How many calories are you eating?

[marivan 0]

Hello all,

I just found this thread. I was banded in Toronto on Nov 8th 2007 and I've lost 40 pounds so far. I am at a good restriction of 6.5, and I'm eating healthily around 1000 calories a day and exercising, but the weight is pretty slow to come off.

Are any of you at the same weight loss rate as me? Are you eating a lot less? Is everyone starving themselves to lose weight?

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks!

M

[cindyg1212 0]

Hi Marivan,

I have about the same amount of restriction as you and can't go any tighter. I get stuck too easily as it is. I lost around 50 lbs but it's really slow. The way I look at is I could have gained 50 instead of losing it so I am happy. If it takes another 6-7 months to get off the next 50, that's OK. I eat about 1,000 to 1200 calories a day. Years ago, the weight would have melted off me but my metabolism seems to have shifted into neutral. I'm getting my thyroid checked out but it's probably perimenopause and too much yo-yo dieting in my past.

[Foofy 0]

I've lost about 43 pounds. I eat about 1300 cals a day. I am pretty sure I'm not getting enough exrecise and I have no one to blame for that but me. Like Cindy, I'm pretty happy with the weight loss (until I read about people that have lost twice that or more). I feel healthier and am pretty sure I'll get down to near my goal eventually. I think I'm gonna get a little tweak, because I don't have much restriction. Although I do get stuck if I eat too fast, so I certainly have SOME restriction. I need to listen to the little voice that says "enough" rather than the one that says "hey there's still something on your plate."

[marivan 0]

Thanks Cindy and Foofy,

Your answers have made me feel much better. I am also really pleased with the 40 pounds that I've taken off (although less so with the gain I had this past week) and I feel that I am doing everything right, but then like you, I hear that someone has lost 70 pounds and I feel a bit down.

I didn't think it would be so slow. I guess in a way it supports what I said all along that it wasn't me that wasn't sticking to diets, it was my body not wanting to get rid of the weight!

I'm going to go on my pre-op diet for a week (it was just salad and protein) and see if that doesn't take off the 3 pounds that I gained and give me a boost.

I'm glad I found this thread. Thanks!

M

[Foofy 0]

We will all get to where we are going eventually. Just enjoy the journey.

[hollyberries 2]

I don't count calories but carbs. Refined or white carbs are the devil for me. I eat Protein and veggies. Like tonight I ate 1 1/2 brats and zuccuni. I have found that it works for met the best but not for all.

Foofy is too hard on herself; she is doing great. Cindy is doing great too! It will come off eventually because of the Band. It is not a race it is what works for you and how you can handle it. Exercise does help alot and I found that out over the last 8 weeks.

Best wishes and this is a great family to be a part of. Everyone is just great.

Cindy

The Resident Nymph Cheerleader

[marivan 0]

I'd enjoy the journey more if I was actually going somewhere!

We've been doing this for about 40 weeks now. I figure that means that I'm losing on average 1 pound a month. Not the 1-2 pounds a week I was quoted as being expected to lose. And I'm not blaming my clinic or anything, and I know that I'm doing what I was told to do. I think I'm going to go see my Doctor. Perhaps she will have some ideas. She was pretty supportive about me getting the band in the first place.

Thanks all!

M

[marivan 0]

Okay, I'm not great at math, but that math was just really bad.vv:wink2:

40 weeks and 40 pounds is a pound a week. but I lost 15 of it before the surgery. And the way it comes off is nothing for two months and then 2 or 3 pounds and then nothing again for ages.

Boy, and I didn't grow up with a calculator!:cool:

M

[cindyg1212 0]

Marivan, I feel that way too. I have to fight for every pound. Twenty years ago when I was fairly slim, if I wanted to lose 10 pounds I did it in 2 weeks. I used to cut back to 800-1000 cal a day and lose almost a pound a day! Fast forward to 2 kids and 100 pounds later and I struggle to lose 1 pound a week. So frustrating!! However, before the band, I couldn't lose at all. I try to look at the big picture. If I continue at this rate, I will be at goal by next summer. And the slower we lose, the easier it will be to keep the weight off.

No one knows this here yet but in my mid 20's I was a manager and Area Manager for Nutri/System Weight Loss Centers. I'm embarrassed that I used to counsel people who needed to lose weight and now I can't do this myself. The nurse practioner at my doc's gets annoyed with me because I know what to do to speed this up and I always have an excuse. I used to have clients who lost more than 100 pounds on that program. Unfortunately, those who lost it the fastest would gain it right back if they didn't stick to the maintenance program. I had a number of clients who lost it all and wound up back in my office crying because 6 months later, they gained it all back. This won't happen with us. Not only because we are losing it slowly, but because the band will keep us in control.

