Question:
I am almost 2 1/2 months post op and I have only lost 56 #s

it seems like I am always on a plauteau. Please give me some advise on breaking these darn things, thanks    — Tina K. (posted on June 21, 2002)

June 21, 2002
I just want to say WOW! Congratulations on your loss. I am Preop, so I cant really tell if you are truly on a bad plateau, BUT if you average your loss it comes out to 22.4 per month. To me that seems very very great! I mean it is amlost a pound a day. Did your surgeon tell you that you should be able to lose even faster than that? Just curious... In any case your loss is a great accomplishment, and I am soooo happy for you!
   — [Deactivated Member]

June 21, 2002
I'm 11 weeks post-op and have lost 62 lbs. It sounds like you are doing everything right. Just drink more water, change your exercise routine, or eat more protein, and you will break the plateau. Remember to take your measurements. Just because the scale doesn't move, doesn't mean you are NOT getting smaller. Also, muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up less space. Good luck!!
   — Christine L.

June 21, 2002
What is so bad about 56 lbs??? Geese that is just wonderful! :) I went back in my profile and at around 2.5 months I had lost around 61 pounds, and I too was always on plataus. They stink. But it seems I would'nt lose for ages, then all of a sudden with no warning the pounds would drop fast. I seem to be on 3-4 weeks plataus then drop five/six pounds in one week for around a 5 lb a month weight loss. I don't know why our bodies do this but they seem too. In any case you, in my opinion, are doing just great. Your WLS is working fine. ;) Keep up the good work!
   — Danmark

June 21, 2002
My surgeon tells his patients that his general rule of thumb for rate of weight loss is 20 lbs. the first month, and 10 lbs. per month after that. According to that standard, you're doing great! Remember that each patient will lose weight at a slightly different rate, depending on age, gender, hormones, starting weight, prior diet history, ability to exercise, etc... Older patients lose more slowly than younger patients; males generally lose more rapidly than females; pre-menopausal women generally lose more rapidly than post-menopausal women due to higher metabolism; heavier patients lose weight more rapidly in the beginning months than those needing to lose "only" 100 lbs., for example; years of yo-yo weight loss tricks the body into giving up those pounds more reluctantly; and ability to exercise will always speed up weight loss. Plateaus are a common and NORMAL occurrence....they are a survival technique that the body throws into play when it senses that weight is being lost "too" rapidly. Try not to focus on the numbers represented on your scales....remember that even when those numbers aren't moving, the inches are still coming off. If you become a slave to your scales, it will only make you a crazy person! Follow your surgeon's dietary and exercise regimen to the letter, have faith in the process, and relax and enjoy this journey....it will be the best one you ever had!
   — Diana T.

June 21, 2002
Hi! Don't sweat the small stuff hon. :) 56 lbs is GREAT!! Trust me :) We have to stop comparing our weight loss to others. I'm roughly 3 months out and have lost 65 pounds. And yes, I swear to you, I am ALWAYS on a plateau so I sometimes wonder how did I lose when I swear the scale never moves :p Plateus are our body's way of adjusting. Just keep doing your part (64 oz fluid, exerecise, protein first) and the scale will move again. If you're anything like the rest of us, you have this surgery then mentally expect overnight results. We forget that it's taken our AMOS friends here MONTHS/YRS to get to goal. This surgery is a tool, not our fairy godmother overnight wish ;) Keep up the good work. And congrats :)
   — Renee V.

June 21, 2002
Hi Tina. I see that you are a lightweight. LW's tend to lose at a slower pace than the 'others'. I had lost 45 at 2 1/2 months out, and now at 7 months 80 lbs. That is only 24 more pounds than you! Does that help you feel better? It will slow down so be prepared, that way you won't feel let down. Expect the slow loss as a LW, you will reach goal a lot quicker than most! I only have 20 to go!!
   — Cheri M.

June 22, 2002
Tina, if you haven't gotten the message yet, 56 pounds in 2 1/2 months is awesome. And to do that even with the plateaus is even more incredible. I was at 45 or so at 3 months and currently minus 60 at almost 5 months. So 56 at 2 1/2 is pretty rapid...your actually on a fast track, believe it or not! As for breaking plateaus, your original question, for me, if I up the protein, exercise for an extra 10 or 20 minutes a day (5 days in a row), increase the water intake and cut down a little on carbs, it usually breaks the plateau within 2 or 3 days. My longest plateau for almost a month long, but others have posted here with 3 month long ones!
   — Cindy R.