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I understand that weight gain and loss (beyond the usual 10-15 pound swings most people experience) is based on insulin resistance rather than total calorie consumption. However, even with diets that are not based entirely on cutting calories--like Keto and Atkins--still place limits on total consumption and advocate weight food so you can track your macros. Ultimately, the idea is that the fat and protein that makes up 90% of your consumption on these diets will be more satiating, so you end up eating less because you have less cravings and hunger. Regardless of how the goal is achieved, one of the goals is a reduction or moderation in total caloric intake for someone that has weight they need to lose. Keto, in particular, focuses on insulin control, but by adding in intermittent fasting (which most strict keto people incorporate at some point), you're definitely cutting calories by limiting the window for eating. You're not strictly counting calories like you would on a diet like weight watchers (probably one of the worst diets out there IMO), but the calories are cut anyway (it's just a less painful process in my experience). Anyway, I am happy with following a keto style diet (constipation notwithstanding). It's something I can do long term, but I can't follow a therapeutic style keto with a 4:1 fat to protein ration or anything close that as a new sleever (6 weeks post-op). Based on my workout regimen, I need to get around 125-150g or protein in a day (even with the protein/muscle sparing qualities of Keto) and there's a limit to how much else I can eat (even with calorie dense fats like avocado). I also don't want to deviate too far from my doctor's prescribed diet at this point, so I doing a 1:1 fat to protein diet (sticking to clean, high quality fats and proteins) and I cut carbs to less than 20g net carbs. I pretty happy with this and it sets enough ground rules that I can easily decide what I can eat and how much of it---even when I am out a restaurant.

I feel your pain. I have lost 50 lbs in 4 months & compared to everyone hete that is slow. I too go through frequent stalls but my stalls come with 1-2 lbs of weight gain. I have identified my issues to be lack of Consistent excercise. I need 1 hour 5 days a week instead I'm only doing 30 min 3 days a week. I need to stay under 50 Gms of carbs daily instead I am at 75 Gms of carbs any given day. Are you in a similar pattern ??? If so make small changes & see if it helps !! Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

What you said is very common, It usually takes you to hit rock bottom or something related to medical issues before we decide to take drastic measures to lose weight. I can't say it enough of times "why didn't I do this sooner". I waited to get to this point to finally do something about it. You notice your weight loss not only in numbers, but the way you feel wearing your old clothing, the regained energy and more mobility you have. Those are true results. Yes, for some it takes time for 'other's' to notice or respond. I wouldn't worry about that at all, you would be surprised how often people in general are reluctant to say anything towards a persons weight loss or even weight gain. I know we are our worse enemey when it comes to sabatoging ourselves. Personally, I think you are doing fabulous! Keep up the great work

I can eat just about anything. For me the weight gain was quantity, but I do eat healthier now too. I've cut out refined sugar for the most part, refined flour and overly processed foods. I eat small amounts of potatoes, whole wheat Pasta and quinoa for starches. I also eat a ton of lean meat, cheese dairy products, fish, nuts, fruit and vegetables in portions that thin people do. For Easter I had a float made from diet Orange Crush and skim vanilla ice cream. I also eat dark chocolate (a tiny piece every day). I'm with Cobragc. Eat smart, but live a little. The people who have been most successful a WLS seem to be those who can find ways to have a treat once in a while while not sabotaging their weight loss.

This is a great thread. The only book that has really helped me is the Beck Diet Solution. I really need to get the work book. I like it because it gives you stuff to do to try to combat snacking and learning to say no to weight gaining foods.

