MollyRN

Hi - checking back in. Same issues, nothing has helped. Starting seeing the nutritionist in my surgeon's office last week. She did the BMR test and it shows my basal rate to be 1800 calories. So that is reasonably accurate. She says I need to eat more, and more meaning more complex carbs. I signed a contract with her -promising to increase my daily caloric intake to 1200-1400 calories and get more than 100grams of carbs. It has been such a struggle that I am honestly thinking I might have an eating disorder But, I have complied. I have felt a little more energetic and I think I am more hydrated in general but... you guessed it.... I gained a pound. I go tomorrow to see her again so we will see what she says. If she wants me to each more or continue eating this amount, I will need my band loosened. I wore my body media armband yesterday. Here's my numbers... which are pretty normal for me: Calories burned: 3204 Calories consumed: 1292 Protein: 69 grams Carbs: 127 grams Fiber: 13 grams Total Fat: 52 grams I feel like I am at the end of my rope. My 950 calorie day was generally: Protein: 63 grams Carbs: 54 grams Fiber: 9 grams Total Fat: 44 grams On April 28th, I have hit a year at the same weight, exact same weight, while eating 900-1100 calories per day and exercising for at least an hour 5 days a week. JEEZZZZ

Thanks everyone. I like the carb cycling idea but I don't have a clue what I would eat... sweet potatoes? I had all my labs checked and they are pretty normal - a little high on prolactin. I did read two interesting things today. One was a completed study on post-bariatric patients about metabolism. It said that metabolism slow more dramatically for bariatric patients who get to goal and that the only way to combat that is working out - quite vigorously, and weight lifting. Make sense. The other thing I read about is an ongoing clinical trial for ephedrine and coffee, where they are testing if post-bariatric patients benefit from this combination as they get to goal. Results have not been released yet. I feel desperate. 1200 calories burned at the gym this morning, 425 consumed (should get to about 750 today). Weight? Up two pounds this week. Nice.

Hi! I need some group input please.... Banded almost 4 years ago. Lost 136 lbs in the first year - just below my goal weight. Sat there for two years fine and then I loosened my band to have a tummy tuck last year. (Gained 12 lbs in the time my band was loosened and in the 3 month recovery time). Since then, I cannot lose a pound. The following are completely accurate stats and I need some input from you all please I work out 6 days a week pretty hard. I usually run for about 45 minutes and lift weights daily, sometimes adding a kickboxing class. I use Body Media which has my BMR at 1450 calories (which matches what my test showed, 1500 calories). Body Media shows me at about an average of 3,000 total calories burned per day (2800 - 3250) I get 75-90 grams of Protein in per day and eat less than 65 grams of carbs. Lately my caloric intake ranges from 800-1100 calories per day. Doc says eat less and I will lose weight. Honestly, it takes every single Fiber of my being to eat 800 calories when I am working out (when I wasn't after the surgery, it was easy). Band feels good. It's tight, I am not overeating and there are definitely things I can't eat, like bread, etc. WTH is going on? I have read over and over that maybe I should eat more, but how can that be? I am pretty sure when my band was loose and I wasn't going to the gym, I was eating 1500 calories a day (and gained the 12 lbs). I am feeling pretty confused and frustrated right now. I just want 10 pounds gone so I can be back at goal and live there forever. I just have no idea what is going on with my body. Today's weigh in puts me at the exact same weight I was in September when I went back to working out hard core. I can lose 4 lbs and they just come back. HELP.

I remember what it felt like to start realizing that I wasn't fat anymore.... it was crazy, and it was a process. This tummy tuck thing.... you are TOSSED in - the change happens in a few short hours - and POOF, a tummy I never thought possible. Consider these psychological impacts if you decide to have one. I am 5 days post op - posted some pictures on my blog. http://aleadsinger.wordpress.com/

Hiya! I moved my blog in case any of you are interested in following my maintenance http://aleadsinger.wordpress.com/ 2.5 years out, 136 lbs gone.

Hey everyone! I moved my blog if any of you are interested in following my trials in maintenance http://aleadsinger.wordpress.com/ 2.5 years out, 136lbs down.

Call me a rebel here but.... If you are getting enough Protein (65-90 grams per day), the calories don't really matter. God knows we have enough energy stored. It is when the protein is too low that the body kind of freezes. (And drink water) I don't count calories - never have. I can't eat before 12 or 1. I eat two very very small amounts of protein per day. I do exercise and that helped me a lot along the way. My band is wicked tight - probably tighter than many people could tolerate. I keep it as tight as possible without getting heartburn. That's been my sweet spot for about a year now.

You are not a failure. Tighten that band way up - let it help, let it remind you of what you can and cannot eat. It's been awhile since I have been on these boards but my all time favorite thing I ever read was about the mentality of a successful bandster. IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU CAN EAT WITH THE BAND, IT IS ABOUT HOW LITTLE. The goal should be eating only the bare minimum. My band is TIGHT - has been for a year now. TIGHT. I mean TIGHT. And that has been a struggle, but the upside has been that I no longer has any sort of relationship with food. It is simply a NON-ISSUE. Sure, some bandsters prefer to diet. I preferred to get slapped around a little. I have lost 140 lbs in 17 months and I go for my first unfill in two weeks. Be aggressive. It works. And I agree with the previous post - return to basics. Go get filled - a good one. Then do liquid for 2 weeks, like we did post-op. Get your head and your band back in the game. You can SOOOO totally do this!

I actually heard once that cold Water takes more calories for your body to warm up - but that might have been one of those diets myths I will say, anything with ice, super cold, will not go easily down for me. I like things warm or room temperature. You may actually be able to drink more if it is not cold.

The small incision between my breasts is gone completely - and I can barely see the belly button one - 14 months out. I will say that subsequent scars don't heal as well in my opinion. I notice that I may be a little Vitamin deficit in the Vitamins that promote healing. For example, I got a tattoo in July that took a week to peel (instead of 2-3 days). And my plastic surgeon says that we need vitamin therapy before any subsequent surgeries.

I write about this stuff on my blog. The band does not EVER help me make good choices, I have to do that. But I have mine tight enough so that eating requires thought and patience, and once thought and patience is added to the mix, I tend to make better choices. My theory has always been that the challenge (for success) is to see HOW LITTLE you can consume, not HOW MUCH. Making this mental shift is critical. When someone says I can eat anything, I think, but why are you? The challenge is not to see what you can still eat. The challenge is to diet until you get great restriction, which can take some time.

One other note, I do not eat 3 times a day. I am liquid in the am, coffee usually or maybe a protein shake if I am running.