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Ladies, For those of you who are really and truly "stuck" at a weight, and feel like you're already doing everything you can, I wonder if you've considered body fat testing? I think body compositions can very so much, and it may be that you're where you should be regardless of what the scale says. Those "extra" pounds may be muscle, or extra skin. I recently discovered there's a mobile service in my area that does submersion body fat testing, and the pricing's pretty good. I'm pretty tempted to give it a try at some point, just to satisfy my own curiosity about how I'm doing. I totally understand having a goal, and not wanting to give up on that goal, and my blessings and support go out to everyone that's working so hard to get to where they want to be, but I know for myself that I have a bad habit of getting more and more disciplined to reach a particular goal, and not being able to maintain that discipline long term. The last time I lost a lot of weight I started training for a 10.5 mile event (walk/jog for me, mostly walk). In order to build up the endurance for mileage I was doing 2+ hour workouts regularly. It simply wasn't something I could imagine keeping up indefinitely, though, and once the event was over the weight started to creep back on, sending me spinning into a downward spiral of weight gain >> depression >> more weight gain. I'm not saying this is an issue for anyone else, but I'm working hard to make sure that whatever I'm doing now is something I can honestly and truly contemplate doing for the forseeable future, because otherwise the weight it helps me lose isn't going to stay off. (And, as time goes on and my metabolism changes, I may have to get even more disciplined just to maintain!) I'd definitely still like to lose a few pounds, and I suspect they'd come off more quickly if I tightened things up a bit, but I remind myself that I've made HUGE progress, I look great, I should be really proud of what I HAVE achieved, and the most important thing is to continue to work on good, healthy habits I can stick with. If I take off a few more pounds in the process, that's just "icing on the cake" (if you'll forgive the expression!)

Hello all - my date is Sep 11. Before I got approved I started liquid dieting because my decision stemmed from a 25 lb weight gain in just two months! W/ my insurance time - i have NOT been able to lose though I tried. Then i was going to go on liquid for a while but now that i have a date I'm kind of eating things I never ate before!!! Like bagels (had two this week).. because I will never have them again. I don't eat them for a reason! I am trying to exercise more than the two times a week that I ride my horse (but I have only gotten as far as restarting my gym membership, finding my card, and heart rate monitor). My excuse is working late but thats a bit of an excuse because i didn't work late today! I am single and only have a brother and his family (aside from some friends) and I hate imposing on people so I have a question. I am told I am not staying at hospital overnight. Does anyone know how much you really need to have someone with you? I live in NYC so everything is easy - can have a cab take me home... etc.

Sounds like everyone is still plugging away at it, although I know it's not easy. I hit a plateau a few months back, I was alright with it since my husband and I were trying to conceive. Well I probably won't be on here for a while because I am finally pregnant. We've tried for 6 years and the surgery was a plus for helping with pregnancy. I am pregnant with twins so I probably won't be on here until January after they are delivered. I will surely need some motivation after a pregnancy weight gain. I have noticed that I am very conscious of what I eat, so hopefully I don't go overboard on my eating. :thumbup: Thanks for everyone's support through the first 9 months of "band life"!!

Weight gain is possible with ALL of the surgeries. The bypass has a 12-18 month honeymoon period, where the weight starts melting off. But after that, if the person doesn't "do the work", they can end up back where they started. And now with a rewired system, that doesn't function the way God intended. I think with the band, if someone is truly motivated, and in it for the long haul, they will have long term success. As bandsters, our work starts the minute we wake up from surgery. There is no free ride with this, which for me, is just fine. At some point they all become work, and I'm totally fine starting my work right out of the gate. Congrats on your great success with the band. THESE stories are the ones I come here for

I've learend to let what the bypass patient say go right through me, Time will tell, when the bypass patients are having health problems bypass related and are gaining their weight back because their pouches are stretched ..I get all the satisfaction I need For every person I have told about my band, they have all known someone who had the bypass and had some kind of problems whether it be malabsorption issues, weight gain, other major organ problems, they see me and I do not look like i had weight loss surgery, my skin tone is beautiful, I do not look gaunt, nor do I look flabby like bypass patients do. Iam my best advertisement for the band

