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Interesting, although I guess from the body' point of view it would make sense, as it's sensing it's close to it's destination and wants to stay at that ideal weight. Do you happen to have a link to that study? I'd like to read it. Sorry about the lack of weight loss, that would discourage me too. From what I see in the pictures you look really great. I could suggest Curves for Women--I had done that awhile back when I was within 10 lbs of goal on Weight Watchers. I know when I stuck with it it seemed to help and have fat burning exercises tailored for female fitness.

Hi! I need some group input please.... Banded almost 4 years ago. Lost 136 lbs in the first year - just below my goal weight. Sat there for two years fine and then I loosened my band to have a tummy tuck last year. (Gained 12 lbs in the time my band was loosened and in the 3 month recovery time). Since then, I cannot lose a pound. The following are completely accurate stats and I need some input from you all please I work out 6 days a week pretty hard. I usually run for about 45 minutes and lift weights daily, sometimes adding a kickboxing class. I use Body Media which has my BMR at 1450 calories (which matches what my test showed, 1500 calories). Body Media shows me at about an average of 3,000 total calories burned per day (2800 - 3250) I get 75-90 grams of Protein in per day and eat less than 65 grams of carbs. Lately my caloric intake ranges from 800-1100 calories per day. Doc says eat less and I will lose weight. Honestly, it takes every single Fiber of my being to eat 800 calories when I am working out (when I wasn't after the surgery, it was easy). Band feels good. It's tight, I am not overeating and there are definitely things I can't eat, like bread, etc. WTH is going on? I have read over and over that maybe I should eat more, but how can that be? I am pretty sure when my band was loose and I wasn't going to the gym, I was eating 1500 calories a day (and gained the 12 lbs). I am feeling pretty confused and frustrated right now. I just want 10 pounds gone so I can be back at goal and live there forever. I just have no idea what is going on with my body. Today's weigh in puts me at the exact same weight I was in September when I went back to working out hard core. I can lose 4 lbs and they just come back. HELP.

Try some refried beans for protein, you might tolerate it better than meats for the moment. I am 10 weeks and I get that sharp pain every now and then when I eat to fast.

My gastric bypass surgery was on February 24th. I’ve been very sick since. Regurgitating all food I eat except liquids, within 5-10 minutes. When I try to eat, I eat one to two bites out of a kid spoon. At this point I’m starting to get malnourished. I can’t keep any food down at all, not even my protein shakes. My surgeon has suspicions that this may be a stricture. I go in on the 7th of April for an EGD to check. Has anyone else had any problems with a stricture? What was recovery like? Did it set you back at all?

I had a two month stall right when I was at 200. Eventually it broke and I dropped 10 pounds in a little over a month, so hang in there!

Wow...well here I am banded for a week and 2 days. I am back at work today for the first time and OMG my port is killing me. I have gotten up and walked every 15 minutes becauase that is all that helps. I have a desk jpb so it is not that bad, but I feel like I am always walking around. My manager is ok with it and she knows I get my work done, but it scares me as to what others will think. I am not hungry, but also terrified to put anything thicker than cream soup in my mouth. I am down 10 lbs from my surgury date and I love it!!! One week 10 lbs I'll take it! hope everyone is doing well!

They are sending for approval for my insurance company tomorrow! I am so excited and I hope it does not take long to get an approval. I have not lost my 10% yet, but I have other issues. I hope with sleep apnea, knee surgery, bp starting to climb and lipids up by 18 points they will still approve it. I have now lost 19 lbs and I am walking too. Here is to loosing more and praying for an approval!

