Hello all,

I was banded at the end of Dec. I lost 22 lbs in the 4 weeks of being on liquids. I got my first fill, and I still didn't lose any more weight. It did teach

me to slow down and chew the heck out of my food though.

Recently I got another fill, and I lost 3 more lbs. I was again on liquids for 2 days after the fill, and that's when I lost the 3 lbs. Since then, I haven't lost anything. I am so afraid I am going to be on another long plateau.

I drink over 64 oz of Water, but most days close to 100 oz per day.

I follow the bandster rules by eating Protein first and a little bit of veggies.

I wait an hour before drinking.

I exercise 6 days a week. I started exercising 3 years ago in my last attempt to lose weight. Even though I was exercising, I wasn't losing. That's when I decided to get banded. I am very happy that I have lost some weight, but I keep reading on here of how much everyone else is losing.

What does restriction feel like? Is it that you are full after a couple of bites? I have 2.0 in my 4cc band, and if you can offer any advice, I would sure appreciate it. I am not sure if I should get any more fill or what.

Hi Denise

OK good for you on the excersise and the tracking your calories. Now, make sure you measure your food and be totally honest on your calorie count no one needs to see it but you. Once you've figured your average, try lowering it just a little and see what happens. I know many folks talk about starvation mode but honestly my surgeon and my pcp both say that starvation mode is a load of hooey and I believe them. It may take more effort to get your body to burn fat with the hormones you are taking also depending on how much you've confused your metabolism through the years with yoyo dieting. Slow and steady wins the race. I know I will drop around 20-30lbs then plateau for a while, but during my plateau I lose inches so take measurements because you are probably making progress without realizing it! And last talk to your doctor about the possibility of changing your meds. Last I heard hrt is totally optional and rather controversial as to it's safety, so ask, it never hurts to find out more. Other than that you seem to be doing everything right. Good luck and I hope you start to lose soon

I start out the day with a glass of hot Water to get my medications down.

Breakfast is hard because I don't feel like eating in the monring. Sometimes I will have a Protein shake or bar, and sometimes I will eat a dannon lite yogurt. 60 claories and made with spelenda

Yesterday I had a bbq chicken thigh and a little brocolli cooked very well for lunch

(chicken breast always sticks and is painful)

For dinner I had a piece of ground turkey meatloaf approx. 3/4" in. thick with about a table spoon of ketchup. and more very well cooked brocolli.

Sometimes for lunch I have a spinach salad with chicken breast and Walmart's Italiain fat free dressing. It has 10 calories for 2 T. I have to cut the chicken into tiny slivers and chew the fresh brocolli into slime before I swallow.

Sometimes in the evenings I have a sugar free pposicle 10 calories.

I wait an hour after I eat and drink water- as much as I can. I had 32 oz before breafast today. I am waiting my hour and I will have another 32 oz after lunch.

Another quesiton? How are we supposed to get the Fiber in. That link you gave me was great. I use benefiber in my water.

I wondered about that whole idea of not enought calories and the body goes into starvation mode. When I was on my liquid diet 4 weeks post surgery, I lost 22 lbs. I was drinking 3 slim fast low carb or Atkins drinks per day.

They are 150 -160 calories I think .The Slim fast I think is 190.

Do you think any others of you would be willing to share what a typical day's menu is for them? I can compare. I honestly don't know what restriction is supposed to feel like, and if I have it or not. I just try to eat small portions.

I get hungry in about 3 hours but I will ususally just drink a glass of water and wait until it's time to eat. I eat lunch at noon and dinner at 5 and I am always hungry when I go to bed. I can't go off my hormones because when I didn't take them, I would go for days on only a couple hours of sleep. I still have trouble sleeping.

Typical day for me

Breakfast - 4oz Activia yogurt w/ 1/2 cup Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (for fiber!) - I have this every weekday.

lunch - 2-3 oz meat (chicken breast or turkey lunch meat slices). If I do the lunch meat, I roll it around a Laughing Cow Light triangle of cheese. I try to do a veggie at lunch (like 1/2 cup beans) but I'm bad with veggies. More often I'll do fresh fruit (berries, kiwi)

Snack - I have to have something before I go workout and because my dinner is often a bit later - usually fruit or a South Beach Diet Peanut 140 cal bar.

