New to forum and I am failing....

[bandedgirl75 0]

I am hoping someone can shed some light and help me. I was banded on 10/6/09. I was 247lbs on my surgery date. I have lost a total of 20lbs since surgery date. That means I am almost 6months out and have lost 20lbs in 6months. My band holds 10cc's. I am up to 7.25 but even still I eat atleast 2 cups of food. That scares me because I am almost at the max and if I max...what do I do then? I am so depressed. I am trying so hard. Since my weight loss has been so slow I figured I would start calorie counting...thinking that was my problem. I have been consuming about 1200-1400 calories a day from food not obtained thru a fast food window. Food Examples: I eat Breakfast (bagel thin with 2 eggs and a string cheese). A morning snack 4 wheat thin garlic and parsely crackers with laughing cow cheese and 4-5 small strawberries...lunch a lean cuisine with cucumbers (1/2 cup) with about 5 croutons and 1tbsp of Italian Dressing on it....afternoon snack banana with a Super whey Protein shot....dinner 6-7 grilled shrimp with cucumber salad (above) and yogurt for dessert. Before surgery I was taking about 3000 steps a day.....I am now walking about 13,000 by the bedtime...I bought a pedometer (a good one :-)....Am I missing something in the middle? I am so lost at this point. Even without more saline you would think I would be losing off pure cutting calories and walking. What gives? I need help...I am crying as I type this because I feel like I am failing, failing myself, my children, my husband. Worst of all my 5yr old son was at the dinner table last night and said...My friends liked you on our field trip, they said you were really nice and you have a big fat belly. He had no clue that it hurt me to the core because he is so little but I went into my room and fell to my knees. God help me.

[sslouha 3]

I am hoping someone can shed some light and help me. I was banded on 10/6/09. I was 247lbs on my surgery date. I have lost a total of 20lbs since surgery date. That means I am almost 6months out and have lost 20lbs in 6months. My band holds 10cc's. I am up to 7.25 but even still I eat atleast 2 cups of food. That scares me because I am almost at the max and if I max...what do I do then? I am so depressed. I am trying so hard. Since my weight loss has been so slow I figured I would start calorie counting...thinking that was my problem. I have been consuming about 1200-1400 calories a day from food not obtained thru a fast food window. Food Examples: I eat breakfast (bagel thin with 2 eggs and a string cheese). A morning snack 4 wheat thin garlic and parsely crackers with laughing cow cheese and 4-5 small strawberries...lunch a lean cuisine with cucumbers (1/2 cup) with about 5 croutons and 1tbsp of Italian Dressing on it....afternoon snack banana with a Super Whey Protein shot....dinner 6-7 grilled shrimp with cucumber salad (above) and yogurt for dessert. Before surgery I was taking about 3000 steps a day.....I am now walking about 13,000 by the bedtime...I bought a pedometer (a good one :-)....Am I missing something in the middle? I am so lost at this point. Even without more saline you would think I would be losing off pure cutting calories and walking. What gives? I need help...I am crying as I type this because I feel like I am failing, failing myself, my children, my husband. Worst of all my 5yr old son was at the dinner table last night and said...My friends liked you on our field trip, they said you were really nice and you have a big fat belly. He had no clue that it hurt me to the core because he is so little but I went into my room and fell to my knees. God help me.

Chin up darlin, you are not alone, I am banded three weeks out and I am starving I have gained 6 lbs and well I too am frustrated, but you know that this was a lifetime committment that you decided to do. :thumbup:The band is a tool and it will start working, have faith. FAILING???:tt1::smile: There is nothing you have done that should give you the impression that you failed, if you would be eating bon bons and junk and not loosing I could see it but your out there doing activities eating right and following the rules. As for your son take it from the mouth of babes, and you know what all the kids liked you! For you! Now when the new improve mom comes they will still like you. You are a strong independent woman who is doing this for the betterment of herself! Will you fall back or stumble duhhh :blink:yes!!!! We all do but you brush yourself off and hold your head high and go on! Your band will adjust and you will loose, but remember the slower the lost the better your skin will fall into place. Now go cry, yell and throw a tantrum because we all need to do that once in a while. Then wash your face, and put on a smile and SUCCEED!!! :tongue2:I know you can do it~~~~:thumbup:

In the Band we trust

Sandee

[Ilovebeagles 0]

Hi there,

I just wanted to say "hang in there" to you and hopefully offer some encouragement.

From the amount you can eat, it sounds like your band hasn't been adjusted tight enough yet. I was in your position for 8 solid months, eating much better and smaller meals and moving more and the scale was oh so slowly crawling downwards. It seemed like I would never pick up the pace and that I would fail. I felt especially discouraged after reading about so many people on these boards that were losing way above average.

Good news: you are doing pretty well, at least by my surgeon's standards and the Lap Band makers! It's been 29 weeks since surgery and you've lost 20lbs. That averages out to .68lbs a week. My surgeon and the Lap Band makers specifically state that weight loss isn't even in the game plan until we reach restriction/green zone/sweet spot --whatever you want to call it. Once the band is adjusted to a good level, then you can expect a weight loss average of 1-2 lbs a week. My surgeon was very clear on this to me presurgery and I don't think all surgeons are very good about giving their patients the correct information.