Kickboxing is one of the best things you can do for weight loss, muscle building and strength. I've done it for a long time (before weight gain) and I loved it. I can't wait to get back to it! Sent from my SM-G920T using the BariatricPal App

Hi everyone! I'm popping back in with an update. Still no job for DH. He was supposed to hear from someone "by the end of the week," and ... nothing. That is just plain rude, if you ask me. So we have gone from four job possibilities on Monday to one long shot today. On a brighter note, Dr. Tran gave me a full 1 cc. last Thursday after seeing my weight gain. I'm at 8 cc. in a 10 cc. band, and finally have decent restriction. Finally!!! I'm definitely having to be a lot more careful, and eat a lot less, but I'm having no problems that would indicate an overfill. I'm still stress grazing, and I am trying to get that under better control, but at least I am nibbling on things like jerky, sugar snap peas, cherries, and the like. And the scale is gradually coming down. That helps me keep a better mindset. So, as I was saying to a friend in an even more stressful situation, we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and take one day at a time and hope that things straighten out soon.

I didn't really set a goal either. I just decided to set one. I'm down to 180 now and thought, I should set one. I haven't been 180 in years (8 actually). after I had the twins, I lost the weight rather quickly. But the with the depression of losing one I gained and continued to. Back then I refused to get mental help. I'm so glad I am now. It has changed me for the better. I wished years ago I had started going. So that is weight gain story. Depression :-( it's a bugar and has bad side effects. Although one med they put me on I swear I gained so much weight within the 3 months I was on it. It actually took me to my highest weight ever, 271. I gained about 15lbs a month on it and I even gave up sugary products like Dr recommended but still had the horrible gain. I'm still getting only between 500-700 calories a day though. What about you Nicole? My Nut said it is fine for me. Gen :-) 12/15/12

I can relate, I've lost about 13lbs since Dec. But gained 3 back so now it's 10. And I have never been a sweet eater but I polished off a whole bag of robin eggs(malted milk balls) between sunday and monday. I guess I have that wanting to munch thing going on with the quitting smoking. I took ya'lls advice with the Chantix and it does make it much more bearable. It's more of a want then a need now. And I've never been good at not getting what I want, Spoiled yes but true never the less. I think I need a swift kick in the a** to get back on track, you'ld think that 3lb weight gain would have done it. __________________ Yum.........robin eggs.....I could polish off a bag every Easter, but I didn't eat any this year...........not eating them or PEEPS was a victory for me. Hang in there! You will get through this time. I go for a fill tomorrow. I have restriction, but it seems like when I am three weeks out from having a fill ....I need another one. I hope I reach a sweet spot this time.

..except she blames the PCOS for her weight gain. When she says later on that she makes some poor choices, we don't know if she means volume, or the type of food she's consuming, or something else. I knew I had to shut the program off last night and change the channel when I started talking back to the TV.

What I find amazing even when I gain a little weight after a vacation. It is still nothing compared to what I would of gained before the lapband. And it feels really good to lose the weight again and not feel bad because of the momentary weight gain. Now it is time to get back on track because I am so worth it. I met someone today that I have not met for a year and used to be alot thinner then me. Now that person is alot larger then me.

Uggg..gained 7 lbs on vacation. Down 3 lbs in the 3 days I have been home, so I am hoping by the end of the weekend I will be back where I was before I left! I am starting to panic about the whole "40% of your excess weight" and "50 lbs lost is the norm" generalizations. That is where I am now almost after only 4 months and I am not willing to let it be only this much. The weight gain on vacation really scared me. I know why I gained it - eating bread (for the first time since surgery) and ice cream twice. I KNOW BETTER. I keep repeating to myself "it's done, nothing you can do about it now, move on to today, it's a fresh start". I didn't get a fill at my last visit a week and a half ago because I was down 10 lbs., and getting stuck once a week or so. Now, I am thinking it is time...good thing I anticipated it and made my appointment for 3 weeks out. So I get to go next week and maybe get a .5 or 1cc fill. BTW...great job Jess - 100 pounds is AMAZING no matter how you slice it!!!!!

