What am I doing wrong?

[amey_idaho 0]

I am SO FRUSTRATED!! I was banded May 5th, so I am 18 days post op and on mushies until Wednesday when I start the regular diet. (Really hoping I can eat some salad.)

I basically lost all restriction over a week ago. I try to stick to only 1 cup of food per meal and only 3 meals per day. Sometimes I wind up with about 1 1/4 cups if I'm really hungry. I'm trying to stay with mostly all Protein, but it's hard...I'm craving vegetables. I've never really liked candy or chocolate so that's not an issue.

So..I was at 307 a week after surgery when I started full liquids, down 21 from the beginning of my pre-op diet. But since then I haven't lost a single pound, in fact I went up to 309 yesterday but was back to 307 this morning.

My appt for a fill isn't until June 2nd. I'm scared I'm going to gain more weight back by then!

I'm ranging between 700-900 calories a day (today was 952 because I ate a yogurt this morning cause I was so hungry and the Protein shake wasn't cutting it). I'm getting about 50 grams of protein/day. Today I finally got up to 63 but I also had all the extra calories UGGHHHHH!!! I just seem to find a happy middle with the high Protein and low calories. Carbs have been between 40 & 70 (but today was 82).

Part of today's extra calories/protein/carbs was because I made homemade chili this weekend. I put it all into a recipe calculator, finally today, and it came up as for a 1 cup serving: 366 calories, 27.25 g protein, 30.90 carbs (thinking it's from the beans). Is this really bad for chili?

Exercise...I've been walking for about 30 minutes a couple times a week. Would really like to get outside more but it's been snowing here the past week with high wind & freeze warnings. Yea...Idaho is a peach this time of year :biggrin:

I feel so lost. I know this is supposed to be bandster hell and all...but I really feel like I'm walking around blinded in the dark.

Could somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong? Or better yet, how to get this right?

[CuriousJ 0]

I am SO FRUSTRATED!! I was banded May 5th, so I am 18 days post op and on mushies until Wednesday when I start the regular diet. (Really hoping I can eat some salad.)

I basically lost all restriction over a week ago. I try to stick to only 1 cup of food per meal and only 3 meals per day. Sometimes I wind up with about 1 1/4 cups if I'm really hungry. I'm trying to stay with mostly all Protein, but it's hard...I'm craving vegetables. I've never really liked candy or chocolate so that's not an issue.

I feel so lost. I know this is supposed to be bandster hell and all...but I really feel like I'm walking around blinded in the dark.

Could somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong? Or better yet, how to get this right?

I was banded on May 5 also, and was on Clear Liquids for 2.5 weeks. Metabolism is a strange creature. I lost about 15 lbs, in the first week but then gained back 2-3 lbs. in the second week, while still on the clear liquid only diet. Go figure.

My surgeon didn't want me to go through a "mushy" or "puree" stage; he told me to go straight to high protein/low carb solids. So I did that on May 19, and I'm losing more than a pound a day now on average -- so yes, you may need to increase your calorie intake to trick your body into coming out of "starvation mode."

I am eating WAY less carbs than you. I limit myself to 20 grams of carbs per day, and I get almost all of my carbs from veggies -- you can eat a lot of veggies and salads without exceeding 20 grams of carbs! I'm not watching calories at all at this point, and -- as I said -- I'm losing regularly. I'd definitely add veggies/salads to your diet unless your surgeon is opposed for some reason.

Good luck!

Edited May 25, 2010 by CuriousJ
spelling

[LeighaMason 19]

You will feel much better when you can eat a regular diet. Plus in a few weeks you can start getting fills that will help with the hunger too. Once you can eat regular food your carbs will go down and you will start losing. Don't worry bandster hell is almost over for you. :biggrin:

[amey_idaho 0]

Thanks Leigha & Curious. I'm going to add some veggies and see how that works. I had 1/2 cup of green Beans with supper tonight and they were oh so good. I had 5 meatballs, 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, 1 tablespoon grated cheese and the green Beans. I'm not stuffed but I'm ok. I might have a SF popsicle later if I'm still hungry.