[marivan 0]

Thanks for being so honest Cindy.

This is why I ultimately went with the band rather than NutriSystems or Dr somebody. I've heard with all of them that you lose fast (because you are starving in some cases) but then can't cope with real life.

Look at Kirsty Ally (if the tabloids are to be believed) and she's likely got all the help in the world if she wants it.

I know I shouldn't be so down, but after gaining that weight I was really upset. And it really wasn't due to any binge either. I'll plug away.

I am tempted, however, to go to my GP and as for some more tests as to my metabolic rate. It's never been done and would be nice to have it confirmed that it's really low.

Thanks, I'll keep going.

M

[cindyg1212 0]

Testing is always a good idea. At least we'll know what we're dealing with. Sometimes it's just that we're getting older and our metabolism has slowed down.

I feel bad for Kirsty Ally. I know she's not working for Jenny Craig anymore and the pics on the tabloids are very unflattering. When I worked for Nutri/System, it was a lot like Jenny Craig. In fact, Jenny Craig got into a price war at that time and knocked the Nutri/System centers out of business. That's why Nutri/System is only online now. We used to sell programs of 100 pounds for $1000 plus the cost of food. Jenny opened centers in the same towns and sold all programs for $199. Nutri/System couldn't compete with that for too long.

Anyway, the biggest problem with those programs is that clients have to rely on pre-packaged food and add fruits and veggies. No one can live on those foods for life which is why so many people gain the weight back. Those programs teach nothing about Portion Control or counting calories, carbs, or fats. Everything is done for you which was the draw. Easy to lose weight fast as the meals only came to about 1000 calories a day but so hard to keep the weight off. We did offer a good maintenance program but hardly anyone stuck to it. One of my centers had a husband and wife lose over 150 pounds each. They were featured in national advertising including billboards and magazines. Within a year, both had gained all of their weight back and restarted the program. It was heartbreaking!

[marivan 0]

Who'd want to be famous, eh? It's bad enough when you know your friends are talking amoung themselves about how much weight you've lost or gained! :party:

Yes, I think the band is teaching me that my old portions were a big problem. but I'm going to go on my pre-op diet for the week and see if that helps the plateau. And maybe add more walking through out the week in addition the workouts I already do. I really want to have lost at least 70 pounds by the year's end. I would feel that I've accomplished something.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's hard not to beat up on yourself, like you are doing something wrong, when you are just doing your best. I'm not as young as I was when I lost 100 pound the first time (in my 20's) so it isn't as easy now that I'm in my 40s. but as you say, when it finally comes off it won't go on quite so easily.

Take care,

M

[cindyg1212 0]

Oh please, I know that my friends and family talked about my weight gain behind my back. I used to be much thinner and gained some of the weight rapidly. I gained 50 pounds in 1 year during the year between losing my mom and then my dad 13 months later. That was 2 years ago. It was the most stressful and sad time of my life and I ate whatever was easiest to grab. I don't even remember eating that much. But I know that the family was buzzing about me. So-called friends too. When I confronted some of them, they didn't deny it. They said, "But its because we're so worried about you and want you to take care of yourself and be healthy!". Yeah, right. I know it was idle gossip. Nothing we can do about it but show them up by getting thin. Wish they would all stop asking me how much I lost. Some even ask me why I'm losing so slowly. I really don't find that supportive. I did lose 50 pounds after all.

[marivan 0]

"Living well is the best revenge"

You are so right. My brother and his wife haven't acknowledged my loss at all, and I wonder how much I'll lose before they do.

We are doing it for ourselves, and that's the best reason.

M

[rlsdritz 0]

:smile2::thumbup:Hi, I too was banded on 11/8/07, I too am at around the 50 pound mark in terms of weight reduction. My goal is to lose about another 70 if I can. I have found that my caloric intake is also around the 1000-1200 level. I work out 3 days a week w/a trainer and go to the gym a total of 4-5 x weekly. It can be discouraging some times. But, hey, I feel healthier, my cholesterol is down >100 points; I have more energy and I am down 5 full sizes in clothing. For that I am grateful. I also attend a weekly bariatric/lapband support group. All of it helps to keep things in perspective. Don't get discouraged... and keep on truckin... Lori :-)

Edited July 14, 2008 by rlsdritz
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