Plateau

Several years ago when my Dad was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, it was first diet and medication controlled. The first thing that the doctor and dietician did was say "six small meals a day" and not only did it bring his blood sugar levels under control but he lost a lot of weight.

Although I have plateaud *sighs* I find that my eating habits are so much better if I have six small meals a day. I snack less and when meal times come I feel "normal" hungry rather than absolutely ravishing to the point of stuffing myself ... as much as any of us can stuff ourselves these days.

The three extra meals I have are just as Carrie suggested, eggs, cottage cheese and I like those little tins of chicken. I didn't ever think I'd like the chicken but they aren't that bad and variety is good. A mix of egg, cottage cheese and chives is actually really nice.

I think my plateau will only get the move along when I move along myself. I am just bone lazy.

thanks for the advice Oki, all those things have been whirling around in my head just needed confirmation that it was ok to go ahead and do it.

Yeah I know it's controversial. I wouldnt have suggested 3 meals 3 snacks but my surgeon's dietician AND the Portion Perfection for Bands And Sleeves book offer it as an option. I also know that it works for me, unsleeved. But I agree that it wouldnt work for everyone and to follow surgeon's orders - perhaps ask him for advice Thankana? Also a bunch of members on here that ave done well often have a protein drink or bar per day.

Oki Doki Joy wrote:

Thankana you might be one of those that needs 6 meals a day (well 3 plus 3 snacks). 6 meals boots metabolim into gear - the body doesnt hang onto food because it knows it will get refuelled every coulpe of hours instead of every six or so hours.... no need to store energy if it can trust you to feed it properly.

I was thinking about doing that, starting today!!!

I know some people do find that having 6 small meals works for them, but my surgeon is very strict that we should only only have 3.

Ana, I would suggest trying to increase your protein. It doesn't look to me as though you are having enough. You need to have about 0.8g of protein per day for every kg you weigh. I aim for 60-70g, you look like you're having about 1/2 that. If you don't get enough protein, you will stop losing, it's the protein that burns the fat. Whenever my losses have stalled and I have looked at what I'm doing... it's always been the protein that had slipped.

Try adding some of those little tins of tuna, low fat cottage cheese, eggs etc and maybe even a protein drink or bar.

Cheers - Carrie :-)

Thankana you might be one of those that needs 6 meals a day (well 3 plus 3 snacks). 6 meals boots metabolim into gear - the body doesnt hang onto food because it knows it will get refuelled every coulpe of hours instead of every six or so hours.... no need to store energy if it can trust you to feed it properly.

ok dream run over!!! Plateau has begun:-(

Breakfast: half a tub of forme yogurt
lunch: half a tin of baked beans (single serve can) or another source of protein.
dinner: small piece of steak or chicken or fish, anything that is a source of protein.

I eat protein at every single meal and try not to waste space with anything else.

How do I jump start the weight loss? I have started walking on the treadmill. I have added benefibre to my water. I have 2 coffees a day both with one sugar each.

You have to eat to lose weight, silly as it sounds, its true.

I have always eaten 3 meals a day, plus 3 protein based snacks since I was sleeved, I never had a plateau and was at goal in 8 months. I also exercise, walk 5-6 times a week anywhere from 30-90 minutes, depending on the weather, etc. Mind you this was all advice given to me by my dietician, followed all her guidelines. I owe my dietician, she is just gorgeous!!

So my advice, eat up!!

Yeah, well, it kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
Remember Weight Watchers? The first time you go, they tell you to eat more!

glad its not only me !! yeah I have monthlies aswell this week so nearly fell on the floor when I weighted this morning lol. Yeah I will keep you updated, I am off to eat now.... lol
:O)
xx

Nicole I hear you loud and clear! I have been doing the same thing.... Not eating enough so the last week and a half I have increased my food intake and last week I dropped a kg! 2.2lb have my monthlies this week but will see how I go! Happy eating! and keep us posted as how you go over the next few weeks.

Hi all
just wondering and rambling as usual.
I have had a plateau and I mean PLATEAU for the last year only dropped 14 pounds since last christmas >< >< ><.. My surgeon refuses to do a bypass or revision :( as he thinks its too risky for such little weight loss left.. its not little to me ! anyway I have been experimenting for the last week and I have eaten more than usual everyday and I have lost 3 pounds. I think I have been self sabotaging and putting myself into ketosis/starvation mode. Is this possible ? anyone else done this. I think I am just so afraid of putting on weight again. I have been having just 1 meal a day and a couple of snacks. I think I just might be mental.
anyway thats all lol
Hope you are all ok
Nicola
x

walkibg for 1 to 2 hours a 5 to 7 days a week and only now allowing snacks until goal is pretty much exercising and watching what you eat.

Sorry if i confused the matter I was not talking 2 hours at the gym each day and 2 lettuce leaves per meal hehehe.

applesauce

I must be in the tiny few who dropped it all.

I have stuck pretty much to the same diet to whole 8 months I have been sleeved.
Been very careful about what I ate as I wanted my journey to be over in the first 12 months.
Its only now that I am introducing more snacks, treats, etc.

