surgery,
right now I weigh 269, so I am still on target, Enter in your height and
weight and you should be fine.
— tperry
January 1, 2006
what you are describing is exactly what I did. after the first few months I
would only lose weight 1 week out of every month, stall for 3 weeks then
drop . I often lost a size during the stalls. It is normal for the weight
loss to slow down after 6 months and after you have lost such a significant
amount of weight. when you look at it logically, when you are heavier, your
body burns more calories just to sit and breathe. as you lose weight it
uses less. It is normal and healthy that you will eat a little more at 6
months than during the first month. Just hanf in there, really track you
nutrition, that you are eating properly, not haveing starchy or junky
snacks, getting an APPROPRIATE amount of protein for your needs. Exercise
is key, will boost your metabolism, and burn calories and build healthy
strong muscle. (altho I will warn you , when I started seriously weight
training I gained 7-8 pounds, but my pants felt better and looser so... it
was the best thing for me, I lost fat and gained muscle. ) I started 260 /
now 135!!! maintaining for over 2 years now
— **willow**
January 2, 2006
Everyone is different! I actually will gain one or two pounds back
sometimes! Your average weight loss is fine. You might be converting more
to muscle, as well as lsoing fat. Just ekeep doing what you are supposed
to- your weight loss is wonderful! Some people lose more quickly, but most
of us do not!
— Novashannon
January 10, 2006
I was 258 when i had surgery on Feb 21, 2005 so i am almost a year post op,
things do slow immensely and when i told my surgeon the same thing you are
saying he said "stop weighing yourself so much and you wont
notice" im all yah right, lol. soooo here i am at 11 months and i
havent moved off of 163 for about 2 months so get used to the slow down,
this is how it works, now it is up to you to start working on getting the
rest of the weight off by working out and watching what you eat, it is hard
im going through the change as we speak. But also on a good note, even
though your not losing lbs youare still losing inches because my weight has
stayed at 163 but i went down a pant size. Prior to surgery i wore a 24/26
and now wear a 9/10 almost a 7/8 and i weigh 163 sooooooooooo im not
worried, i feel great!!!!!!!!!!! and its a wonderful feeeling so keep your
chin up and be happy where you are and rememeber soon the work is on us and
not a surgery. Email me if you want [email protected]
— kaligirl1993
January 13, 2006
HI KIMBERLY,
I FEEL THE SAME WAY I HAD MY SURGERY IN NOV, 2005 AN LOST ONLY 40LBS. I AM
SCARED TOO I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT QUICKLY BUT THINK OF IT OUR SKIN WON'T SAG
AS MUCH.
— evienicole
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