I've hit a wall ....

[sixtythreenova 0]

I've been banded for almost 4 months now and lost a total of 60 pounds pre and post op (237 start weight, today 177). The majority of the weight was post band. I"ve had 3 fills and have good (almost too good) restriction. It's only been the last couple of days where i haven't slimed up all the food i am able to get down. However, for the past 4 weeks I have lost NO weight. Been playing with the same 1 pound up and down. I exercise, I'm a runner, (but probably need more time or distance) and i eat 1000 to a max of 1200 calories a day. Typically in the past when i've not lost weight i was losing size, but now neither. I'm in a size 10 to 12 but am not done with weight loss, although my body seems happy I'm not intending to stay here. The other problem (for women only) I've not had a period for 3 months now ... I'm 44 years old and have had times of hot flashes in the past, but not for at least 2 months... I'm very confused and not sure what's going on... Anyone have any advice?

[LeighaMason 19]

Are you measuring and logging your food? Do you drink any alcohol?

And the only other thing I can think of is the more you lose the less calories you need. Have you tried 800-1000 a day?

To lose the last 15 I had to eat 800-900 calories a day and I used a cross training schedule instead of just running (Ex. Run 3 min, stop jump rope 3 min, repeat for 30 min). And I had to quit drinking wine completely. :thumbup:

[Mariasha 3]

How much exercise are you doing?

[sixtythreenova 0]

I don't drink alcohol with any regularity, not because i'm against it, i just haven't. As far as calories I do seem to vary from 800 to 1200, but again not with any regularity. I do log my food and try to be a good tracker so i can keep a hold on my intake. I'm thinking i need to do really low carbs for a few days and see what happens. I've been considering the Plateau buster diet to get a fresh start. As far as exercise, Mariasha, I run at least 4 days a week for 35 to 45 minutes and when the weather isn't wet I throw in Cycling of at least 25 miles on an alternate day. I again probably need to increase the intensity of my workouts. I'm trying to remain positive, but am also worried about the "flying squirrel" arms that i now have! AHHH :thumbup:

[123crod 170]

When I stalled out I dropped to a lower carb count and that helped a lot.

Cheri

[LeighaMason 19]

I cured my flying squirrel arms by selling my motorcycle....:thumbup:

The more you run the more efficient your body becomes doing it...

[ronnie87 8]

Hmm, you might have lost your period for a while due to the weight loss? I know that happened to a friend of mine when she first got banded. Are you on birth control?

[WrenBird 11]

Change your workout to something else for a while. Eat more Protein and less carbs as Cheri said and don't give up!

Edit: The plateau diet sounds good too. But I think this might be closely related to doing a similar workout (running and cycling are more similar than we think) and your body may have adjusted to it.

I hope this is the problem anyways, because it's easily fixed :-)

Cheers.

Edited October 29, 2010 by WrenBird

[Dave_NW 92]

:thumbup: Not that it's any of my business, and I certainly have no idea if this is even a fair question, but is there any chance you're starting menopause? I've always heard stress can bring it on early, and that it plays hell with hormones and diet and such.

Dave

[WrenBird 11]

:smile2: Not that it's any of my business, and I certainly have no idea if this is even a fair question, but is there any chance you're starting menopause? I've always heard stress can bring it on early, and that it plays hell with hormones and diet and such.

Dave

Uh oh Dave...You've gone too far now..

:thumbup: Just kidding.

[Llyra 3]

Good grief, Nova, take a break! Enjoy where you are, buy a new pair of jeans, look at how beautiful the world is as you run through the fields and down the streets.

Sixty pounds in not quite four months is phenominal; perhaps your body just wants to take a break and adjust. Running and eating a reasonable amount of food are part of your new life, right? Not something you plan on changing once you hit the magic number? Relax, enjoy yourself, it'll come, though maybe not on the timetable you originally planned. :smile2:

Perimenopause strikes many of us in the early to mid-forties. It doesn't run on any schedule we try to force on it either, darn it. See your gynecologist, read the literature, and welcome, sister, to the next phase of womanhood.:thumbup:

[isaviolinist 11]

I'm in a similar boat. Last week I lost 6 pounds. The week before I lost 5 pounds. This week so far, I've gained a pound!! :thumbup: I'm so frustrated. I might try a modified version of the Plateau Buster diet too. Maybe I'm eating too many carbs. I'm going to try to low carb it for the next 2 days and stick to Protein mostly. I haven't done anything differently - I work out 6 days a week for an hour (3 days of cross and interval training and three days of interval training on the elliptical). Because my workout vary, I feel like I'm keeping my body guessing. Erg. This is frustrating but I'm trying not to lose motivation, since plateaus are often where I fail myself. If you do the Plateau Buster diet, let me know how it works out!

[xavier 153]

Sounds like it may be hormonal. But on the other hand, below 1200 a day and you can go into starvation-prevention mode. I would say make sure to get 1200 and make extra sure to get 70gms of Protein every day! Good luck!

[dreamingofbeingskinny 1]

40 lbs is awesome! I am about 4 months out as well and down about 35 lbs, I have hit a plateau recently. I upped my Protein with shakes in the am and lunch when possible and it helped to get me back on track, Your body adjust and gets used to the routine, weither food or exercise it knows it and stops changing in lbs. Also as for the period I am 29 and have only had one since the procedure, but have been told it is from the weight loss. But hey I am not complaining about that. Good luck, platueas are hard, but worth getting past. I too am a runner and I recently joined a running group in my area, which is helping me change my pace. anything to shake things up! good luck!!