Sept. 2010 Bandsters !!!

[pooky032281 8]

Yep, I feel like a failure...I'm sitting at 32 lb gone, many others are at least twice that...I just don't get it.

[lifesaver4 0]

I so understand that, i still think my band is not tight enough, i can feel the food just pass on thru and not stay in pouch very long. I plan on another fill next month. How tight are you in your band, can you eat more then 1 cup at a time? I know when i can do this that i am not tight because my friend cannot eat more then a cup and she feels full for 6 hrs or longer. I get hungry in about 2 hrs so i know i can not be tight enough!]

[pooky032281 8]

My band is pretty tight, I eat about a cup of food and stay full for about 4 hours. I had to have it loosened last month, was too tight. Not sure what is holding me back...

[ebeeze824 1]

Yep, I feel like a failure...I'm sitting at 32 lb gone, many others are at least twice that...I just don't get it.

me either cause i'm experiencing the same thing and I work out regularly, eat only white meat and lots of veggies and still trying to figure out if my insurance will give me a gastic bypass.

[lifesaver4 0]

me either cause i'm experiencing the same thing and I work out regularly, eat only white meat and lots of veggies and still trying to figure out if my insurance will give me a gastic bypass.

Hi Ebeeze, please don't give up and go for gastric, it is a life and body altering procedure. Just stick with this banding, it may come off slower but at least it is coming off! Visit with your Dr. about your frustration and also how full is your band, it just might not be to your sweet spot yet!??? As a nurse i just really hate to see you do the gatric bypass, it cannot be undone!

[LisaA 1]

Hi all, finally lost some weight, and I was on vacation, ate more, but was very active.

I think a couple things helped,

changing my calories, jacking them up a bit, and just plain changing them, I was doing the same thing day in and day out.

plus more activity, I really have to do this in my regular life now. activity every day, not just 3-4 days a week.

but here is some other thoughts, in the begining I was very focused, tracking what I ate, thinking about it all the time, and I lost,

I didn;'t increase my food intake, but I got complaicent, just doing the same thing every day, not really paying much attention, - but I think it comes off more when I pay attention, and believe in myself, sort of like little prayers each day, meditation, and belief. I know it sounds religious or something, but really focusing my energy and my brain on it, and believing it will happen I think helps. might sound hokey but the mind is powerful, and the our cells respond to believing, the more you focus on feeling like a failure you more likely you will fail. Change things up, add activity, change your calories, even if it means eating more sometime, see if you get results, I was thinking of going back to my diet I did for the month before surgery, just to change things, the 1 Protein Shake, and 2 lean cuisines- now a lean cuisine is a problem for me, cause they are very starchy, but I could try to spread the eating out.

but really raising the calories periodically is important.

plus I go 50% protein- 30 carb 20 fat (or there abouts)

if you are working out, change it- your body settles at the level you give it, and fights to protect you fat if it's not getting enough.

I know all this stuff is what we all started out being bad at, and we all want it to be easier. But we all made a comitment, and are doing things to change a pattern we've had for a long while. we took the first step, but that doesn't mean it will be easy, we still have to work at it, and keep ahead of the body, and believe.

Ebeeze, I think the bipas could be a mistake, I don't know, but atleast I'd go plication first not bypass. Although I think if your calories are down, and your activity is up, and you aren't losing, then surgery is not going to help. Plus there is a lot of years later failure with the bypass. Try changing things, try tracking closely, get your body movement up to at least 30 minutes a day. even if you do active things like vaccuming, and really think about it like excercise and sustain it for 30 minutes - they've done studies on that too, where if you focus on things you do regularly that are physical, and think about them like excercise and do them like excercise, moving quickly, timing how long, etc. that it really works better.

just some thoughts.

Lisa

[danide 0]

Yep, I feel like a failure...I'm sitting at 32 lb gone, many others are at least twice that...I just don't get it.

I had lost 34 pounds but gained 4 pounds back, so don't feel bad. I hope you can figure out whats going on with your lack of progress though, you should be thrilled still... If you hadn't lost that 32 with help of the band, you may have gained 32 lbs. Don't be so hard on yourself. 32 is still wonderful!

I hav e been feeling great even though I gained 4... I am down 2 of the 4 so far. I see changes in my body. Im down to a size 16 from a 20. Not as great as I want but to me it is a big change for me. I feel normal now. And Im out of the morbid obese BMI.

My doctor and staff are really supportive and don't think its super abnormal for me not to have lost more yet. They explained that (even though it is mostly my food choices that prevent me from losing more) it takes most people about a year to develop heathier habits and understand and learn to work the band.

Im hoping/planning on losing at least 10 lbs more by my band anniversary date!

Personal reason for not losing more... I haven't been on here in forever... I have been going through some depression since ending a 4.5 yr relationship 5 months ago. So with that depression I was eating a lot of junk food... my comfort foods... bad old habits, and I had stopped exercising. But I am doing really good now as far as not being depressed. I have been doing a bit better with watching what or at least how much comfort foods I am eating. I am dating someone new now, for just over 1 month. He is a HUGE inspriation because he apparently lost, on his own diet and exercise, 110 lbs... I only recently told him about my surgery, he didn't ask any questions other then how long ago.

I so happy to see many people doing so well! Keep it up my peeps!

[LisaA 1]

well i got another .5 ccs, I am tired, and hungry, I did liquids yesterday, and today Water and broth,

[LisaA 1]

Ok, so here are some interesting observations I have

1. I have never lost a pound on any of the liquid diets- I don't gain, but when my calories are that low my body holds the weight for dear life. I used to do a lot of starvation and purging like 30 years ago in junior high school. maybe that has something to do with it.

