khath0620

You are very night, Jacqui. I cannot let that metal beast of a scale dictate my mood. It is just hard that I haven't lost anything in a few months. My nutritionist says that I am doing just fine in terms of what I am eating....just my body is taking control right now but that soon the scale will change. I hope so. Until then, I will keep up the workouts and "feel the burn"! I did have a bad eating day yesterday.....kind of rebelled a bit. I felt like crap all day. SO NOT WORTH IT! When I eat healthy food I feel better physically and emotionally. I know I am doing the right thing and someday the results will show once again on the scale. Thanks so much for all your support! Katie

I have been stuck (scale # wise) for about 8-9 weeks now despite good diet choices and tons of cardio and strength training. I hurt my ankle falling on the ice 2 weeks ago and needed to take some time off the gym. I was worried that I would start gaining but BOOM....the scale DROPPED 3 pounds! Now I am back to working out and the scale is up 2 more.....my gut tells me no, but I have to question if I need to cut back on the workouts in order for the scale to start moving down again. Also, I was at the gym yesterday morning and I almost passed out for some reason. I am just so frustrated!!! Any suggestions??? thanks, Katie

I have been stuck (scale # wise) for about 8-9 weeks now despite good diet choices and tons of cardio and strength training. I hurt my ankle falling on the ice 2 weeks ago and needed to take some time off the gym. I was worried that I would start gaining but BOOM....the scale DROPPED 3 pounds! Now I am back to working out and the scale is up 2 more.....my gut tells me no, but I have to question if I need to cut back on the workouts in order for the scale to start moving down again. Also, I was at the gym yesterday morning and I almost passed out for some reason. I am just so frustrated!!! Any suggestions??? thanks, Katie

Shaddix might have something. I have been working my butt off at the gym 5 days a week 1 hr/day and had been plateaued for 8 weeks. I hurt my ankle last week falling on the ice and didn't go to the gym and lost 3# in a week. weird, right???? Who knows!

Hi there, I have been where you are....I am what I would like to call myself "a professional dieter". I have done it all....weight watchers, Jenny Craig, Southbeach, or whatever fad diet there was at the time. I went to extremes...starvation, purging, overexercising...you name it! The problem was that I ALWAYS came back to the food. It medicated me when I had any sort of emotion that I couldn't handle....stress, boredom, sadness, happiness, etc. The food was always there for me and comforted me. I was a closet eater too....drive through windows, eating in my car, etc. I hid wrappers so get rid of the "evidence", I ate off my kids plates, I (embarrassingly enough) ate out of the trash. I was and am powerless over food. I can't stop eating something that is not healthy for me if I start. In saying that, I became a member of Overeaters Anonymous in June 2009 because I was in a deep depression because my world revolved around my food, my weight, my dress size, etc. I was on TWO antidepressants which only helped marginally. Through the process of being OA, I have found peace and some semblance of control around my food. I am accepting now that I am a compulsive overeater. I am addicted to carbs (flour, sugar) just as an alcoholic is to liquor. I have found out WHY I overeat and how to manage it. OA has given me the coping skills to deal with those emotions that are unsettling and how to handle situations that come up without using my drug of choice. If any of this rings true for you, you may really like OA. There are meetings you can go to or even phone meetings so you don't have to travel anywhere, just sit in the comfort of your own home and just listen to what others' experiences are. I do not want you to think I am pushing this on you or anyone, it is just I have found so much peace over the last couple of years. I am off my antidepressants, I am calmer, I don't cry anymore......and I can see that I am meaningful and that life is worth living! Good luck. If I can help at all, let me know. Thanks, Katie

I noticed you don't really have much in terms of carbs. How do you feel without them? My nutritionist says that I should be having a carb at every meal....albeit a small portion....to keep my metabolism processing well. The majority of my meal is Protein of course. I just met with her because I have been plateaued for THREE MONTHS!!!! The first thing I said to her was "Should I get rid of the carbs?" but she said that would not help. What are your thoughts? Thanks, katie

UUUGGGGHHH....I am in the same place!!! I have been exercising 5-6 times per week for about an hour at a time (cardio and strength training). I think I am eating well but have an appointment with my nutritionist on Tuesday. The scale hasn't budged since early December and it is SO frustrating considering how hard I am working. I have been assured by a number of non-banded people that all of a sudden I will lose like 5 pounds and the scale will start moving again. I sure hope so but, in the meantime, I have to try to stay positive and see all the health benefits I am doing for myself with good exercise and healthy meals. We will do this kelike26! It is just going to take time and perseverance. Take care, Katie

Congratulations! That is very inspiring! I am down ~50 or so but it has been a SLOW process! I was banded in May and since the holidays, I have been up and down the same 3 pounds and it is FRUSTRATING!!!! Keep up the good work!!! Katie