I just had surgery on Monday. I have 10 BMI points to drop. I'm 5'10" High weight 254lbs Current weight 230 Goal weight 165

Hello all! Here are 3 cabins from which to choose for our gathering the weekend of Fri., May 16 - Mon., May 19. Click on the links for complete detailed description of the ameneties, # of bedrooms, types of beds, pictures, etc. You'll immediately notice that there is one in each price range -- high, medium, & low. As of right now, we have 13 gals signed up to go, so the prices below reflect that. If more gals come, all the prices will go down. If some gals drop out, the prices will go up. PLEASE VOTE FOR THE ONE YOU WANT! Or rank them w/ #1 being your fav, #2 2nd fav, #3 third choice. Majority rules! I'll begin! My #1 is "Splash Mountain"! (A pool AND a workout room!); #2 is Beats Workin' (this is the one we stayed in last month); #3 is Ritz (unless gobs of other folks suddenly want to join us, I think it's just too big). Your turn! Have fun! Ritz on the Lake: http://rentals.deepcreek.com/book/house.html?PMSUnitID=RITZOL Total $4275.52 / 13 = $329 per person Splash Mountain: http://rentals.deepcreek.com/book/house.html?PMSUnitID=SPLMTN Total $2636.99 / 13 = $203 per person Beats Workin’: http://rentals.deepcreek.com/book/house.html?PMSUnitID=BEATWRK Total $1266.57 / 13 = $98 per person

Ok me personally I think its ridiculous! I used to take adipex and when your off it you eat like a maniac, it has potential to raise your blood pressure, mess with heart etc. I figure why bother with lap band if your gonna mess with that stuff, which only can be taken short term because of the risks. Im so glad my surgeon didnt play that. Hence I had to be in 6 month pre op program and managing on my own. You dont get restriction right away. I was banded on 9/16/10 and getting scheduled for my 3rd fill this month. I can eat whatever without restriction. I have my bad days where I fall off wagon and eat too much, but then I have to reel it in. Doc says you usually dont get good restriction until after several fills. Anyway didnt mean to be crude or sound so harsh, I just feel so strongly about taking weight loss meds and them not being successful

Yep. You are comparing yourself to others. While we all have similar experience, we all experience it differently. Keep your head up. I only lost 10 my first week, but I've lost almost 160 since April this year. We're all different, comparing is not fair to yourself. Enjoy your own journey.

Hi Scout, I am also scheduled 12/19 due to work reasons. I hope you have a quick recovery; and just have yourself some eggnog if you can for x-mas : That's what I plan to do, 1 whole swallow of it at least. That'll fill me up for a bit. lol

I was sleeved 1/13 and am only down 20 lbs. I lost 10 in the first week after surgery and another 10 over the first 3 weeks. I have lost nothing in the last 4 weeks. I am beyond depressed. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I feel like I eat nothing and the scale won't budge

I woke up this morning and weighed myself and I have now officially lost 50lbs! I was sleeved on 9/19 and I don't know why but it felt like these last 10lbs took FOREVER! Now I have 70 make e to get for my personal goal:-) just a small victory I wanted to share:-D

Started soft food yesterday. I month post op. found Jack Daniels shredded pork. I never eat per-packaged meats but I have to say this was really good and a treat! I was able to eat 4 oz in a 35 minute period. 19 Proteins. I am trying to get my proteins from food. Just thought I would share.

My diet's pretty varied from day to day as I'm a student who likes to scavenge for free food and I'm always eating leftovers from our couple dinner outings, but try to make sure most meals (except for fruit snacks) have Protein in it. I'm approaching 3 months out and I think yesterday I had: bfast - Protein Bar snack - about 1 cup grapes, 2 squares dark chocolate lunch - leftover penne gorgonzola from a restaurant to which I added some grilled shrimp and scallops for protein (been taking this for lunch for 3 days in a row, lol) snack: 1/2 large apple, about 10-12 mixed nuts 1 glass of juice before working out Post-workout: protein bar Dinner: 5-6 pieces of sashimi with a bit of rice

You are doing fine. One thing I learned is weight loss is 95% food intake. It toook me 5 months to get my energy back. I am now at 10 months 130 lbs down and started training for a 1/2 marathon in April. Last week I ran a 15 K. Give your self time. As my mentor says do most of the stuff , most of the time and you will lose most of the weight. You wont regret this ride.

