...how the heck a person weighing over 250 lbs can eat on average 800 to 900 calories a day and not lose weight? Not only not lose it but GAIN it??? I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I'm so depressed. I was banded on 9/28/07 so it's been a little over 3 weeks now. At first I lost weight, but most days I was taking in even less than 800 calories a day. At 13 days post op I was weighed at my GP's office and had lost 13 lbs. I was so excited. Then within 2 days I'd lost another pound, putting my total weight loss at 14 lbs. Great. But since then I've actually gained back 3 lbs. How???? I don't snack except maybe a jello pudding snack once every few days. I eat 3 meals a day (still on mushies) and these aren't fattening foods I'm eating. I work 8-5 Monday through Friday so I'm not sitting on a couch all day. I'm moving around throughout the day. I haven't gone back to the gym yet (that will be next month) but still without even working out, someone my size should be losing SOMETHING eating that small amount of food. What is wrong with my body?

I spent my life savings having this surgery and now it looks like it's not even going to work. This was my last hope. I could have kept the money in the bank and starved myself for free.

The worst part? Everybody knows about my surgery so they're all watching me and asking constantly how much I've lost. I just want to scream at them all to shut up and go away. I know they mean well but this is hard enough to go through without everybody watching me.

I've had people say "Just wait, you'll start losing the weight after you have a fill and have some restriction." Well tell me how that works when you're already taking in so little food and calories? If I take in much less I won't be able to function to work. How does restriction help you if you're already not taking in a lot?

Please somebody tell me there's hope because I'm not feeling it right now.:help:

...how the heck a person weighing over 250 lbs can eat on average 800 to 900 calories a day and not lose weight? Not only not lose it but GAIN it??? I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I'm so depressed. I was banded on 9/28/07 so it's been a little over 3 weeks now. At first I lost weight, but most days I was taking in even less than 800 calories a day. At 13 days post op I was weighed at my GP's office and had lost 13 lbs. I was so excited. Then within 2 days I'd lost another pound, putting my total weight loss at 14 lbs. Great. But since then I've actually gained back 3 lbs. How???? I don't snack except maybe a Jello pudding snack once every few days. I eat 3 meals a day (still on mushies) and these aren't fattening foods I'm eating. I work 8-5 Monday through Friday so I'm not sitting on a couch all day. I'm moving around throughout the day. I haven't gone back to the gym yet (that will be next month) but still without even working out, someone my size should be losing SOMETHING eating that small amount of food. What is wrong with my body?

I spent my life savings having this surgery and now it looks like it's not even going to work. This was my last hope. I could have kept the money in the bank and starved myself for free.

The worst part? Everybody knows about my surgery so they're all watching me and asking constantly how much I've lost. I just want to scream at them all to shut up and go away. I know they mean well but this is hard enough to go through without everybody watching me.

I've had people say "Just wait, you'll start losing the weight after you have a fill and have some restriction." Well tell me how that works when you're already taking in so little food and calories? If I take in much less I won't be able to function to work. How does restriction help you if you're already not taking in a lot?

Please somebody tell me there's hope because I'm not feeling it right now.:help:

Flower Fairy

I am sorry to here about your furstrations.... We started at the same weight - so here is what i do - I log alll my food - I keep a food diary I count calories and Protein - I eat about 1000 to 1200 calories a day - and make sure i get my 60 grms protein in. What are you eating - just cuz you are still on mushies - isn't the guaretenee that you aren't getting more calories than you think - i hve read here that some people do gain once they move to mushies and that this is a time of healing.

You may need more calories - increase to a 1000 one day and see what happens.

Good Luck !!!!!

Flower,

Sound like maybe you are retaining fluids?

I weight 8 lbs. more in my GP's office on their scale...

don't be discouraged. Sometimes weight loss can happen in spurts..it does for me..I will go for 5/6 days..nothing..then next day I will be down a couple of lbs.

Just hang in there! You are still very early in your recovery period.

Make sure you are getting your protein. And starving yourself will hinder your weight loss. You body goes into starvation mode and keep everything you put into it. It’s something left over in our makeup for the days when we were hunter/gatherers. The fill will help you stay full longer and not feel as if you are starving thus making it easier to eat smaller amounts and be satisfied.

