For Banders Losing 3-4 Lbs./ Week-How Does Your Meal Volume Compare to This?

[1970MaleJaxFL 7]

I'm only about 10 days out from surgery. My hunger is gone but I don't have much restriction. I have not had a single PB or found a single food that I cannot eat post-band. I now have total control over the content and volume of what I take in. After losing about 20 lbs. between April 1st through a couple of days post-op (May 1st), my weight loss has slowed to about 1/4 - 1/3 a lb. a day. I intended to lose at least a lb. every other day but I am way off of that schedule based on my current results. For Breakfast I can eat 2 scrambled eggs with cheese and a side of turkey bacon. How does that amount of food compare to the volume that you folks losing 3-4 lbs./ week take in per meal?

[Elie936 1]

Hello. Congrats on your weight loss. I think you might have been misinformed. From what ive been told from doctors and ppl who have the lap band, the weight loss is about 1-2 pouds a week, which is 100 pounds in a year. You are totally on the right track and you are loosing more than most ppl. You must be mistaken it with bypass or the sleeve, they loose way faster. A fast weight lost can be disastrous for your skin, and not so so good for your health. If you eat one cup of food or less in a meal, ad it is not that high in calories, i dont think you can do much more. I know after the liquid diet, your body needs reajustment and you might plateau a bit. Loosing weight during the liquid phase (1pound a day for me) is like a drug.

I would suggest you to stop weighting yourself every day, but maybe do it every 2 weeks. I have made that change in my life because looking at a scale not really moving is depressing. Lookig every 2 weeks or every month is so rewarding, also you dont obsess on it.

Be patient, you are a success and sure getting there. And dont plan a weight loss, ive done that too many times and my life, and lije anything, nothing ever happens like we plan! You might loose more than you expected at times or loose less, but what is important is that you are loosing:)

[Elie936 1]

Also, food shouldnt be getting stuck if you chew well, some bandsters want their band so tight so they cant eat certain food, like meat bread, etc, but in my books thats no fun. Band makes you feel stayisfied faster, thats is the whole point. If it is too tight, according to my doctor, it can slip easily, especially from the pb, if it happens too much. Your band hasnt been filled yet, it normal you dont see its effect

Just now!!!

[newlifekp 0]

I have a couple of comments:

You said you have not found a single food you can't eat - but your tag said you should still be on a restricted diet for another couple of weeks at least. Are you eating what is on your diet? That really has nothing to do so with your question, but caught my eye.

Second, I agree with the above poster. Your expectations are unrealistic in the long run. You will lose weight much more quickly the month or so after surgery. After stabilization, you should strive for the 1-2 pounds. That is the amount shown to be consistent with good long term results.

I normally can eat 1 egg and 1 or 2 pieces of bacon once in a while. But for breakfast, I usually have a Carnation no-sugar added drink. Makes my morning choice much easier.

Good luck!

I'm only about 10 days out from surgery. My hunger is gone but I don't have much restriction. I have not had a single PB or found a single food that I cannot eat post-band. I now have total control over the content and volume of what I take in. After losing about 20 lbs. between April 1st through a couple of days post-op (May 1st), my weight loss has slowed to about 1/4 - 1/3 a lb. a day. I intended to lose at least a lb. every other day but I am way off of that schedule based on my current results. For breakfast I can eat 2 scrambled eggs with cheese and a side of turkey bacon. How does that amount of food compare to the volume that you folks losing 3-4 lbs./ week take in per meal?

[1970MaleJaxFL 7]

I have a couple of comments:

You said you have not found a single food you can't eat - but your tag said you should still be on a restricted diet for another couple of weeks at least. Are you eating what is on your diet? That really has nothing to do so with your question, but caught my eye.

Yes, my restricted diet was extremely limited in duration. The info. in my signature was the projection for each stage but those estimates didn't hold true. The band isn't really limiting me at all. I'm kind of doing everything via a conscious effort right now. It is netting me a slight weight loss every week.

