Question:
5 Mos, What can I do to break a plateau?

Ok, yes this sounds silly, and probably sounds like the posted from down below, but it makes me feel better so just hear me out : I had surgery on 7/11/01 5 months ago today, I was doing to good, I lost 28 pounds in the first two weeks, and it went down hill from then on out, the weight then started to slow down even though I was loosing, it depends on which scale I am on now to which weight I am at, my scale says 200 ( I was at 274.5), but my doctors was 4 lbs off that, yes higher, when I went back for my 3 month check up, and then when I went to the workout place the first time, it was 10 lbs different, so I am any where from losing 64.5 lbs to 74.5 lbs, that in its self is depressing, however, is this this normal : my hair is falling out by the gobs, I am eating meat, and cheese, and milk, very very little veggies, but basically I am eating anything I want, mind you I dont have any sugar, unless its sugar free, I try on the water, but its very hard, when I drink I get full, but I am able to eat sometimes a cup, cup and a half, or even maybe two cups of food at a sitting, now I dont do that all the time, but it can happen, I do eat small meals a day, and try some walking on the tread mill once in a while, but for the last 6 weeks I have lost nothing, nothing at all, can I tell in my close, well that is another story, but yes but not since really noticing the weight loss, I always wore my clothing big, I want to cry, I wanted to be at 180 by the end of the year, and hell I cant even get passed 200. I use to love to shop, I cant even stand going into the stores, not because of the holidays but because every time I look at something to buy I just want to go home because I dont like anything, I dont want sex anymore, and I use to, ok not that often, but now its worse, and all I want to do is go to sleep when I get home from work because I am so down, no really depressed but just down, I thought this surgery was suppose to make you feel more energy and have more fun, it seems like its just bringing me more down, I hate the way I look, I am eating but nothing is getting me started at loosing again, what do I do....    — [Anonymous] (posted on December 11, 2001)

December 11, 2001
Hi, I am almost 5 months out...on the 23rd...I am thrilled with my 65 pound loss. Every scale will weigh you differently. Depends on what you are wearing...time of day...what you ate and drank that day. I weigh only at the Dr.s office for my oficial weight and take my measurements on the 22nd of every month. You really are doing wonderful! Sometimes I do get down reading the other postes about lossing 100+ lbs in t months etc. but you know everyone is different. Your body is just trying to adjust to the tremedous weight loss and is taking a rest. To get you going again I would suggest increasing your exercise but do something different. Increase the protien...maybe do a protein shake once a day...increase your fluids...it doesn't have to be water...any sugar free fluids will help( try 1/2 diet 7 up & 1/2 orange juice ) and decrease your salt. See if this doesn't get you going again. Don't be so hard on yourself. Good luck!
   — Diane Z.

December 11, 2001
Well the AVERAGE total loss is around 70 % of what your overweight by. With your profile private we have no idea how much of this percentage you have lost. GETTING THIN isnt my goal, I just want to be healthy. I am thankful for what I have got and knew in advance it was unlikely I would weigh 175 and dont really care.
   — bob-haller

December 11, 2001
Hopefully you took some good pre op measurements, your likely loosing inches while on ths plateau.
   — bob-haller

