Hey there fellow troopers.

I seem to have hit a wall with weight loss. I am only a week in from being banded and I lost 13 lbs during that time. I exercise just under 2 hours a day and for the 3 days have just stayed at the same weight.

Am I being too ambitious to have thought I would keeping losing substantially if I was exercising so much?

I just feel a little discouraged because I have a goal as to where I want to be by December and I would be so disappointed if I weren't to get there.

Has anyone else thought they had stopped losing weight for a while then suddenly it came off again?

Okay, so I wrote this long detailed "what the hell are you expecting" post then decided it was too harsh and deleted it. You are, after all, new to this. So, I will try to remain calm and help you out, if possible.

First, I do not know you or your circumstances, I don't know your current weight, height, how long you've had weight issues, how much you plan to lose, etc, so I don't really know where you're coming from. So this post is for early lap band in general, not you specifically.

Second, I'm very concerned with how well your physician prepped you for your surgery. There appear to be some gaps in your band knowledge so hopefully this will help fill them in.

Average weight loss with a band is 1-2 pounds a week. MANY of us lose little to none the week of surgery and the first few weeks following, many of us lose little for many months while trying to reach restriction. Typically early on in banded life, weight loss is slow then picks up as restriction is improved. Thirteen pounds in a week is amazing, hugely dramatic, and well beyond the norm. And, actually, if I read your post right, you lost the 13 pounds in 4 days...just over 3 pounds a day, that's over a 10000 calorie deficit each of those days...that's, well, almost crazy. Was this your pre-op weight or post-op full of IV fluids weight that you've counting as your starting weight?

Muscle has mass. If you're starting an intense exercise program, you are going to gain muscle (which in the long road does lead improved weight loss but sometimes looks ugly on the scale).

Weight loss with the band is not consistant. I'll lose 4 pounds 1 week, gain 1 the next, lose 2 the next, none the next, etc...Also hormones, stress (emotional or physical)...there are a lot of variables to weight loss.

It took most of us years to get to our current weight (or pre-op weight), while it would be nice for it to just all fall off it ain't gonna happen! If you're expecting it to you will likely be very disappointed. The band is a way of life, and it is often a slow journey. Most of us lose the weight with each pound kicking and screaming to stay where it is.

Now, take a step back and re-read your post. You are a week in from being banded and you've lost 13 pounds. THIRTEEN POUNDS?!?! You should be jumping up and down celebrating not being hard on yourself. Be realistic. Don't expect miracles. And enjoy the journey. At times it's a pain in the ass and very frustrating but it's also a heck of a lot of fun to rediscover yourself.

Good luck. With your determination you will do well, just don't be so hard on yourself!!!!

Thanks so much for your information. You are completely right about expecting too much. I am only 22 years old and not very flexible when my mind is set on something.

I definitely need to work on appreciating the opportunity for a new life and a great future rather then lamenting my past and being unhappy with what I have now.

It is very helpful to hear your experience of unpredictable weight changes. I guess its only normal to lose some then gain some at times

I can not wait to reach the right restriction, so that my weight loss journey continues to improve my health and confidence.

I know this isn't cosmetic surgery but rather a lifestyle alteration.

Well said, Christie. Plus, don't set any huge weight-loss expectations for yourself until you've had time to adjust to the band and figured out how to work it to your advantage.

P.s it was 13 lbs lost pre-op weight no fluids

TBS there ya go, much better attitude and it will take you far. SOOOOOO much of this weight loss thing is mental. You stress and worry and you stop losing. You don't lose what you expect, you get upset, you stress, you worry, you don't lose weight. See a pattern?

The whole band experience is very very different for each of us. Thirteen pounds in a week is HUGE. Go to the store, put 13 pounds of hamburger in your cart and stare at it...and think "this is what came off me in 7 days?!?!" sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. (the put it back because it will take you FOREVER to eat 13 pounds of meat now). I average 1-2 a week. Then I gain 2 and hold it for 2 weeks, then I lose 4 and stay there for a week...it is incredibly unpredictable. Even when I'm sure I ate the same amount and exercised the same amount the weight loss/gain is never the same...that'd be way too easy :rolleyes2:.

Keep your chin up, as I said before, with your determination you will do great. But there is a HUGE learning curve with this thing and it really does take a while, sometimes months to reach your optimal level. I hit good restriction at 3 months and feel lucky that I found it so early (and then lost it, long story involving swelling shut, dehydration, and a partial unfill) and am anxiously awaiting a refill so I can do more than maintain. I have talked to many on here that did not find good restriction for 6-9-even 12 months. And a few who had it from the first fill, so here's hoping you're one of the lucky ones that hits it early on! Good luck!

The morning I had surgery I weighed 261 pounds (NO PREOP DIET). On the same scales one week later I weighed 238 pounds. Thats 23 pounds in one week. I know this was mostly fluid but here I am nine days after that and Im only up a pound and thats mostly because I started eating food and am not on the liquid diet. Each person is different just like I had no pain with surgery some have lots, some have nausea and some don't. Some have four or five fills and then there is my friend Jimmy who had to have his second one removed because he lost 25 pounds too much. Now he cant gain the weight back. Pay close attention to your body and what you can and can not do...Do not compare yourself to others. THE WEIGHT WILL COME OFF THATS A GIVEN!! One of the women in my support group lost from a size 22 to a size 6 in 9 months. If I do that wonderful if it takes me two years thats wonderful too...It sure took me a heck of a lot longer than two years to put it on.

Good Luck :rolleyes2:

For every pound lost on the scale, a portion of that will come from Fluid, fat, and lean muscle tissue. You physiologically can't lose solid fat - you just want to keep the ratio pointed the heaviest toward fat.

The 13 pound loss was most likely tilted heaviest toward fluid and emptying of the digestive tract, as most all weight loss journey's produce at the outset.

Exercise is great because it rev's up your metabolism and keeps the muscle you have toned and more efficient. Exercise is a must for long term success, but only proceed as fast as your surgeon recommends. That much exercise a week post op seems aggressive, unless it's just walking casually.

It's best to give any workout routine 4-6 weeks before scouring the results too quickly. That will help weed out fluctuations and periods of adjustment.

So long as you have an overall calorie deficit, any gains will likely be fluids so don't fret about them. It's less likely they are from fat - and even more unlikely they are from muscle gains, which almost always command a calorie surplus - regardless of exercise.

Good luck and stay focused!

Brad