Now, obviously, we don't want to go through surgery and start on this journey by laying on the couch and eating bon bons just waiting for the right level of restriction and the weight to fall off. Anything we can do to jump start our weight loss and get the scale moving before we get good restriction will be a big help. It sounds like you are doing those things already by eating less, eating healthier and moving more. By making those good choices you've lost 20lbs and have done a great job so far!

Just keep doing what you are doing and hanging in there. Once you get to a proper level of restriction, I think you will find that it helps you a lot. Now there is no way I could eat 2 cups at a meal and my small, usually less than 1 cup meals keep me satisfied a lot longer. The plus on all this is that my weightloss of .9lbs a week has increased to 2lbs per week. I think there is a good chance yours will increase too : )

Edited to add: if you want some ideas of my menus and what my portions sizes looked like at different steps through my journey, check out my blog -- link is below.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Ilovebeagles

[bandedgirl75 0]

Good Morning all, Thank you so much for your words. I don't know if I've ever been so upset in my life as I was yesterday minus deaths and things like that. Sslouha, I think I almost lost it when I read your posts. So much of what I was feeling was wrapped up in your posts. God Bless you. I ended up going home early from work and having the biggest cry of my life. I cried from the depths of my soul but I will tell you this...God heard me loud and clear....because when I woke up this morning, I felt good. I felt refreshed, I feel like I will be ok. There is never hope lost until I lose it. My life long childhood friend who has lost 92lbs with her band said to me last night...Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Really hit home and I have every ounce of faith that God will help me and although its not tangible right now...I'm headed for the best phase in my life. I have to believe that. Ilovebeales posted something that helped alot as well....that I am not even at my sweet spot yet I've lost weight outside of that....that hit home as well. I keep saying...I'm 6 months out of surgery....yes I am....but I am not 6 months in the "sweet spot phase" so today I hold my head high, take all the advice I've been given wether I thought it was mean, nice, good or ugly....it was all meant for me to hear. You all have helped me and I thank you.

[Nean4488 1]

First thing you have to remember is that your down 20 pounds!!!! Thats great!

I read over what you eat in a day and I am also a slow weight loser, which sucks, but we are out there! I think you are consuming too many carbs. Maybe you should try to cut down on them a bit? Other then the egg, cheese, cucumbers and shrimp you are consuming all carbs!

My trainer tells me 2 egg whites to one egg. Egg yolk has a lot of fat in it. Crotons and dressing are killers!!! Lean Cuisines have ton of sodium in them! Try to stay away from carbs all together 3-4 hours before you go to bed.

Maybe go see a nutritionist?

Good luck, keep your head up!!!!!!

[Lisa Lisa 0]

Hey you hang in there!! There must be something wrong. Maybe it slipped? Have you checked with your doctor about that. I'm pretty new at this my self. I got my surgery in January and I've only lost 11 pounds and am feeling real discouraged. I started to ask what I'm doing wrong when I read your msg. I too, think, but what do I know, but it does sound like you're eating too many carbs. Try putting mostly Proteins on your plate with a little bit of vegitables. I did seem to lose a couple of pounds that way when I was on track. And with 6 fills I would think you couldn't eat all that in a day. It really does sound like your bands not right. AND your doing all that walking. I haven't even really started walking and I know that's what I need to do. But go to your doctor and if you've already done that I would consult with a few other lap band phsicians. Try True Results in Plano. Ask to talk to Amanda. She has also had the surgery over a year ago and looks like she was never obese. She's gorgeous! She is a lap band advocate and I'm sure she can help you out. Don't give up! Just keep on pushing! You're going to get there kiddo, I'm sure of it. God bless! Lisa Lisa

[bandedgirl75 0]

Hi Lisa, yes I already go to True Results. I know Amanda. She does look great. I totally and doing the Protein starting today!!!! Feel free to email me you want to talk. I know how much it hurts to feel discouraged....csumm75@hotmail.com

[carissarenae1986 0]

Just wanted to offer some words of encouragement. I was banded on 3/9/2009. A little over a year ago now, Wow I cant believe its been that long!! I too felt like you at around the 6 month mark. I had only lost about 30 pounds and I was stalling out. I would plateau, Going up 5 pounds and down 5 pounds. Until I hit my sweet spot!! I have a 10cc band and I believe I am at 6.5cc. I don't know for sure at this point because I have had a few unfills due to reflux. But when I finally did hit my "sweet spot" I have lost like crazy, and I continue to lose. Altogether now I have lost 80 pounds, and I only have 40 left to go. I feel amazing. Although I agree with some of the other posts I cannot eat much at all. My daily meal plan consists of a granola bar for breakast, maybe a half of a sandwich and a few chips for lunch, and then probably half a cup of whatever is for dinner at night. And no snacking in between. But the bright side is I am never hungry. I forget to eat and have to make myself go to the kitchen and find something. Pre Band I was a binge eater, anything and everything I could find even when I wasnt hungry. So please don't give up hope, You have to give your body time to get used to the band. If I have learned anything it is that the band has a mind of its own. Sometimes I think it gets mad at me and punishes me, lol. But we are on good terms at the moment. Good Luck!!