Breaking a Stall – Bariatric Edition

Sheri’s Rules for Breaking Your Stall or Plateau!

Oh, the dreaded stalls along the way.  I wish I could click my ruby red heels and get you back on track and losing weight … unfortunately, it doesn’t work this way.

Stalls happen. Stalls and plateaus are a part of the weight loss surgery journey.  We all have ‘em.  Weight loss stalls are not unique to the bariatric surgery world.  Stalls are a part of the weight loss world.  It doesn’t matter if you are doing carb restriction, heavy workouts, bariatric surgery, medically supervised weight loss, etc., stalls are to be encountered along the way when it comes to weight loss.

I like to think of it as a flight of stairs.  We step down (that’s the weight loss), and then there is the flat part of the step.  That’s the part where we need to hang onto our good habits and just keep rinsing, and repeating.  If we throw our hands up in the air and get frustrated, then we are not understanding the weight loss game.

You are not going to lose weight every single day. I suggest tracking your weight weekly or bi-weekly.  That will prevent you from stepping on the scale and getting angry at it.  Now, if your diet is on point, and you are getting sufficient liquids, sleep, etc., then there should be no reason for you to panic.  Just put the scale away and start to track your weight weekly instead.  Then you will be able to see the weekly numbers tracking in the right direction.

If you are more than 6 months post-op and you’ve started to allow the processed and refined carbs to creep back into your new lifestyle, you will experience a stall.  Those packaged carbs side-track us and our goals.  If that’s the case and your new diet is not “on point”, well, then it’s time to make some changes.

I like to hit the protein HARD when this happens.  It’s not time to mess around.  I will crack some eggs for breakfast.  I will prepare some chicken for lunch.  I will eat a small steak for dinner. If I am hungry for a snack, I will open a can of tuna.  I will add a few low-carb veggies to each meal and that’s it.  This is not the time to get freaky with the cream cheese or go wild on nuts and seeds.  These are great but they pack a pile of calories.  I am not a calorie counter but I don’t want to accidentally swallow 500 calories in cheese and nuts while I am working on losing weight.

When you are in maintenance, it’s another story entirely, and another blog.  This is about how stalls feel, and how to break them.  If you want to eat low-carb bread while in maintenance, then go for it.  This is not about maintenance.

• Now, what about potatoes?  No, that’s not protein and veg.
• What about berries? No, that’s not protein and veg.
• Can I have a protein bar?  No, that’s not protein and veg.
• What about these quest chips I’ve heard about?  Nope, not a protein and veg.
• Can I drink a glass of milk as a snack?  No, it’s not a protein and veg.
• May I go to the nutrition shop for a fancy protein drink?  Nope.
• There’s some low-carb bread in my cupboard.  No, don’t eat this right now.
• What about this keto-brownie I found? No No No

Do you see what I mean?  Everybody understands my “break a stall” rules, but not everybody wants to follow them.

If you follow my instructions, you will break your stall.  If you play with “this and that”, your stall will continue.

Sometimes we just need to “boss up” and “follow the rules”.  How badly do you want to break your stall?  I hear people say that they will do “anything” to continue with their weight loss.  Then, please follow my rules and you will be successful.

Once the stall has been broken and you are on your merry way to your goal, then you can add back some berries, a piece of cheese, some nuts, and seeds.  For now, go fill your shopping cart with fish, eggs, meat, chicken, seafood.  Add some low-carb veggies to that same shopping cart and let’s get to it.

I know you’ve got it in you to break your stall.  I’ve seen so many of my clients succeed.  I also want YOU to succeed. 

Ready, Set, Goooooo – I want you to make yourself PROUD.   I have my hand out-stretched to you, and I also have a hand on your back.  This is just a gentle nudge to do what it takes to get started back up again.

Healthy Hugs,