Banded in May....Not losing well.....meal ideas?

[Madam Butterfly 0]

All who've lost so much weight since May, please please please help me. I have only lost a couple pounds since being banded in May. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I have 3.5 cc in band & go back in 2 wks for a fill. I seriously would like to know how much everyone is exercising or what you are all eating or whatever. I was so excited pre-op now I feel like this is just one more thing I have failed at. Please give me a run down of your daily intakes so I can compare. I expected to lose much more by now than the measely pounds I have lost. I WANT results like you all. Thank you.

[hotsexyrunnerchick 5]

How much have you lost ?

[Madam Butterfly 0]

Weighed 254 at first visit, 239 on day of surgery, today weigh 235!!!:biggrin:

[JMinDallas 1]

Sounds like you need a fill. How far apart are you getting them? Can you go more often.

I've only had one fill (yesterday) and have more cc's than you...so I would think you need more.

My meals haven't been all good or elaborate up to this point.

Bowl of Cereal in the morning (oatmeal, or regular Cereal w/milk)

sandwich for lunch (egg salad, tuna salad) w/bag of 100 cal chips, or lean cuisine meal

Apple for snack w/peanut butter

dinner is a variety - could be chicken and rice, or Pasta, or some meat w/ vegies.

I serve myself small portions and don't allow myself to get seconds even if I'm still hungry. I'll have a sf popsicle for after dinner as a treat.

Once I have another fill, I'm sure my portions and what I eat will go down.

[vlp1968 83]

I have found meals and Snacks that work for me- I don't have a ton of variety in my food intake.

Breakfast- a low carb protien shake (I am very tight in the am.)

Lunch/dinner

Protien: Perdue perfect portion chicken breast

Lean pork loin, tuna on kavili garlic crackers (only 50 cals and 10 g carb), fish, boca burger

Veggie- brussel sprouts, asperagus, spinach, canned grean Beans, yellow squash

Snacks

low fat cheese sticks

cottage cheese (they come in a snack pack- perfect size)

berries (they are low in carbs)

almonds (1/4 cup)

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[reverie 49]

It may be helpful if you post what you are eating, your calorie amount, Protein, fat, etc, and the kind of exercise you're doing so that maybe someone can spot something you may be doing wrong.

Remember though, not everyone can eat the same and do the same exercise and lose the same amount of weight. Everyone's journey is different and sometimes slower can be better!

Just remember that you have lost weight and that's always something to be very proud of, no matter the amount.

I've lost about 65lbs since May but I do vary my calories/exercise daily. If you want to know the details just message me and we can talk.

[jen36 1]

I was banded in May as well and have lost almost 40lbs so far. For a few weeks I fell off the wagon and went back to some of my old eating habits but now I am back on track I had a fill on Friday and am up to 5.66cc's and feel really good at that and have lost 5lbs since than. I have cut my calories from 1200 to about 900 and I think that is why the weight is coming off and I am the gym for an hour at least 4 or 5 days a week. I have been going to the gym all along but the eating was getting out of control so now that I have both in check I seem to be doing well. For Breakfast I have a piece of toast and a smidget of margarine on there and a cup of coffee and then for lunch today I had a little bit of tuna with low fat mayo, on 1 piece of toast with a fat free slice of cheese... IT WAS SOOOO GOOD!!!!! but I think the fill has made all the difference I can't eat much... GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOURNEY!!!

[Madam Butterfly 0]

They let me have fills once a month. I had surgery in early May, then........Fills: I had my first one July 9th (1 cc), second one Aug 12th (1 cc), I will have another one Sept 9th. They had put in 1.5 cc during surgery, so my total is now 3.5 cc's after having my first 2 fills. Very discouraged right now, I have to tell you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They said next fill they will add 0.5--1cc..... so not sure how long before I reach a good restriction.

[jen36 1]

Wow Madam Butterfly, I guess my dr. is a little more aggressive with fills. During surgery I had .66cc's then first fill was June and he put in 4cc's but had to take one out it was too much and then the 2nd fill was July and he put 1cc in and then my last one was this past Fri and he put another 1cc in so I am up to 5.66cc's and I finally feel restriction.

[stefaniwg 172]

They let me have fills once a month. I had surgery in early May, then........Fills: I had my first one July 9th (1 cc), second one Aug 12th (1 cc), I will have another one Sept 9th. They had put in 1.5 cc during surgery, so my total is now 3.5 cc's after having my first 2 fills. Very discouraged right now, I have to tell you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They said next fill they will add 0.5--1cc..... so not sure how long before I reach a good restriction.

I totally understand how you feel. My doctor only gave me a .5 cc fill for my first fill last week and I had 1 cc during surgery. I am still starving!! I too am to only have 1 fill per month. I have been stuck at the same weight for more than 3 weeks!! I eat according to my doctors plan and exercise 3-5 times a week walking 2-3 miles each day. I get all of my Protein in a day, no snacking, drinking all my fluids. I am beyond frustrated!:biggrin: I hope everything gets better for the both of us soon!:thumbup:

[LeighaMason 19]

Have you tried journaling your food to see a true calorie count of what you are eating? When I was first banded I was not losing and I told my husband "But I am doing everything right!" and he was like "um, no your not" so I started weighing and measuring everything and tracking it on a web site and then I found out that I was eating a lot of stuff I shouldn't.

Here is a link to a blog that I wrote of what I eat, I hope it helps. What I eat... - LAP-BAND

[Momto3redheads 18]

Hang in there ----- it was about 6 months into my journey before I started losing well.....that's why they call it bandster hell!

I am addicted to Wendy's chili - a large has about 28 grams of Protein and fills me up. I am not good at eating a huge variety of foods, though....my busy schedule keeps me pretty well on a routine of what I know I can eat without a problem.

Hang in there - this too shall pass!

[Phranp 46]

Please don't feel like a failure. If you don't have restriction you can find yourself feeling like a failure. The truth is you can't fail if your band is not actually performing as the tool that it can be. Some people are good at following a diet/food plan without having restriction, others are not. The people that are not will need their band filled enough to give them restriction to help them stay on the path. Put all the effort you can into eating right and exercising, but don't beat yourself up if you are not seeing the results you think you should. Not only are we all different, but if we could just follow a diet and lose weight and stay thin we would not need the band.

Some of the posts I have read about how "stingy" the doctors can be with fills are just crazy! Once a month, once every six weeks, not until you stop losing weight ... this is crazy! People are hungry from not getting enough nutrition and not having restriction and their doctors act as if the people are just statistics on a piece of paper. We are all REAL people with REAL issues about food and all doctors need to recognize that and treat each patient accordingly! I am fortunate that my doctor is not one refuse me if I feel I need a fill. I have not seen my doctor in more than 3 months because I have enough restriction, but if I called his office and needed a fill tomorrow, he would do it. I know my body and I know when I need a fill. He gets it.

I wish you the best. And, remember that even if your doctor is slow and stingy, eventually you will get to your sweet spot. Don't be so hard on yourself. You can do this!

[Laylas grandma 2]

Could it be that maybe you are not eating enough? I find on days I force myself to eat a little more I lose a little more..Dont know why but it happens everytime.