Thanks guys for the encouragement.

Indiogirl - I've been so depressed I've started keeping totals on my calorie/fat/protein intake just to make sure and I'm positive my calories are as low as they are. This is an average day for me:

Breakfast - 1/2 packet of cream of wheat or instant oatmeal made with 2% milk.

lunch - 1/2 of a small can of chicken mixed with less than a tablespoon of mayo and some pickle relish, pureed together and eaten with 4 to 5 club crackers. (I chew the crackers to mush and they practically melt in my mouth anyway) OR 1/2 to 2/3 cup low fat refried Beans with a bit of cheddar melted on them OR mashed potatoes with cheese. (When I say I have cheese I'm talking about less than 2 Tbsp)

dinner - 1 1/2 to 2 Fisher Boy crab cakes (cooked in the microwave so they're soft and mushy) with a tablespoon of tartar sauce OR a small bowl of Soup OR 1/2 of a baked potato mashed up with some cheddar melted on it.

And that's it for the day unless every 3 days or so I want a Jello pudding or a liquid yogurt drink (one of the really small ones).

I don't know what to do different. Some days I eat less. I drink Water all day and rarely anything else...maybe tea a couple of times a week. I've just started taking a daily Vitamin.

Hi flower faery,

I can't explain why, maybe your body is in starvation mode haning onto every calorie. Maybe your body is taking all your resouces to heal and not allowing weight loss right now. When I was going through this (before the first fill - bandster hell). The nurse kept pushing Protein, she said protein satisfies longer and the body burns protein differently than carbs. Sometimes it kept me satisfied longer and other times it does not.

Another suggestion, don't get on the scale so frequently. I understand that curiosity to see results on the scale is a powerful thing, but resist the temptation. You are still healing and the body needs what it needs. This is also where the protien comes in. Our bodies basic building block is aminio acids...found in protein. When you are healing you need that protein.

Be gentle with yourself. The band is not a quick fix and takes time to work. Everyone has bad days/weeks and even months/years. You are just learning to eat differently and it takes time. Take time for you.

Good luck,

MMT

Ok I'm going to try to up my protein intake and see if that helps. The only meat I can have at this point is tuna, canned chicken and baked fish. I don't like fish so I'm not thrilled about eating it but if it will help I guess I will. I just want to start losing some weight and stop gaining.

One thing you need to understand is that your weight is going to fluctuate. For me, this means that when I say that I weigh a certain weight, it actually means I've seen that weight on the scale a number of times, and I bounce between that and probably about 7 lbs higher. So, 199 really means 199 through 206 is what I see on the scale.

The scale went up a few lbs, but you did not gain that much fat, you know?

I drink Atkins protein drinks, and Isopure with no carbs. Add one drink between meals, that will curb your hunger and increase your protein at the same time.

I gained three pounds on week three also, I just was not getting enough protein.

I know you hate to read this, but exercise is so important, even if it is walking around the block one time, or parking your car at the very last parking spot.

Good luck and God Bless

I'm sorry you're so down right now. But you'll get through this bad patch, and the frustration will go away. You HAVE NOT wasted your money-you invested in yourself.

I'd bet $$ that you're holding on to Water for one reason or another. To gain 3 pounds, you would have had to consume 10,500 more calories than your body needs; that didn't happen!!

Try and weigh yourself only once a week-lord knows, I'm a scale junkie myself and I don't even have a band. But you can make yourself insane with a scale. You know the drill: once a week, same time of day, etc. etc.

As far as people asking you how much you've lost, how rude!!

If you're not comfortable telling them that it's none of their business, then just smile and say "wouldn't you like to know?"

I had the same problem at week 3- I had not lost any weight-the last week I got my fill and BAM!! I have lost 3 lbs since then- have you lost inches?? sometimes the scale doesn't always reflect all losses-be patient.. hard, I know.. it will come off.

Thanks guys for the encouragement.