Thank you samuelsmom for reaching out to me. I am glad you connected to what I said. Trust me, it takes a lot for me to open up on the internet. I always did feel I have this mysterious disease that no doctor can figure out and it is causing my weight gain. Like something from syfy, I swear. I know I have bad habits I need to break, and the fact that I sit all day in a cubicle is what has contributed the most to my weight gain. I started doing walks on my 15 min break just to avoid cankles from hell. (No kidding!) I am with you there, I really don't want to do it. Why? Well first I am scared of medical procedures. I work in the health insurance business for 14 yrs and have heard it all. So yes, I am little scared to step in a hospital and into the hands of the power that be. But also I am mad at myself that I had to resort to surgery just because I haven't had the will power to do it on my own. That alone makes me get mad at myself. Like I failed myself. I know time is getting closer, so I am on an emotional roller coaster ride right now. I know the surgery will make me feel much better about myself. My boyfriend keeps telling me that he knows me and I am not going to fail after this surgery. He feels because I have invested so much already and after i cut up my organs, he feels I would do everything my power not to screw it up. I guess he trust me more than I trust myself. I have to learn and find the will power and overall it is work in progress. Thank you for understanding.

Stress can cause weight gain so my best guess would be maybe that? Because it sounds like what's going on right now would stress anyone out. Sorry you're going through all that and I hope you can figure it out and that little bit of extra weight drops off!

This is normal. I had my surgery 3 weeks ago on Dec 29th. I know that it feels like it will never go away, but it eventually will. Gas X does help a little. What I found that helped me was, when I would burp, I would bend over. For me this just helped expel more gas so there wouldn't be so much sitting on my stomach. Also, don't worry about the weight gain. I have been playing with 5 lbs since surgery. Just make healthy food choices and don't eat when you are not hungry. The mental hunger is the hardest thing to overcome. Good luck.

I was banded 13 months ago. I have had no weight gain at all in those 13 months. I do have months when it is slower but not weight gain. I absolutley hate not being able to get food down and I am going to get a small unfill. I know how to eat or I would have gained. My after care has not been the best.

hey dody thanks.. okay so its a diurectic,,,but how does this contribute to weight gain>> I find I am waking up now at night three times peeing...last two nights.. I didnt start drinking diet pepsi ( just one) til tonight. So not sure why. thanks

True or False: If a product says no added sugar, it’s sugar free. That statement is false. It just means the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to a product that may contain naturally occurring sugar from milk (lactose) or fruit (fructose). Foods with natural sugars also provide other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants that are healthy for us. A revision to the Nutrition Facts Panel may include added sugars, which will be a better way to determine what foods to minimize. This change won’t be for another year or so. For bariatric patients, eating too much sugar after surgery can lead to dumping. Sugar is considered “empty calories” because all you get is calories without the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or fiber that are good for your health. Other problems from sugar include increased triglycerides, decreased HDL (healthy) cholesterol, increased respiration rate, fatty liver, increased blood sugars, cavities and weight gain. Research is beginning to link too much added sugar with heart disease, inflammation, gout and premature wrinkles. Recent research points to people consuming too many added sugars dying from heart disease at twice the rate as for people with low sugar intake, even if the diet is otherwise healthy. Obvious sources of sugar are the sweets: cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, desserts and sugar sweetened pop. Sugar sweetened beverages like regular pop, sports drinks and energy drinks account for about a third of the added sugars we consume. Added sugars can also creep into your diet through condiments like catsup and barbeque sauce, salad dressings, canned tomato products, coffee drinks, pastries, smoothies, crackers and ready to eat cereals. When reading the ingredients label, look for words like anything that ends in “–ose” (sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, xylose etc..), syrup, juice, agave, honey, molasses, caramel, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane guide, cane sugar, brown sugar, barley malt, and beet sugar. You now have information about how to read the label to see if what you are eating or drinking has added sugars. Next week, you’ll find out how to compare products to determine how much added sugar is in something you are eating or drinking.

