Hello - I am terrified!

[ladina 0]

I am 58, I have 200 ls to lose, and I have my first consultation next week.

I can't seem to find any information on the net about how long it might take to lose this much weight. Many sites say 26 - 38 % of excess weight in 3 years. That's 60 lbs in 3 years, or 20 lbs a year. Do i need something this drastic to lose 20 lbs a year?

Many sites also say 1 lbs a week for the 1st year, and then it slows down. So after a year, I would still need to lose 150 lbs.

Any info would be much appreciated.

[Sarah.R 2]

I have heard that people with a higher amount of excess weight loose it overall more than those that don't if that makes sense? Everyone looses at a different rate - and if you incorporate excercise into that of course your going to loose it quicker - I think with 200lbs to loose maybe a year and a half? 2 max. And that's if you incorporate excercise, just little things like maybe doing weights or walking around your backyard to get the energy so that you can do more. Oh and my doctor says a kg a week so thats 1/2 lb a week. It just depends on what your doctor says and where you are

[Jodi_620 37]

There really is no way to say how much weight you will lose. Our bodies work differently, and a big factor is how committed you are in watching what you eat and exercising. And how fast your surgeon will want you to lose.

Many doctors will say they only want you to lose 1-2 lbs per week. I have read that 2-3 lbs a week for the first year is very possible before weight loss slows down a bit.

[MicheleK 8]

Like everyone else said, our bodies are different. I can say that "most" people needing to lose a large amount of weight (like me) lose quicker, then begin to slow as they reach goal weight. I certainly hope this is the case for both of us! :rolleyes2: (except forget the slow part, lol)

[Lizalee 1]

Ladina,

Congratulations on taking the frist step!

I agree with Sara h. - there is no way to predict how much you will loose, and it is very much up to you and your body!

I started about about your weight back in the end of November 2007. I had to do a dietitian supervised diet before being approved for the band x 3 months because I didn't have any documented medically supervised diet within the past 2 years. While I wasn't happy about the delay in surgery, this did teach me to start listening to my body's hunger cues vs head hunger, changing eating habits, and starting my new healthy lifestyle. I lost 30+ pounds. I was banded April 9, and have lost weight since then - total now is about 86 pounds - in about 7 months. So that averages out to about 12 pounds a month I think?

I think I'm about average - I do walk every day (30 -45 minutes) and get exercise around the house & with leisure activities, but I don't do hours of aerobic workouts like some do. I eat 800 - 1200 calories generally, +/- ~200 calories depending on where my restriction is at.

I have a relative who has lost about 120 poounds in almost a year with her band. I don't believe she exercises excessively either.

Basically, it comes down to the same program - eat less, exercise more - even with the band. What the band does, once you have a good restriction level, is keep you from feeling like you are starving! I don't get that nawing hunger pain/craving for food as much now, and when I do, it only takes a small amount of food to tame it. And, it's there all the time, so you don't just give up one day because it's taking too long - it enforces a long term committment to a healthy diet! This is very important to me because otherwise I'd get hungry and frustrated and go back to my old eating habits and gain whatever I lost back + more!

I have seen on this site peole who say they haven't lost much or have even gained weight with the band. I'm at a loss to explain that, except that you STILL have to do the work - meaning, watch what you eat and get exercise. The band will help, but it's not a cure all for bad eating habits or sitting around all day.

The good thing is that you don't have to wait till you reach your goal weigh to enjoy loosing weight! I have lost about 3 clothing sizes, and feel 100% great! I've been able to stop all my diabetes and cholesterol meds, and now only take 1/2 of a blood pressure pill! So, I'm already enjoying the benefits of loosing weight, and can only imagine how wonderful it will be when I reach my goal weight! So, don't look at this as you don't 'win' until you reach your goal 1 - 2 years from now - there are plenty of victories to enjoy along the way.

Best wishes for your success!

Edited June 19, 2008 by Lizalee

[TerriDoodle 6]

My doctor said that the AVERAGE statistics are that you will lose 60% of that weight within one year. I lost 50% in one year.

I can tell you from experience on many diets, and this was no exception, that the first 6 months the weight will come off much easier than any period after that. Make those 6 months COUNT!!

[HeatherO 7]

It really depends on what you are willing to put into it. Most people who have struggled their lives lose a significant percentage of weight with the band.

Committing to following the bandster rules, eating healthy foods, avoiding slider foods and liquid calories such as ice cream or milkshakes and incorporating intentional exercise into your daily life can give you wonderful success. The band definitely helps with that in that you don't have to battle hunger and you can not overeat.

It really is easier to lose in the beginning and the weight comes off a lot quicker. Later it slows and you have to work harder to see a difference. For me, I had 85 pounds to lose to get to the normal BMI range, I have lost 52 pounds as of this morning which is 61% of my excess weight at almost 5 months out. I am very careful about what I eat and I exercise 1-2 hours daily. I did not have a very high BMI so my percentage dropped fast.

Other than giving you averages across studies, there is no way to really find how much you will lose on the internet. There are so many personal variables at work.

When I was first looking into the band, I started taking study average weight loss and applying it to my weight to see where I could end up. I then had to ask myself, if this is what it would most likely be . . . is it acceptable for me?

Because it is an average, I also had to accept that there are people who do far better and far worse than the average. I then started looking through threads by people who were not having much success, and the common themes were lack of exercise, emotional eating, slider foods, lack of restriction, etc. I also looked into posts by people who were very successful and managed to lose all of most of their excess weight and the common themes were exercise, a healthy diet, commitment to the change in lifestyle, changing routine when a plateau started and following the band rules most of the time.

Now that I have been through the process and read thousands of forum threads, I now see what I didn't realize before. The band is the wonderful tool that give us the keys to success, but it only works if we are willing to do our parts as well by following the program. I never would have found this level of success without the band. The best part about it, is if I slip for a day or two, I don't lose ground by regaining weight and lack of continuous hunger makes it easy to get back on plan.

You said that you have 200 pounds to lose . . . if you only lose 100 pounds in a year or two, your health and feelings of well-being will still most likely be greatly improved. Does that make the banding worthwhile? What if you choose not to take the WLS path, where will you be Healthwise in a year or two? It is such a personal decision that only you can make.

For me, the final catalyst was . . . a true personal reflection of my obesity. I am not happy being obese, I have always dieted and been successful with dieting but inevitably found my back to the same or higher weight. I could always do it on my own . . . for a while until I was back to square one. When I looked at my weight change over the years, I could see that I was only going to end up heavier and heavier as I aged. Continuing to do what I had always done was leading me in circles to nowhere. I needed help. The band was the help I needed.

Every day I am thankful for being banded. It is the best decision I ever made. My only regret is that I did not do it 5 years earlier.

Good luck with your decision :0)

[Bino 44]

HeatherO...great post. Really makes you consider how hard are you willing to work to make this a success.