I am so frustrated!! I lost 11 pounds during the month before surgery-3 weeks liquids. Surgery was on June 27th. I went down 6 lbs by the end of that week. Woo Hoo!!!! I've NEVER lost that much in a week. Of course I ate next to nothing because anesthesia always depresses my appetite for a week afterwards. I did get every drop of Water in during that time.

Okay why am I so frustrated? I went down 2 lbs one single day during the past two weeks, but those 2 lbs have played games with me since that day up 1, up 2, up 3...I never know. I have kept track of every bite that goes in my mouth. I'm on soft Proteins now, not allowed any carbs except veggies and dairy which is great for my diabetes. I am averaging between 600 and 800 calories per day, between 20 and 40 carbs, 70 - 120g Protein, and under 25 g fat. I'm exercising 30 -45 min daily; nothing too strenuous yet. I know what you're all thinking- that's not enough calories. Well I'm 54 and very motivated. I feel like this is my last chance and I'm just trying so hard. Forget the band...how could I gain 1-3 lbs during the past two weeks eating like this. I feel hunger pains several times a day and I gulp water to help them go away.

I called my nutritionist today and she was very nice. She wants me to up my calories to 1000 and see if that helps. I'm not sure what to eat? If I could have cream of wheat, oatmeal, potatoes, or whole grain breads it would be easy.

Thanks in advance to all of you out there who I know will give me some words of wisdom.

On a very positive note - I've reduced my insulin by half!!! Wow-my health was my main and most important reason for having this surgery. And it is helping no doubt. I'll be thrilled when I get "optimization"(new term for restriction..lol) out of my band.

Thanks for reading and feel free to ask any questions if you just don't get my point!

Today's Food:

Protein shake 186 cal.

3oz shaved turkey 100 cal.

lt string cheese 50 cal.

4oz Tilapia 109 cal.

1c. green Beans 40 cal.

1/2 c peas 100 cal.

20oz Isopure Protein

Clear Water 160 cal.

Greek Yogurt 120 cal.

64 oz plain water

Total 865 calories

It's still early days for you, Highland, and if you've already halved your insulin you are definitely a winner! Keep up the good work and have patience. Losing weight seems to be like gaining weight, it happens quietly and just seems to sneak up on us when we least expect it.

I had the exact same issue. About 4 weeks after surgery I couldn't lose a pound. I lost nothing for 3 weeks. I was sooooo frustrated. I was only eating about 800 calories a day. Your food list is identical to what I was eating...low fat and carb and high Protein. I figured that since I weighed 380, eating like that and exercising I should be losing 5 pounds a week!! I was so upset.

My nutritionist upped my calories as well. As soon as I did, I dropped weight immediately and have been consistently dropping weight ever since. I eat about 1200 calories a day and try to focus on protein and lower carb choices. But now that I can eat any food, the carbs usually hover around 120-150 a day, especially if I eat fruit.

In order to add a few more calories you could eat some full fat cheese. Just and ounce or 2 will make up those calories, plus it has great protein and no carbs! I know you can't have nuts yet, but I have 1 ounce of almonds a day which I very much enjoy. You could also add some olive oil, butter, mayo to stuff. You still need to get in some fats. My nutritionist wants us to have 3 servings a day.

Good Luck! Congrats on your weight loss thus far!

It's still early days for you, Highland, and if you've already halved your insulin you are definitely a winner! Keep up the good work and have patience. Losing weight seems to be like gaining weight, it happens quietly and just seems to sneak up on us when we least expect it.

Well said and good way of looking at it.

It's still early days for you, Highland, and if you've already halved your insulin you are definitely a winner! Keep up the good work and have patience. Losing weight seems to be like gaining weight, it happens quietly and just seems to sneak up on us when we least expect it.

Well said and good way of looking at it.

I had the exact same issue. About 4 weeks after surgery I couldn't lose a pound. I lost nothing for 3 weeks. I was sooooo frustrated. I was only eating about 800 calories a day. Your food list is identical to what I was eating...low fat and carb and high Protein. I figured that since I weighed 380, eating like that and exercising I should be losing 5 pounds a week!! I was so upset.

My nutritionist upped my calories as well. As soon as I did, I dropped weight immediately and have been consistently dropping weight ever since. I eat about 1200 calories a day and try to focus on protein and lower carb choices. But now that I can eat any food, the carbs usually hover around 120-150 a day, especially if I eat fruit.

In order to add a few more calories you could eat some full fat cheese. Just and ounce or 2 will make up those calories, plus it has great protein and no carbs! I know you can't have nuts yet, but I have 1 ounce of almonds a day which I very much enjoy. You could also add some olive oil, butter, mayo to stuff. You still need to get in some fats. My nutritionist wants us to have 3 servings a day.

Good Luck! Congrats on your weight loss thus far!

Thank you sooo much. It's always nice to know you're not alone. I just had a piece of cheese!lol

The way I see it is, right away you usually lose after surgery, and then your body has a hissyfit. I think of it like a 3 year old having a temper tantrum. You body says "I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND I REFUSE TO LOSE WEIGHT UNTIL I FIGURE THIS OUT!!!"

It's still early days for you, Highland, and if you've already halved your insulin you are definitely a winner! Keep up the good work and have patience. Losing weight seems to be like gaining weight, it happens quietly and just seems to sneak up on us when we least expect it.

