What am I doing wrong? I don't cheat. I don't overeat and I'm not losing.. I've got restriction for sure. Had to have 1/4cc removed because I couldn't even get Water down.. I'm so frustrated and its causing such depression. Why did I spend all this money to still be unhealthy?

harleymelm

Since you have no info in your profile, could be a bit more specific about the problem. How long banded, weight loss so far, if this a plateau how long? Would love to help but need a starting point.

Sorry I had no idea how to update my profile but I've since done so. I had the surgery August 30, 2012. I was 287 when I started this journey in February. On the day of surgery after working with the dieticians I was 247. Today I'm stuck at 233 and have been for weeks. That's only 14 pounds since August. What am I doing wrong?

harleymelm

What is your exercise regime like? Are you feeling restricted?

I do feel restriction. My exercise has been a little less than I like so just this past Friday I got a gym membership. Do you have suggestions on the best exercise to do since I've never been athletic due to my size?

harleymelm

My doc has always said not to think of exercise but as movement. And try to do more movement than the day before. I don't jump in a treadmill or workout at a gym but just moving around the house with my two little ones and walks in the park are doing it for me.

I love to power walk to a great song! And the stair climber is a fave! Even tho I can only do 5 min of it at such a slow pace!

Start out just going to the gym... Then slowly push yourself to do more. You can do any exercise u want! Just go to the gym to have some fun!

I would strongly suggest you track your food and calories. You may be taking in too little or more than you realize. It can be an eye opening experience and you should be able to see where changes can be made. My NUT recommends about 1000 calories per day and 60+ grams of protein per day. Also, definitely up the exercise as that will help. Since you just joined the gym did they give you any time with a trainer or do they have workout classes you can do?

I would not persume to know you and attempt to Dx your dilemma, so I will speak in generalities, based upon my experiences....maybe something will ring true...

My last fil, it took me 3 weeks before things settled down and I was able to eat and drink normally again.....the term normal beind redefined though....

Having the band, with adequate restriction, changes the way I eat in ways I could never have imagined....even when I thought I was eating very little, I still learned to eat even less...it was because I ate like a pig for so long, was encouraged to eat growing up, the way I eat now was incomprehensible...starvation!! But it has become the new normal, AND I realized by observation, I am eating the same way skinny people do....but at the time I could not get my mind around it...how can anyone survive with so little food....

It's funny how fat people look at my plate and ask "Is that all you're going to eat?"

Whereas I'm right on par with my skinny peers.....

I belong to a few other groups for banded people (private), plus spoke at support groups....one thing I keep hearing, quite often, is that people get a fil, feel they are too tight, (because they can't eat like they used to, or want to) react quickly and get an unfil....then REGRET IT!....want the fil back....... not everyone, but still very common theme it seems....

I know one person who has had 12 fils!!!!...in one year!!!! (and a few unfils)...she obviously has problems letting go of the old and adapting to ne new.....

My last fil was 3 months after surgery....to this day I still can't keep Water down if I do not drink it properly.....especially when I'm at the gym and complteley forget!

All I can have in the morning is my coffee, and a high Protein smoothie....it takes me 45 minutes to get through the smoothie.....with plenty of gurgleing noises....I have not had a solid Breakfast for over 18 months....

In order for this surgery to work, I was forced to learn how to east and drink entirely different from the way I used to, I could have resisted change, ran back for a unfil....then be able to eat the foods I wanted to eat, the way I was used to eating......but would I have been as happy and succesful as I am today?

For me, it is all about change.....that is why many Dr.s take it slow with the fils with some people...too much too fast can set people back....

Imagine if the band was not adjustable, but right at surgery it was pre-set at maximum restriction....none of us would have lasted a week!!! We would all be failures....instead, the adjustments are incremental, at which time we slowly learn to adjust also as we move along....untill that day when our journey's are complete, having adapted and changed....and we brgin to live a new Lifestyle!

You're not doing anything wrong. Being stuck happens and its part of the journey. These are things we have to learn to live with unfortunately. The weight will start coming off again.

I personally notice that I lose more weight without adding exercise. I work 12 hr shifts and walk over 12000 steps 3-4 days a week. When I was working out for the 3 months I did the weight loss stopped totally, I was stuck inbetween a 5lb loss or gain. The last 2 weeks I stopped going to the gym and loss 7 lbs and still losing. Who figures? I am gonna assume since the calorie intake we take in is so low, with me exercising burning extra calories made my body hold on to everything I ate. I just think everyone is different some are able to do this with no exercise and some of us need the exercise to keep us going. I also increase my calorie intake on days I work to balance calories burned. I use a pedometer this help me know how many calories I'm burning daily so I can balance my intake. I stay in between 1200-1400 on work days and 1000-1200 on days off. Good luck too you. We all just need to find out what works for us and I'm 9 months out and still learning.

I highly recommend water based exercise since it's easier on the joints. I also like the elliptical machine. For the pool water proof MP3 player is a must!

I would not persume to know you and attempt to Dx your dilemma, so I will speak in generalities, based upon my experiences....maybe something will ring true...

My last fil, it took me 3 weeks before things settled down and I was able to eat and drink normally again.....the term normal beind redefined though....

Having the band, with adequate restriction, changes the way I eat in ways I could never have imagined....even when I thought I was eating very little, I still learned to eat even less...it was because I ate like a pig for so long, was encouraged to eat growing up, the way I eat now was incomprehensible...starvation!! But it has become the new normal, AND I realized by observation, I am eating the same way skinny people do....but at the time I could not get my mind around it...how can anyone survive with so little food....

It's funny how fat people look at my plate and ask "Is that all you're going to eat?"

Whereas I'm right on par with my skinny peers.....

I belong to a few other groups for banded people (private), plus spoke at support groups....one thing I keep hearing, quite often, is that people get a fil, feel they are too tight, (because they can't eat like they used to, or want to) react quickly and get an unfil....then REGRET IT!....want the fil back....... not everyone, but still very common theme it seems....

I know one person who has had 12 fils!!!!...in one year!!!! (and a few unfils)...she obviously has problems letting go of the old and adapting to ne new.....

My last fil was 3 months after surgery....to this day I still can't keep Water down if I do not drink it properly.....especially when I'm at the gym and complteley forget!

All I can have in the morning is my coffee, and a high Protein smoothie....it takes me 45 minutes to get through the smoothie.....with plenty of gurgleing noises....I have not had a solid Breakfast for over 18 months....

In order for this surgery to work, I was forced to learn how to east and drink entirely different from the way I used to, I could have resisted change, ran back for a unfil....then be able to eat the foods I wanted to eat, the way I was used to eating......but would I have been as happy and succesful as I am today?

For me, it is all about change.....that is why many Dr.s take it slow with the fils with some people...too much too fast can set people back....

Imagine if the band was not adjustable, but right at surgery it was pre-set at maximum restriction....none of us would have lasted a week!!! We would all be failures....instead, the adjustments are incremental, at which time we slowly learn to adjust also as we move along....untill that day when our journey's are complete, having adapted and changed....and we brgin to live a new Lifestyle!

Very well said!

Exercise is the key. Some don't, but unless you have a super busy job there are no guarantees that the weight will come off as desired. If we are banded, but keep the same lifestyles the weight loss will not happen. I have been banded for 4yrs. My weight has been up and down. I haven't always been consistent. I've had a lot if things happen in the last 2yrs to get me off track. I realized that i to start from scratch. I got a new medical team. I'm counting calories and developing consistency with my workouts. I'm still not on top of my game, but I'm no longer at the bottom.