Hit a Plateau - Any Advice?

Parvathi · July 13, 2005

Hi all,

I seem to have hit a plateau the last few weeks. While I realize that I could eat a bit better and exercise a bit more, I'm not doing much different from right after being banded - and then I was losing.

Here's an example of my food intake (from yesterday):-

Breakfast - coffee and Water (not really a morning person)

lunch - chicken wrap with salad - probably about 6 good bites of it

dinner - baby asian greens salad with 1/4 cup diced corned beef (probably about a cup and a half of this in total .. I suck at measuring salad) with lime dill and dijion dressing

Desert - one can diet coke

I drink Water all through out the day, always have. Lately I've fallen victim to one diet coke per day - not sure why as I've never been a soft drink person.

I haven't gotten along to the gym much lately, which I know I need to work on, so I do realize that that is part of the problem.

I can still eat quite a bit in one sitting, as long as I chew properly - ie, I can eat 2 slices of thin crust pizza over an hour sitting. That kind of makes me think maybe I might need a bit more fill. But I get a tight feeling when drinking coffee or milk on many occassions, so I'm unsure.

Any advice on what I could change/add/etc would be greatly appreciated.

La_madam · July 13, 2005

Doesnt look like enough calories to me...

We have to eat in order to lose wieght.

You should be between 1200-1500 a day, any less then that your body will store any food you put into in fear you are starving it. Where is your 60 grams of Protein in that days worth of food? Where does your Water intake come into play? All of these thinbgs are very important.

Try adding a few more calories in the way of protein and see if eating a little more helps..I know it soundscrazy but it is true, got to eat to lose wieght, healthy weight that is, sure we can starve ourselves and lose lean muscle mass but then we get flabby

Plateuas are normal, try not to worry to much

Good Luck

gunn4ya · July 13, 2005

Parvathi,

One more thing to add -- you need to lose the diet cokes. Remember bandsters aren't suppose to drink carbonation.

paula · July 13, 2005

Doesnt look like enough calories to me...

thats what Im thinking.

You can add protien to many area here... chop steak/chicken into that delicious salad, add a couple of protien drinks - replace the diet coke with one.

But I get a tight feeling when drinking coffee or milk on many occassions, so I'm unsure.

is this happening in the morning? Nearly all of us feel major restriction in the morning.

and hitting a plateau is normal. Most of the time thats when you are losing inches - not weight.

by the way, make sure your Water is around 60-80 oz's a day. Some people just drink and not measure their intake - but I always measure. You would be suprised the difference.

dont worry, itll start going down again.

paula · July 13, 2005

one more thing, you mentioned getting another fill.

Here is a site that helps many of us determine if thats what we are needing...

http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm

Iluvharleys · July 13, 2005

The thing that sticks out to me is the eating over an hour! You should eat for 20 minutes at the most and then stop. You are eating long enough that some of your food is already going through your pouch.

the best me · July 13, 2005

John (jqpublic) asked this question just last light and I linked him to this old thread...very helpful...

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1656&highlight=plateau+buster

Good luck! And I agree, eat!!!

the best me · July 13, 2005

The thing that sticks out to me is the eating over an hour! You should eat for 20 minutes at the most and then stop. You are eating long enough that some of your food is already going through your pouch.

I agree with that, too!! Okay, pizza is worth sitting an hour for, but it's a bunch of bread and is going on down, not keeping you full and low on protien. Do it when you can't stand it, if you must. However, your meals should end in 20 min or so AND you should feel comfortably full.

La_madam · July 13, 2005

I can still eat quite a bit in one sitting, as long as I chew properly - ie, I can eat 2 slices of thin crust pizza over an hour sitting.

I was told bymy Dr. not to eat after 20 minutes or if defeatsthe purpose, if you are eating for an hour then food is passing through the band and the pouch is emptying as you eat which could bewhy you are not feeling full..there are aslo foodsthe banddoes not restrict. Can you eat a chickend breat in 20 minutes and not be satisfied? I could eat 2 pieces of pizza and but hard Protein is tougher for me..I feel more restriction when I eat hard Proteins.

Parvathi · July 14, 2005

Thank you all, for the tips and advice. Paula, I just had a quick read through the link you posted and its got heaps of useful information - I've bookmarked it.

It seems like my dietician may be way off on some of the stuff she's told me, such as, draw out your meals between 30 mins - 1 hour. She also said carbonation would be fine (I'll toss the diet cokes out today).

I do generally drink about 3 litres of Water per day.

Looks like I need to sit down and make up a menu to follow, to make sure I get all of that Protein and such in. *skips away with a new resolve*

Heather Joy · July 14, 2005

and hitting a plateau is normal. Most of the time thats when you are losing inches - not weight.

Ive never thought about it that way.I have been on a plateau for about 2 weeks but everyone keeps telling me how much smaller i am,and ive lost a pant size(and a belt loop),but havent really lost weight(well tomorrow i`ll officially find out my weight LOL),so your comment makes total sense to me know!!Im connecting the dotes!!=) Thanks!LOL

littlebigfarms · July 14, 2005

Making a meal plan helps me tremendously. I need the extra control. At first I thought it was silly and that I didn't need to do it. But I was wrong. I wasn't getting the Protein I needed and I also was feeling a little lost and overwhelmed when it came to food. And to make matters worse I was making myself feel guilty when I did have something "bad" like a couple bites of pizza or a spoon or two of ice cream. As I have read on here time and again, there are no bad foods, they are just food choices, some good and some not so good. But if you keep them in perspective you will do fine. Making myself feel guilty that way was no good at all. So to make a longer story short, get in more protein, ditch the cokes, eat for a shorter amount of time and take a walk. I amke myself exercise at least 30 minutes a day, an hour if I can. I hope that helps.

Tracie D · July 14, 2005

I have been in that boat too lately. Plateau that is! I think exercise has helped me. I really haven't done much exercise since my surgery. Have been bike riding and getting on the treadmill lately, and it has helped. I have lost 5 more lbs the last 10 days. I think I may need a fill just because I think I want more restriction. I have a little under 40 lbs to lose, and if I have to suffer a little, it will be all worth it. I have been debating..... my dr. comes back from vacation next week. I may call him. I wouldn't get rid of the Diet Coke if you love it. Maybe buy those little half size cans so you can still enjoy it. I am the type that has to have a root beer or dr. pepper several times a week. I just buy the small ones because it satisfies me and I drink less. Just a few thoughts!

"Nita · July 14, 2005

One thing to add, articial sweetners have been shown to lower metabolism is several studies. so, your diet coke is bad for reasons other than the carbonation.

And while I am only two days out on solid food so I have no experience to speak from, my doctor has told me repeatedly that no meal should ever last more than 20 minutes. That is all the time it takes for your pouch to fill and your brain to get the message from your stomach that it's full.

Best of luck.