I was sleeved on August 8th and have lost 12 pounds since then, but 10 of that was in the first week. I think a lot of it was water loss, as I was barely able to get any liquids down due to the swelling. Once the swelling went down and I replenshied my water, the scale seemed stuck for about a week. It has just started moving again in the last day or two. Hopefully it starts to pick up again. But, I am feeling great now. Almost back to normal and lots of energy. Good luck to everyone!

What kind of support system do you have around you? Are you married? If so, can you work out a system with your husband to take the kids for an hour or so a few days a week so that you can hit the gym, or even just go for a walk around the neighborhood? Can you get up early to do these things to avoid the heat? Sounds like you could use some "me time" since you say that does make you feel better. Doing so much for others can be exhausting mentally and physically. I highly recommend making yourself a priority even if it's just for 2-3 hours per week wherever you can find it. Have you talked to your doctor about other anti-anxiety solutions? I tried Wellbutrin, and other medications, fifteen years ago and while it did seem to help with some of my mood swings, it also made me a zombie. I personally hated it, quit all those meds, and haven't looked back since. I still deal with anxiety and depression, especially in situational bouts (losing job, illness in family, etc.) but I made the choice to work at it with cognitive therapy, watching what I eat, exercise and meditation. However, I don't have kids. But all the advice I've every received from "professionals" applies to anyone with or without kids, or spouses, etc: If you're not making time and taking care of yourself, then how can you be your best helping others? I'm with PdxMan: try introducing some healthy carbs in small doses you're comfortable with (green veggies, black Beans, quinoa, etc.) The thyroid needs carbs to function properly, but not the starchy refined carbs. If the thyroid is sluggish, that could be waning on your energy. And do try to work in a walk here and there, even if it's for 5-10 minutes in 95 degree heat. I grew up in the south, I know what it's like. Put on the sunscreen, wear light clothing, bring Water, and soak in the Vitamin D. It will do wonders!!

I started this journey at the end of January with a BMI of 49.6 and now my BMI is 44 (lost more than 35lbs so far). If I lose 19 more lbs I won't qualify for surgery anymore, and my surgery won't be for 2 more months at least. I'm losing about 9lbs a month, so it is entirely possible that I could have a BMI under 40 in 2 months! I don't have any other health conditions that would qualify me for surgery at a lower BMI, so I don't know what to do. I don't want to go back to the way I was eating before, and I know that I am always either gaining or losing weight. I'm eating lower carb and higher protein, so I'm just not really hungry. I never thought I'd have this problem!

I was sleeved on 12/18. And like everyone else the gas hurt more than anything else. I made sure I got up and walked around. For at least 10 minutes every other hour. The gas pain went away in 3 days.

