I'm not sure where to ask this question. But, the answer is terribly important to me.

I understand that the lap band is not an instant panacea to my obesity and that I will have hard work ahead of me to follow doctor's orders, make healthy food choices and to exercise regularly.

I have seen posts on this and other forums where the person posting seems to be doing everything right (diet, fills, exercise, etc) but are losing little or no weight or are in fact gaining weight. I don't understand how this is possible.

My question: Is there a chance this will happen to me?

I'm not sure where to ask this question. But, the answer is terribly important to me.

I understand that the lap band is not an instant panacea to my obesity and that I will have hard work ahead of me to follow doctor's orders, make healthy food choices and to exercise regularly.

I have seen posts on this and other forums where the person posting seems to be doing everything right (diet, fills, exercise, etc) but are losing little or no weight or are in fact gaining weight. I don't understand how this is possible.

My question: Is there a chance this will happen to me?

Don't worry,if you make the right choices you will lose weight! Remember don't believe everything you read on these forums; Read them you'll know what I mean... a good one is" what did you eat today?" Read what people are eating... same bad food choices we made before the banding. The band is a wonderful tool,if used properly ,it will work for you.

Remember the band is a tool and the rest is up to you. I watched my best friend lose alot of weight with her band while eating bad foods and I was amazed to watch her continue to lose weight. Then a year later, she stopped losing weight and before she knew it gained 50lbs back. She had to start over with the liquid diet and all to get back to making better eating decisions.

Since, I was going through the process and just banded we are motivating each other and I LEARNED from her mistakes.

Apply those healthy habits and make it a routine. Easier said then done, but it's possible.

Good Luck.

Edited September 13, 201015 yr by Loyalfriend

Probably not. There are some who have bad band placement or other health related conditions that keep them from losing but some people also are in a state of denial. When I was first banded and not losing I told my husband "But I am doing everything right!" and he was like "um, no your not" so I started journaling my food and was amazed at how many calories I was still eating.

I also see a lot of people who expect to "eat the same just less of it" and lose all their weight and are unhappy because they aren't losing or losing slowly.

For me the key is, when your not losing, keep changing stuff until you start losing again. Eat better, exercise more or harder. There is a place where you can lose, the question is are you willing to do what it takes.

I am only a month out of surgery so you can take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Almost 2 years ago I started slightly modifying my diet and began swimming every day; because of a knee problem. A year later I had lost 30 pounds; but out of nowhere I had a mild stroke, I was 39. I recovered (knock on wood) with no side affects. As part of treatment and searching for a cause one of the doctors asked if I had ever considered weight loss surgery. Had I ever thought of it seriously? No.

While attending the presurgery classes and nutritional appointments I realized that I was eating a less of the unhealthy foods but they were still unhealthy. Changing my diet presurgery I lost 52 pounds. Do I occationally have cracker or a small piece of cake at a party? Sure. But I don't keep them in my house. I think of my "thin" friends and most of them eat healthy choices most of the time with the occational treat. Kind of the 90/10 rule (healthy 90% of the time).

Probably not. There are some who have bad band placement or other health related conditions that keep them from losing but some people also are in a state of denial. When I was first banded and not losing I told my husband "But I am doing everything right!" and he was like "um, no your not" so I started journaling my food and was amazed at how many calories I was still eating.

I also see a lot of people who expect to "eat the same just less of it" and lose all their weight and are unhappy because they aren't losing or losing slowly.

For me the key is, when your not losing, keep changing stuff until you start losing again. Eat better, exercise more or harder. There is a place where you can lose, the question is are you willing to do what it takes.

What I don't understand is if you are eating less, even if it is the same type of food, why can't you lose?

Sorry for the ignorance.

I think your question involves the portion control and caloric intake. You could theoretically be eating less but taking more calories through liquids and not being aware of what you are ingesting.

The band is a tool to help you limit your portions. It is easy to cheat if you want to by continuing to consume dense, high calorie foods that lack nutrition and spread it through the day.

If you are not inclined to graze or snack, stay away from milkshakes, ice cream, and sugary drinks/snacks, and increase your activity levels you should lose weight.

For me I have problems with portion control when I am hungry. I am a structured eater, 3 meals a day, and I rarely snack.

What I don't understand is if you are eating less, even if it is the same type of food, why can't you lose?

Sorry for the ignorance.

For me to lose I have to be below 1000 calories a day. I never journaled my food before I was banded (as a matter of fact, I didn't until a couple of months afterward) but I estimate that I probably was eating and drinking 3000-4000 calories a day with a high percentage being carbs and sugars from processed foods. So even if I cut my portions by 1/3 I was still over my calorie threshold and I would not lose. Mathematically you cant eat Pasta, bread, and sweets and get your calorie count under 1000 a day while still hitting your Protein and other nutrition goals.

and, as I recall one pound equals approx -3600 calories. Us bigger people do burn calories faster that thin people because our bodies are working harder... but to LOSE one pound you have to burn 3600 calories MORE than you consume... so even cutting smaller portions won't work, if you're not burning off all the calories you eat and then some.

Also - as you lose weight, your body starts to burn slower in general AND may start thinking you are starving yourself and will hold onto the bad calories...sugars.

I use fitday to journal like mad (home version), and even when i technically hit my daily calories below non-active burn level, i rarely can hold that up for an entire week since things change.... and throw in little to no exercise, it'd be hard to keep cutting nearly 4000 calories per week. And remember, sugars metabolize differently, and are easier to hold onto. you could probably eat 500 calories per day in sugars and not lose weight, despite burning 3600 calories a few times over...

I think many people on the board that are gaining weight do not count their calories. My sister has an overweight kid that I see drink 4 sodas a day and wolfs down 3 peaces of bread and butter with dinner but she says he does not drink any and that he eats healthy. DENIAL!!

You have to do this to be successful. I use an IPhone app from www.LiveStrong.com and it is awesome with telling you how many calories things are and how many calories you burn doing activities. It is a daily journal.

Remember that it is not possible to gain weight if you are eating less than you are burning. I am 5"8 and I apparently automatically burn 1600 calories a day. I am eating 900 calories a day. It takes 3500 un-burnt calories to gain a pound. I am not gaining weight because I am eating less than I burn. It should take me about 3-4 days to lose a pound at this rate and quicker with excersize.

Keep this in mind and you will be successful!

Honestly, I've pretty much been eating the same -- but less -- since I started this process, except that I don't really eat much bread anymore, and I gave up diet soda. I was always a reasonably healthy eater. . I just overate a little bit every day for many years and packed on about 80 extra pounds over time.

I find that eating the way I eat works really well, and I've also gotten really into exercise during the past almost-two years since my surgery. If you follow the bandster rules most of the time and make an effort to work your band, you will surely succeed with this surgery.

Good luck and best wishes to you!!

Catherine