I was banded on 01/24 and the scale has not moved in 3.5 weeks. I've been obssesive and tracking everything on fitday. I go to the doctor with all of my reports and ask how on earth can I be taking in an average of 520 calories a day and the scale not move???!!! His infuriating response is that I am not eating enough calories and my body is in starvation mode. The nutritionist was there and was backing him up.

I'm now so confused. I thought this was the entire reason for the band to reduce your intake of calories as much as possible. I also do not understand how I lost the 21 lbs when I was on fluids if what he is saying is true. So, they told me to stop tracking everything, to stop getting on the scale and get my calories up to 800-1200. I also was not getting enough Protein and they said that was more important than the calories. Any thoughts or advice would be helpful, I'm really confused and disappointed. I've just been trying to have the best results possible.

You are so right, it's not just the not losing, but depriving yourself of everything really starts getting to you. Now I eat like a "normal" person, and lose weight!!

Ladies, what are you eating to get the 1200??? I cant get that much in and eat more the the 3-4 onces right now......

I would never eat below 1000 calories...because only my stomach was banded, NOT my entire body. My body still needs calories to burn, because my body still needs adequate amounts of fuel to burn throughout my entire adult body. It just makes sense. You lower your calorie intake too low, and your body thinks it's starving and holds on to every single fat store you have. Then, after that, it begins to eat away your muscle. Not cool.

Ladies, what are you eating to get the 1200??? I cant get that much in and eat more the the 3-4 onces right now......

Been on solids since the first week of February. I get in 5-7oz of fish, 5-8oz meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, grapefruit, or other antioxident fruits, slimfast in the AM, vegetables, Protein shakes here and there, stuff like that.

For example, I get Smart Ones frozen dinners with only meat and veggies. My favorite is Turkey medallions w/Mushroom Gravy and veggies, 200 cal, 10g fat, 18g protein. I get the greek yogurt, so that is 180 cal, 0g fat, 15g protein. You know full bodied Proteins. I try to keep my fat to 35-40g a day.

I am losing about a pound a week, so I am happy with my progress.

On Biggest loser the other night, Jilian told the group to avoid eating the same thing every day as the body adjusts to a routine and doesn't lose. She said they should eat one high cal meal a week. (I'm sure she didn't mean to pig out) I think I'm going to have ice cream every sunday.

Ladies, what are you eating to get the 1200??? I cant get that much in and eat more the the 3-4 onces right now......

Well I can eat absolutely anything and not have any problems. My daily rountine is usually the following:

Breakfast: Yogurt parfait. vanilla yorgurt mixed with .5 scoop of Protein powder, berries, topped with Kashi Cereal for crunch.

Lunch: Usually tuna salad with low fat mayo and wheatables or leftovers from night before: steak, chicken, vegetables

Dinner: usually chicken, or steak and vegetables

I can eat a pretty good amount, it's mostly willpower that makes me stop.

I saw the same thing on Biggest Loser, basically, having a higher cal day each week keeps your body's metabolism from slipping down to far. I think the ice cream on Sunday is a great idea!

your body is going into starvation mode.

I find that if I want to add a few calories in a healthy way I add a couple slices of avocado or use a couple tablespoons of olive oil on my salad. It is a good fat that is kind to your skin and hair and tastes yummy.