Feeling great...BUT

[DebH 1]

In a week from today I will be 3 months post op and I have only lost about 26 lbs (6 lbs pre-surgery). I do not regret having the band, and even just the improvements in the way I feel are satisfying, but I honestly did not think that it would be so slow going. I am doing 30-40 minutes on the elliptical machine a minimum of 5-6 days a weeks (usually walking the other day or two) and I am journaling everything I eat and most days average about 800-900 calories and 60-90 grams of Protein. I feel terrific; I have energy, I am sleeping well, my color is good, BUT why am I not losing more? I did not lose anything the entire month of December but I felt that was a victory since my history was to gain over the holidays. Since 1/1/1, I have only lost 3 pounds and I am finding this very frustrating. I have had 3 fills and with the last one I did start to feel some restriction. My surgeon told me that at this point I should not have to write everything down, I should be able to rely on my "full" feeling, but I know that I can eat more than 4 ozs at a sitting so I am being very deligent about weighing and measuring right now. I also took measurements at the beginning of my journey and while I have lost about 15 inches overall, I have not lost any more inches since the beginning of December either. Has anyone else experienced this? I am hoping that if I just stick with what I am doing the pounds will have to start dropping off, right?

[Amanda1982 142]

Hi, I have not been banded yet but I wish you luck on your journey. I have heard that anything under 1200 calories and the body will go into starvation. Talk to your nutritionist and see if that’s it.

[CheckYes 46]

I've been under 800 calories consistently for five weeks and am losing. I do notice that the scale moves more when I cut my carbs. For example, instead of having my Quaker Weight Control oatmeal for Breakfast, I have eggs. Maybe if you cut your carbs a bit, you might see some movement? Also, I'm drinking about 80 ounces of Water a day - gotta flush that fat out somehow! Maybe check your Fluid intake?

Good for you for sticking to your guidelines despite not seeing the rewards at the moment! That's the hardest thing, I think - to be doing everything right and to not have the scale reflect it. You are doing the right things. Your hard work will pay off.

I know there is another poster on this board, BetsyB, who has to eat between a certain calorie level to lose weight. I think she said between 800-900. She is also low carb (if I remember correctly). Maybe you need a certain level of calories. If you are journaling, try some stuff out - increase calories/decrease carbs.. see if you can hit your nutritional "sweet spot".

Best wishes!

[ElfiePoo 109]

Deb,

I never rely on a 'full' feeling because I never feel full. Over a year post op and at my sweet spot so I can eat my 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of starch and not feel hungry for at least 4 hours. If I ate until I was full, well let's just say I'd put down half a pizza.

People tend to lose faster on a low carb diet (under 60gm a day) and faster yet when it's kept under 30gm a day. Calories are a bit trickier. Some lose well at 800. Others need to be at 1200. It may seem logical that we'd all lose faster at 800...but that's just not the case. You'll just have to find where you do best.

The thing I've found to be more important than anything is consistency. A few days at 800...a few at 1200...one or two at 1800...and the weight loss stalls because it all averages out.

If it makes you feel any better, I eat 1200 calories per day, 30gm of carbs and I only lose about 4 lb per month. It's frustrating, but it is what it is.

.

[Acadia 20]

Another thing to keep in mind - you may not be losing weight but you may still be losing inches. Measure the following locations and measure them once a week to see the changes (it only takes about 4 minutes to measure all of these spots):

• Neck
• Around the chest (widest part)
• Around the chest (under breast for women)
• Upper arm (always the same distance from the elbow crease)
• Forearm (same distance from elbow crease)
• Wrist
• Waist (narrowest area)
• Waist (at belly button)
• Hips (widest)
• Hips (at the dip, if you have one)
• Thigh (same distance from the crotch or back of knee)
• Calf (same distance from the back of the knee)
• Ankle

You may not notice changes in all areas, but on those weeks where you have no weight loss you will very likely lose a half inch, an inch, or more.

One final note - women gain between 5-10 lbs every month due to our cycles, so if you don't lose this week, you may lose a lot next week. If you're tracking you'll see these fluctuations. And even women who are going through menopause or who have gone through menopause will have fluctuations though they'll be a little smaller in the 2-4 lbs range.

[vlp1968 83]

I think your weight loss is right on track. I agree with the post about varying your calories. That is suppossed to trick your body into burning more fat. Keep up the workouts and it is sure to pay off. Good luck!