Hi Lucky, I don't think that the surgeon in question had any confidence problems or felt he couldn't take on a slip. He made it clear that he thought I would be a problem patient just because I actually had an opinion based on fact and discussion with other competent medical professionals.He expected me to just take the abuse he doled out at me about the "firing" without any confrontation. There was never a conversation here. That requires two people to listen and he wasn't listening. He took advantage of my moment of weakness. I was scared, feeling really low about the weight gain and band problems and then he dumped me based on the fact that I had an opinion that contradicted his. I am not that strong. I cannot live on liquids for several months without some kind of appetitie suppresant. I have an empty band and the hunger is raging. If he did not want me to take a suppressant, he should have done something about it when I called a month ago and asked him about it. I was not offered the possibility of compromise. Its possible he had a bad experience with someone else that he felt compelled to dump in my lap. Anyway, time to move on. Why can't a reasonably intelligent business woman find a doc who will actually listen??? I have had problems with my band that are documented as early as December 2004. Babs in TX

I started the program to get the lap band in Feb. and was able to lose my insurance requirement weight of 5% of my weight. I had lost 17lbs to get a surgery date this was in May. I got a surgery date of June 30th and was not put on any kind of pre op diet and was told by the surgeons office the weight lose requirment was for insurance reasons only. I have had 3 friends that have went through the same process and all gained back their weight before surgery. (they did have the by-pass surgery) so when I went to the hospital for surgery and got weighed I had gained back 8lbs. My surgeon came in and to my surprise canceled my surgery due to the weight gain then had me meet with another Dr in her office who told me I have to go on a 4 week liquid diet and lose 30lbs not just the 8 I gained. Has this happened to anyone else? Not only do I feel like a failure but if I could do liquid diets for such long periods I wouldn't need surgery. Please help I feel like giving up. I cried the whole way home telling my husband I am to fat to have the surgery.

I am sorry to hear what happened. I got my final insurance approval today. Surgery scheduled for August 7th. Spent most of yesterday having group sessions on what to expect before, during and after surgery including pre-surgery diet and what to eat after surgery. My hospital is very strict. It was explained that for this next month to lose as much weight as I can. No limit, just stick to good low carb low fat diet and before the surgery try the Protein drinks to see which one you like. The did stress NOT to gain any weight before surgery because it can effect whether you have surgery or not. They need room inside you to do the operation, they have to inflate your stomach cavity with air, to help move the various organs away from the stomach so they can put the band and port inside you. In particular the liver is in front of the stomach. They do NOT want a fatty liver or an over sized one due to weight gain. The first thing to gain weight is your liver. I never knew that. I am continuing on my low carb low fat diet now. Not easy but I will do it. I don't want to be on that operating table and them to say "opps, not now". I hope you can lose the 8 lbs. or even more before your surgery. It was mostly for the safety of YOU that he postponed the surgery. That's hard to understand. They should have stressed this pre operation. Did you have any meetings before the surgery that discussed just why you had to lose the pre-op weight?

First let me say I LOVE YOU GUYS! Everyone of you. To address some of your very helpful responses and questions: Dylan, Carolina girl, -I don’t know about the inches yet. I will measure and watch and wait. I forgot to do that before starting exercise. Excellent reminder, thank you! I doubt I’ve lost any inches yet, but will keep an eye on that so I don’t keep getting so discouraged, if I am indeed shrinking. Terry: BMI, BMR -I see what you are saying, makes perfect sense! I had my BMR tested last week, at my doctor’s apt. Resting I burn 1728 in a day + 516 for lifestyle and activity, not including exercise. According to the testing, I should be able to take in 1384-1728/day and loose weight slowly (without exercise). So, it seems like I should be able to take in 1600 and exercise, and loose weight. That would put me at burning 2400/day (when I exercise) according to this testing. According to the test (that one you breathe into for 12 minutes), my metabolism is between normal/high and high. Of course, all of this is assuming that the testing is accurate. Big IF, right! Catfish, -UGH the adjustments! I have had super struggles with this! I’ve been bouncing around in single CCs the last few visis. One time too tight, the next time too loose…fill, unfill, fill again…Here’s the thing….I get stuck easily, but I’m hungry all of the time. The band does what it is supposed to do – restrict my eating (I guess) but I’m so stinking hungry! Seroius tummy grumbling hungry – not just “I feel like eating” hungry. I try to not eat late, but I wake up, in the middle of the night, so hungry I can’t sleep. I’ve settled my stomach with Water, but I just feel like I’m always hungry. How can that be, especially on 1400 calories! I try to avoid the sliders and stick with real food, but I find that I need those Protein shakes to really satisfy the hunger. This has been an issue for about 6 months. Can’t get to the sweet spot where I don’t get stuck on everything (and tempted to eat sliders), yet, the band is restricting me so I don’t get hungry. Grown, -Yes, banded 10 months. I had lost 38 pounds. I lost the last 5 in March-April, but gained that 5 back last week. My doc gets me all confused. He says…eat 1000-1200 calories per day, eat when you are hungry, eat solid food. If I ate when I was hungry I would eat 2000 calories a day. So, I try to eat as little as I can, of healthy food, and not get so hungry. I’m crabby with everyone right now because of the hunger, and weight gain makes it worse! I’m starting to wonder if I have PMS? I never know. All I can think is that one of these 3 things may be true…. I may be miscounting my calories or forgetting to record things I eat. I will be more careful and track more meticulously. I may be destined to be this weight. Maybe I need to have a fill – but dang! I don’t’ think I’ll be able to eat much if I get any tighter…and then I slip into eating too many slider foods. Perhaps I’m doing that already. So see point 1, track better. Perhaps I need to eat less food, but eat more often (but I do feel like I eat often enough) Perhaps I need to tolerate the huger???? Ugh I will fail for sure if I try this route. I don’t know what else to say. I totally appreciate the help though, and have been encouraged by your input!! More is welcome!!

