How do you stay mentally focused during a stall?

Autum1031

I'm about 3 1/2 months past my surgery, and I've officially hit my first stall. I haven't dropped a single pound in two weeks, and the week before that, I only lost one pound. It's pretty maddening, as I'm following the program exactly. I know stalls happen, I know I just need to keep working at it, but as the days tick by I'm having a harder time staying focused on eating well and exercising since it isn't making a difference. (I also track my measurements and those haven't changed either).
For those of you who have battled through stalls before, how did you stay motivated when your efforts are not paying off? I'm so discouraged right now--I keep thinking, this is it? I went through all of this to lose only 59 pounds, and have everything stop after 3 months?

anbrdr

Weight loss is never linear. Stalls and gains will come and go. If you are exercising more than you would have been, you could be adding muscle while losing fat. Use all of your data points. Use your scale, as well as individual measurements with a measuring tape.

cmchandler74

anbrdr wrote: »

Use your scale, as well as individual measurements with a measuring tape.

Yes! THIS!

9 times out of 10, even when I'm not losing anything (or bouncing up and down a few pounds between the same level), I'm losing mass. That tape measure can make ALL the difference in your sanity.

ssbeadlady

I am on another WLS site and a lady on that site back in Sept of last year was seeing a lot of people posting about stalls so she wrote a long posting about "Embracing The Stall. You are currently doing many of the things she wrote about in dealing with the stall. However I didn't see you mention this one, so that is the part of her thread I am posting here in hopes that it may help with the emotional aspects of stalls.

"One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil.

-- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general.

-- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place.

-- Write about what life was like before surgery.

-- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future.

-- Write about your fears.

-- Write about your NSVs.

-- Make a gratitude list.

-- Make a bucket list.

-- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self.

Just write."

By the way my first stall came 10 days after my surgery. I had lost 19 pounds and didn't lose a single pound until 17 days later when I last 2 more pounds. Just last week I gained 6 pounds despite eating less than 500 calories a day as I am only 6 weeks post-op. Thank goodness this week that 6 pounds is gone plus more. So I am getting use to what the previous two poster said. Our weight loss is not linear and we will have ups and downs

rpyle111

Try to separate the results (the scale) from the process. Define success as following your plan. You can have success every day that way. If you are honest and introspective about your calories in and exercise out, the results will follow.

As an aside, every time I had a stall, an honest reflection on my habits and behaviors yielded some areas where I could tighten things up. Don't beat yourself up, just *kitten* and adjust if necessary.

Rob

Autum1031

Thanks for the encouraging words, I appreciate them. I did finally lose a pound today, finally. Like I mentioned in my post, I also do track my measurements since I know those can change without weight loss, but I saw no changes there either. frustrating! Oh well. I will just have to keep focusing on my goal, and do my best to ignore the scale--which is hard!

KarlaYP

Scales can be very discouraging at times! My experience has been stalls seem to be a time of healing. It seems the body needs to take care of things, so it stops losing while this is happening, and once the process is done the weight begins to drop again! These are a part of every weight loss I've ever achieved! Even when 100% on plan they happen for me!+I've given up on so many weight loss efforts because of this! They are no fun, but I've accepted them as part of the process since I do come out better on the other side!

AngieViolet

I journal and that helps me a LOT. You are welcome to check it out. I do an entry each week. www.butyouhavesuchaprettyface.com
I had a big stall at the same time post op. I'm 4 months out of RNY and happy to report that I'm losing steadily again. During that time, I focused on exercise, pushing my endurance, and racking up non-scale victories. I'm not saying that I never had a breakdown during this time...maybe cried, maybe three stuff...but I made it through hahaha. You will make it through as well!

Ultima_Morpha

I focus on the health and fitness aspects of what I'm doing.

What can I do...

faster...stronger...longer.

I start view them as challenges instead of obstacles.

I was fortunate to not experience any significant pause in my weight loss until I was 6 months post surgery...but I certainly had some weeks earlier on that were discouraging. I could also tie these to my menstrual cycle so I could really see them as temporary.

ssbeadlady

I can't believe I am in another stall. The second one since surgery on the 26th of Jan. I guess I need to follow my advise above and do some writing of my own. This is getting to be discouraging. How often do you all have stalls?

AngieViolet

I'm in one right now to. I'm 4 months out and this is my 3rd. It is frustrating, but my blog and support from others really helps me!!!! Keep up the good work. Make sure you are hitting your protein goals, keeping calories in the proper range, and just move and have fun...it'll keep coming off!! Head up!!

MrsDreamer1974

I'm so frustrated, I'm at another stall already and im only 4 months out and I think this is my 3rd or 4th stall. Why is it the harder I work the less I lose? And im not losing inches either. I think I have hit yet another major depression uggg. All my nutritionist says is drink water and don't count calories just keep track of protein..what the heck kind of help is that? I have already had to start eating meat ( I'm normally Vegan ) because she asked me to and it helped for about a week. I have added bike ridding to my daily exercise and it stalled me. Before my surgery I lost 102 lbs in 6 months on my own and now its going so slow. I don't get it, how do you all get through these stalls without hitting rock bottom depression?

murphyraven

I empathize! I had so many stalls through my process that drove me crazy. Now 14 months out it feels like I won't lose anymore yet I still have 20 lbs I want to get rid of. I seems hypocritical but try to not focus on the numbers. If you aren't losing lbs try putting the scale away for awhile and just focus on doing what you are supposed to. Make your focus on learning to change your habits and way of thinking towards food as a life long change. Take pictures and measurements since those can help show you progress when the scale doesn't. Find little victories such as clothes fitting a little loser or being able to exercise more easily. Also do NOT compare your weight loss journey with others as that will drive you the most crazy (at least it did for me).

Autum1031

It's been a few weeks since I posted here...and I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. ;-) I finally broke my stall a few weeks ago, though heck if I know how. I didn't change anything - kept eating well, kept exercising, etc., and all of a sudden one day the scale started moving again. SO frustrating!

ssbeadlady

These stalls are driving me crazy and I have to learn how to deal with them better than I am so I made an appt for next week to talk with my preop Psych again. We had about 7 visits before she wrote me my clearance and told me to call whenever I needed her again. I have given my scale to my room mate and he gives it back to me once a week to weigh. This week was yesterday and I am still the same. Have not lost any weight since March 8th. I did take my measurements this week and yes they are down quite a bit from when I had surgery in Jan. I am very happy about that. However I wonder why in my case is seeing the number on the scale going down far more important to me then the other Non Scale Victories I have? I mean 9 weeks ago I couldn't bike 0.62 miles now I am biking 5 miles. I had to use 2 canes to walk to my bike now I use one. My tummy no longer touches the steering wheel. I had to move my van seat forward because my butt is smaller and my legs couldn't touch the gas pedal. These should be far more important than a number but my brain just doesn't see them that way. So frustrating!

lizzieloo934

I'm 3.5 months out and I haven't hit a plateau yet. I've had a couple of weeks where I have had a gain but that usually happens when I have an unusually large loss the week before.

My strategy for when I hit one is to focus on my fitness. 2 weeks after surgery I was at the gym doing a couch to 5k walking program for 6 weeks. Then I worked on increasing my speed, then I added weight and now I have started small running intervals. At the end of May I have joined the running room to do their learn to run clinic.

I am not proud of my weight loss but I sure am excited about it. BUT FITNESS is something that I can really be proud of!! That is the direct result of my hard work (not that eating well isn't hard, it is!) Walking up the stairs to my apt is getting easier and easier, I can walk faster than some of my thinner friends, I can lift heavier weights and when I do my running intervals my lungs don't hurt as much!