I never had a plateau, but I have had a few gains......it happens

I don't do any gym work, as I have no gym where I live, but I do walk.
5-6 days each week for 1-2 hours, weather permitting.

if you read the forums the vast majority of people having a sleeve stop the auto weight loss 10 to 15kg from a realistic goal. It seems that is the point the sleeve gets the majority of sleevers to. the surgery was never about making ones butt look good in a size 10 pair of jeans. the last 10 to 15kg weight loss for the vast majority requires careful monitoring of food and exercise. Only a tiny few just drop it all.

applesauce

Hi Jo your not alone. My loss is slow and lots of long plateau (even small gains omg). I don't snack but will have to cut out the few wines that were creeping in and get some motivation to exercise more. It is really hard when you see weight falling off ppl but realistically that never ever happened to me when dieting so this is not really different. Like you I thank my lucky stars for this op as by now I would be regaining normally. Sorry couldn't help with any ideas, my dietician said that it would be harder being older, long history of diets and lapband, but I won't give up, going to get as close as I can. Looking forward to how others kick started things ?

Thanks ladies...I think I'm just concerned that such a long plateau has come at such an early stage. My weightloss has been slower than most right from day one - which in a way has been good for the loose skin department! If I was 10kg closer to goal, I would have expected this. I think I may try Opti for a few days and see if that starts me off again. I go to Curves, but probably need to put more effort in there as well.
I really shouldn't be complaining as I have never been able to stick to anything this long before and I am soooo much healthier than I was 6 months ago. I was just hoping to get down smaller than a size 18!

Hi,
I didn't lose for a bit longer than that, stuck between 71 and 72 kilos.
Went back on opti with Kylie ready for her surgery and it started moving again.

I was in the same boat as you..... my surgeon suggested weight bearing exercises, up water intake and protein... don't cut out calories as this will put you into stavation mode...
I would suggest seeing your surgeon/dietitian to help you!.

I need some advice. I have been in a 'plateau' now for about 8 weeks, and need to kick start things again. To be honest, I have not really dieted since my sleeve op almost 6 months ago - just of course cut down heaps. Calorie wise though, I'm probably consuming on average about 800 per day. Should I cut this further? (I'm thinking not). I'm worried that my body has gone into starvation mode as I was on less than this for a while...
I'm doing Ok (just ok) with my protien - but not with my water
I'm very happy that I have lost over 20kg so far - but it would be nice to get the weightloss started again...any hints??? What have others tried to get them going again?

Hi Libby

Firstly *** CONGRATULATIONS *** on losing 40kg!! Wowee!!!

I notice your next goal is "overweight", I'm guessing thats the BMI thing? Is it just me or are these BMI tables set a tad low?? I thought it was pretty funny celebrating not being morbidly obese anymore and just being plain old "obese" but it messes with my head a little to think I have to get down to 75k (I'm around 85k now) to not be overweight. I'm thinking hey when I was 120 I was overweight, now I'm a damn supermodel! I fit into size 16 clothes!!

Don't worry, my hubby thinks I'm a bit of a loon but I'm just soooo happy to be where I am today after the surgery. And it hasn't even been a year!!
cheers, Kat

I have 2 theories...

Firstly - Those of us that have done Weight Watchers would probably have been told to make sure you eat EVERYTHING that is on the menu planner. On those weeks when you didn't lose anything you would be told to make sure you ate all your allocated food as your body needs all the calories. If you don't 'feed' your body it will go into starvation mode and you won't lose weight. I would say that after the initial 'shock' to our bodies of only eating 600+ calories a day after surgery our bodies then go into 'starvation' mode and plateau until we are able to start eating more (1000+). And although we may feel like we are eating too much, and then surprised to find we are losing again, we are probably eating enough to fuel our bodies back into weightloss.

Secondly - I think our bodies need time to adjust when we lose weight which is why we have to give it a bit more effort every now and then.

Personnally I know exactly why I do not lose weight, it's because I am eating too much of the good stuff. But when I get a little off track it takes very little to get back on track. I stop with the soft drink, chocolate, alcohol and get back onto the fruit, vegies and chicken/steak.

That one seems quite true for me.

I spent all of my twenties hovering around 88 kilos before having kids in my thirties and spending my 30s in triple digits and post sleeve my weight has gradually fallen off until it stopped at 85 kilos then I put a few kilos back on and I've spent the past few months around 86 - 87 kilos no matter what I eat and that says something for the sleeve cuz I have put away some truly high calorie foods since my weight stablised but in the past I would have stacked the weight back on by now but I've stabilised at a weight I'm happy with. Its not my healthy BMI and I'm not skinny but I am healthy and I can eat snacks generally when I want to without putting on any more weight so I am one happy camper.

A guy I work with has done amazingly well without any WLS. He must have been nearly 200kilos and he lost 60 kilos but put 20 back on (another reason we get sleeved, no??) but is now back on the wagon again. He said the body remembers it's highest weight for 7 years!!! Arck!! I have no intention of getting that big again but I suppose you could if you weren't sleeved and I believe the body does have a memory of certain weights.

You're absolutely right, Kylie. There's something in human physiology called "homeostasis" - which just means the body trying to find a "normal", stable position. This explains a lot of bodily functions where the body tries to compensate for things to overcome temporary problems. Your body sees rapid weight loss as starvation and tries to slow the rate of change by altering how it utilises fat. Sometimes it takes a while to break through that and keep losing, but it's inevitable if calories in < calories out.

Its not quite right for me cause I cant remember when I was ever this weight...maybe when I was 15 or 16???

My own lil theory is that your body is always trying to stabilise itself for survival...so WLS gives us a real good chance to get ahead but then it slows down...the bodies natural way of saying hold up girls!!

I could be very wrong tho too