I got banded in April and have lost 35. I went to the doc last week and found out I gained 4!!!! Sometimes I feel like I will never get to my goal. Any advice?

I would look at food choices and quantities. I try to live by the 90/10 rule; eat what you should 90% of the time and then have some wiggle room 10%. Since so much of the battler is mental I would avoid foods that are a slippery slope. Pre Band I would buy low fat crackers or chips and think I was making good choices. The reality was I needed to stop buying them period. My personal guilty pleasure are samples at Costco! I walk through see what they are giving out and choose 2-3 things that I could never keep in my house. I have one bite (sometimes throughing half away) and I feel like I've had a wonderful treat.

Also do you have an exercise program? In my opinion if you are making good food choices and consistently exercising you will loose weight faster. If you only make good food choices but don't exercise your loss will slow down.

Hi Luna! I just wanted to tell you, that even though you may not think so, 35 pounds is an awesome weight loss!!!! :biggrin: that's a pound a week average!

Honk raises a very good question...do you have an exercise regimen? My weight loss really picked up once I started exercising. I lost 13 pounds my first week post op, then NOTHING for a little over two weeks after that. When the doctor okayed me to start exercising, I started walking and the weight started to come off again. I also notice (but wouldn't depend on) that if I have a bad day watching my calories, the increased activity keeps my weight steady. The weight will come off! Trust me, I know it's frustrating, but it will come off! Hang in there Luna! Leeanne :crying:

Luna- I was banded in April also. I lost well in the beginning and then was kind of stuck for two months- I started exercising- still stuck but losing inches- then last week the pounds starting coming off again. To get through it I told myself that as long as I am following the rules (most of the time) then the weight will have to follow eventually. I know it can be depressing to see the crazy numbers that some people post on here... but I just keep reminding myself when was the last time I lost this much weight? Even if it takes me two years to get to goal that's better than giving up.

I went thru a couple of months where I didn't lose any weight, then when I finally got good restriction the weight started coming off. Hang in there.

Well, waiting for motivation to show up isn't the answer. You have to do what you have to do, whether you feel motivated and fired up, or not.

Think of the things we do each day---it's not like toothbrushing or making the bed or cleaning the cat box are particularly motivating. But they need to be done, so we do them.

Same goes for efforts that support loss.

So far, your loss has been good. I know it's demotivating when you don't see the results you'd like--but that doesn't buy you indulgences; you still have to do the same stuff.

What are you eating?

Are you journaling what you eat and your exercise? Fitday.com is really good for helping you get a handle on your energy intake/output. If you an afford it, a BodyBugg provides the same information, only a bit more accurately.

Getting the scale moving in the right direction is motivating--but only to a certain extent. (If it did the trick, none of us would be banded.) So you really need to identify what you are willing to give up, what you're not willing to give up, and find a way to put those things together in a way that supports loss.

Also, IMO exercise is the most critical piece of the pie. If you're not already incorporating exercise, it's time to give that some very serious thought.

I totally agree with above posts about excersise. It has been essential to my weight loss. It's tough to get started, but it will become second nature before you know it. It will be a part of your daily routine. If you can afford it, I highly reccomend a personal trainer for weight lifting. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn all day long.

As far as food choices, I do low carb and low fat. Lots of lean protien and veggies. Good luck! You can do it!

Hey all,

Thanks for you replies. I have been trying to walk more at work. I work on the 7th floor of a building and I at least try to get my workout going up and down the stairs. As far as the eating goes, I try my best to get as healthy as I can. Its hard when you have a husband that can eat anything and everything and not gain an ounce. lol For lunch I have special K with fat free milk or chobani yogurt and a couple of boiled eggs. For lunch I have an apple with PB and a WW meal. Then for dinner I would have rice (YES I KNOW!!! lol) beans and some chicken or fish. My nutritionist says its ok to snack so I get some almonds, carrots sticks or pudding or apple sause. I drink coffee most of the day but I have to admit that I dont get much water in. Right now I am at 4CC's and I am starting to feel a little restriction but I think I need more. I am scheduled to see my doc in November and I hope to get more restriction then.

I would suggest you reduce your carb. intake, seems to be on the high side. Even things like apple sauce are pretty high in carbs. Fruit is a natural sugar, but still a sugar. You would be better off eating an apple because you would get some fiber. Best wishes!

Hang in there -- make sure you are getting a lot of protein....when I wasn't getting as much my weight loss was NOT moving at all....and then once I hit restriction it has been great ever since. Just be patient and you will get there - unfortunately it doesn't happen as quickly as we would like, but 35 lbs is an awesome weight loss! Keep up the good work!

I try to set a routine and then don't vary from it. I get up at the same time every day and I eat at the same times every day. I'm not motivated every day either and operate simply on the 'put one foot in front of the other' and just do it.

I'm 10 months postop and have only lost 35 pounds...mainly because I was overfilled for a couple months and then unfilled, during which time I just maintained.

Somewhere in there I finally realized that I had to figure out what my problem was with food because the band only helps with portion control *when* you have restriction. The rest of the time, it's up to us. Now that I believe I've discovered my issue, and know how to deal with it, I'm once again losing and have control over my food issue and I'm taking it 'one day at a time'.

I think as you get better restriction, things will change for you. It makes a lot of difference. Don't give up -- be persistent about getting your fills. In a way, your lap band journey hasn't even really begun yet until you have proper restriction.

As far as feeling motivated goes, more exercise may give you a boost of energy and improved mood. I've been doing weight training at the gym and the physical changes I can see with my own eyes really make me feel good. That can be very motivating.

Hang in there!