So proud of myself that I didn't eat any of the Pasta or garlic bread. :smile2:

Think I might go for a walk later since it's finally stopped raining.

Thank you again for all the support!!

[viking_girl 0]

Amey, you are not doing a thing wrong, believe me!! Everything that you are experiencing is completely normal.

The restriction at the very beginning comes from internal swelling. As your body heals following the surgery, you will fill a lot less or no restriction.

When I had my surgery last October, I was advised to eat until I felt full.... to allow the band to do its job and tell me when I was full. And yes, back then, I could often eat 2 cups..... but that was still much less than I had been eating and I did see weight loss, just at a slower rate than I am now.

Once I started going for fills, I went every two weeks. Each time, the nurses asked me how much I was able to eat, and filled me a bit each time. Small little changes, until suddenly one day it was just right.

Right now.... if you are hungry, eat!!! Just make healthy choices. If you allow the changes to come slowly, they are much easier to adjust to.

Hang in there, be patient.... time has a way of getting by us and suddenly you will be six months out and loving your band! :smile2:

Amy

Amy (lifeafterband) on Twitter

[Newgette 0]

I think you are expecting results way too fast. This is the same thing I did three years ago when I was banded. Once you start to get your fills you will notice a definite restriction as to how much you can eat....Believe me, your body will reject it if you eat too much. Even after a few fills I didn't feel any restriction. Just be patient and your weight loss will suddenly start to happen. I've been at my goal weight for two years now and getting banded was the best decision I ever made. Good luck.

[amey_idaho 0]

Thank you all so much!! I guess I am just anxious to get this show on the road. I added some veggies and upped my calories to 1000/day and what do you know? The scale moved down a full pound this morning. YEA!!

I was SO motivated to go walking when I got off work today. By the time I drove 11 miles home it was raining in sheets. And it's not supposed to stop until after Sunday. GRRRR!!!

I will try to be patient, do my best and wait for my fill appt next week.

And thank you so much to VikingGirl, you have helped me more than you know. I look for you on Twitter....I totally relate to so much of what you tweet.

amey

[montynic 1]

I am SO FRUSTRATED!!

Could somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong? Or better yet, how to get this right?

First of all, you are not doing anything wrong. You are not alone in your frustration. I understand it completely because I have been there. In fact, the only difference in our stories is that I live in Grass Valley, CA instead of Idaho (but I still have the snow problem).

I was banded on 4/1. I lost 27lbs on my self-inflicted pre-op diet, which put me at 298 on surgery day. Since that day, I have not lost any weight. In fact, I have gained and re-lost the same 15lbs over and over again. As of this morning, I am at 298 again. I have never experienced restriction. Today was my first fill (5 cc's) and I'm hoping that will get the scale moving. I can definitely feel the difference already. I am having to sip beverages more slowly and it felt like my Migraine medication almost got stuck this evening. Restriction is the key!

Make sure to get enough Protein. (I average 100-110g Protein per day and 800-1,000 calories.) If you are looking for low-calorie, high protein meals, bariatriceating.com has excellent recipes. Hang in there!

[sslouha 3]

I am SO FRUSTRATED!! I was banded May 5th, so I am 18 days post op and on mushies until Wednesday when I start the regular diet. (Really hoping I can eat some salad.)

I basically lost all restriction over a week ago. I try to stick to only 1 cup of food per meal and only 3 meals per day. Sometimes I wind up with about 1 1/4 cups if I'm really hungry. I'm trying to stay with mostly all Protein, but it's hard...I'm craving vegetables. I've never really liked candy or chocolate so that's not an issue.

So..I was at 307 a week after surgery when I started full liquids, down 21 from the beginning of my pre-op diet. But since then I haven't lost a single pound, in fact I went up to 309 yesterday but was back to 307 this morning.

My appt for a fill isn't until June 2nd. I'm scared I'm going to gain more weight back by then!

I'm ranging between 700-900 calories a day (today was 952 because I ate a yogurt this morning cause I was so hungry and the Protein shake wasn't cutting it). I'm getting about 50 grams of protein/day. Today I finally got up to 63 but I also had all the extra calories UGGHHHHH!!! I just seem to find a happy middle with the high protein and low calories. Carbs have been between 40 & 70 (but today was 82).

