OK I need some help quick,

For the last three weeks I haven't lost a thing...been exercising 3x/week 2.0 miles each time...have been eating decent...lots of salads with fish or chicken...drinking my Water...and haven't lost a pound! My restriction varies on a daily basis...

I made an appt for Wednesday to get a tweak...would you?

You mentioned you was doing excercise. I think your adding new muscles . Have you noticed your clothes getting looser?

Hey Jennye,

Just answering for myself, I care more about how I actually *feel* than how long a plateau lasts. And after all, as Leo says your stable weight may be side effect of your exercise--a process of your body shedding fat as it adds muscle.

How do you feel when you eat? Do you have to think about chewing and swallowing carefully? Or is it possible to take a big bite and not have any problems? Can you eat a whole pre-band meal?

I don't ever want to be so tight that I can only eat a couple of bites before having to stop due to pain. That way lies deprivation and stress, for me. Too loose would mean being able to eat what I consider too much, and still getting hungry shortly afterward.

So the answer to your question is, based on what you've said here I wouldn't change a thing.

If your fills are free and you have them done under fluoroscopy then I would be curious to see a barium flow, how tight you really are? I myself think I'm about right cause I can eat small amounts without PBs but I'm also at a plateau.

If your fills are free or your have the $$ I'd go for a tweak, just be careful. But you know that.

My fills are not free and are done without fluoro...so...

I've been thinking about my intake...and it fluctuates so much that is what is so confusing to me...

For instance, last night for dinner I had about 3/4 can of sphaghettio's...the other night went out for dinner and had two cheese enchilada's and some refried Beans...that is why I'm thinking that I may be able to use a tweak because at times I'm able to eat more than 3/4 of a cup...but other times (when I ovulate) I'm really tight...

Sometimes I can take a big bite or a big gulp of Water and sometimes I can't...that is what is so wacky for me...

My clothes don't feel like they are fitting any different and I take monthly measurements so that remains to be scene on the 15th!

ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY!

Jennye,

You last post was more revealing.

For most of us, restriction is fickle with the band. Sometimes, I can't eat much and sometimes I can eat a lot too! But it sounds like you have good restriction.

Spaghettiohs are not a food group! LOL Maybe you might want to go back to basics for a while and stick with the lean Proteins and veggies which will fill you up and stick with you for a while. . If I were to eat canned Pasta, (which I dont!) I could probably polish off the whole thing because it is mushy food. But besides that, it is a food with no nutritional value.

Also foods like refried bean, enchiladas go down easy too. I know it takes longer to get down the hard proteins, but try this for a while and see what happens. I think you will be surprised at how much restriction you have.

Babs in TX

334/232/180

-102

6/23/03

Babs, thank you for your post. I am still learning and with only 1 fill of 1cc, I am still trying to. understand the "feelings" my body is sending me. I must agree with what you are saying about the types of foods you eat and how they affect fullness and how much one can eat. I have already learned that even with only 1cc, if I stick to Proteins & veggies I feel full quickly and it stays longer than if I eat foods with high carb counts that seem to "slide" down easily.

Jennye, I hope you figure this all out. I think that Alexandra, Vera and Leo also make some good points. My personal option would be to handle it as Alexandra describes. I haven't had PB episode yet and quite honestly I think I would like to avoid it at all costs. I know right now with only 1cc, I can still gulp Water and eat big bites of food and as long as I chew well, I have no pain as it goes down... and although extremely slow, I am still losing. Therefore, I am learning to accept that rather than feel cheated, I am trying to look at it as being a success. For the first time in my life, I am not dieting and I am actually losing weight.

I think you are doing great... and maybe your body needs some additional time to settle into this fill. Good luck.

Hi Jennye -

Only you can determine whether or not you need a fill. Bear in mind that the band can NOT do all the work for us. The reality is that sometimes you will be tighter, and sometimes you will be looser. What you choose to eat when you're looser will have more impact on your weightloss goals, because you can eat more of it.

Track your intake on www.fitday.com and be completely honest with yourself. If your calories are falling into what you consider to be an acceptable range, than no, I don't think you need a fill.

If your calories are exceeding what you consider to be an acceptable range, then before you decide if you need a fill, look at where those calories are coming from. Are you MOSTLY choosing the most nutritious foods? Are you eating good solid Protein and veggies MOST of the time? If not, going tighter only makes eating healthier ever more challenging, and less likely that you will do it.

Plateaus are NORMAL. Particularly when you are exercising and building muscle. Being on a plateau does NOT mean you are doing anything wrong.

Thanks for all the replies!

I do realize that Spaghettio's are not a food group...LOL...I had a bad day and nothing in my house to eat...so...

On most days I do eat very sensibly...sometimes I wonder if I'm getting enough calories in...I drink alot of skim milk, eat cottage cheese, eggs, and lean meat with salad the majority of the time...

I think I'm going to hold off just because as I'm sipping on my milk right now it's getting backed up...

Back to the basics for me...we'll see how that goes!

I love you guys!

Hi Jennye,

I figured you were eating healthy most of the time.

I was on a plateau for about 3 and a half weeks not too long ago. I was stuck at 239 and just kept jumping around with the same two pounds up and down and up and down. Sometimes your system just needs a jolt. You might try changing what time you eat, what time you exercise and eat a little bit more for 2 or three days and see if that helps.

Also, I think when you get to certain significant numbers on the scale like under 300, under 200, I think it can also be psychological sabotage as well. I know that sounds weird, but did you ever notice it takes longer to get by these monumental numbers than at any other point in the weight loss journey?

Just food for thought...LOL

And ya know I was kidding about the Spaghettiohs! LOL

Babs in TX

334/232/180

-102

6/23/03

Babs,

You shouldn't be kidding about the Sphagettio's...my Mom was like...I couldn't understand how you kids could eat those...much less at 27!

I am in the process of reassessing my eating habits and looking at my protien...I think some of my problem is I haven't been eating enough...

I'm planning on going with my band twin to her fill appointment tomorrow and I too have an appointment...I'm going to talk with the PA who does our fills and see what she thinks...it just sucks that my only day off after working 6 days I have to waste on a 4 hour drive to Milwaukee and back...oh well!

I'm sure that half the battle is I'm obsessed with getting under 200 and if I would freaking stop thinking about it it would happen...hey...maybe that is why my condo isn't selling either!

EESH!