I love what someone once told me....the band is around our stomachs, not our brains! This was my 1st holiday season with the band and had just assumed I would do fantastic but, being a food addict, I didn't so so well over the holidays either. I grazed, nibbled, and ate for 2 solid weeks. I don't want to step on the scale because even though I know I didn't do as well as I should have, I DID NOT do the damage that I once did and, for me, that is a NSV. If I am up a couple of pounds, I take ownership of it and blame no one else but myself. The past is the past and I am back on track now. I (HOPEFULLY) learned a lesson on how to cope with the holidays for next year but can't look too far beyond day to day. I am proud that today I went to the gym at 5 a.m. and had a healthy, Protein rich Breakfast. That is all I can ask of myself right now. Hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2011!!! Katie

Besides not looking good too thin, you have to think about malnutrition and its affects on your body. Not saying you are anorexic or anything, but people who don't have enough nutrition run into heart problems, joint issues, "feeding your brain", etc. I would definitely get some taken out and just stay on top of what foods go in.....make sure they are the good, healthy ones versus the junk that got us here to begin with.....and you should stay right on track! Good luck....

First of all, why risk the band slipping???? They would have to take out all the Fluid from around the band and now you are back at square 1. Not worth it to me.... Second, I was just reading a book last night that talked about carbonated beverages and how bad they are for ANYBODY. Carbonation is a stomach irritant. The stomach applies it's own natural "antacid" - the Calcium from your blood. Your blood replenishes it's supply by taking it from your bones so, in essence, any carbonated beverage (soda, beer, seltzer, etc) is "osteoporosis in a can/bottle"! Interesting, huh???

Thanks everyone for the support. I really needed it! I still have 3 more holiday parties to go but I am planning on Protein 1st, dropping the carbs and no alcohol. I am a total carb/sugar addict so if I can steer clear of those, I think I will be in better shape! Happy Holidays to you all! The New Year is going to be GREAT! Katie

Hi all....I just needed to reach out for some support. I am feeling very discouraged about my holiday eating. I have to confess that I have not been making good food choices (portions are not bad but my food is very "messy" and unplanned). I have been heavy on the carbs and even had a few drinks which lower my defenses. To top it off, I was going to the gym regularly but then pulled a muscle in my back and couldn't go. In that week, that little food monster, aka "the devil" crept into my head and helped me to slip a bit. It has only been a week but, for a compulsive overeater like me, this is the beginning of a very slippery slope. I know other's have had slips in the past and would just like tips to pull out of this short and stupid rut! I know better than this....I just need a kick in the butt! Thanks, Katie

She can take any over the counter liquid medication. If she has a fever, Tylenol liquid works well. If she is throwing up, she needs to call the surgeon right away. They may have her come in to take the Fluid out of her band to prevent band slippage or make some other recommendation. Hope she feels better soon! Katie

Hi all, Just wanted to see how all the May 2010 bandsters are doing. I am doing well...averaging about 7 pounds a month. I am going to the gym and exercising 4-5x/wk. I will be honest and, at times, I have eaten foods that easily pass through the band (i.e. cakes, Cookies, etc) but in NO WAY the amount that I had in the past. My band has served me well but I am still a food addict and have to watch myself very closely. I have had stuck episodes, vomited 1 or 2 times, etc. I have been through it all but feel those were learning situations. So how are you all doing???? Happy Holidays, Katie

I am sure, also, that when others' looked at that photo they saw a positive change in you and were not NEARLY as critical as you are of yourself. Someone once told me that the band is around your stomach, not your brain. Not only do we have to fight head hunger and cravings but we also have to deal with the emotional side of the weight loss and self-esteem issues. Take PRIDE in your accomplishments...every good choice, every pound, every minute of exercise you may not have done in the past, every new item of smaller clothes, all the improvements in your blood pressure/blood sugar (if you had issues with that)!!! Most of us have continuous (and for me especially) unconscious negative self-talk just from YEARS of experience. It takes a lot of work to change that to positive self-talk. You are doing awesome! Keep up the good work and keep that head held high!!! Katie

Can someone tell me what is erosion and how it happens? how it can be prevented? Also, how does one prevent slippage? I don't want to have erosion and not know about it..... Thanks, Katie

