Hello??? Does lap band work???

[PamelaLVN 0]

i doubt i can question his credibility, since he is one who goes around the country teaching others how to do this surgery, etc... Hes a master something or other for the allergan company (i forget the title). He's supposed to be one of the best in the country with tens of thousands under his belt, no deaths, no sentinal events at all associated with his care.

i think i may go against his orders though and add a snack to the mix or something.. but im thinking muscle since i have lost so many inches. ive lost 10 inches in just my bust, waist and hips alone, which is phenominal. 14 inches total gone.

300 calories a day is ridiculous and I would be pretty suspicious as to the credibility of any doctor/nutrionist that actually advocated that, you are starving yourself.

As to exercise, well do what you feel OK doing - I was walking 45 minutes the day after surgery too, heck I ran 10 days after a major bowel resection. Some of us heal quicker than others, feel less pain etc.

Even with exercise and such low calories your body will do what it will do. A read through this forum will show you there's gazillions of people for whom the numbers just arent stacking up, you cant entirely influence your weight loss rate - but eat less, move more and eventually you will be smaller.

[Noturningback15 45]

I was confused too when I first got banded I thought that I could have 4 oz of a Protein Shake at a time but we can drink the whole thing to get all of the nutritional value from it.

[losinandlovin 2]

Bless your heart. You can not survive on that. I am shocked you can stand up much less exercise! Call the doctor or someone, you can not live on that.

It does work and it does get better and it the most awesome thing when you start seeing the success. I can tell you are determined and you will need that as no one will tell you it is easy. But it is SO WORTH IT. Get some calories and you will see that scale go down. As long as you eat that few, your body will not budge. Hang in there, this sight has a lot of help on it. We all want to see you succeed.

[andrea0121 28]

Pamela, please please please please do not compare your weight loss to someone else's weight loss. It's a never ending battle if you do that. Some of us are slow losers, some of us drop 30lbs the first month. I was banded 08 Dec 2010 and have lost 36lbs. That's 4.5 months ago. Some people in my December bandsters group have lost 80+ lbs already. It's the way it is.

Alsooooooo, you JUST had surgery!!!! Give your body a minute to adjust girl!

[stateofzen 46]

Pamela, you're right where a lot of people are-- no need to worry!

You are still on a liquid diet, so of course your calories are too low. That's why you aren't losing, and it's completely normal. I stalled out for 3 weeks after my surgery eating practically nothing. The body is healing, and it's freaking out that you aren't feeding it, and it's holding onto calories. It will not stay that way forever.

Keep following your doctor's orders. Eventually you will be able to eat more than 1/2 cup at a time -- which will mean you'll get in some solid Protein and veggies and you'll start losing. But right now, you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing.

My suggestion is that you stay off the scale. Concentrate on following the rules, learning a new lifestyle, etc. The pounds will come off but it takes a while and sometimes our bodies work in very mysterious and unpredictable ways. Don't unnecessarily discourage yourself when there is no need for it.

[PamelaLVN 0]

a whole shake is 160....4 oounces is less

ok, let me ask you all al different question..............i thought of it as i was washing my car-dont ask me why lol

tomorrow i can start real food................so, how do i put 800-1000 calories a day into 3 -1/2cup servings? unless that 1/2 cup is nothing but pure chocolate and icecream (gross) i cant think of anything that has that kind of calories............ how do you guys do it? can anyone tell me their typical day?

i was thinking tomorrow:

breakfast-oatmeal (140 calories)

lunch-1/2 kfc grilled chicken breast (110 calories) and 1/4 c green Beans (20 calories)

dinner-thin pork chop (maybe 100 calories?), 1/4cup steam carrots (50 calories)

see??? there is my meals, but nowhere near close enough to those calories.....

and as far as activity, well, I will be in pool 30 minutes before work, then work a 14 hour day............

so, ultimately, i think my body is in starvation mode too, but i know the dr has had great sucess........but i cant figure out how to get enough calories in 1.5 cups a day and still eat healthy...........

any ideas??

[Rachel412 116]

I'm on mushy stage now, and I'm supposed to eat 3 times a day- 4 ounces of Protein, then if I have room up to a cup of veggies, THEN carbs if I still have room and want it. Perhaps the whole problem here is he told you 4 ounces but didn't specifically tell you 4 ounces of WHAT?

