The three week stall

DianaCox

Bad Cop
Joined
Dec 30, 2013
Messages
6,343
Location
San Jose
A "stall" at this point is inevitable, and here is why.

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a sabertooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.
 
This should be printed, laminated and hung on the mirror of every pre-op the morning they head for the hospital, so that it's there to be read upon their return home :). I guarantee that no matter HOW much you've learned and memorized about what's going to happen postop, you WILL forget stuff and this is one of the things that always gets forgotten.
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was just about to post about this, because I am pretty upset that at exactly 3 weeks I hit a stall, and have even gained a bit of weight. Then I saw your post! I hadn't been able to see any good reason for it and I just don't seem to be able to break through it. I'm so glad there is an explanation for it. I thought I was destined to be a DS failure after only 3 weeks! :(
 
I didn't have the week 3 stall as I had issues and was just coming to my sense in hospital, but I did have a week 5 gain. I didn't fret at all. My body is mightly pissed off at me right now, so it's gunna do what it's gunna do! We had the DS!!! The best of the best and it WILL WORK!!!! :D
You're right, of course. It was just a bit of a shock to go from losing a pound a day to suddenly gaining 2 pounds!
 
You're right, of course. It was just a bit of a shock to go from losing a pound a day to suddenly gaining 2 pounds!

ha! I went a whole 5....and did not bat an eye! Beats the days when I could gain 20lbs in 12hrs! (water of course, but still soul destroying!) So I look that 5lbs in the eye and DARE it to try to hold on :) I'm sure its gone now but I dont want to become obsessed with the scale, so it's only once every 2 weeks for me I'm afraid. After my sleeve I became a 5 time a day weigher...and I did not like the emotions that came with that game...so this time I am much more relaxed about it all.
 
Well, just hit what I suppose is my 3 week stall, a little early...... have lost nearly 20lbs and then today...nada. But that's OK because my blood sugar has been improving steadily as I titrate down off the big prednisone doses, so all's good here. But it is sort of a downer to get used to the numbers going down, down, down...then...it isn't anymore haha

One day does not qualify as a stall:tongue: You are doing great.
 
Well, just hit what I suppose is my 3 week stall, a little early...... have lost nearly 20lbs and then today...nada. But that's OK because my blood sugar has been improving steadily as I titrate down off the big prednisone doses, so all's good here. But it is sort of a downer to get used to the numbers going down, down, down...then...it isn't anymore haha
AS a lightweight, you are right on schedule: http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/my-weight-loss-by-month-as-a-lw.1104/
 
A "stall" at this point is inevitable, and here is why.

Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a sabertooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.



Is this the same glycogen that kicks in when my sugar gets low sometimes in the middle of the night and causes me to have a high blood sugar by the morning? I'm guessing it is, but, was just wondering. Also,have wondered why it does not always work and ends up with some diabetics dying from low blood sugar, especially in the night. I heard the doctors had coined the term,"dead in bed syndrome." Isn't that just lovely, a Dr. Seuss type name for something that ends your life? Wonder if over the years, the body does not have the same quick response to the need for the glycogen when it is needed? Thank you for the explanation, Diana!
 
I keep coming back to read this and tell myself to relax. I thought I had hit the stall a week early as on the day I started week 2 I got stalled for 5 days. But nope, the day I hit week 3 I stalled again and have been stalled for two weeks. I am very nervous about it and feel guilty whenever I eat. I have to keep reading this and tell myself eventually things will get moving :(
 
I, too, am at a stall. Worse, I actually GAINED a couple of pounds! I was freaking out about this until I measured myself again. Lo and behold, I actually lost inches. Guess I'll have to be patient for the weight to start dropping again...

Sheeesh... get moving already LOL
 

Latest posts

Back
Top