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@@Gaby86 I lost 2 lbs at my first weigh in, gained 2 in the second, lost 1.5 in the third, lost 1 more in the 4th and got approval. Don't stress it. My nutritionist kept saying, "we want to see that you are making healthy choices and working towards weight loss." That being said, I was told that if I net gained (ending up heavier than I started), I would be denied. I worked so freaking hard to lose that 3.5 pounds. I biked, worked out, barely ate, drank massive amounts of Water, did I mention barely ate? Now I'm working hard to not put it back on before my surgery (sept 14th). It's hard for me to give advice on losing weight because I've obviously never been successful at it. The only thing I can think of is to follow your plan and don't let yourself get close to your triggers. For example, if I go too long without food and get hungry, my blood sugar drops and I get insanely ravenous. I will reach for chips, fries, a pizza... anything to satisfy that crazy craving. Right now I don't let myself get too hungry. I drink half a Protein drink in between meals or snack on veggies. I hate it. I really do. But I do it anyways.

You may be looking for a sensation that doesn't exist. "Restriction" isn't something you feel. Restriction is supposed to provide satiety sooner than you would experience it if you weren't banded. Satiety is when you feel full. If you can go 4 hours without feeling hunger pangs, then you are probably very close to your sweet spot. It was explained to me that once I had enough fill in my band that I didn't get hungry before 4 hours after a meal, then I was "there" or very close. And sure enough, when I found I could go 4 hours (or even more) between meals, I also realized by eating the prescribed meal quantity that I was indeed full on a relatively small amount of food. Yes, I could eat more, but that didn't mean I should. So, now, if I eat 3 oz of lean Protein, steamed or raw vegetable and a single serving of whole grain carbs, I am full, don't get hungry for at least 4 hours...and if I eat more, it stalls my weight loss.

I think patience is the hardest thing to grasp. When I went for my first fill 5 weeks post op, I had lost 1 lb. Since then, I have dropped 12 lbs. No appt until 3/8 for second fill and have been at same weight since 10 days after 1st fill. (I was scheduled for a fill on 2/4 but had to reschedule due to inclement weather in Houston...go figure:) ) I'm really not worried because I know the weight loss will resume. I keep telling myself that the band is a tool and as long as I am doing the right thing, Life is Good! I'm sure you will do fine. It gets easier every day,

I was told I might have to do liquids 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after? Did you all lose weight with the liquids, before and/or after? And was it hard not eating? Seems like you would crave all the time?

Thanks Kathy! I'll keep you posted:) I'm nervous, but just having to put my current weight was enough to get me motivated...

You are doing fine with the weight loss! Are you eating enough Protein to keep you from being hungry? If not, you will over eat and not lose. I know you are not quite a month out of surgery so you are probably still on mushy stuff and liquids for the most part. Try a protein shake (I drink EAS AdvantEdge carb control that has 17 g of protein and only 110 calories) and that should help. (fish, eggs & chicken are real good sources of protein too) With the band you still have to make a concentrated effort to watch what you eat and exercise. Walking is the best exercise you can do at this point. I was banded 071506 and didn't have my first fill until 012307. I may have waited a little too long but I was still consistently losing until about a month before my fill. Up the protein and start an exercise program if you haven't already. Lap banding is not a cure all, it's simply a tool to help us get from Point A to Point B. Keep up the good work! :clap2: high: 335 lbs pre-op: 317 lbs now: 252 lbs goal: 140 lbs banded Monterrey, Mexico Dr. Garcia www.litenfree.com

#1 I know your meals sound just fine and cals presumably low, but I would love to see the caloric breakdown. #2 You admitted you were less active. Remember, wl= calories in - calories burned. If your calories in is constant and you decreased cals burned than expect less wl or even a gain. #3 Being back to work as an RN can be taxing. Fatigue unto itself burns calories. Don't overlook the possibility you may indeed be more active than you realize and require more calories. Again, back to #1 what are you currently intaking? With the above info we can better discern which correction is more likely necessary. However, I do want to iterate that losing more than 2 lbs per week is not the goal. I always tell people that setting sensible expectations makes this journey more rewarding. Setting yourself up with insensible goals that cannot be maintained will only reinforce feelings of failure. SLOW and steady!

Was sleeved March 10th. Up until 4/2 I had no energy. No matter what I did little or big I was exhausted. Then suddenly I felt good and have energy. The last two and a half weeks not only have I been on a heavy flow period (ladies will understand, sorry men) but I have not lost any weight. From the time of my surgery to the stall I have only lost 21lbs. I am getting really worried that I went through all that for just 21 lbs. Isn't it way too soon to hit a stall. I am not going over on calories and I get my water in and am trying to get close as possible to protein.

