The weight loss plateau is never a welcomed guest in the bariatric patient’s journey, but in most cases, it’s something they will have to deal with. This plateau happens around the 9 to 12 month mark after bariatric surgery and can last anywhere from eight to ten weeks, although it varies from person to person.
A plateau is distinguished by a decreasing amount of lost pounds and it is caused by a stabilizing metabolism. Maintaining weight after rapid weight loss can be frustrating to someone who is yet to reach their goals, so we compiled a list of tips that patients can follow to deal with and overcome a plateau:
- Make adjustments to your diet
The first thing nutritionists might suggest when patients hit a plateau is modifying their diet. An increase in protein and cutting back on carbohydrate intake has proven to be a very effective method for patients to get over a plateau.
- Track your meals
Tracking your meals can help you determine if there is a part of your diet that you’re neglecting. Are you sneaking in a few too many snacks? Maybe you have unknowingly increased your carbohydrate intake? Are you putting more calories into your body than what you’re burning? Keeping an honest food log will surely show you where you need to cut back.
- Avoid empty calories, like alcohol
By the time patients reach a plateau, enough time has passed for patients to have developed the healthy habits necessary for a healthy and happy weight loss. But it’s also enough time to go back to bad habits, like drinking alcohol. Alcohol, junk food, and candy are full of calories that won’t nurture your body. On the contrary, calories found in those items do not keep you full for long, leading you to keep eating and snacking, resulting in an accidental higher calorie intake.
- Make changes to your exercise routine
Following a normal bariatric diet means more calories, which means you need more exercise to burn them. Modifying your routine to include more strength exercises and cardio, or adding an extra half hour workout to your weekly schedule will do wonders for overcoming a plateau.
- Do not weigh yourself often
During the weight loss plateau, you might not see the numbers on the scale decreasing rapidly like before, but you might notice other changes in your body during this period. Your clothing sizes might go down, your body strength might increase, you might have more energy, etc. All of these are victories that do not require you stepping on the scale daily or even weekly.
- Get enough sleep
Getting proper rest and a good night’s sleep plays a bigger part in someone’s weight loss journey than most people think. Lack of sleep might affect your appetite and make you crave high-calorie foods. It will also cause lack of energy, which is essential for bariatric patients that need to follow their exercise routine.
- Embracing the process
And lastly, a plateau is a normal part of losing weight. It’s your body stabilizing and growing accustomed to your new size. This is a happy time to embrace your body and celebrate how far you have come. Take this as an opportunity to reconnect with your body, nourish and exercise it, and soon you will start seeing the pounds go down again.
Do not compare yourself to other bariatric patients. Every single body, metabolism, and lifestyle is different and what might work for someone might not work for others. It’s important that you talk to your nutritionist and healthcare providers to pinpoint the cause of your plateau and find an effective solution. Remember that our nutrition department is available to all patients who need advice or help. If you would like to consult our bariatric nutritionists about making changes to your diet, don’t hesitate to contact us!
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