Dinner - 2 Turkey Meatballs from Trader Joe's (100 cal for 2) with a splash of teriyaki or BBQ sauce for flavor. I want to do a veggie but the two meatballs fill me up enough I usually don't have room.

9-10 glasses of Water a day, 1-2 chewable Flintstones Vitamins (2 if I didn't get many veggies in) and 2 chewable Viactiv Calcium

I am glad to see that you eat Yogurt for breakfast too. I put the fiber one in there for fiber too, even though it's carbs. It's good carbs. I have trouble in the morning. I feel sort of nauseous in the morning.

I've been chewing the chewable fiber tablets (can't remember the brand) in addition to trying to get fiber through my foods and I still don't think I get enough! Maybe I'll try adding the Fiber One...

I wonder why you're nauseous in the AM? I've heard of people being tight in the AM but not nauseous.

I think that's it. I am tight in the monring so if I eat something more solid than

yogurt, it doesn't sit well. That's why I have that or a protein drink. Some sites say don't drink your calories, but I think it's better to have something in my stomach, with the medications I take.

Gotcha. I agree with trying to avoid liquid calories but when I was a bit too tight, those protein shakes and even just milk really made a difference!

Honestly, watch the kinds of food you eat and also the portions... Remember, weight loss is purely calories in to calories out.

HA- I completely disagree -- there is so much more than just cal in vs cal out!

HA- I completely disagree -- there is so much more than just cal in vs cal out!

What do you mean? I am having so much trouble figuring all of this out. If you can clue me in as to what to do to lose, I would be thrilled. Right now I am beginning to think I need to go back on the liquid diet, even though they say to avoild liquid calories.

It does come down to calories in Vs out. If your burn more than you take in, you will lose weight. If you take in more than you burn, you gain.

Do you think any others of you would be willing to share what a typical day's menu is for them? I can compare

This is what today looks like for me;

Breakfast; Oats, and a banana (I gave my DS half of the banana, it was HUGE)

Snack; 2 rice cakes with Peanut Butter

Lunch; Tofu stir-fry

Snack; Mandarine and a handful of nuts (today it's peanuts)

Dinner; Couscous stuffed eggplant and a veggie sausage (really nice chickpea and spinach ones)

Snack; Soy yoghurt.

And heaps of Water (only because I am thirsty, not because I drink a set amount) A couple of cups of coffee, and a few cup of tea in between.

Hi Denise,

Im not banded yet but expecting to be here soon. I just wanted to jump in and comment on the hormone replacement - that is one of the side effects of HRT or BCP's (birth control pills), weight gain that is. That's one reason why I stopped them (among many others). You can look into natural methods for replacing hormones that dont have side effects just in case that's the issue. Dr John Lee has some great books on the subject. Hang in there

Published by Jampolis (2004). A 51 year old patient complained of a 15 lb weight gain over the last year despite beginning a strenuous triathlon and marathon training program (2 hours per day, 5-6 days per week). A 3 day diet analysis estimated a daily intake of only 1000-1200 Calories. An indirect calorimetry revealed a resting metabolic rate of 950 Calories (28% below predicted for age, height, weight, and gender). After medications and medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and diabetes where ruled out, the final diagnosis was over-training and undereating. The following treatment was recommended:

• Increase daily dietary intake by approximately 100 Calories per week to a goal of 1500 calories
  
• 32% protein; 35% carbohydrates; 33% fat
  
• Consume 5-6 small meals per day
  
• Small amounts of Protein with each meal or snack
  
• Choose high Fiber starches
  
• Select mono- and poly- unsaturated fats
  
• Restrict consumption of starch with evening meals unless focused around training
  
• Take daily multi-Vitamin and mineral supplement
  
• Perform whole body isometric resistance training 2 times per week

After 6 weeks the patient's resting metabolism increased 35% to 1282 Calories per day (only 2% below predicted). The patient also decreases percent fat from 37% to 34%, a loss of 5 lbs of body fat.

