Slow Losers Unite!

[shortgal 5]

Calorie intake varies for each person based on several factors. That's why tracking them helps. If you are tracking and you know you have about 1500 a day and you are not losing, then you know you need to go lower. I would suggest you try 1200-1500 calories a day and see how that works for you and adjust up or down a little depending on the weight you lose.

The elliptical should defintely be helping you burn some fat and calories!

And watch the carbs. The best carbs to eat are green veggies and whole grain ones and for milk products, skim and low fat or fat free.

Listen to me, giving you advice, you've lost almost 70 pounds!

The other thing I see people mention is it's harder to stay on track because we know we look better, feel better, clothes start looking good and well we just don;t try as hard anymore. I think that's natural, we just have to pysch ourselves up and set a goal to reach.

[Wishes4444 2]

Hey there Kaohinani!

Congrats on your weight lose so far! I know what you mean in the begining it was much faster then I went to a crawl and lost 4 pounds in 5 weeks. Since my last fill I can't eat much of anything and it has helped me to start to lose a tiny bit faster. One pound a week is what we are suppose to lose.

I have bad knees so the only exercise I can do is swim and run in the pool, which I try to do 2-3 times a week. I also found that I need to change my food up once in a while. Lately I have been having a protien shake for Breakfast, and a little bit of low sodium Soup for lunch. dinner is always hard since I can't find much I can eat right now. I did find the best thing I did was start to write down everything I ate in a day, you would be suprised about the bites you take here and there. It really helped me see what I was eating that I didn't realize. Try writing down what you eat and see if that helps you!

Good Luck!

[kaohinani 0]

Mahalo, and "us" being short the weight really shows fast. I myself am 5' 1" so I can relate. Thanks again for the advice. I haven't tracked my calorie intake for the past few months although I would say on a good day for me, my intake is about 1000 calories. so how much lower would I go, I have heard that too little is not good either? I am soooooo confused.

[kaohinani 0]

Thanks wishes4444, I have found the MOST AMAZING and supportive people here on this website. Since my hubby and I had our surgeries done on another island we are not able to go to support groups and we are our own support groups, and we would like to start one soon. But you guys are awesome.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[shortgal 5]

1000 calories is good. I try to get between 1000 and 1200. If you haven't tracked in a few months, could be a few extra Snacks are sneaking in and writing it all down and adding it up will help you to see where it's sneaking in.

Try varying the calories from day to day, like one day 1000 and another day 1200. I find it can help to confuse our body on what to expect.

Yes, on shorties the weight lost shows quickly and so does the weight gained. Yikes!

[kaohinani 0]

I will definately do that once my company has left to return home. But you guys have inspired me. I CAN DO IT !!!!!!!!!

[shortgal 5]

I don't doubt that at all!

[Wishes4444 2]

Yes you will! We all will! It is just going to take some time!

I guess I am the "tall" one at 5'2" :crying: and the much rounder one lol:)

Good Luck!

[Roxie1951 0]

Well ladies I just got back from the doctor and he made me feel better. He said they are happy with a 50 lb loss in the first year. I am a little behind in that with only losing 40lbs. but he said at least I am not gaining any weight and he was pretty happy with my progress. I'll give you guys a little background on myself. I was banded in Atlanta on May8th 2007. I started out at 245 lbs and now I'm at 205. I have the large VG 10cc band. I have had 5 fills and today he put in another cc so I'm at 9cc in the VG band.

I do exercise. I try to walk 1.5 miles a day in 30 min. We also have horses, ducks , chickens and dogs that I help take care of. I track everything that I put in my mouth on mydailyplate.com (great site) I try to be as accurate as possible, but as you guys know nothing is perfect. They say at my height and weight I should eat around 1600 calories a day. With the exercise I do I am around 1000 calories a day sometimes more some times less. Even with being a slow loser I still am better off then I was a year ago. Also had blood work done this week at my primary doctors office and every thing there has improved too. So I decided I am going to stop beating myself up and go with the flow. The doctor wants me back for another fill in a month if I don't start losing after this fill today. So my head is going to get in the right place.

[shortgal 5]

Roxie, Sounds like you're on track. Maybe what you needed for a boost was the fill.

Wishes, how'd you get to be so tall? LOL. You know the thinner we get the taller we look!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

If you use the elliptical machine, this is what my trainer told me. Vary the resitistance every few min. Like do one level for 2-3 min then push it up a couple of notches for a couple of min. Another way you can do it is go up one every min. I start at 9 for one min, then10 then 11 then 12 and then go back to 9

Trainer says you can't do the same things over and over. He says it's necessary to trick your body.

[skhopp 0]

I think this is where I need to be - with others having similar issues with the Band. I was banded on May 21, 2007 - almost a year ago and I have lost (are you ready for this?) FIFTEEN pounds. I feel like the biggest Lap Band failure EVER. And to make matters worse, I live and work in small towns - EVERYONE knows your business, so I am constantly being asked how much I've lost with the Band. I am absolutely humiliated when I have to say "15 pounds", because it's been the same answer for 8 months! I did have a real problem with vomiting (sometimes 6 times per day), which caused me to have slow weight loss due to not keeping enough, if any, Protein down, so I had an unfill. But, I now have 3.25 cc in my 4 cc band. I have to admit that I hadn't got it thru my head, until recently, that the Band is only a tool - and it doesn't work by itself. I was told that time and time again, but I was hoping all the doctors and nurses were wrong - GUESS WHAT?? They knew what they were talking about. So, I have admitted that problem. I feel like I'm doing better - but not like I should be. I'm TRYING to count calories now, also. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time. Glad I found you all!

[shortgal 5]

I think this is where I need to be - with others having similar issues with the Band. I was banded on May 21, 2007 - almost a year ago and I have lost (are you ready for this?) FIFTEEN pounds. I feel like the biggest Lap Band failure EVER. And to make matters worse, I live and work in small towns - EVERYONE knows your business, so I am constantly being asked how much I've lost with the Band. I am absolutely humiliated when I have to say "15 pounds", because it's been the same answer for 8 months! I did have a real problem with vomiting (sometimes 6 times per day), which caused me to have slow weight loss due to not keeping enough, if any, Protein down, so I had an unfill. But, I now have 3.25 cc in my 4 cc band. I have to admit that I hadn't got it thru my head, until recently, that the Band is only a tool - and it doesn't work by itself. I was told that time and time again, but I was hoping all the doctors and nurses were wrong - GUESS WHAT?? They knew what they were talking about. So, I have admitted that problem. I feel like I'm doing better - but not like I should be. I'm TRYING to count calories now, also. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time. Glad I found you all!

Yeah, that "how much have you lost" question can get old, especially if the number doesn't go down.

For some of us it takes time for our head to catch up with the band and then it's the whole fill thing to deal with. Being overfilled is one way to NOT lose weight, as contrary as that sounds. It seems like you've at least used this time for learning.

Advice, continue to count those calories. I would add, limit your carbs to green veggies, whole grains only ( no white bread) and no fat for milk and dairy products and get some Fiber in. Oh and don;t forget Water. Basically just practice those band rules that those Dr's and nurse's told you.

There are web site to track your calories, but I just jot them down on a pad. I do look calories amounts online. I just type in "calories in chicken" and there it is or I use my old weight watchers books.

Nice to have you here.

[candy8360 0]

hey Roxie, where did you have your surgery in Atlanta? who is your doctor? I went to emory/crawford long with dr. davis.

[Roxie1951 0]

Thanks shortgal.