Part of today's extra calories/protein/carbs was because I made homemade chili this weekend. I put it all into a recipe calculator, finally today, and it came up as for a 1 cup serving: 366 calories, 27.25 g protein, 30.90 carbs (thinking it's from the beans). Is this really bad for chili?

Exercise...I've been walking for about 30 minutes a couple times a week. Would really like to get outside more but it's been snowing here the past week with high wind & freeze warnings. Yea...Idaho is a peach this time of year :thumbup:

I feel so lost. I know this is supposed to be bandster hell and all...but I really feel like I'm walking around blinded in the dark.

Could somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong? Or better yet, how to get this right?

First of all Congratulations on your new way of life:thumbup:, now for the rest!

Please Please Please take this post op time as recovery you have to heal don't worry about what your eating as long as your eating healthy.

I was weighing myself and the doctor said that as long as I was eating healthy just to concentrate on healing. You have no restriction because you stomach was swollen and that is starting to subside. Keep walking and eating healthy and you will get there. Once you have your first fill, then you can look at restriction and why you have plateaus. For right now just relax and pamper yourself:wub:~

PSS remember if you have to little calories your body will go in starvation mode and if you do the same exercise your body will get use to it and you'll be stuck so patience

Sandee

Edited May 27, 2010 by sslouha

[viking_girl 0]

And thank you so much to VikingGirl, you have helped me more than you know. I look for you on Twitter....I totally relate to so much of what you tweet.

amey

Twitter is easier to get in and out of that is for sure.

Have you been eating more? How do you feel now?

[amey_idaho 0]

Uh yea...I'm eating WAY more...WAY TOO MUCH LOL. BUT...the scales did move down and I would up losing 1.4 pounds last week. Not too shabby, considering before I probably would have gained more than that.

I'm feeling a little better, starting to actually feel like I have some energy, which is a shocking change. I really starting to think there was something wrong with me because I never have any energy.

It's supposed to be crappy and rain all weekend so I guess we're going to stay in and watch some movies. I'm going to start washing walls and I want to get all my curtains washed this weekend too...hopefully that will burn some calories

Have a great weekend....catch ya on Twitter

[Nean4488 1]

I am having the same problem! I have lost 38 pounds since I started this but since i had surgery on the 17th... 4 pounds.. what 4 pounds! Ugh!!!! I am doing everything right. Maybe I should try more calories, but I get hungry fast and I eat till im hungry, how do I add more calories?

[baptistthom 3]

Amey hang in there, this is Idaho in a couple of weeks it will be swelting outside and think how much more weight we will lose. I was banded on April 26th and know exactly how you feel. I am praying my first fill with help with this hunger. It is so hard counting calories and watching the scale not move.

[CuriousJ 0]

I'm feeling a little better, starting to actually feel like I have some energy, which is a shocking change. I really starting to think there was something wrong with me because I never have any energy.

LOL. I went through the same thing. You'd think that with the 80+ grams of Protein I was getting daily with Clear Liquids that "technically" I wouldn't have had an energy problem, but I really did. It wasn't until I started back on solids that my energy came back.

And as long as I stick to the high protein/low carb diet, I even find myself waking up, refreshed and ready to go, an hour or so before my alarm goes off! That has never happened to me before!

So, good luck to you -- I'm glad to hear that putting more veggies into your diet and worrying less about calories seems to be helping.

Also, If you are committing to a high protein/low carb diet, you may want to pick up some Keto sticks at your pharmacy. You use these sticks each morning to measure whether your body is going into ketosis -- fat burning mode. In ketosis, your body goes into a metabolic state in which it burns its own fat for fuel. The deeper into ketosis you are, the more quickly you are, theoretically at least, burning fat. Thus, even if you hit a weight loss plateau, just knowing that you are in full fat-burning mode seems to help with sticking to the diet plan. In my experience, if you can maintain your metabolism at the third or fourth level of ketosis, you should see sustained and significant weight loss -- although, as with any other diet, YMMV.

As with anything else, check with your doctor before going on a strict Atkins-like high protein/low-carb diet that will cause ketosis and, again, good luck!