Hello, Dave~ I had the stomach flu a week before surgery and was glad it was then and not after surgery! Glad you are better! Nate~ Things felt like that to me, too. I have had a bit of trouble now that I am moving ahead a bit with eating some bread type things I shouldn't. Dry, butter toast is fine. It's the doughy type bread I need to stay away from! I ate part of an Olive Garden bread stick yesterday, bad idea!! Tlawre2~ Lots of people have shown a weight GAIN after surgery due to the swelling and IV fluids causing Fluid retention. Don't worry about it! Today is my husband's and my 15 year anniversary! It will involve either eating out or bringing in (my choice since it's really yucky out). Take care, Joan

Hi. You've really had a hard time of it. All those things you describe shows you have incredible strength. I'm so glad to hear you don't have hang overs but I'm worried about your liver. Do you think you'd ever consider an alchaholic anon group ? Or even one to one .? Regarding the weight gain I don't know about hysterectomy. But that bottle of wine would be really effecting your ability to lose weight. How do you feel about cutting down ? What does your future regarding alchahol look like ? Are you wanting to quit or cut down ? Perhaps set your self some goals. But don't beat yourself up if you don't manage to stick to them. You look amazing and hopefully things will improve for you. Sounds like with your personal life your on track. But there will be a lot of wounds left from those things so perhaps that's why the drinking is like a bandade over those wounds. Are you in therapy at all ? Sent from my Vivo 5R using BariatricPal mobile app

Auri--That is something good to mention. The Water weight gain. My friend came home from the hospital and didn't lose anything for a while--she was big time depressed, regretting having the surgery done. But once she started losing, she lost great. 99 pounds total I believe! We can't focus on that darn scale for a while!!

Thank you for replying. Do u mind if I ask who did your VSG, was it in Mexico? I have schedule to go with Dr. Illan and I'm pretty nervous about it. I' definitely tight from the weight gain. Parially due to my thyroid bottoming out. Again thank u for sharing

I am currently trying to change my body composition a bit by lowering my bodyfat percentage, so while this may result in some weightloss, I'm not necessarily aiming to drop poundage. So I guess I'm somewhere between maintaining and slowly losing, as I'm basically trying to eat more rather than less but really bust my ass at the gym to maintain or gain muscle mass. I don't let myself drop below 1500 calories right now, and on days when I work out, it's usually closer to 1900-2000 (aiming for at least 100 g Protein on these days and 80 on others). I've definitely gone up as high as 2300 every once in a while, and while my weight has fluctuated the same 1 lb up and down in the last few weeks, my favorite pants are now so loose that even with a belt, they don't look presentable anymore, so obviously I've cut some fat. For a mostly sedentary woman my size, the approximate amount of calories to maintain weight is about 2000, so given that I exercise, I think I'm pretty close to that estimate as far as my metabolism goes. So yes, you CAN maintain and even lose fat on a "normal" amount of calories. However, this might involve regular exercise. I don't know if I would avoid weight gain if I suddenly stopped all my exercise and didn't lower my food intake. Also, I'm young and I have a pretty good muscle base from years of weightlifting. If I were 50+ and in poor shape, I would probably have to eat less than I do now. Everybody's different! You may be able to eat like a "normal" person, but be prepared to eat less if you are not as lucky with your metabolism.

One week ago I slipped and fell. I hit my head hard and my ribs and scapula are hurt too. The scale jumped up 6 pounds 2 days after. The scale has been down 4 pounds and back up 2 pounds. I'm eating the same. Is this weight gain from swelling?

