Are You Sporting the "Plateaued" Look?

Jun 30, 2010

"I'm 3 months out, and I'm plateauing!!!"   So often is what I would here when walking into a room with a patient.   (Can you hear the scary music in the back?)  A plateau is a worst fear for most of us....it's like those dark clouds that loom bad things for the future.  

I'm going to answer plateau questions for each stage, so please keep reading! 

If you are a new bypass/switch/sleeve patient to 0-8 (ish) months out (or a band 3 months+ out), here is some IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER, that will make your journey be more stress-free if you keep these things in mind: 
1.) Your body loses a good amount in the beginning, mostly because the first several pounds (depending on how much weight you started at), is water weight.  As you switch to FAT LOSS, weight loss will SLOW DOWN.....that's how we know you're losing fat!  Note at this stage how important it is to keep up with your protein, so you only lose fat and not muscle.   EXPECT weight loss to slow down so you don't get discouraged when it happens:) 
2.) WEIGHT LOSS HAPPENS IN A STAIR PATTERN, NOT A PERFECT SLOPE! (sorry for yelling:).  In other words, picture a set of stairs, not an escalator.  You'll stay the same for a week or so, and then all of the sudden you'll drop a handful of pounds all at once.  Remember, sometimes the inches come first, or vice-versa.  
3.) If you really feel like you're at a plateau, talk to your surgeon or RD! ....or someone who understands Bariatrics.  It's always good to get an outside perspective.  I've had patients before who take the protein-thing and RUN with it (I call them my little protein monsters:).  By this I mean they're drinking more than a GALLON of POWERMILK a day!  Of course their weight loss would slow down, even if they were only 2 weeks out!  Easy solution.  A plateau is a great time to make sure you're keeping that nutrition journal--- it should signal your brain to just make certain that you're doing everything you need to: getting in appropriate protein/fluid, supplements, not eating/drinking simultaneously, etc.   

All surgeries, further out: 
1.) Keep in mind what we mentioned about the stairs vs. the escalator (or elevator!) above.  And that weight loss slows down to 1 - 3 pounds a week = fat loss.  
2.) DON'T FEEL ALONE, OR AS THOUGH SURGERY DIDN'T WORK FOR YOU!  (sorry again for yelling!)  Plateauing is a natural process of weight loss, but there are things you can do: 

How to cure a plateau: 
A plateau means a period of no change in a time of progress...a lull.  If this is you, here's what you can do!  FIRST, this is a great opportunity to go back with your detective goggles on and look to see what habit may have slipped in, or if you are not doing the basic requirements you were so enthusiastic about right after surgery.  So many times I've had patients who find they're at a plateau, and they LOWER THEIR FOOD INTAKE!  NOT GOOD!!!!!!!   You know what happened to them when they did this?  They plateaued even more.  Your body needs the fuel, and it needs 3 meals a day.   If you're hardly eating anything because you think you're at a plateau, your body has a mind of its own and will efficiently hold on to everything it has for fear it won't get the fuel it needs.  Show your beautiful body some love an nourish it appropriately, please!   A plateau is your body trying to tell you something.  The best thing to do is keep a nutrition journal, and weigh yourself once a week (wake up, use bathroom, stand on scale naked....write that number down in journal).   This way you can find out EXACTLY what habit may have slipped in, if you're still getting your protein needs, how many veggies you're consuming, etc.   And, you'll know exactly which way your weight is going.  Plateaus are not a time to avoid the scale, but also not a time to weigh 3x/day!  You'll go insane!  

"Platueas" also mean its a good time to change things up, because your body has gotten use to what you are doing.  Now, it depends on your individual circumstance, but for example, if you've been walking at a steady 60 minutes a day, try going 30, only going much harder!  In other words, change up the intensity.  I could give millions of examples, but I promised to keep my blogs short, and this one's already breaking my vow!  

Another word of advice from my personal experience:  if you've gone back to drinking pop (yes, even if its diet!), STOP NOW! I call it liquid Satan.  More on that in another post!  

In summary: 
NUTRITION JOURNAL (I PROMISE, it will do wonders....just trust me.  It always shows the answers.  It's like looking into your "magic mirror" and seeing what you need to change). 
WEIGHT WEEKLY (a "watched pot" never boils:) 
BACK TO BASICS (right amount of protein, fluid, right foods, no eating/drinking together, vitamins, etc.) 
TALK TO SOMEONE 
POSITIVE THOUGHTS 

The last point, "positive thoughts" ....you won't find in a research study anywhere.  It's something I've realized from years of practice of watching the process of people's lives changing.  Trust me (again), positive thinking about your life, weight, and situation is half, if not most, of the battle.  Your brain controls your body so give it some good "brainfood" today!  (more on that later too!) 

Okay, so for those of you reading this who have it a plateau and conquered it, how'd ya do it?  What was the cause in your opinion?  

And if you're on a plateau (those darn things), how can we help encourage you??  

Please share! 

Annessa 

Annessa Chumbley, RD 
www.flourishyourlife.com 

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