Jampolis MB (2004) Weight Gain - Marathon Runner / Triathlete. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36(5) S148

the adrenal glands secrete the hormone cortisol as a reaction to stress, and excess cortisol leads to weight gain, especially in the abdomen area, along with sleep disturbances, mood swings, irritability, loss of memory and poor digestion.

Elevated cortisol also aggravates sugar distribution, which contributes to development of high insulin levels and ultimately diabetes. When the adrenal glands pass the point of stress they go into exhaustion, which creates physically damaging conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthritis, hormonal problems, inflammation and heart attack, just to mention a few.

Estrogen dominance is another fairly common factor that contributes to inability to lose weight; we eat meats, eggs and dairy products that have been treated with synthetic hormones. Estrogens create Water retention and fat deposits; in time of pregnancy, estrogens are vital in protecting the fetus, but elevated estrogens otherwise create havoc for our endocrine and digestive systems.

Weight Control

Most athletes are concerned about their body weight. Many sports place heavy emphasis on maintaining specific body weights for competition. It is important to understand that weight control is influenced by more than just calories in verses calories out. When setting a healthy target weight, one needs to consider many factors, including; height, activity level, diet, sex, genetics, and daily energy needs. There is no specific “ideal weight” that can be assigned to one individual. The goal weight should be realistic and healthy for the athlete.

Factors that influence calorie-burning rate

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):

Level of energy needed to keep involuntary body processes: pumping heart, breathing, generating body heat, perspiring. The higher this rate, the more likely one is to lose or maintain a healthy body weight.

Age:

BMR declines with age. Changes in hormones and body composition slow down the BMR. In fact, the BMR declines 2% per decade after age 20. NOTE: physical activity can help keep BMR high.

Genetics:

Genetics also influence differences in BMR. Some individuals genetically inherit higher metabolisms then others.

Body Composition:

Muscular, lean bodies have higher BMR’s than soft, rounded bodies with fat tissue. Ounce for ounce, muscle burns more energy than body fat. Therefore, the greater proportion muscle to fat, the more calories needed to maintain weight.

Height:

A tall, thin body has more surface area than a short body. Therefore, the taller individual will have a higher BMR in order to maintain normal body temperatures.

Gender

: Males typically have less fat and 10-20% more muscle than women, and therefore typically have higher BMR’s than women.

Temperature:

Extreme hot or cold temperatures also raise the BMR. The body has increased energy needs for regulation of body temperature.

Physical Activity:

Depending on length and intensity of workout, physical activity can increase BMR for several hours afterward.

Caloric Intake:

Severe caloric restrictions can slow down the rate in which the body burns energy from food. The body’s metabolism slows down to accommodate for lower caloric intake. This is the reason why one can actually gain body fat on a diet of 1200 calories per day. NOTE: When cutting back calories, never go below 1200 calories for women or below 1600 calories for men.

Digestion:

Digestion and absorption of nutrients uses approximately 10% of daily energy expenditures.

Figuring Your Energy Needs

1.

Figure your basic energy needs (BMR)

. Multiply your healthy weight (in pounds) by 10 for women and by 11 for men.

Weight x ___(either 10 or 11) = _______calories for basic needs.

2.

Figure your energy needs for physical activity

. Check the activity that matches your lifestyle for most days of the week:

____

Sedentary

: mainly sitting, driving a car, lying down, sleeping, standing, reading, typing, or other low-intensity activities

____

Light Activity

: (for no more than 2 hours daily): light exercise such as light housework, grocery shopping, walking leisurely

____

Moderate Activity

: moderate exercise such as brisk walking (and very little sitting), heavy housework, gardening, dancing

____

Very Active

: active physical sports, or in a labor intensive job such as construction work or ditch digging

Multiply your basic needs by the percent that matches your activity level: sedentary: 20%, light activity: 30%, moderate activity: 40%, and very active: 50%.

