1 yr post op and very frustrated

[got2bme 0]

Hello,

I'm one year postop for the lap band and was doing very well for the first 3-4 mos. I lost 25 lbs and was very excited and finally felt I was on the road to really becoming who I wanted to be. As my band started getting filled I have had a few minor problems such as vomiting, or getting food stuck, which required multiple trips for readjusting.

Now as I'm at, I believe 8 cc's I still feel very upset because I'm not losing anymore weight, in fact, I've gained about 10 lbs! I only needed to lose about 65 lbs, and I'm not by far morbidly obese. It seems as though all my weight is in my gut! I had lost alot of weight years ago after my second child (now 21) and have a lot of excess belly fat. It looks so disgusting and wish I could just get it cut off and would fit into clothes much easier. I don't eat meat, in fact I don't think I eat enough. I was riding my bike 10 miles per day but sice it's cold now, I have given up on that. I'm not a "stand in front of tv" exercise person, and believe me, I am very active in other ways than aerobic exercise. I work fulltime and run a household. I have a flight of stairs at home, which I'm up and down all the time, amongst all the other duties around the house. I even work in my yard, which is my favorite thing to do.

Can someone please help me or give some advice as to why I'm not losing? Thanks so much.

Very discouraged!:thumbup:

Edited December 6, 2008 by got2bme

[rodriguezequal 3]

How are you eating? What are you eating and how much? If you don't eat meat are you making sure to get in all of your Protein?

[canoie 0]

So, the first thing I'm going to say is very "tough love."

If you aren't losing weight, that means you are probably eating too much and/or not exercising enough. Remember that as you lose weight, you require even less "fuel" to keep your smaller body going.

That said, there are also other things that might be going on.

1. Weight gain can be the only/first sign of band slippage. You should talk to your doctor about that possibility. He/she can order a simple chest x-ray to check the angle of the band,

2. Have you had your thyroid hormone levels checked?

3. Your doctor might have other recommendations. You should definitely check with him/her. Do you need another fill? Do you need to spend more time with a dietitian or counselor?

Best of luck!

[gentylwind 1]

Just a few observations that may help you:

- Stuff you did before you had the surgery on a regular basis isn't going to do any more for you after the surgery than it did before. This includes your "active generaly lifestyle" stuff, including up and down the stairs, housework, working full time yard work and the like. You were doing it already then. Therefore its not "extra" now. Your body already incorporates it into its metabolism. You got to the weight you were doing those things. You have to do MORE to lose.

- If you really don't think you are eating a lot or poorly, take a week to record every single little thing you put in your mouth, including ingredients in recipes. You'll probably be surprised.

- I second the suggestion above to get your blood work checked. It will rule out any metabolic issues that may need taking care of, and if there aren't any you will know you need to look at your own behaviour as the solution to your lack of loss.

- Make sure you are drinking 64+ oz per day. In my long years of experience in dieting, it really does help the pounds come off faster.

I wish you luck. I hear your frustration. Take a good honest look at yourself and definitely talk to your physician. You can do this. Its hard, but worth it!

[Jachut 487]

I agree, a daily active lifestyle is important but its not the secret to weight loss or staying slim. Its just life and it doesnt burn that many calories. to lose weight consistently, you need big blocks of aerobic exercise and ideally you need some strength training too.

Why NOT become an exercise in front of the TV person? That's how I get my strength training in - I alternate running on my treadmill with squats, lunges, push ups, tricep dips and various barbell and dumbell work. Takes half an hour. I run an hour about four or five times a week as well. Sorry to say, but that's what its taken to get this weight off.

You dont say what you eat, but some of us can get away with more than others in that regard, some people have to be VERY careful with what they ingest, the amount of exercise I do affords me a fair degree of laxity in that regard and I just focus on three heatlhy meals. But I eat a good 1500 calories a day, I dont starve.

The lapband by itself is not magic. My DH has one since June, does not exercise, doesnt really watch what he eats, just eats a bit less and yeah, about 25lb is all that's come off for him.

[TQUAD64 9]

Hi Gotbeme. Whatever you do, don't give up. Make an appointment with your doctor. Start journaling your food in take and track your exercise. There are some fun free websites that will help you keep track, plus they have exercise video/clips.

Sparkpeople.com

Thedialyplate.com

[Brockbabe82 0]

Again like it was said before what you eat and how much is significantly important. You said it yourself I do not eat enough. Therefore maybe you should meet with your nutritionist and figure out a better diet for you. I would also talk with your surgeon, they are there to help you.