First off, did you get fatter or did you get heavier? Two totally different things. The fact that your muscles are sore, means you worked them and they retain water during the healing process. Happens to me all the time, Now, you bumped your eating up to 1600, yet you list your height at 5.1 and a BMI of 31.2 which would give you a (BMR) basal metabolic rate of 1518 calories a day. What that means is that your normal 1400 calories a day, you are only running a 115 calorie deficit, and since a pound of fat is 3500 calories you will lose a little over a pound a month. When you bumped it to 1600 you are probably eating more calories than you are burning. But, once again, your WEIGHT gain is not fat, it is Fluid retention. I'm not being judgmental, I am simply doing the math. I am nearly a foot taller than you, and my BMR is 2500, and I only eat 1300 calories, and about half of my exercise calories (3 hours of spin class a day, plus biking when the weather permits) and I still stall on weight loss. I lost the same 2 pounds about 5 times during the month of March. As for hunger, according to your profile you have been banded since June 2012, I would suggest going back to your Dr. and discussing it with them or seeing a NUT. Keep the faith, you will eventually get where you want to be.

I too suffer from migraines - big time!! I also suffer from fibromyalgia - between these two lovely monsters, I don't have too many days when I feel good - thus the lovely weight gain over the last 20 years. Topomax is not a good drug - felt pretty good on it, less the memory loss and balance issue - until I was diagnosed with glaucoma!!! My eye specialist said this is definitely a side effect possible from Topomax - please consider this when considering taking this drug! I have started the 6-month pre-op program for the lapband surgery - it seems so far away and I just want it now! This program is mandated by my doctor - I'm sure it's good to learn everything prior to surgery - but 6 months - ugh!!! I'm in month 2 - so I"m looking at about September - another summer in fat clothes!! Thanks for all the comments on this forum - it's so helpful and great to know we all have the same concerns and questions. Anyone else in a pre-op program and just waiting??? Mom22

I can not belive it will be 7 years since my journey began! My lapband is my best friend ,all my life like a lot of you have struggled with weight issues,my issues stopped the day i was given my lapband,thoughout the 7 years i have had 6 fills,oh i have the old band that holds 4 cc,i have had 3 unfills for a few surgerys. It took about 2 years to go from280,260 @ surgery to 127 ,i have had 1 set back of weight gain of 30 pounds because i was on prednisone for 8 months this last year but i have made it back i am @ 145 today,the band is always there for me. In the beginning i had a few slimes and a few upchucking but i learned,i never deprived my self of my love of cookies or icecream i had them at least twice a week sometimes more,i followed my rules of no drinking,chew chew chew,i do not eat bread,crackers yes breads no,i do not eat rice,or pasta,except once in a blue moon and i cheat 4 times year@ red lobster i have my long islands while i eat alot lol! I have not had any issues through my 7 years, but last month bad chest pains ,it looks like i have a hernia that is pushing on my band andd that is now pushing on a nerve and on my diaphame,doc says because i have lost the weight i have that he has to remove my band and also says because he sees so much scar tissue that he cant replace my band. I am the saddest person in the world right now! The dr says i can do the sleeve so the even smallest thought of regaining all my weight is just out of the question so i said yes to the sleeve,surgery is nov 21st, doc also said once he is in and if scar tissue doesnt look as bad as it did on film he will fix everything and leave my band! I am praying fr that very hard. Sorry so long of post and for not being on the boards like i used to be, i should have stayed and helped othhers for that i am a bad bandster.

