Question:
How long does a plateau last?

I have tried and tried to tell myself what is happening is normal but I am so afraid I have done something wrong. Within the first 9 days after surgery I lost 16 pounds and got down to 190 but for 3 weeks now I have been just that. I can drink my liquids with no problems. But I take bigger than normal "sips" with no pain and it sure doesnt take me 30 minutes to eat my food. I chew till mush and have had no dumping or pain. I am eating just under 600 calories so I can't see how I am not losing weight. I do exercise. Not a lot but I havent been wanting to walk outside because its freezing right now but I go to the malls aswell as I use the Wii. I tell you what that thing gets my heart pumping more than the walks in the malls. Anyway I just was wondering what the "norm" is for plateaus? I know everyone is different but just some other opinions are nice. Thanks ya'll in advance and God Bless.    — mother2mykids (posted on January 3, 2009)

January 3, 2009
It's not a matter of a meal TAKING 30 minutes to finish...it's about making it LAST 30 minutes. It's about slowing down, spacing out the bites, giving your new stomach time. Remember, part of this is about learning new eating habits in general, and stopping gobbling is one of them. Also, plateaus are normal and you'll hit them regularly, so don't panic. Just keep it up, monitor your protein intake and boost it up if you're falling short of what the doc recommended, and make sure you're cutting out most if not all carbs...I see so many folks here talking about eating carb-heavy breakfasts, etc., and I just shake my head. It's all about the proteins! I've now dropped 106 lbs since March, and passed my initial goal. You can do it, too, if you just stick with the program. Best of luck.
   — suezahn4me

January 3, 2009
Greetings my new friend! Sue Zahn really said it all. You are doing great! You really are. You are also a light-weight in comparison with other folks (including me when I was at my heaviest -- 310 lbs) -- unless you are only 2 feet tall, that is! What I mean is, when you don't weigh that much, 16 lbs is a lot more than it is to someone who is 310 lbs. Honey, no, you are not plateauing. Keep doing what you are doing, and trust in the Lord, knowing He is with you the whole way! Blessings, Christine Gibson, MS, MA, OH Coach, and WLS Support Group Leader
   — Christine Gibson

January 3, 2009
Did you lose a lot of weight before you had your surgery? Sometimes that affects how much you lose the first few weeks. You were not very heavy before surgery compared to most people that lose "faster" I have had two plateaus, one at three weeks and one at three and a half months --- eventually I started losing again. Good luck.
   — nofrogs29

January 3, 2009
I didn't lose any weight the first 3 weeks after surgery. Your body needs time to adjust. Walking is critical in this process. Try to drink enough water and walk as much as you can. As far as calories, 600 seem a bit low. Check with your nutritionist on that. It is more important to make sure you are getting 60-80 grams of lean protein and 64 oz of water. Don't forget your vitamins as well. Good luck.
   — maria09elena

January 4, 2009
At my last visit with my nut, she had cautioned me against eating too few calories (after the initial post-op weeks) because my body would go into starvation mode. This is one of the reasons why I have to keep food records for my nut, because she said often times when her patients aren't losing weight, she looks at their food records and finds they aren't getting enough calories and then recommends ways to add more calories in a healthful way. She recommended 1200 calories for me to see how that works, but that the ideal number of calories is different for each person. Maybe check with your nutritionist for a plateau-busting strategy.
   — wenniewo