[maryroriz 0]

In a week from today I will be 3 months post op and I have only lost about 26 lbs (6 lbs pre-surgery). I do not regret having the band, and even just the improvements in the way I feel are satisfying, but I honestly did not think that it would be so slow going. I am doing 30-40 minutes on the elliptical machine a minimum of 5-6 days a weeks (usually walking the other day or two) and I am journaling everything I eat and most days average about 800-900 calories and 60-90 grams of Protein. I feel terrific; I have energy, I am sleeping well, my color is good, BUT why am I not losing more? I did not lose anything the entire month of December but I felt that was a victory since my history was to gain over the holidays. Since 1/1/1, I have only lost 3 pounds and I am finding this very frustrating. I have had 3 fills and with the last one I did start to feel some restriction. My surgeon told me that at this point I should not have to write everything down, I should be able to rely on my "full" feeling, but I know that I can eat more than 4 ozs at a sitting so I am being very deligent about weighing and measuring right now. I also took measurements at the beginning of my journey and while I have lost about 15 inches overall, I have not lost any more inches since the beginning of December either. Has anyone else experienced this? I am hoping that if I just stick with what I am doing the pounds will have to start dropping off, right?

Hi Deb,

I've only been banded for 2 weeks, and I can't wait to hit the gym and start losing weight!

I've been reading a lot of articles about LIFTING WEIGHTS and doing CARDIO as a complete workout routine. An average person can loose around 50% more body fat if combining both weights and cardio.

Try adding the famous "muscle confusion" regiment to your work outs. You can continue doing the 30-40 min of cardio 5-6 days a week, but do at least 20 -30 min of weight training BEFORE hitting the treadmill.

Let me know how it goes, I'm sure you're gonna see amazing results and feel great about your weight loss!

I found this article about Weight lifting (101 =D), maybe it helps:

1. Overload: To build muscle, you need to use more resistance than your muscles are used to. This is important because the more you do, the more your body is capable of doing, so you should increase your workload to avoid plateaus. In plain language, this means you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. You should be able to finish your last rep with difficulty but also with good form.
2. Progression. To avoid plateaus (or adaptation), you need to increase your intensity regularly. You can do this by increasing the amount of weight lifted, changing your sets/reps, changing the exercises and changing the type of resistance. You can make these changes on a weekly or monthly basis.
3. Specificity. This principle means you should train for your goal. That means, if you want to increase your strength, your program should be designed around that goal (e.g., train with heavier weights closer to your 1 RM (1 rep max)). To lose weight, choose a variety of rep ranges to target different muscle fibers.
4. Rest and Recovery. Rest days are just as important as workout days. It is during these rest periods that your muscles grow and change, so make sure you're not working the same muscle groups 2 days in a row.

Before you get started on setting up your routine, keep a few key points in mind:

1. Always warm up before you start lifting weights. This helps get your muscles warm and prevent injury. You can warm up with light cardio or by doing a light set of each exercise before going to heavier weights.
   
   
2. Lift and lower your weights slowly. Don't use momentum to lift the weight. If you have to swing to get the weight up, chances are you're using too much weight.
   
   
3. Breathe. Don't hold your breath and make sure you're using full range of motion throughout the movement.
   
   
4. Stand up straight. Pay attention to your posture and engage your abs in every movement you're doing to keep your balance and protect your spine.

Good luck!

[DebH 1]

Deb,

I never rely on a 'full' feeling because I never feel full. Over a year post op and at my sweet spot so I can eat my 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of starch and not feel hungry for at least 4 hours. If I ate until I was full, well let's just say I'd put down half a pizza.

People tend to lose faster on a low carb diet (under 60gm a day) and faster yet when it's kept under 30gm a day. Calories are a bit trickier. Some lose well at 800. Others need to be at 1200. It may seem logical that we'd all lose faster at 800...but that's just not the case. You'll just have to find where you do best.

The thing I've found to be more important than anything is consistency. A few days at 800...a few at 1200...one or two at 1800...and the weight loss stalls because it all averages out.

If it makes you feel any better, I eat 1200 calories per day, 30gm of carbs and I only lose about 4 lb per month. It's frustrating, but it is what it is.

.

It is interesting that you say that you never feel full, because I was thinking that I may be one of those people. Prior to the band I very seldom felt hungry either. I don't allow myself to feel "stuffed", but I am satisfied and like you I don't get hungry for 4-5 hours, and sometimes I think I could go all day without eating, which I know is not good at all. I do not count carbs but when I review what I am eating I don't think I am getting too many of them. I did learn over the holidays that I have to stay far away from sugar. LOL I think I will try to mix up my calorie counts and see if that jangles my system.

I would like to add more and varied activities to my workout routine, but with working full time, the weather keeping me in more, and no opportunity right now to join a gym, I am limited. I can't wait until the warmer weather. I do not intent to give up, but at my support group I hear so many people losing quicker, and I read on here that so many are doing so much better. It is good to hear that I am not alone.