It would be nice if things that could contribute to weight gain were considered as well as things which can be improved by its loss. I had no problem getting approved- my BMI was 43 and I have hypertension and GERD. But I know there are conditons that are at least correlated with obesity (narcolepsy is one of those). While weight loss won't help those specific conditions it does help overall health and helps prevent more problems from occuring. I know hormonal issues might also be that way, etc. Seems like a bit of a catch 22.

I think Molly nailed it. When I weighed 125 (high school) and when I weighed 225 (or 250!) I never felt like I looked any different. Okay, that's a stretch but at 250 I felt like I looked at 190. At 190 I felt like I looked at 125. Does that make sense? I too took some pictures this time because I know when I get down to my goal weight I will not feel as thin as I will look. I need to learn to not have such a warped body image. I was a cheerleader, I'm 5'5", I weighed 125 and I thought I was a cow. I was self conscious and always covering my "rolls" (which were only created because I wore jeans that I had to be poured into and the rolls were tiny - ridiculous). I really feel my weight gain was to put me physically to the weight I was psychologically. I want to change that so I don't get back up here again. Once I hit Onederland, I never want to see 200 ever again.

I'm not sure, I think the real issue is whether you're using dieting behaviour to control some sort of issue in your life. I think I've only been anywhere near this realm once in my life and I found it different to simply enjoying the lack of appetite that I had with the band and eating very little just because I could. That's not necessarily healthy behaviour but then again, you probably wont keep it up. However, its not anorexia. I found during the last year with my cancer treatment, I slid into what I consider almost anorexic behaviour without realising it, and it was a control issue. I got my band totally unfilled and I started being VERY careful so that I wouldnt gain. No problem there. But over time, as I got really skinny and people begain to comment, I actually enjoyed the attention and the fact that I was so very thin. I began to look forward to seeing my surgeon or oncologist and seeing them express concern at how thin I was. I felt very very anxious that should hang onto this low weight, to the point where I began to get upset at things that happened beyond my control - dinners out, changes in meal plans, having a wine or a cookie or something thrust at me in a social situation. I was thinking about what I wasnt going to eat 24/7. I happened by pure chance to come upon Portia De Rossi's book Unbearable Lightness and I read that and got really scared - so much of the behaviour she describes, I was doing. I was also running 8kms a day, going to body pump, all stuff my body was used to and my regular routine, but my reasons for doing it became to stay incredibly thin and keep that concern and horror from those around me going, and also it was my way of controlling what cancer did to my body. I was also very depressed and anxious at this time about everything, because I really couldnt control my medical progress, my career, our family's finances, etc. When i finished chemo, it was like a light went on in my mind, suddenly I was rational again, my body was healthy again and I couldnt control the slight weight gain back up to a healthier weight. I fought it for a while, but that sick way of looking at food and eating was just suddenly gone, as was the anxiety, depression and negativity. I really believe for me, it was a side effect of chemo - and much as I am my normal self - never thin enough, always could do more, eat less etc, that behaviour has settled back into the realm of relatively normal for a female who has had weight issues. So..... for me, it was definitely a control thing, a way of manipulating those around me, an inability to stop punishing my body. Definitely disordered, and I knew it, but I liked being too skinny too much to seek help. I'm very lucky it just kind of all went away and it seems completely nuts to me now. But just eating barely anything because you can - not necessarily disordered or abnormal but beware that if you start to like the result or fall into the habit of eliciting responses in others by your eating behaviours, it might be time to seek some help. The way you say you feel superior to food, its a little bit left of centre and perhaps a warning sign.