Exercising probably won't make the weight fall off, especially since exercise inflames your muscles and makes you retain water. I'm at the same weight as you, the only different is I have lost a lot of weight to get here. The lower your weight, the slower the weight comes off. You are not going to see the huge losses you see most people posting about because they started so much higher tan you. Not just that but your body naturally stalls, adjusts then starts losing again. That is part of the process.

well i dont live in the area but I know I saw your post and wanted to respond I got banded on Aug 21st of 08 and have only lost 14 lbs so far but with my pre op I am around a 30 lb weight loss so far. I have experienced the hunger pains and I am still in the no real food stage or at least no solids so I defenitely feel your pain, some things I do to keep my mind off the hunger and to quiet it down a bit is drink water or chocolate soy milk mainly just put liquids in and that tends to help out I also just try to keep myself busy hoping I dont realize how hungry I am. Good luck I know its not exactly what ya were looking for for an answer but I just wanted to drop ya a line let ya know dont get discouraged and 40lbs is alot so keep up the good work and focus on how much weight you have lost so far without the lap band ya probably wouldnt have lost so much. So keep working out at the gym and loesing that weight you seem to be doing a geat job so far

-52lbs in 11 weeks! I have slowed down a little is that normal?

I was once told during a Weight Watchers meeting that eating the same foods can cause you to plateau. Try mixing it up. I read where you said you'd tried new recipes, but even if the foods are the same, you need to add spice to your life and shake your diet up a little. Try eliminating a food group temporarily. Get rid of bread for a week, or meat. That should "shock" your body enough into losing weight. Then when you add it back, it should keep right on losing, so long as your portions are correct. I dont know if that's medically sound advice, but it's worked for me in the past.

Hi everyone. I’m new to this site. I do want some advice. I am now 2 months post op and have lost 33 pounds and seem to now gain and lose the same 3 pounds. I am struggling with sweets and am really wanting soda. I feel like I’m grazing and struggling with eating a stable meal except dinner. For dinner every night I do eat tomatoes and cottage cheese. Any advice to get over this sweet hump. I am so disappointed in myself and discouraged.

Milk is a good (not great) source of Protein. unjury has a chicken Soup flavored Protein powder, which I have a sample of, but have been as yet afraid to try. If you're still on the full liquids phase, you could blenderize some cottage cheese with a little milk to thin it down. Cottage cheese is a great source of protein. Personally, I don't like ANY of the sweetened protein powders or shakes. None of them taste good to me, and they all seem to give me the trots. Always keep in mind that this phase of the post op diet is NOT for weight loss, it's for healing, so try not to worry too much about your calorie intake right now.

On my intake form I have to list three diet attempts over the past two years. I've only used MFP in that time frame. I've lost and gained a few times during that time. I have spreadsheets with all my weigh ins and details on how many calories I was eating, etc. Do you think that will be enough for them? I have WW documents going back off and on 10 years back, but the latest attempt was early 2014, so just out of the two year range. I hope this doesn't mess my process up Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

Yes, it's normal. You've probably entered ketosis, which is kicked-off by a sudden and sometimes very substantial loss of body fluids. In the first two week of ketosis, you can figure that about 20% of the weight you lose is fat, while the rest is fluid.

How long did you guys wait to exercise? I'm almost 5 weeks out and my Doc cleared me to exercise at 2 weeks out but my incision is an open hole and leaking constantly so I'm nervous to workout and make it worse. I'm trying to let it heal but I want to work out to help weight loss. I've only lost 11lbs since surgery on August 19.

I have to tell you that my cold feet came in the hospital right before the surgery and right after the surgery. I thought "what in the heck was I thinking?" but you know I thought about my family and all the things that I have been missing out on for so long due to my weight and I suddenly remembered that my reasons were valid and "YaY" for me! Just hang in there and don't let your nerves stop you from gaining control of your life again! Good luck and keep in touch , Let me know how it goes.

I just ate popcicles, jello, broth, tea, coffee, juice and water when ever I was hungry. This is a healing time, not a weight loss time. I still lost a lot the first 4 weeks.

Totally normal to have fears, it is surgery. But I knew, for me, it was my last chance to lose the weight, before more of my body deteriorated. I am happy with my decision. I know the battle with my weight will continue the rest of my life. I have no delusions that the band is a magic wand that will allow me to eat whatever I want and stay thin. I know I'll have mis-steps along the way. However, I believe if I lose my way, I just have to get back to the basic rules of band eating and I'll be on track again. At points, I expect the band and I will work 50-50 and at times I've worked 70% and the band 30%. We're a team, sometimes I work hard and sometimes the band works hard. Good luck with yur consultation!

