What is a stall?
A "stall" is the term used by the community to describe a time when your weight loss stops. The scale doesn't move for a time. This is common. Read on to hear of some potential easy changes and solutions!
First things first
Stalls are incredibly common on everybody's journey. So is starting and losing a lot, or a little, depending on how your body reacts to the medication. It is a marathon, not a sprint. You'll see stories that go either way. I lost a lot! Or - I started a week ago and no changes yet! Everyone is anxious to see the scale numbers drop when they first get started. But have faith. It's a marathon, we all end up in the same place. Here are some things to know.
Should I increase my dose quickly to lose more?
No, short answer. The most common misconception is that you want to speed upward in dose to lose quickly. Not the case. The experts I've spoken with, including a trainer of physicians specific to GLP-1's, say to stick with the lowest dose that is working for you. By "working for you", they mean providing appetite suppression. The first thing people think of when they find themselves in a stall for a week or more is to titrate up. There are some other things to consider first.
Worth noting - another reason to be slow to titrate up is once you reach the top dose, there is nowhere to go. Some folks find they titrated to the top and stall. At that point, their provider may have them titrate down and back up again to break the stall, or try a few other things. Staying on a low dose is more cost-effective as well. I've definitely heard a story or two where someone reached their goal weight on the lowest dose the whole time.
Eating Enough
I will tell you that the reason I stalled at Week 6 for almost 3 weeks was because I wasn't eating enough. My body was holding onto the weight because I was not eating enough calories and definitely not enough protein. Appetite suppression was really working to the point where I'd feed my family and sometimes forget to feed myself. I ate a big protein day, and immediately lost 3 lbs. There are so many similar stories. So are you eating enough? Check out the Nutrition page for some fun calculators and easy protein ideas.
Rotating Injection Sites
This was a game-changer for me. It is for almost everybody. When you are given the instructions for administration, it typically comes with a list of sites that are your options for administration. There is no hard science behind it, a subcutaneous injection is said to be the same no matter where you inject it, but patients almost across the board say it feels different depending on the site. They usually find a sweet spot and then rotate between 2 or 3 spots the rest of their journey.
A lot of people say the belly a couple inches from the bellybutton is the winner for them. They just pick a different side each time. I started with my thighs, then tried belly which was nothing much for me, then back of the arm - woo! That was my sweet spot. So I switch back of the arm, a different side each week. It's so personal, you just can talk to your provider and see what works for you. That is one successful way people break a stall.
Set Weight Point
A much lesser-known cause of a stall is that we have reached a weight that we used to be for a time in our lives. As our weight goes down, we may find that we pause at these weights. It is not well-understood, but scientists are studying how weight is controlled by the brain. There seems to be something like a weight memory akin to muscle memory, they are discovering through watching patients being treated with GLP-1's. If you find yourself stuck at a certain weight, it might be one you had for a while before. They say, "wait for the whoosh...."
The Whoosh
In chats about GLP-1's, you might hear this term. It refers to rapid loss after a long stall. It's so common to stall for a while and then suddenly lose all the weight at once. Like, whoosh... Again, it's a marathon. Just roll with it!
Titrating Up
Finally, if your provider gives the blessing, you just ask to titrate up. Different providers handle titration differently. Most of them leave it up to the patient, which is ideal, in my opinion. You don't want to get stuck with a provider that keeps you on a low dose to drag out treatment if it's not working, or one that pushes you upward to charge you more. Being in control of titration is key! The providers I recommend are like that. That's one of the things I talk about. You are in control and they are there to fully support you and answer questions and celebrate your wins. Not everyone in the marketplace is like that. Which is why the prices you'll see are great but there's more to consider with providers, you really want to be in full control of your journey too! You've got this!
Please feel free to reach out with questions or suggestions of what you want to see answered here