2. on vacation (after a 2 month plateau of not losing- not gainng but not losing) I lost 4 lbs- now I was active with swimming and bike riding every day, but I ate a lot too, way more then normal, I was very hungry also on vacation, as I think I needed a fill even before I went. before my vacation my diet was the same- I have gotten into a lull of just doing the same thing everyday, and I had been busy at work, so my regular work day Snacks were not happening- so even less calories. Probably like 1000 a day is what it looked like after I started charting it. I know it's hard to imagine, but I believe that my activity needs to be more, and my food also needs to be more.

3. now that I have a fill, this is my first day on soft food, I feel like I get full very fast, but 3 hours in and I'm feeling hungry, a little cheese, like a tbl of shreded cheese, and 6 oz of kefir has me feeling very full, hopefully it lasts till lunch. now i have 8 ccs.- at least that's what the docs say, even although my fills say I'd be at 8.5, when I started with these blind fills they took everything out and I was .5 less then what I had been told.

Anyway I offer this as my observations, that it might help those that are eating small amount and eating the right food and not losing, try changing it, and really try for at least 40 minutes of exercise, even if it's walking, just moving your body with the thought of exercise.

Lisa

[stateofzen 46]

Hey September babes-- anyone interested in a surgery-anniversary challenge just for us? Our one year dates are coming up and maybe we could set personal goals and make a commitment to come post in this thread for the next month or two for support and for accountability. Your goal could be weight loss related, or it could be behavioral-- like drinking your Water or even just logging in here and talking about what you're eating.

I'd really like to make a "normal BMI" by my anniversary, but with my slow down in weight loss over the last several months I don't want to set an impossible goal. So I think I'd like to set a water and Vitamin goal instead. I don't know, I'm going to think about it while I see if anyone is interested.

[hah131 7]

i'm game for a challenge! i have 3 pounds to go to hit 'normal' bmi, and i just can't seem to get there...i need a major kick in the butt!

[LisaA 1]

I'm game, I'm yoyoing right now, September 27 is my anniversary,

I'd like to be getting at least 50 oz or Water a day

30 minutes of cardio of some type 6 dys a week

and I hope to be at 220 lbs- but lately that is feeling out of reach, I'm yoyoing between 236 and 240 right now for the last few weeks.

I'd like to try some insurance quotes at 220- I"m self employed and until I became a group- there were no individual plans I could even buy, and I think at 220 I might at least be able to try for them. who knows, that's where I am going to start trying.

[lifesaver4 0]

Ok all of you who think that you have had slow weight loss, just don't know what slow is! lol I was banded on 9/17/10 and as of date i have lost approx 30 lbs. Now that is slow. I am trying to hang in there and keep plugging away but it is hard when you are doing all the right things and you are still not losing. I just went and had another fill so i am at 11 out of 14 and i feel some tighter but still don't think i have hit my sweet spot. I am not as hungry as before but still have hunger within usually 2 to 3 hours. I just got done with the 5 day pouch test and i do think that it helped some, i lost another 5 on it, so that is good. I plan on keep plugging away till i lose this weight but it does get discouraging. I will join the sept challenge, i hope to be down another 10 lbs by my anniversary. Everyone keep plugging away as my Dr says this is not a race, this is a lifestyle change, so it needs to be slow and gradual. I figure as long as i keep losing i am happy. I did not get this way overnight ( even tho i would like to convince myself i did) so it is going to take some time to take it off and keep it off. That is ultimately the real goal, to KEEP IT OFF! Good luck to everyone on achieving your goals!

[monicaleon18 2]

Hi Everyone!

Long time no post, I’m sorry about that. I read up on some past posts and wanted to share some insight that has recently helped me. Carbs!!! I was told to watch out for them, but really watch out… so I started tracking and what a difference it has been making. I was stuck on a yo yo for some time and this helped me. When I started tracking I was averaging between 60 to 70 carbs a day, which is not good at all. So I took it down to half and saw a 3 pound drop in 1 week. Since then I am now between 25-30 a day and I have been losing about 1-2 a week.

Here is some of my info:

Banded on Sept 20^th

Highest Weight: 268.8

Current Weight: 180.3

Pounds lost: 88.5

Goal Weight: 160.0

I love the challenge you guys are doing so my challenge for this month and until my anniversity will be to drink at least 70 oz of Water a day, stay within my 25-30 of carbs, and exercise at least 4 days a week. I would love to reach my goal by Sept 20^th, but I have to not focus on that now and just take it day by day. I love the fact that I have lost 88 pounds and even though this is no walk in the park, it is the best thing I have done for my life, my health, and my confidence.

For you that are struggling… change things up like Lisa said. If you’re not losing then whatever you are doing is not working with your body. You have to figure it out and only by experimenting you will find out. Only you know what you put in your mouth, don’t cheat yourself. If you gain or not lose this week, think about what fuel you are giving your body. That is how I have figured out that rice, bread and Pasta are a NO NO for me. Anything dry will get me stuck and milk which is not slim milk will make me gain weight.

There are no true instructions with the band, only suggestions. Remember that… we have to do the work and find out what works with our bodies. <BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

I hope that my words help in anyway. Keep taking it day by day and keep listening to your body, it will guide you.

Moni

[LisaA 1]

Alright Moni, you are killing me, really? 25-30 carbs, wow, that is impressive, I shoot for 60 and feel great if I make that.

you have to share what your typical meal day looks like?

I can't imagine. Especially because some days I try to do less meat, like I probably do vegetarian like 3 times a week, and those days of course the carbs are higher, many years of being a vegetarian, and even a vegan, and now I see that probably had something / well a lot to do with my constant weight gain.

anyway I'm dying to hear if you are willing to share.