Again running a household and working is great and is movement but it does not count as exercising. There are so many things you can do in your house to get fit. Stairs, jumping jacks, situps,running in place. Also it's holiday time gym memberships are cheap right now.

My best advice is look into every avenue.

Good luck.:sad_smile:

[bambam31 168]

Use that band to only control the hunger. If you're hungry - get a fill. Use your exercise to burn the fat off. Expecting to get anywhere near goal without intense exercise is probably Wizard of Oz stuff. And I'm a firm believer that exercise isn't always sufficient exercise. Your body, over time, will learn to become more efficient and stronger - you'll have to push harder and find new ways to challenge yourself to get the same results consistently. Just walking, in time, isn't going to cut it.

And remember that less food is not always better. You need fuel to keep the metabolism fire burning. Keep your meals spread out and get sufficient Protein. I eat at or above 2000 calories a day, well spread out, and all containing sufficient Protein. I'm intensly exercising 5+ days a week. I know this stuff comes easier for guys, but the same principle applies to women.

Water intake is also a HUGE factor. When my metabolism is cranking it's hard to drink enough Water to keep the pee running clear. I can drink near or above a whole gallon of pure water a day (aside from coffee/tea) and still have a yellowish tinge. (TMI I know)....... You have to keep flushing yourself out, not to mention your burning calories as your body is processing the water.

Good luck and keep up the fight!

Brad

Edited December 8, 2008 by bambam31
sp

[Jachut 487]

This is SO true. I was just so very lucky that long slow cardio (which is what I love doing, nothing like a really long easy run with the ipod!) got me to a healthy BMI with very little other than occasional circuit training (maybe once per week on average) to supplement.

Whilst I will go to my grave declaring that the doomsayers that predict you will turn into a marshmallow and waste your muscle away without 300 grams of Protein and doing long cardi0 like this are WRONG - I think people get totally confused over building massive muscle versus maintaining lean body mass and they think that cardio is determinental. You cant really run 20k a day and also build big muscles at the same time, true, but running will definitely lean out an obese person and help to maintain their lean body mass, I'm living proof. By the same token though, just cardio like I've done will never get you really lean either - just look at marathon runners, skinny as all getout but hardly attractive bodies. I have plenty of muscle, you can see muscle definition on me, but I am also at the same time quite soft - typical female body. I know that i need to do

much more strength training now and much less cardio to really see that fabulous result I've had become an INCREDIBLE one. My focus needs to change from burning huge quantities of fat to actually reshaping. At least I have the luxury of deciding whether I want to go through that much work, I'm healthy and not overweight. I think I do because I'm vain, lol.

Exercise really is everything to successful long term weight loss. I'd love to run a survey here as to how many 100% or more of excess weight lost people exercise regularly and smartly. I really believe the depressing "the lapband only helps you to lose 60% of your excess weight" is very largely due to lack of exercise - either none at all or simply thinking that a daily walk will cut it forever.

[sharnut 0]

Hello,

I was banded on 6/24/08 and have lost 47 lbs to date. The last month or so my weight loss has really slowed - almost stopped. I've been working out (eliptical 30 mins a day) - from the time of surgery. So I increased my exercise time to an hour an day and lost 5 lbs in a week. The additional 30 minutes a day really worked for me.

Good Luck

[bambam31 168]

I believe that for weight loss to continue long term you have to change things up and break routines. A battery of different intensity exercises, as well as a change in calorie intake, is the way to go. If you exercise the same, and eat the same amount of calories day in and day out, especially a very low amount of calories - then a plateau is in your near future.

Sometimes increasing the length of time you exercise will be enough to provide that challenge - for awhile. But in time your body will adjust, become more efficient, and that alone will no longer provide the required challenge.

We have to always find new ways to keep our body's challenged - physically and mentally.

Brad

Edited December 8, 2008 by bambam31
sp

[pjd3253 0]

I am also frustrated - seems to take forever to lose a lb and I am hungry quite often even though I get fills pretty regularly - seems like they work for a week and then not but I don't have a leak - they have checked. My weight is also in my mid-section - I only had about 45-50 lbs to lose but it is all in my middle - my legs are thin - because I want it to come off in my middle it is of course coming off everywhere but my middle - guess that will be the last thing to go.