Donna, I know you don't know me but I just want to tell you how proud I am of you! Your honesty is inspirational. My weight gain in the past was ALWAYS tied to emotional pain, family problems, and a lack of self esteem. I am slowly beginning to heal, and I know that you will too.

Yep Drews.. Since she originally mentioned you meeting her NYC friends on her birthday, you have EVERY right to ask her what happened and that it her your feelings. I',m sorry that this happened to you.. I've been there and done that. It Sucks! :hug: Welcome Kelli! Always happy to have another Mayster on here! Linda - Congrats on your weight loss! Girl, you've left me in the dust! I've stalled out this month.. may be time for another fill. How filled are you? About the tattoo and weight gain/loss... My crazy uncle often jokes that my Aunt's Scottie dog(they have two Scotties) tattoo has turned into a Great Dane cause her butt has gotten bigger (she hasn't gained weight, he's just a crazy guy always going on about something). Wveryone gets a chuckle out of that one! You guys aren't the only ones thinking about tummy tucks.. I may have a tummy tuck/lower body lift in my future...

I'm with you. There are many that stay to a very very low carb diet, for me it would I feel backfire for me and trigger weight gain in the future. My system would be shocked and gain weight out of shock. Moderation for me and where the carbs are coming from is key. But to write them off as the Anti-Christ would backfire for me... As far as weight loss I am losing great but the no or almost non existent carb people are 20% faster at losing. I say we are still in the honeymoon phase so I am looking for longevity... Maybe I'm right, maybe im wrong, just my 2 cents....

Well, it's not that I didn't suspect my slow weight loss was attributed to the double grande iced mochas (with half and half). It was that I hadn't realized how they had actually set me on the doorstep of obesity, and now kept me from leaving. I never had a weight loss problem as a child or an adolescent. My mothers family tends to get chunky between 30-55, then get small. My fathers family are all beanpoles. After all three of my children were born, I was a decent size - about 150-160. I had successfully managed to get smaller, and had a few gains and losses, bumping me between 140-170. THEN, my coffee habit began. It was slow initially, no appreciable weight gain, a mochoa now and then. Then mochas became daily, but that wasn't overnight either. I've tried and tried to pinpoint what it was that caused me to gain. There were many other things that could have allowed me to gain, and that stopped me from maintaining that range that I had always stayed in, and then of course the decreased activity. But, after the lap band, I realized the one factor that was causing my weight loss to stagnate, appeared to be coffee, which might be the factor that caused me to gain so much weight slowly over so much time (my family could never understand why I kept gaining weight - I really didn't eat oversize portions, tons of junk food or lots of candy). After the Band was eating practically NOTHING, and yet NOT losing weight. Because I had paid such close attention to my weight, because I was so certain that the food I was actually ingesting could NOT be doing this - I realized what was - my RESTARTED coffee habit (the stagnation happened right around the time I started having my mocha once or twice a day (again). It caused me to realize how eating normally, and having that extra coffee or two a day had affected my body. It was a slow and steady gain - a lb or two a month but 12 months a year, over almost a decade has taken it's toll. I will never be able to have that mocha again every day - and I've realized that. I just can't do it. So every morning I drink drip coffee with coffeemate creamer, and the lbs are starting to come off. Every once in a while I treat myself - but not like before. I've learned to deny myself when I feel a craving. I can't allow it to hurt me any more. And, when I consider the cost - (I paid for my surgery) as well as the actual cost of the coffee - I realize - I just can't afford it. I usually depeleted the cash in my purse every other day (I was always trying to find a dollar or two for my daily coffee) - now, I can go all week and never spend that 10 bucks that's in my wallet. I indulge myself with sugar free candies (I am always carefell never to over-indulge as it has such negative gastric side effects -diahhrea). I hope this helps someone.