Plateaus.

[klbg 0]

I am only 4 months out and feel like I am plateauing. I started working out with a personal trainer and the weight just seems to be coming off ounce by ounce. Any suggestions?

[Jonathan Blue 311]

Great job getting in to work with a personal trainer. They will definitely help you reach your goals faster. I had the same issue happen to me when I started working with my trainer. We did a lot of body weight resistance work and muscle building. I became really frustrated when I felt as though I was losing ounces instead of pounds. It was really frustrating. Then my nutritionist pointed out to me that even though I was losing weight, I was gaining muscle which weighed more than the fat I was losing. That was why it was looking as though I wasn't losing anything.

My doctor told me that building muscle from working out is a lot like saving for retirement. You don't see the scale change much, if at all, while you are doing it, but in the long run it will pay out in spades with larger weight loss. This is just like retirement. You don't see the advances in money right away, but when you are ready to sit back and take it easy that money you put aside initially goes to work for you. So, when you are building muscle now you will not see the desired results on the scale. In the future this muscle will go to work for you burning more fat, even while you sleep, by boosting your metabolism. Just like saving for retirement.

So please do not loose heart. Everyone at one point in time will deal with a plateau. Here are some tips to help. The biggest piece of advice I could give you is to find other ways to measure your success beyond weight. Things like using "goal clothes." These are clothes that barely fit or don't fit at all. Every time you are having a bad day or you think you are getting nowhere, put them on and realize that they are fitting better. The shirt or pants may button when they wouldn't before. Because of this you know your still getting smaller even though the scale is not showing a loss. Another way is to take pictures throughout your journey. Every time I am having a rough day my wife will send me a picture taken of me prior to surgery with the simple phrase "Look how far you've come" attached. Another way to measure your progress is in all the things you are capable now that you couldn't do just a week or a month ago.

Far too often I find myself obsessing over what the scale says and it is programmed into us from the beginning to rely on that number because everything is based on it. This number will always move quickly at first but eventually your body will begin to go through cycles. Give it time. I would be more concerned if you went a month or two without an results. I actually had to go back to see my nutritionist after seeing that over three months I had only lost 8 lbs. I freaked out. We were actually able to determine that I had not been eating enough calories for the amount of exercise I was going. I was starving myself. I followed her advice and upped my calorie intake. Over the two weeks after that meeting I had lost 16 lbs.!

Keep working hard and in the end your hard work will pay off. I promise. I have lost over 210 lbs. with the surgery and have faced plateaus and rough Patches. I have even gained weight at points, but I am still a success in the big span of things. This is your journey to take so make it your own and don't worry about the number. Worry about the results everywhere else. In the end a number is just a number. How you feel is priceless.

If you have any other questions or I can help you in any other way please let me know. You can contact me at any of my sites below. I also urge you to like and follow and of these you will find helpful.

Jonathan

@Fat2FitBlue

Blog: http://wakingupfromh...s.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook...ealjonathanblue

[klbg 0]

Thank You. I really needed to hear that tonight.

[arialuvr 8]

One month post surgery. Only lost 17 pounds.... Can this be a stall already? I'm frustrated and givubg buyers remorse. I'm barely eating enough to keep a bird alive and not losing.

I eat my 3 meals @ 1/4 cup and 1 30 grams of Protein drink. Drinking Water and walking 3-4 days for 30 mins.

Any suggestions?

[Jonathan Blue 311]

Do not despair. You need to realize you have traumatized your body and it is still recovering, even a month later. There may still be a little residual swelling even cause your weight loss to not be as much. I think that is about how much I lost the first month and maybe 30 lbs. by the six week mark when I went back to work. I have a very active job and I can tell you that once I got back working the weight started pouring off. I promise once all the restrictions about lifting, protecting your abdominal muscles, and doing more than just short walks is lifted by your doctor, you will start to see the weight fall off if you get active. Now I am not saying go out and start training for marathons or anything crazy, all I am talking about is determined walking for an hour a day, or swimming in the pool. At first you may not be able to do the full hour, but work your way up to it.

Everyone's journey is different. Look at the victory in the fact you lost 17lbs in a month and haven't had to push yourself like crazy to do. I bet you didn't even really feel like you were starving yourself. I know for the first several months I was never hungry and was always having to force myself to eat my next meal or snack. I was almost sick of food by the end. So please do not fret or give up hope. You made the right choice, the journey will just take time. The more active you become the more you will lose. This is just the beginning of the rest of your life and what will be a truly amazing your for you. Take the time to enjoy it and the small victories along the way.

If you have any other questions or I can help with anything at all, please let me know. My contact information is below.

Jonathan

@Fat2FitBlue

Blog: http://wakingupfromh...s.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook...ealjonathanblue

[klbg 0]

17 pounds in a month is great!! You are still probably retaining some fluids too. Keep at it and you will start "melting". I am learning to look at other things than the scale. It's hard.

[arialuvr 8]

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond! I feel better and not so alone in this. I was starting to think I was doing something wrong since I didn't lose much.

I read several other posts and seems others have a stall about the same time. I'm staying off the scale for a week.

Last night I think I may have eaten too quickly as I got a horrible pain in my chest. I walked around and it subsided in about 15 mins, but wow it really hurt. Felt like I was stabbed. I was always a fast eater. That sure will slow me down.

I really appreciate all your advise.

Hugs!!