Yes there are people on here who have had to do CPAP before getting their surgery date. It's not uncommon at all. If it is indeed weight related, chances are you will no longer need it as you lose weight. Please try not to be frustrated. Your surgeon is doing a good thing. No one wants to run the risk that you stop breathing during surgery.

So I've finished all my prerequisites for federal BCBS and all paperwork was approved. The last step was a sleep study, I thought no problem I don't have sleep apnea. My husband told me I snored by I have severe allergies and thought it was attributed to that. So sleep lab calls and says I have very mild apnea. Has anyone ever heard of "very mild apnea?" So I am now being required to start a 3-4 week cpap compliance before I'm even given a surgery date. Uggggh so frustrating, wouldn't losing the weight eliminate the need for cpap in the first place?? Has anyone ever had this type of ridiculous delay??

My daughter Rowen is a very bright and perceptive four (almost five!) year old girl. Maybe it's because I am an "older" mother, or maybe because it is just the two of us, but she seems different than others her age. I mean that in a good way too. First of all she started early on talking in clear and concise sentences. Wasn't much baby talk or anything, her vocabulary picked up quickly. And her pronunciation has always been spot on. So a lot of people have a hard time believing she is only four. Yes, she does have a lot of traits typical of her age, but other things about her are more advanced. She notices things quickly, she gets that from me. She is very aware of her surroundings and what is happening at all times. Which sort of leads me to my blog topic....She knows. I told her up front and plainly I was having surgery to "lose weight and get healthy". I know everyone has opinions on how to handle telling their children, especially young ones. I chose to be honest. Rowen has had to deal with me being hospitalized for blood clots on a couple occassions now and it was scary to her. Mostly because each time was sudden andd unplanned. One day mommy is there, then she is in a hospital with things hooked up to her. So I wanted her to feel confident I was going to be ok this time, that I am planning this trip to the hospital. But in my confidence I am also being realistic and mature. I have drawn up a will and a living will. I know this is major surgery. I know I have a history of blood clots doing bad things to me. While every precaution in the world has been taken to ensure my safety, I know sometimes things just happen. So I am being an adult and dealing with every possibility. I am afraid my daughter has heard things though that are scaring her. I'm not sure. I know she has overheard me explaining the will/ living will to a couple people. I don't think she is old enough to grasp it. But I do know she has become super clingy of late. My child has never been the whiney momma's girl type. While we have always had a close bond, she has always been an independant girl. I have encourged it because I know it will help her succeed in life, make her a confident and outgoing person. But lately she is clinging. Suddenly she doesn't want me to leave her at the sitter's in the morning. (And this woman is like family, she has been with her since she was 6 weeks old!) In the evening Rowen wants to be on me every moment. She gets upset that I have to cook dinner, she just wants me to sit down so she can get on my lap. And she has been refusing to sleep in her bed. Again, never has been a problem. She isn't scared of her room, she just wants to be by me. I am afraid she is afraid. I don't know much of what to do. I reassure I will be ok. I talk of all the fun things we will do when I am "skinny" and able to. I think she is afraid I am going away. She has only known me as I am, obese. I am what is her normal. She has even told me I am fine and she doesn't want me to change. Even though she gets that I am much bigger than others, and that my weight makes me hurt and have problems, this has always been me. I even think her sudden desire to eat junk and snack all the time is her way of trying to emulate me, to be like me. ( which I actually don't do, but she knows eating like that will make her gain weight eventually) All I know to do right now is to show her I am here. I just love her and keep going. At this point, when it is so close, I think I just need to get through it. What better way to reassure that I am still mommy than to show her? Have the surgery, make the changes, and show her I love her all the same. I know that I will be able to be a much better mommy physically once the weight is gone. I just think right now a certain four year old is realizing "this" mommy (the obese one) has to go away, and part of her will really mourn the loss...

I finally have my first appointment scheduled for October 14. The doctor in my area is obviously very booked up and it has taken several months for them to schedule me. My primary care physician has been working with me for a year or more to get things done that my insurance requires, so hopefully the process will be smooth. I know I have a lot to learn and absorb. I am currently 320 lbs, 53 years old and I am diabetic, have sleep apnea and take medication for blood pressure and cholesterol. I just want to get my life back and stop being a slave to my weight and medication!:w00t:

Yes, that's why I don't tell anybody except those I absolutely have to what I'm planning to do. That includes my Hubby, my Sister and only 2 friends. There are so many misconceptions about the surgery. Then people have their own prejudices and issues regarding weight to deal with . I have enough to deal with .