Well, girls, sadly I used to be exactly like you all. If I weighed myself once a day, I did it 12 times a day! It got so bad that I would let the scale (a.k.a. "the metal beast") dictate if I was a good or bad person. My mood was up and down all day long and my self-esteem was based on the number on the scale. I ended up swinging wildly between anorexia and compulsive overeating. I have been going to therapy for over 2 years now to help me with these issues as well as going to OA to deal with the emotional side to my eating problems. The simple fact is that the scale, in a way, can lie. Yes, it will give you a number but it won't tell you the full story: 1. muscle weighs more than fat so if you are working out a lot the # may just go up a bit. It isn't because you were overeating or doing anything bad, it was because you were doing something good! If you are anything like I was, I then would see that # and start KILLING myself over-exercising to get that # back down. 2. for us women, times of the month play a factor with Water retention and all.....again,nothing you did bad, just a natural process 3. (not to be gross) maybe you didn't have a bowel movement which, after you did, would change that # on the scale. 4. time of the day matters! As the day goes on, your weight will go up slightly. I used to try to go to the earliest WW meetings I could find, even if it meant me getting up an hour earlier every Saturday morning to drive to someplace inconvenient just in the event that the scale might tell me I was 1/4 pound less.....was it worth it???? BarBee used the word obsessive. Anna89 said she was afraid to face it and losing confidence. Jen36 said it was driving her nuts and setting a bad example for her daughter. Leah Rogers said that she would discouraged if she weighed herself daily. I don't know about you but that is not how I want to live my life. I found myself missing out on the smaller things in life and finding joy in them. I don't want to appear preachy or anything. I just want to emphasize that we are more than the # on the scale or the size of our clothes. We had this surgery because we want to live a good long happy and healthy life. It takes making good choices and finding the strength to stay on track but it doesn't necessarily mean getting crazy over [multiple] daily weigh-ins however, if it works for you then have at it. Good luck and be happy on your journey! Katie

Can I put a different spin on what everyone is saying? I can appreciate and even sympathize with the level of frustration you are all going through. I have been there myself but there comes a time when you have to turn your thinking around to be more positive. EVERYONE that has made a comment on this thread has lost weight which means that EVERYONE has made some really good decisions, food choices, and lifestyle changes. Don't look at where you are going to (i.e. your goal weight or size) but where you have been!!! Take pride in every single pound, good choice, and know that this is a process. It takes time to get to good restriction and even when you get there, as you lose weight, you will need to go in for occasional adjustments. I have to take one meal at a time and can't look at the bigger picture because I get WAY too overwhelmed. Am I making perfect choices? No...I'm a human with a food addiction and I have to live on life's terms. Bottom line is to make the better choices....if you are hungry (I mean really hungry and not just bored, depressed, happy/sad or whatever emotion you are having at the time) then try a healthy choice snack or sip on ice Water or whatever... You will all be fine and successful if you believe you can be! Best of luck, Katie

I am in the same rut....I don't mind egg beaters on weekends but during the week I just want something easy. I love my cereal (which I just had) but I know I am going to be wicked hungry by 11. I just bought some deli turkey that I am going to have with a piece of fruit tomorrow for breakfast. I am just bored of my food right now... be well all....katie

First thing comes to mind is if you have been exercising you may be losing weight (fat) and building muscle (which weighs more than fat). How do your clothes fit? Do you feel more energetic? Do you sleep better? Always remember that the # on the scale is only one measure of success.... I went through a phase where I wasn't really losing anything and then all of a sudden dropped like 7 pounds in a month. Remember that your body is trying to adjust itself constantly. It is used to getting more and burning calories and it takes a while for it to realize that. As you pointed out, the "sweet spot" is very individual (in terms of how much you need in the band to be in the green zone) but also it is a moving target for you. Say you feel good restriction at 8 cc and then you lose 10 more pounds, your stomach has shrank too and so what was once good restriction is now just a little less and you may need to go in for an adjustment (which is what just happened to me....). you are doing great...good luck...katie

I am in the same EXACT position!!! I am 5 months out and have lost only about 40 pounds. I have a case of the blues and can't shake it! I would love some motivation too!

There really isn't any exact # anyone can give to you to let you know what your "sweet spot" is because everyone is so different. You will always need an adjustment the more weight you lose. So say you have 8.5 ccs and you find that is your sweet spot (with good restriction) then the next month you lose 10 pounds your band may need to be adjusted because your stomach shrunk. That is what is so frustrating (at least to me) is that the "sweet spot" is a flying target. You just need to pay attention to that Yellow/Green/Red zone sensations. I know for a fact that I was at good restriction a few weeks ago and had lost about 3 or 4 pounds and now I feel that I need another fill. I thought I was at my sweet spot but that only lasted a few weeks. Good luck, you are doing a great job! :thumbup: Katie

There really isn't any exact # anyone can give to you to let you know what your "sweet spot" is because everyone is so different. You will always need an adjustment the more weight you lose. So say you have 8.5 ccs and you find that is your sweet spot (with good restriction) then the next month you lose 10 pounds your band may need to be adjusted because your stomach shrunk. That is what is so frustrating (at least to me) is that the "sweet spot" is a flying target. You just need to pay attention to that Yellow/Green/Red zone sensations. I know for a fact that I was at good restriction a few weeks ago and had lost about 3 or 4 pounds and now I feel that I need another fill. I thought I was at my sweet spot but that only lasted a few weeks. Good luck, you are doing a great job! :thumbup: Katie

My thought is that weight loss is 99% mental, 1 % physical. For me, my band is that 1% that keeps me sane. I KNOW that ice cream will go through the band no problem so, being a food addict, I can't take that 1st bite because I won't stop. It is a slippery slope and I have worked too hard to gain back any weight. I wouldn't unfill because that band is your food police...it keeps you from overeating. Good luck and, no matter what, enjoy your cruise!!!