[Rachel412 116]

I know that you're really wanting to lose a lot of weight quickly, but I'm worried you're going to beat yourself up and be very negative and frustrated if your weight loss is closer to "normal" than "fast". That being said, I have lost 19.5 in the month since my surgery so I guess that puts me right around the loss range you're wanting. I can tell you what I eat now, but I think the big difference is 1) I didn't have to do any liquid diets pre-op and 2) my diet now is very different than what I used to eat.

I don't do eggs so most of the time my breakfast is 1/2 cup of Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt and 1/4 c to 1/2 of Kashi GoLean Cereal (high Protein, high fiber) mixed together. I have tea before that to help open me up and take my meds. For lunch I'll do 3 oz. of canned chicken and a tablespoon or two of low fat mayo mixed together with some spices, and I eat it with 6 or so celery sticks to scoop it up and get that crunch. dinner, I'll measure out 4 oz. of whatever meat my family is having and I'll add a side of veggies. Honestly I'm not a big veggie fan so my veggie intake is pretty limited to salad, celery, fresh salsa, etc. If I'm hungry between meals and can't handle it I'll have a low fat cheese stick. If I want something sweet after dinner I have some Jello Temptations that are 100 calories but usually I'll try to just have a cup of tea or a piece of gum instead.

I'm not a person who needs a lot of variety in my menu. I could probably eat the same 5 or 6 meals for a whole week and not really mind.

Am I hungry? Heck yes I am. I'm in bandster hell and running on fumes, but each time I get hunger pains I drink a big glass of Water and usually it staves it off a bit.

[Elie936 1]

hello again, why are you calling it a slight weight loss???? You have lost a lot, and fast!

Like Rachel said, you are setting yourself up for failure, not because you are not doing things right, you certainly are, and congrats, but you are tooooooo hard on yourself and not realistic.

You do not want to look like a sharpie, or have stones in your gallblader because you lost weight too fast. People with sleeves or by-pass often have malnutrition problems. MAybe you should message males on this board, you for sure can eat more than women do, and it depends on your job and activity level .

Please, again, we are not trying to make you feel better, I can assure you that you are doing very very good. Pounds will add up and before you know it, you will reach your goal weight. Stop being negative about it, it will sabotage everything, and take it from me. I was the queen of wanting to loose weight quick, and doing crazy diets and fasts, and look at me, i went from 150 to 342 in 10 years doing that!!!!!!!!

Sorry if i am repeating myself, but your post does worry me because you sound like i did many times.

Good luck

[1970MaleJaxFL 7]

Thanks ladies. I appreciate the honest feedback. I'm in a pretty low activity lifestyle at 40 years old. Thinking back on my days of cutting carbs and dropping 90 lbs in 90 days at 19 years old is probably distorting my expectations a bit.

[Elie936 1]

Thanks ladies. I appreciate the honest feedback. I'm in a pretty low activity lifestyle at 40 years old. Thinking back on my days of cutting carbs and dropping 90 lbs in 90 days at 19 years old is probably distorting my expectations a bit.

ahah yes, I ve done those diets too. Lucky for you, you are a man so you will loose more quickly! But when you did loose 90 pounds, some of that weight must have been Water and muscle loss..... And you did gain it back, and fast didnt you? You could go on the liquid diet and loose quickly, and go crazy and dream about food and go to fridge after a couple weeks and eat everything , that would be me .. hehe

Another thing i may add, my surgeon and nurses have told us not to tell many ppl about the lapband at first because ppl mistake that surgery for bypass and expect us to loose 10 pounds a week!!!! Many of their patients have had that problem. Some ppl around me do mistake the surgery, and I have to re-explain, that i will loose, but not as quickly and not to get on my back. Is your familly expecting too much of you???? if so, go on the lap band site, go look at the amount of weight expected to be lost every week to prove it to yourself and to everyone who might be pushing you too hard.