______ calories for basic needs x _____% for activity level = _______ calories for physical activity

3.

Figure energy for digestion and absorbing nutrients

. Add your calories for basic needs and calories for physical activity, then multiply the total by 10%.

(______calories for basic needs + ______calories for physical activity) x 10% = ________

calories for your total energy needs

Example: A football player is figuring his energy needs. He currently weighs 350 lbs, however determined that 325 is his “healthy weight”. He calculates his estimated daily energy need to reach this weight:

Basic energy needs: 325 lbs x 11 = 3575 calories

Energy for physical activity: 3575 calories x .50 = 1788 calories

Energy for digestion and absorption: (3575 + 1788) x .10 = 316 calories

Total energy needs:

3575 + 1788 + 316 =

5679 calories

4.

Figure appropriate carbohydrate, protein, and fat ratio.

Remember for athletes; 60% of calories should come from carbohydrates, 20-25% from fat and 15-18% from protein.

Example: Using the football player example from #3, we will breakdown the 5679 calories by:

CARBOHYDRATES: 5679 calories x 60% = 3407 calories

¸

4 calories per gm =

852 gm Carbohydrates per day

PROTEIN: 5679 x 15-18% = 852-1022 calories

¸

4 calories per gm =

213 – 256 gm Protein per day

FAT: 5679 x 20-25% = 1136-1419 calories

¸

9 calories per gm =

126 – 158 gm Fat per day

SOURCE: Duyff, Roberta, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS. ADA Complete Food and Nutrition Guide 2<SUP>nd</SUP> Edition.

Last August there was an article in the NY Times called

Fat Factors

that illuminated past and current research investigating the possible correlation between microorganisms and obesity. I was so thrilled, that I immediately e-mailed it to my doctor friends who love to reduce weight loss to simplistic math: calories in - calories out.

Fat Factors

tells the story of a research patient, Janet, who agreed to 3 months of hospitalization (in exchange for free gastric bypass surgery at the end) to allow her weight to be closely monitored and regulated. The researchers calculated the precise amount of calories Janet needed to maintain her weight, and prepared each of her meals. In two weeks, Janet gained 12 pounds.

A next logical train of thought might be that Janet is genetically pre-disposed for obesity, that her fat is in her genes. The first obesity gene was discovered in 1994, and about 50 more, with regulatory effects ranging from fat metabolism to knowing how much to eat, have been identified since. And the genetics theory encounters practical challenges of its own, such as identical twins with similar eating habits and extremely dissimilar weights.

Enter “infectobesity,” a term coined by a physician at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana who studies the relationship between excess weight and a common virus. Other microbiologists at Washington University in St. Louis are studying the trillions of gut microbes to see if any of them may play a role in making bodies fat, and more researchers at Virgina Commonwealth University, having “successfully” created obesity in chickens, rats and marmosets by infecting them with microbes. Now they are retrospectively surveying humans to evaluate correlation between body weight and antibodies that indicate past microbial infection.

Our inner community of gut microflora plays a wide variety of metabolic roles in the human body. And to quote the article’s author, Robin Marantz Henig, about one in particular, “It helps extract calories from the food we eat and helps store those calories in fat cells for later use – which gives [it], in effect, a role in determining whether our diets will make us fat or thin.”

Fat Factors

is a long article with wonderful stories about researchers and research subjects alike. The short of it is that evidence is accumulating to support some sort of relationship between microbes and obesity, at least in some cases, and that, sadly, the clinical application of this knowledge is still many years away.

Most of all, it’s a wonderful reflection on the traps of over-simplified thinking (such as our cultural view of fat = lazy or the standard math of calories in – calories out) and a reminder that we are never alone, that wellness is a team effort – you and your microbes, working symbiotically to create a body of health.

Here are just a few research articles (not written by me) that show they are many factors involved the body is sooo complex and metabolism, cardometabolic sydrome, hormones, body flora etc all play a big roll in weight loss. If it was as simple as cal in vs cal out I would have been thin LONG ago!