Well, I think our decision for the Lap Band procedure (self paying patients) as opposed to the Gastric Bypass procedure (OHIP covered) is now made. We investigated both surgeries fully and without bias. We have friends who have used the Gastric Bypass and others who have done the Lap Band. Both have excellent stories of success over the long term and both have stories of difficulties. Overall, the desire to have the cost-free version was strong but the 3-10 year wait list was wholly undesirable. In fact, I would say that if we were a full 100 pounds heavier than we are right now, my husband and I might have actually qualified for emergency surgery and a US destination hospital. Our co-morbidities are relatively non-existant so its off to the bank for us. Anyway, Lap Band is the absolute winner now. Our Consultation is tonight and we expect that all will go swimmingly and our banding will take place in the next 30 days or so no matter where we choose to get the procedure done. As for Canadians out there considering leaving home to get banded... I think you should re-consider whether you are self-pay or insured. We did the math and here is how we saw things... Cheapest is undoubtedly Tijuana, at least the procedure portion. Many of the clinics flooding the internet are from Tijuana, Mexico (usually just refer to themselves as a suburb of San Diego). You can really save thousands of dollars there if you are only considering the banding. Prices range from 5000 USD to 11000 USD and the market there is dominated by a handful of practitioners, some from the US and Canada. Problems we considered are as follows with absolutely no evidence, not even anecdotal, just our own 'WHAT IF' brainstorming. - Hospitals and clinics have unknown standards - Dr's claims to huge surgical numbers are unverifiable - On returning home, complications may result in the removal of your expensive band by Canadian doctors using non-laproscopic methods. - Free follow-ups require traveling to Mexico - No liquid diets noted prior to surgery... does this not put the liver at risk? - Unless you speak Spanish, are you sure you are safe? The United States is the Most Available option for Canadians. There are many practioners all over the country and lots of financing companies willing to help you pay for the procedure. Consider the following... - The US Dollar (at time of writing) is at a 20% premium to our Canadian Dollar which means that you will pay 20% more for everything from travel to lodgings for a few weeks in the host city to the procedure to medications purchased before returning home. - The consultation we had in a good hospital in a good market gave us the cost of the procedure at 16000 USD but they did not provide any free follow-ups after the first year or fills ever. That means that should you decide to return for fills or adjustments you will again pay our in USD. - Even if you decide to get it there and use the clinics up here to fill and follow-up... expect to keep paying and paying. - Should you experience an emergency complication... you may again lose your band the hard way. Finally, Canadian clinics... In our opinion are the Best Choice. For the following reasons and more... - Your dollar is at par... hello!!! its our dollar and their dollar... doesn't change from day to day - Since you will use a clinic close to you... the follow-ups and fills are probably free. - Your band clinic will be contacted for emergency complications and I should hope that your banding doc would have something to say about the band's removal before it happens. - If you have complications that only require a visit within 24-48 hours to your clinic... you can get there! - Your costs outside of the procedure and some medications may only be a night in a local hotel once in a while depending on the distance you are from the clinic. Well, I hope this information isn't too contradictory to anyone else's considerations. It is for these reasons and more that we will choose a clinic within a few hours drive from home in Ontario. Any comments?????

Hi everyone. Went to a bunco party tonight and made a great low fat dip (we each take appetizers or dessert to share). I adapted the recipe to lower fat ingredients and it turned out delish and no one even guessed it was low in fat. 1 can Members Mark chicken Breast (13 oz), shredded 1 8 oz. pkg. fat free cream cheese, softened 3/4 C. Hellman's Light Mayo (1 gram fat per 1 Tablespoon - has green lid) 1/4 C Fat free Mayo 1 C. fat free shredded cheddar cheese 1 can mild green chili peppers 1 Tablespoon Worcheshire sauce 1 jalepino pepper, diced very fine Shred chicken, stir in softened cream cheese, blending well. Add mayos, shredded cheese and stir to mix well. Add mild chili peppers, jalepino (if desired) and Worcheshire sauce. Spray a small casserole dish with Pam and bake at 350 for 30 mins. or until bubbly. Eat with low fat crackers (I used Special K crackers and they were excellent). Enjoy! I did the entire recipe on Daily Plate and it came out to 20 grams fat and 900 calories per recipe. It makes about 3 cups total. It's very filling and I think I ate about 4 tablespoons of the dip on about 10 crackers and was very satisfied (which was the majority of my "dinner"). Anyway, it's a good recipe for parties and I hope you'll give it a try. Linda

I am 10 months out and have lost 118 lbs and am 5 lbs from a normal bmi and i have exercised 4 times since surgery. It is possible if you follow the guidelines given to you by your nut

Just hang on for a few days Tamz. I also left you a pm with my number in it. Call me anytime! I feel wonderful now! By the end of week 1 I was coming around to thinking "ok, I think I'll live..." Week two was a LOT better but still hard to get all my liquids in but I was excited because I could move into the full liquids stage and the pain had drastically decreased and now, day 19 (this is the exciting part!) I've lost 28 pounds and I KNOW it was all worth it! Give yourself time to rest and heal and you'll look back on this as just a blip in time and a minor bump in the road and oh so worth it! *hugs!* Renee`