Indiogirl - I've been so depressed I've started keeping totals on my calorie/fat/protein intake just to make sure and I'm positive my calories are as low as they are. This is an average day for me:

Breakfast - 1/2 packet of cream of wheat or instant oatmeal made with 2% milk.

lunch - 1/2 of a small can of chicken mixed with less than a tablespoon of mayo and some pickle relish, pureed together and eaten with 4 to 5 club crackers. (I chew the crackers to mush and they practically melt in my mouth anyway) OR 1/2 to 2/3 cup low fat refried Beans with a bit of cheddar melted on them OR mashed potatoes with cheese. (When I say I have cheese I'm talking about less than 2 Tbsp)

dinner - 1 1/2 to 2 Fisher Boy crab cakes (cooked in the microwave so they're soft and mushy) with a tablespoon of tartar sauce OR a small bowl of Soup OR 1/2 of a baked potato mashed up with some cheddar melted on it.

And that's it for the day unless every 3 days or so I want a Jello pudding or a liquid yogurt drink (one of the really small ones).

I don't know what to do different. Some days I eat less. I drink Water all day and rarely anything else...maybe tea a couple of times a week. I've just started taking a daily Vitamin.

Ok Fairy - it looks like you may be alittle short on your Proteins. If you switch to skim milk you will reduce calories and fat too and i don't have a problem with it. How about butter or are u just using cheese for your flavor?

I think you may need to increase to 1000 caloires one day - next day 900 - 1100 nextday - 1000 the next - vary you intake and try and get some wlking in...

Are you using lite mayo - I don't use fat free stuff - but i do use the lite one - and your cheese may be adding up the caloires too. Are your pudding & yogurt sugar free??

Low fat - surgar free foods - talk to your doc - on your next visit - you may have a slow mebotablisim...

I eat

Breakfast -sf yogurt - 60 c - 5 pt Or 1/2 c Eggbeaters with cheese 100 c - 12 pt

Snack - 1 oz cheese 100 c - 7 pt

Lunch - small can tuna 70c 15pt & veggies 75c

or fish/veggies

Clear Protein Drink - 70c 15 pt

Dinner - 4 oz fish baked - 250c 28 pt 1/2 c rice 120c 1 pt

veggie w/butter spray - 50c 1 pt

Snack - 2 sf choc puddings 120 6 pt - 1 sf fudgecicle 80 c 3pt

It will come off - slowly but surely - are you retaining water?? do you need a new scale - only get on scale once a week at the same time (i do it naked 1st thing in the morning after my bathroom routine - tmi )

Remember, you are still healing, this is not the lifestyle change. Also, remember your carbs count as well, the potatoes, crackers and cream of wheat are going to be higher carbs. Your green veggies cooked very soft and mashed up to mushie would be better than the startchy foods.

Give yourself some credit! 14 pounds in three weeks is amazing!!!!:clap2:

There was about 1 1/2 months where I wasn't losing anything. It can be very frustrating but just keep doing what you are doing and the weight will come off. My Dr. says it's the starvation response - your body thinks it is starving and is hanging on to everything. Don't lose hope!!

Laura

Banded on 2/15/07

Lost 70+ pounds

Thank you so much everybody for your encouragement and advice. It has really helped. I'm staying away from the scale for a week. My follow up appointment at the doctor's office is next Tuesday and I'll let them weigh me then. I might even get my 1st fill that day. I've added in a lot more Proteins, I'm not eating as many carbs and I've increased the calorie intake a little bit...not much.

The pudding and yogurt are not sugar free. Unfortunately I have really bad reactions to artificial sweeteners so I can't have them. But I haven't even had pudding in a week and when I do eat it it's only a couple of times a week at most. Both the pudding and yogurt are low fat though. The mayo I eat is lite mayo (not fat free). I have had some butter on my potatoes but it's a really small amount..barely there. The cheese is full fat but I have such a tiny amount it doesn't add up to much.

I get a bit of exercise through my job, so I'm not just sitting all day. I'll be joining the gym again in November when I have enough money and I know that will really help a lot.

I guess I just expected to always see a loss at least for the first few months when I got on the scale and seeing not only that I hadn't lost weight but gained some floored me. My body has freaked out I guess. lol. I do have a slow metabolism unfortunately. I know the exercise will speed it up a bit though, so in November I'm hoping to see more pounds coming off.