Question:
Why have I stopped losing weight so abruptly?
I had my lap RNY on August 30th. I lost 21 pounds in the first 2 weeks, but for the last 9 days, my weight hasn't fluxuated 1/10th of an ounce! I am really scared because I walk everyday, I am drinking 64 oz of fluids everyday, and I am taking (2) 22 gram protein shakes per day as well as eating small amount of high protein foods like cheese and yogurt. I am scared that my body has adapted to this low calorie change and is shutting down as it has so many times in the past with the many other diets I have tried and ultimately failed with. Please let me know if you have experienced this as well. Thank you so very much! — Susan E. (posted on September 19, 2001)
September 19, 2001
Don't worry! You're doing everything right, but you've hit a plateau
already. I'm three weeks post-op and am steadily losing (at least so far),
but many people in my support group hit three and four weeks plateaus right
after surgery. Just keep up the good work and the weight will come off.
— Denise C.
September 19, 2001
Please remember that with exercise you will gain an increase in muscle.
Muscle weighs more than fat does, therefore you may actually gain weight
but it is good weight : ) and the fat is still being lost, if you measure
you will notice however a scale can be a deceptive thing
— paula B.
September 19, 2001
Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. 1 pound of muscle equals 1 pound of
fat. A pound is a pound. You're doing fine. I have consistently hit
plateaus at -25 pounds and used to give up every time. It happened to me
at 3 weeks. -25 then nothing. I was worried, but then I realized I'm not
eating anywhere near what I ate before. The weight has to come off. It
will in due time. In the meantime, add another shake. I did this (went
from 2 a day to 3) for a few weeks and it really broke the plateau. They
suck don't they? :-) Good luck!
— Kimberly L.
September 19, 2001
Don't worry, you'll be fine. I lost 28 pound within the first three weeks
of my surgery. Then the next week I only lost a half a pound. Three weeks
after that, boom, another 20 pounds were gone. Then the week after that,
only two. Its been two weeks since I've been "officially"
weighed, and I think I've lost another 10 (I'll know tomorrow night). Just
keep doing what you're doing and it will come off.
— Dee P.
September 20, 2001
It will come off, it always does. This is just your body's way of trying
not to starve to death, because that is what it thinks is happening. It is
a survival mechanism, your body just hasn't realized yet that you won't
starve to death anytime soon.
— M. A. B.
September 20, 2001
This plateau will pass. I was on a plateau from week 5 to week 8 after
surgery. Continue to do what you're doing and, if you can, eat more. And
do NOT completely exclude fat from you diet. I'm not saying eat a bunch of
fat, I'm saying that your body needs fat. When you add food and a bit of
fat, you're letting your body know that it's not starving itself and it
will let the plateau go.
— careywatkins
September 25, 2001
I looked at your profile and saw that you are starting on the
"small" side. Slower weight loss is common for (though of course
not the rule) those of us who start at a lower BMI. I platued twice within
the first three months, once for 4 weeks! It is so scary, but it will come
off. I realized that I was just going to have to be patient. Now at 4 1/2
months I am down 68 pounds. Not as fast as some, but faster than I have
ever lost weight before. Yippee! FYI when someone says that muscle weighs
more than fat, they are talking about equal volumes, not pound for pound.
Of course a pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same, But a cubic
inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat (that is why fat floats
to the top and meat sinks). So if you exchange body fat for denser muscles
in about the same volume, your weight will go up. Anyway, don't worry. What
you described is about the same exactly as my first three weeks.
— blank first name B.
September 25, 2001
I had the exact same experience. I lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks then nothing
for 3 weeks. I walked around in a daze thinking I had done this for only 20
pounds. But once I started to lose, I dropped weight really quickly. One
thing you can try is taking measurements. I found that my body shape
shifted during that time and I went instantly from a size 20 to a 16 in
like a week. Also, that will tell you if you are gaining muscle from
exercising. You will be smaller but weigh the same :) Hang in there and
keep eating your protein. If you stop eating your body will think you are
starving and hold on to every calorie.
— ctyst
September 25, 2001
Hi. Please don't worry. I know it is easier said then done. I had my
surgery August 9th of this year and 16 days out I lost 24 pounds. I started
at 258. Well, I did not lose and then would lost 2 here and 2 there. Never
more then 2 pounds at a time now. I have not lost anything in the past 6
days and the last time I did this I did not lose anything for 9 and I know
it is only going to get worse. Just try hard and keep faith.
— Brenda P.
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