December 12, 2001
I'm a little over 5 mos. Down 85. 324/239. Ok. From what I read here are some things you need to be doing. #1. Find a good protein drink and drink it. Your protein may be low which may be why your body is holding on to the weight. If you don't believe me, have your bloodwork done and GET A COPY of the results. Look at the pre-albumin score. Normal is between 20 and 40. Anything below that indicates that you're not getting enough protein. I don't care what your doc says. get a copy of the results and look at them yourself. Second, drink 64 ounces of water a day. Quit saying you can't. At 5 months you should be able to. Try drinking water at various times of the day. I have an easier time drinking in the morning hours. Third. Exercise. I don't care if you don't like it. No one does. Find something you can do and sweat at and do it EVERYDAY. Skip the 3 times a week for 20 minutes jargon, that is good for maintaining at your goal weight. But to lose weight you need to get your butt in some sort of cardiovascular sweating every day for at least 25 minutes (I like water aerobics but I don't think it is giving me the workout I need to burn fat). Fourth. Cut the carbs. Carbs do nothing but make you hungry for more carbs. They are made of sugar and break down to nothing but sugar (I don't care what the label says, get a book on nutrition and see what makes up a carbohydrate). Fifth...get in a support group with someone who will listen to you but won't allow you to wallow in your misery. From where I stand, you have several things that YOU can do to push this weight a bit. But you have every excuse in the book for why you can't do it. And on another note. Minus 75 pounds at your weight is exactly where you should be at 5 months. It is the 300+ people who can expect to lose 100 in 6 months and even THAT isn't guaranteed. Good luck and God Bless!
   — Kimberly L.

December 12, 2001
I'd say you need to do 2 things!! GET IN YOUR 64's. 64 ounces of liquids and 64 grams of protein. I was the plateau queen and my doctor was strictly against protein supplimentation. However, I started researching it on my own and felt like there was enough proof our there that PROTEIN WORKS!! I found one I like and I supplement anywhere from 60 to 70 grams a day. Lots of folks say they don't like the taste of them but my thoughts are - it only takes a short while to drink a protein supplement and if I was willing to have surgery to lose weight, surely I can be willing to hold my nose and drink a protein drink that is going to be so good for me. However, with all that are on the market today it shouldn't be hard to find one that you like. Getting in your liquids should be getting easier - in a perfect world we'd all drink water but amazingly, water is about the only thing that makes my stomach do flip flops. So, I drink all kinds of Crystal Lite, Sugar Free Kool-Aid, etc. I have experiemented and mixed all sorts of flavors and now I have to threaten my kids to stay out of my drinks because they really taste GOOD!! I find that even thought I used to enjoy all my drinks over ice I now prefer them at room temperature - you may be just the opposite. However, with determination and experimentation you should be able to find something that works for you. I think you'll be amazed when you start getting in your protein. The longest plateau I've had since I started supplementing protein is just a couple of weeks. Keep your chin up and try again - you'll make it!! GOOD LUCK!!
   — ronascott

January 16, 2002
I agree with the above posters about getting your water and protein and exercise, but there's something in the tone of your post that really disturbs me. It sounds to me as though you expect this surgery to do an awful lot for you -- make you thin, make you happy, make you enjoy sex and like your life. I don't want to sound like I'm being critical of you, but I think it's important to realize that no surgery, no diet, nothing in the world is going to do those things for you. This surgery (as everyone says but no one believes till they get there!) is a tool. It's not a magic wand that will make your life all better. You have to do that on your own. As for your weight loss, well, I know it's frustrating to be on a plateau, and to have different scales tell you different things. I know -- at four months out myself, when I get weighed at the gym I weigh nearly 10 lbs. more than at my surgeon's office; and my GP's scale comes somewhere in between the two. I have had to make a commitment to myself: I will only get weighed at my surgeon's office, on my visits there once every 8 - 10 weeks. That way, if I get hung up on a plateau (where I am right now, I think) I won't notice, and it won't pick at me all the time. I'll be able to enjoy my accomplishments to date, without dwelling on my failures. I hope you are able to make this surgery work for you; and I hope you'll consider reaching out for help with some of the other problems you've mentioned. Best of luck.
   — Karen I.

September 15, 2002
Hi there, I'm 5 month down also and having a bad time with a plateau.I read your responses and I'm going to try not eating carbs. That is the only difference between last month and this one is my carb eating. I bet this will help. Think about what you are eating and get rid of the carbs. I'm also going to increase my exercise. What the other person said I'm sure is true that we need to get moving now to loose better and later we can do it every other day or three times a week to stay slim. So get busy and do some re thinking I certainly am. I love loosing weight and getting healthyand you should to. Good luck.
   — Janet S.