Question:
Why did I reach a plateau so soon?

I KNOW THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, BUT NOT RECENTLY. I AM 5 WEEKS OUT AND HAVEN'T LOST ANYTHING IN 2 WEEKS, ALTHOUGH PLATEAUS ARE NORMAL I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN SOOOOO SOON. I FEEL AS IF I'M GOING SOMETHING WRONG, BUT I'M NOT. DOES ANYONE NOW WHEN THIS WILL PASS IT'S DRIVING MY NUTS.    — Sabrina L. (posted on May 12, 2005)

May 12, 2005
Keep the faith. Many people hit a plateau at 3-6 weeks post op. You are losing so fast that your body needs time to "catch up" and figure out that it is getting enough nutrients. Our bodies are used to getting excess food and after WLS the body starts to think it is starving. So, it will decrease metabolic rate and go into a "saving mode". Just change things around a little and the pounds will start to fall off again.Stay focused on your guidelines and a new wonderful thin life awaits. Started 352 and size 28. 2.5 yrs out ...126 and size 8. You can do it too!!!
   — dianne E.

May 12, 2005
These are just "rest stops" in your journey. What are you doing? How are you eating, drinking, supplementing, watering? What are you actively avoiding in foods and what do you seek out?
   — vitalady

May 12, 2005
You didn't mention how long you have had stalled weight loss. Generally, in my experience, I would lose weight then stop for a week or so then it would just sneak up on me. Before I knew it I lost.. say 5lbs. overnight! It seems to me, and I include myself in this, that after surgery we all seem to lose patience. Honestly, how long has it been since we lost 10lbs. in a month, much less a week? We really need to be realistic, and it is so hard to keep the right idea in our heads. I am close to 7 months out and I think I have lost 10lbs. in the last 5 weeks... and I now realize that is ok. I never could have done that before and now I am 111 lbs. lighter, Not in a million years could I have done that before.. so lighten up and pay more attention to forming good habits and getting the rest of your life started! Good luck girl, you are just fine.. don't start worrying yet!
   — septembergirl73

May 13, 2005
Hi Sabrina, I think you need to give us more details on all the things you're doing right before anyone can give you useful feedback about your 2 week plateau only 5 weeks out. 1) Did you call your doc's office & talk to a nurse & review everything you're eating & drinking? 2) Are you constipated? Seriously, it's not uncommon among us and your doc may recommend something like "colace." 3) Are you giving yourself AEROBIC exercise 5x weekly for a minimum of 25-30 min.? 4) Are you weight lifting 2-3x weekly to convert fat into muscle? 5) Are you getting 7-8 hours sleep nightly? The best way to get off a plateau is exercise, I think. But if you dropped a significant amount of weight in the first 3 weeks post-op, your body may need time to adjust to the shock. I know it is hard to resist getting on the scale every day, but try to gauge your weightloss more by how clothes fit or fall off <LOL>! How you feel as you go up & down stairs, or take walks. How you look in the mirror or in a snapshot. It's important that you start really paying attention to your body, not the scale. I'll be talking about my post-op strategies and the system I devised for myself (rny 2/13/03 - see my profile) - EMBODY Success! (C) Coaching - at the EAST COAST NATIONAL CONVENTION OF OBESITY HELP "just over the bridge" in New Jersey, May 20-22nd. I'll be giving free consults, a general talk, a class and participating in a post-op panel.Hope to see many of you there! Lovingly, Lauralyn
   — EmbodySuccess