I was banded on August 18, 2009. Starting weight was 277. I have lost 20 pounds so far. I had my first band fill October 12, 2009.

I'm so frustrated at this point. It's been two months since surgery and I have only lost 20 pounds. My food intake has been drastically reduced. For exercise, I do 25 minutes of step aerobics with 3 lbs weights. I guess I need to eat celery for every meal???

I am trying the slim fast shake for breakfast. Maybe lunch too. For dinner I cook using a Light Crock Pot cookbook. I still need to feed my family! I see other people losing 30 - 40 lbs by now! I'm not going to give up, I just need more pounds to come off. Working out at this weight is killing me!

I'm going to make a few adjustments in my eating habits. I'm hoping the slim fast shakes will fill me up. IDK. I'm trying! Thanksgiving is coming up and I will be seeing family. They will be wanting to see a huge weight loss!! I feel like crying right now...gotta go workout now. No time for crying

:scared2:

I'm right there with you. I had my surgery on August 10, 2009 and I've lost 22 lbs so far. My typical day is a slimfast for breakfast, tuna or chicken salad for lunch and fish (sometimes with a veggie) for dinner. I run 20 min M, W & F and walk 2 miles Tu & Thurs. My doctor said not to sweat it. Loosing slowly is still loosing. My trainer said it takes about 6 constant weeks of exercise for your body to really kick in. Once that happens the weight should come off quicker. I'm with you crying...sometimes when I'm running the tears start coming as I'm thinking really...all this and only 20 lbs. But slow and steady will still get us to goal just not as quick as we would like. Keep up the faith.

I hear you on the frustration. I have not been banded yet and this is one of my fears is that I'll do this and it still won't help. But, in your case, it IS helping. You HAVE lost weight and I don't hear that you are struggling to keep it off - it's just not coming off quickly. Maybe that's ok. Maybe that will help, in the long run.

One thing I might suggest is to keep the protein intake high. Are you hungry between meals? Maybe another visit to your surgeon would help.

As far as exercise - I think that weight bearing exercise is the most beneficial - and by that I don't mean your feet bearing your weight. I mean increasing the weight. Building muscle is one of the biggest cornerstones of weight loss and increased metabolism - so maybe try working with more weight. Increasing the weight won't make you a body builder by any means, but it will change things up from the "status quo" that your body is used to. I have a regiment I use that I love love love and it is this:

Week 1 = high reps, VERY low weight

Week 2 = moderate reps, moderate weight

Week 3 = as many reps as you can do at incredibly high weight - (but keep safety in mind!) - and it may only be one rep.

Week 4 = moderate reps, moderate weight

Week 5 = high reps, VERY low weight

Week 6 = only cardio workouts

And then start all over. It keeps your body in suspense about what happens next and that aids in avoiding plateaus. It's great for maintenance, weight loss and building muscle (if you are body building) - you just change up the amounts of weights that you start with for the different purposes.

By high reps and VERY low weight, say for example, that you are doing bicep curls. In week 1 - I do 20 reps of two pounds. It feels like nothing. In week 2 - I do 12 reps of 8 pounds. It's a bit of a burn and after three sets it's a bit of a struggle. In week 3 - I do 2 reps of 20 pounds. I can barely do it. But in week 4 I go back to what I did for week 2. It's easier than it was in week 2 but still burns. And in week 5 I go back to what I did in week 1 and it's so piddly but my heart rate is still getting up. By taking the week off - just cardio - you let the muscle mass calm down so that when you start over with week 1 again, it feels like it did the first time around.

That's just one exercise example.

And I love it, personally.

The other thing is to remember that you want to build the muscles in your legs. A good core will do many wonderful things for you but strong legs will greatly enhance your metabolism. Squats and lunges for that...

Just some ideas.

Keep your chin up! You ARE losing weight! And that is the thing that matters, not how much and how quick.

(Says I, the one who hasn't even been banded yet.) :scared2:

(If you want more info on this regiment and different ideas please let me know, I'd be glad to share, otherwise I'll just hush up.) :wub: The only point I'm really trying to share is that you can exercise without the impact and that should help you feel better after exercising. This and anything in the water is all I can do right about now with all this weight on me (and six months to go before I can even submit my "package".)

I think 20 lbs in just over two months is fine...that would still be in the range of nearly 100 pounds in a year. And a year from now, or two, is it going to matter exactly how long it took? Plus the time before you get filled to the sweet spot doesnt count anyway...give yourself a break!!!

I was banded Sept 11th & am in the same "bandster Hell" that you are. Just remember that this is a "tool" to help you. Also w/ it coming off slow your body w/ take to it better. Do not stress yourself about it just keep up what your are doing & remember that weight didn't get there in just a few days & its not gonna fall off in just a few days either. : )

Thank you everyone for your awesome comments. I guess I'm a little stressed because the Holidays are coming up. Family doesn't help when your in "banded Hell". They keep asking me "how much have you lost?".

I will definitely keep my head up. I know it will get better.

Thank you BethL: I'm glad someone else is experiencing what I am! We can do it!

Thank you ldswims: I will be trying out your routine too! I love to work out! I have a gazillion workout tapes. I need to change them up a bit. I have hand weights varying weights 3lb, 5lb and 10lbs. I'm ready to tone up this fat! :scared2:

Thank you xavier: I know I will be giving the same advice to another newbie when I get to me goal weight. It's just so hard to vision the end when it is taking so long to take off. Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it!

Thank you cindyracine: LOL "bandster Hell" is not fun!!! I'm hoping that after my second fill it will be a little easier. I completed my workout for today and it feels so good. I need to focus on how good I "feel" not "look" or "weight". Thanks a bunch!

I feel better. I wanted to document the bad as well as the good in my blogs. Today was an emotional "low" for me.

Thanks!

Shannon

20 lbs since August is a great amount! Keep up the good work. Protein first then healthy veggies. Work on not eating unless you have real tummy hunger. You will get there. High protein will help the weight come off.