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I love that!!! THANK YOU!!!!

The way I see it is, right away you usually lose after surgery, and then your body has a hissyfit. I think of it like a 3 year old having a temper tantrum. You body says "I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND I REFUSE TO LOSE WEIGHT UNTIL I FIGURE THIS OUT!!!"

LOL!!! Thanks for cheering me up!

Congrats on your weight loss and cutting your insulin use. You are doing great, Not everyday is a loss. You are now, back to eating, not drinking your calories. I, also, didn't loose,a nd gained my 1st few weeks. Your body is in the healing stage. Relax, you will loose if you follow the plan. Karen

I had the same thing happen and it really made me angry. I just cried to my husband. I think I said something like "this sucks. I had to count calories before surgery because I was taking in too many and now I have to count calories because I am not getting enough." I had surgery on 2/23/11 and as of this morning I'm down 52 lbs and have lowered my BMI by 10. I am also 40 years old and so I know what you mean about this being your last chance. I lost pretty easy the fist 2 or 3 weeks and then it stalled. My loss has come and gone in spurts and when I have stalled I have had to tweak things to get it going. Some things I have found that worked is making sure I get enough sleep, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and take my fish oil. Without these, I stall. I'm starting to understand the relationship but it has been a little confusing. I had labs drawn several years ago and it showed I had a high cortisol count. If you don't get enough sleep, my cortisol goes up (it's the stress hormone). If I am frustrated that I'm not losing, my cortisol goes up. I still don't understand all what it does but I upped my Omega 3's the other day and instantly I could feel my mood improve. Then I was looking on the internet last night and it said that the Omega 3's in fish oil and sleep both block the production of cortisol. All I can say is that something is working because I broke my stall and I have lost 3 lbs consistantly for the past 3 weeks. I'm also keeping my calories around 1300 a day. Hope that helps some.

Congrats on your weight loss and cutting your insulin use. You are doing great, Not everyday is a loss. You are now, back to eating, not drinking your calories. I, also, didn't loose,a nd gained my 1st few weeks. Your body is in the healing stage. Relax, you will loose if you follow the plan. Karen

Thanks for replying and I am THRILLED about my new insulin doses!

I had the same thing happen and it really made me angry. I just cried to my husband. I think I said something like "this sucks. I had to count calories before surgery because I was taking in too many and now I have to count calories because I am not getting enough." I had surgery on 2/23/11 and as of this morning I'm down 52 lbs and have lowered my BMI by 10. I am also 40 years old and so I know what you mean about this being your last chance. I lost pretty easy the fist 2 or 3 weeks and then it stalled. My loss has come and gone in spurts and when I have stalled I have had to tweak things to get it going. Some things I have found that worked is making sure I get enough sleep, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and take my fish oil. Without these, I stall. I'm starting to understand the relationship but it has been a little confusing. I had labs drawn several years ago and it showed I had a high cortisol count. If you don't get enough sleep, my cortisol goes up (it's the stress hormone). If I am frustrated that I'm not losing, my cortisol goes up. I still don't understand all what it does but I upped my Omega 3's the other day and instantly I could feel my mood improve. Then I was looking on the internet last night and it said that the Omega 3's in fish oil and sleep both block the production of cortisol. All I can say is that something is working because I broke my stall and I have lost 3 lbs consistantly for the past 3 weeks. I'm also keeping my calories around 1300 a day. Hope that helps some.

Thank you for your words of wisdom! Aren't hubbies great - I was just crying on my own hubbies shoulder this morning after I got off the scale and was up 3 lbs from my 19 lost! Arghhhhh!

I feel your pain. I am 12 days post op and on the pre op liquid diet I lost 19 lbs in 10 days. I had lost 5 more pounds last week, but somehow managed on 600 calories a day to gain it back. I am really frustrated as well and each day that frustration gets worse. I don't like feeling like this at all and I need at least a lb to go away so I can start to feel better again.

You've had one of the best results of the band you can have. Improvement of your diabetes. And you do state that you are aware of that.

My losses were never at a steady pace. I ticked me off to no end until I realized it is just the way my body works. It fought and fought to hang on to each pound. With tongue in cheek I blame it on my great-grandparents who survived the famine in Ireland. I have one of the most economical metabolisms around. Come the next famine, I am surviving while my DH starves to death!

But really, my body would hang on for dear life to the weight and mess with my head for weeks, up 1 down 1, up 2 down 1, stay the same for 2 weeks. Then drop 4. It made no logical sense!!! But at the end of the day, I AVERAGED 3/4 pound per week. Not as much as 'they' say the typical bandster should lose (1-2 pounds per week), but you know what? I have the rest of my life to practice my new eating habits. I decided I didn't care if it took me 5 years to lose it. Being banded isn't a "diet" that we start and hope to end some day. It is a new lifestyle that will be with us forever.

Once I realized that overall the trend was going down, I was OK with it. You will learn how your body works. Relax and try not to get on the scale everyday. No small feat I understand.

Thank you for the last two replies. I'm hanging in there and trying to not get too discouraged. My dh has been so positive and supportive! I don't know how a person could go through this process alone. FYI I'm on vacation for the next two and a half weeks. Our car is PACKED with all the food and protein drinks I need - and my trusty scale! LOL