Well I picked "healthy substitute" because that is my most frequent choice, but like many other long term sleevers at goal, I use most of the options occasionally: Wait until it passes, even if it’s a few days. I most often choose this option when I'm not at goal. Wait a day, and then give in if the craving is still there. I don't really use this option. Make a healthy substitute. Tips below! Have a bit or two of the real thing. If I can't resist, I use this option when not at goal. Give in. Enjoy your treat. Ah, life at goal! But if I've been craving a lot of crap, I might still choose Make a healthy substitute to head off weight gain. Healthy Substitutes: Sweet: Greek yogurt with a tablespoon of whipped cream cheese, sweetened with splenda, topped with splenda sweetened blueberries and a crushed graham cracker Winter time: Hot Sleepytime tea or Christmas Tea with Splenda Summer time: Lipton Diet Green Tea with Citrus Sweetened Cereal, such as chocolate Krave (measured portion using food scale) Fruit, such as Watermelon in summer, orange slices in winter (measured by container size) Crunchy: Pretzels or cheezit crackers instead of chips or cheetos (measured portion using food scale) Raw veggies with dip made from greek yogurt and ranch dressing mix or greek yogurt and little blue cheese. High Calorie coffee Drinks: Soy Latte with splash of sugar free caramel syrup. In the summer, I blend with ice for a homemade frappo. When ordering at Starbucks, I always get the tall instead of larger size. hot drink I get the soy latte and for frapp, I get the tall carramel frapp light, no whip. Just hungry: Sometimes I'm just hungry between meals. I eat a low calorie Protein, such as: light cheese stick rolled in a slice of low fat lunch meat tuna, blended with greek yogurt and mayonnaise to make a pate texture, then spread on whole wheat toast cut into quarters Deli Sandwich: I use lowfat lunchmeats. Gallo makes a great low fat salami. I like a bland cheese, and surprisingly, Velveta cheese has less calories than most. I make a full sandwich with whole wheat bread, 4 oz. of meat and 2 oz. of cheese, then I cut in half and eat half now and half for a different meal. Right before eating, I add tomatoes and lettuce. Fatty Italian: I love italian grilled veggies. I use a mandolin slicer to shave ribbons of zuchhini, yellow squash, and eggplant. Then I cut yellow and red peppers and toss in some halved cherry tomatoes. I spray all olive oil and roast. Right before it's done, I toss in a few fresh basil leaves. Top with 1/4 oz. shaved Parmesan. If you don't want to oven roast, you can pan roast the veggies too.

Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia nervosa is a serious disorder that involves a recurring pattern of binge eating followed by dangerous compensatory behaviors in an effort to counteract or “undo” the calories consumed during the binge. People with bulimia often feel trapped in this cycle of dysregulated eating, and there is a risk for major medical consequences associated with bulimic behaviors. Research has provided varying results but conservative estimates regarding bulimia indicate that about 1.5% of women and .5% of men will have bulimia at some point in their lifetime. In certain populations, prevalence rates are much higher, such as on college campuses where up to 20% of college-age females endorse symptoms of bulimia. Diagnostic criteria for Bulimia Nervosa (from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V) Recurrent episodes of binge eating Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors (such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise) in order to prevent weight gain The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least 1x/week for 3 months. Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa https://www.eatingdisorder.org/eating-disorder-information/bulimia-nervosa/

Hello! Next week Thursday is my final appointment with my surgeon before he submits to my insurance company for approval. The problem is, my insurance specifically says that I cannot have any net weight gain. Well, after COVID and my gym being closed, I am 5 pounds heavier than I was 6 months ago. Does anyone have any tips to drop 5 pounds quickly that I could do in the days leading up to my next appointment? Thanks!

You may gain weight. However, it probably won't be fat that you gain. Rather, you'll likely gain water weight by reintroducing carbs without engaging in moderate intensity exercise on a routine basis. Starchy carbs (e.g. corn, potatoes, rice, breads, yams, etc.) may cause bloating in susceptible people due to several mechanisms. High-carb food causes the body to store three times as much water compared to protein. This increased water storage is in the form of muscle glycogen stores. To summarize, you may see a bump upward on the scale from water weight gain if you resume eating carbs. However, this can be minimized by working out. For instance, I eat as many carbs as I want, but I keep my activity levels high because I dislike restricting macros from my food intake.

My surgeon just talked to me about this. He said it had to do with dehydration, losing a lot of water weight and getting hydrated again. He told me to expect a stall and possible weight gain.

I'm 2yrs into the lap-band and I'm gaining how can I get control of it before it's too late?

My elbows are a darker color, I’ve scrubbed, I’ve used fade lotions, I’ve tried every home remedy. It’s not dry caked on skin it’s just a pigmentation discoloration- to clarify. Did this go away after weight loss? Hoping it does because it only appeared after weight gain [emoji849][emoji849][emoji849]