Question:
Kick Starting Metabolism

At 11 months post op, I expected the weight loss (110 lbs lost) to slow over time, but NOT this slow (2 pound loss last month). Though I am engaged in a pretty intense exercise program including weight training, it's almost more than I can bear that the scale is bobbing around so much. I need to lose 20-30 more pounds and am fearful my window will close before I can manage it. Does anyone have any tips that I may incorporate to either kick start my metabolism and/or shake up my routine a bit? Thanks for all responses.    — Kimberly L. A. (posted on August 16, 2003)

August 16, 2003
If you are doing a lot of weight training that could be it. When you are building muscle it can play tricks on you when stepping on the scale...remember...muscle weighs more than fat. You can up your protein and add more cardio to see the pounds drop, but at some point the muscle weight can make you feel like you are not loosing when in fact you are toning the areas of your body that you are working on. This is just as important as the weight loss. The good thing is that it will even out over time! Keep up the good work.
   — Felicia J.

August 16, 2003
At 12 1/2 months. I am having the same experience. I joined Weight Watchers this summer and had to eat MORE to get the points. Amazingly, I started losing weight again! With WW, I average about 1500 calories a day and had the first double-digit month since January. Metabolism is a strange thing!
   — jen41766

August 16, 2003
First of all, I don't believe there's a window of opportunity that closes. I believe we lose a lot more in the beginning months, of course, and that we can do things to try to maximize that, but I don't think a day comes when losing more is impossible simply because you're x months out from WLS. So take that pressure off of you -- it's enough pressure that you're working at that last 20-30 pounds, without feeling you're somehow living on borrowed time to do it. Breathe in ... breathe out ... you WILL kick this weight to the curb in your own good time, not some danged "window's" good time. <P>Like others have recommended, I'd use fitday.com to track what you're eating and find out what your actual calorie, protein gram, and carb gram intakes are. Track 'em indefinitely, along with your exercise, until you feel you really know what your stats are. If it turns out that, after a month, you learn you're eating an average of 1500 calories a day (I suspect it may be more), and that 75 percent of that is carbs, it's time to shake things up. Make your protein 50 percent, drop your carbs to 40 percent (or lower if you're already low carb), limit your fats to 10 percent, or some other funky combo (well, not 90 fat, 10 carbs ;p) that is different from whatever it happens to be now.<P> Try protein shakes if you haven't done it in awhile. I recommend trying Proscore 100 Chocolate, or Champion Nutrition Chocolate Whey Stack. I hear Banana Scream whey stack is good, too. Find samples at vitalady.com, or wlssuccess.com. I know many folks just loathe protein shakes, but I feel they've provided me with almost a free ride to goal (almost), and I now I just luuvv my strange little, what-IS-that-funky-aftertaste?!? protein shake, because I really think it's helped me enormously through this journey (shrug).<P> Try making your cardio more vigorous and more regular -- sometimes we slack off on cardio while doing weight training. Perhaps you should consider doing fewer sessions of cardio, just racier ones when you do them. If you've been in the "fat-burning" range, get into the "cardio" range. For instance, I used to walk up to an hour (at a 4 MPH clip) 5-6 times a week to achieve what I can do now just three times a week by running 5.2 MPH for 30 minutes.<P>Just diddle with your variables. Change a "rut" behavior a bit, even if it's worked well up to now (you can always go back). I wouldn't cut calories too dramatically in the beginning (though I'd cut carbs and increase protein), UNLESS you find your calories are honestly at a "woah, dawgies, who KNEW?!?" kinda level (1700 to 2000 plus, or even a little less -- this would be maintenance level, and no wonder you aren't losing), and then, of course, I'd cut some of those.<P>After the big weight loss phase, fine tuning may lack appeal, but so many folks report success after making just a few very important changes that I feel you can probably find what those changes are for you and knock yourself on down to goal, too. If you can stand it, I'd also recommend getting off the scale for a good long while and using a tape measure as your "measure" of success, as long as you can stand it. If you are tough enough to get this far, you are tough enough to toss the scale into a closet (let it scream! who cares?!?) and concentrate on changing the body, not the number. Sooo much easier said than done, but I do like the visual of a screaming, fussy scale, reduced to whimpering in the back of your closet for attention while you go about the business of getting visually *smaller* with your tape measure (ain't that what it's all about, anyway?). :-D Good luck!!
   — Suzy C.