[PamelaLVN 0]

yeah, he said 4 ounceS at a time.... 50% Protein, 50% everything else...

i see on here a lot of people are getting Snacks.....i may do that against his orders........he said no Snacks and no more liquid calories after once you hit the pureed stage....and thats for life.......

I'm on mushy stage now, and I'm supposed to eat 3 times a day- 4 ounces of Protein, then if I have room up to a cup of veggies, THEN carbs if I still have room and want it. Perhaps the whole problem here is he told you 4 ounces but didn't specifically tell you 4 ounces of WHAT?

[Navywif99 0]

Is your Dr. Stephen Malley?

[PamelaLVN 0]

no, why?

Is your Dr. Stephen Malley?

[stateofzen 46]

The 1/2 cup of food thing-- that's not how most people with the band eat, as far as I can tell. It's a number that gets thrown around a lot-- but it's because that is 4oz by volume and I'd say most people eat 4 oz by weight (which is not half a cup).

So 4 oz of chicken isn't whatever you can mash up to fit into a half-cup measuring cup. It's 4 oz by weight of chicken.< /p>

I probably eat up to a cup (in volume) of food most meals and I've been losing above the expected weight per month.

Edited to add: Your doctor is going to give you a "one size fits all, most restrictive possible" program to follow. But the fact is, you're going to have to figure out what you can do that's safe but also that allows you to lose weight but live your life.

This is completely opinion-- but I think that people who have the most struggle with the band are people who have been told they shouldn't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food, 3x a day, and that amount should make them full. Because those are the bandsters who search for such tight restriction to force that 1/2 cup issue that they are way way too tight and develop problems like acid reflux and an inability to eat healthy solid foods.

[TKW 501]

This is completely opinion-- but I think that people who have the most struggle with the band are people who have been told they shouldn't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food, 3x a day, and that amount should make them full. Because those are the bandsters who search for such tight restriction to force that 1/2 cup issue that they are way way too tight and develop problems like acid reflux and an inability to eat healthy solid foods.

I think you're right about this.

[PamelaLVN 0]

yeah. probably true...i tend to overanylize..... i know his info says each meal, no matter what it is should fit into a 1/2 cup measuring cup, no matter what the weight is............

i sent a note to his nutritionist today. awaiting email back

i found a site today that sounds good to me as far as being well rounded nutrition. i think i may follow it. i also found the lap band pyramid, but it has over 23 servings a day. hell, i didnt eat that before! lol

glad youre doing well on this...congrats

The 1/2 cup of food thing-- that's not how most people with the band eat, as far as I can tell. It's a number that gets thrown around a lot-- but it's because that is 4oz by volume and I'd say most people eat 4 oz by weight (which is not half a cup).

So 4 oz of chicken isn't whatever you can mash up to fit into a half-cup measuring cup. It's 4 oz by weight of chicken.< /p>

I probably eat up to a cup (in volume) of food most meals and I've been losing above the expected weight per month.

Edited to add: Your doctor is going to give you a "one size fits all, most restrictive possible" program to follow. But the fact is, you're going to have to figure out what you can do that's safe but also that allows you to lose weight but live your life.

This is completely opinion-- but I think that people who have the most struggle with the band are people who have been told they shouldn't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food, 3x a day, and that amount should make them full. Because those are the bandsters who search for such tight restriction to force that 1/2 cup issue that they are way way too tight and develop problems like acid reflux and an inability to eat healthy solid foods.

[KristenC 13]

300 calories a day MUST not be right. That is not enough to fuel your body. I was told I need to have between 60-80 grams of Protein a day. That's 4oz of Protein Shake before each meal. Even after my surgery I'll be between 600-800 calories a day.

[Russian_BANDit_inNY 4]

...Your doctor is going to give you a "one size fits all, most restrictive possible" program to follow. But the fact is, you're going to have to figure out what you can do that's safe but also that allows you to lose weight but live your life.

This is completely opinion-- but I think that people who have the most struggle with the band are people who have been told they shouldn't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food, 3x a day, and that amount should make them full. Because those are the bandsters who search for such tight restriction to force that 1/2 cup issue that they are way way too tight and develop problems like acid reflux and an inability to eat healthy solid foods.

AGREED!