Question:
Help!! I am 5.5 mo. post-op from a proximal RNY. So far I have lost 70#
but have not lost even 1 pound for 5 wks. I am 5'6 tall, my starting weight was 284# Currently I weigh 214#. Is this all I am going to lose? I still have 65# left to lose. I drink all my water, and walk 3 mi./day. Granted I am able to eat more these days, but A LOT less than before. I am depressed thinking this is all I am going to lose. Anyone else gone through this?? Is it normal? HELP!!! Thanks, Dani — Dani J. (posted on June 20, 2000)
June 20, 2000
Have you tried exercising? If you are, increase it an additianal amount of
time, and and additional day. And if you are not, begin doing it and make
it a lifestyle! Make sure you are drinking your water.
— [Anonymous]
June 20, 2000
I've been going through the same thing. My RNY was 7/28/99. My starting
weight was 329#. My current weight is 227#. Last month I lost 1#. The month
before that I lost 3#. The month before that it was about 2#. The last
three months, I don't even think I've lost 10#. I'm afraid this is it for
me also. I'm afraid I'll always be Morbidly Obese. No way out of it, not
even surgery. I was afraid I'd be one it wouldn't work for and I was right.
Granted I lost 100#. I'm grateful there, but I'm STILL MORBIDLY OBESE! I'M
THE ONE THIS SURGERY FAILED FOR! I'm trying to diet, using old ways of
losing weight and I just can't seem to lose anymore. Dieting, after all was
never the problem before, it was keeping it off. Now I can't even diet to
lose.
Anyway, no you're not alone.
— [Anonymous]
June 20, 2000
I'm right there with you. Can't get below 207# (more
according to the surgeon). I lost 3# last month and the
surgeon accused me of eating too much. He never says the
word plateau, just says I'm eating too much. I don't graze,
eat 3 meals a day, walk, drink and drink and drink. I'm
wondering the same thing myself...'is that all there is?'
— kaydeeb16
June 20, 2000
Actually, you all are putting way too much emphasis on the actual number,
rather than on your body fat content. If you have spent a good portion of
your life heavy, your muscle and bone mass are going to be more dense.
Also, your genetics are going to dictate your final weight. If you are
concerned, have a body mass weighing. This is done under water to
determine your actual body fat content which should be about 25%, give or
take a couple of percentage points. I expect that my final weight, minus
the excess skin that I will have removed, will be about 180 to 200 pounds
and I am 5"7". To be fixated on a number is going to drive y'all
batty. Fondly,
— merri B.
June 20, 2000
Just another point...most surgeons do not know about the body mass
weighing. I will have to go to a special center that specializes in the
MEDICAL (as v. surgical) treatment of weight loss to have it done. Do not
allow yourself to be brow beaten by a, shall we say, less than fully
informed physician. Just to give you an example, my 5'4", 150 pound
sister was constantly in trouble with the Army for being overweight until
they measured her body fat content, which was 26%, well within their
requirements. She just happens to be of peasant stock like the rest of the
Busch's with no aristocratic litheness.
— merri B.
June 21, 2000
Dani, please do not get discouraged. I also say this to the individual who
posted anonymously below. We need to stop beating ourselves up over
plateaus. With all of our many dieting experiences, we have ALWAYS thought
of plateaus as dieting failures - that we are not doing our part. In fact,
plateaus in ALL of us who have had WLS WILL happen, and it is perfectly
normal. It is our body's way of saying "whoooaaaaaaaaa, lots of
changes have been happening, and we need to play catch up for a bit".
Plateaus can last days, weeks, or months. Increase your exercise, water
and protein, and make sure you're not eating too many carbs. This isn't
the end of your weight loss, it's just a break. Also, be sure to take
monthly measurements. You will find that even when you are not losing
pounds, you are still losing inches. And you should still be noticing
changes in your clothing. Muscle is heavier than fat but is leaner and
looks better. Hang in there! You might want to make an appointment with
your nutritionist to go over your food intake if you are still really
concerned. This could help pinpoint if you have a particular problem that
is causing the plateaus. Good luck. Smile. You're doing great!!!
— Paula G.
June 21, 2000
Dani, I have heard that a plateau can be broken if you either eat more than
you have been or take in only proteins for a few days. I have been there
but I increased my exercise and/or food intake until I started lossing
again. Hope this helps!
— [Anonymous]
June 21, 2000
Try strength training. Don't be afraid that you'll bulk up like a man
because you won't (not unless you do it to the extreme!). Some people
still insist that aerobic exercise is the only way to lose weight and that
strength training only bulks muscles, making us look bigger. While it's
true that strength training does tone muscles, adding muscle will increase
metabolism and cause the body to burn more calories. It's not really the
act of lifting weights that burns calories it's the muscle that is added
which burns much more calories. Strength training and aerobics are a
perfect combo. Now, my other piece of advice about plateaus...resist the
urge to weigh yourself. I've only been weighed when I went in for my
follow up appointments (I'm almost 3 months postop) and it's made all the
difference in the world. I don't have a scale at home right now so not
weighing myself is easy. After my 3 month follow up I will probably get
one because I don't think I can go 3 months without finding out if I'm
losing weight. I think I'll have to keep it at my mom's house though to
resist the urge to hop on it every day!
— Kellie L.
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