Not successful in weight loss

[Soonsunny 0]

I had band surgery April 2007. My band is currently filled to 7.75 cc's. Despite not being able to manage much more food than a cup, I am not losing any weight. To date the only weight I have lost occurred prior to surgery. I am beyond discouraged. Has my metabolism slowed to a dead stop?

Soonsunny

[Pamperedmoon 0]

I had band surgery April 2007. My band is currently filled to 7.75 cc's. Despite not being able to manage much more food than a cup, I am not losing any weight. To date the only weight I have lost occurred prior to surgery. I am beyond discouraged. Has my metabolism slowed to a dead stop?

Soonsunny

Hi Soonsunny I have only been banded a month so I haven't run into this yet. However, based on everything that I have read on all the different message boards, a lot of lapband veterans believe in mixing it up. For example they eat 1200 calories one day and then 900 the next, or a couple of days at one level and then change. Of course also ensure that you are eating Protein first and then vegetables and very little carbs.

Lots of lapband veterans and great info also at LAP BAND - Your LAP BAND Resource

Best of Luck!

Marilyn

[Doddie63 6]

soonsunny: How about a bit more information about your exercise, your eating, etc. You can get a lot of unhealthy calories past the pouch even if it is too tight. Sometimes if you are too tight, you are inclined not to eat the "hard protein" such as fish, chicken meat and instead eat mushie type foods high in fat or carbs.

If it assists you, I swore I would not diet and I don't, but I do track everything I eat on www.fitday.com. This tracking reminds me of the type of food I am eating and giving me an average intake of calories compared to the amount of calories I burn. For instance, watching TV last night I ate potatoe chips. I tracked and found that although I ate 2300 calories that day I still was averaging 1,300 per day over a 7 day period. What tracking does for me is keeping me honest and taking away the guilt trip of worrying about "breaking the sacred rules". Now with planning I can have my occasional treat without my world falling about with guilt.

Maybe you should try this until you get back on track.

[marivan 0]

Hi Soonsunny,

I'm going to assume that you are eating healthy food as you would know why you aren't losing weight if you were eating things like potato chips. (and Doddie, you are very lucky to be losing steadily but still having treats like that)

I'm in the same boat. I have managed to gain 4 pounds this week, despite eating very healthy foods, hard Protein and exercising 5 times a week. I'm very frustrated as well. I'm actually considering going back on to the pre op diet for a week or two just to see if that helps.

I have a Protein Drink for Breakfast,

salad with ham and a little shredded cheese for lunch (no more than 3 oz total for both ham and cheese) and dressing.

dinner is usually a piece of chicken or fish and more salad. I eat an apple later on with Peanut Butter on it (for more protein.) I may have 10 - 15 almonds or a baby bell cheese as a snack during the day. And I'm drinking my Water. I exercise 5x a week, weights and aerobics.

I can't understand either why the weight isn't coming off and in fact is now going the wrong direction. If I was eating things like potato chips or icecream etc., I could understand, but I"m not. If you figure out a way to break this, I'd love to know too! I'm really unhappy as I thought I would have lost 60 + pounds by now (since the op in Nov 07).

It always annoys me that doctors have said like a mantra my whole dieting life "if you take in less than you expend in calories you will lose weight" Well I have a big raspberry to say to that :thumbs_down: as it isn't that simple. I would be lucky to eat excess calories enough to gain a pound in a week, let alone 4!

Anyone got any ideas?

M

[canadagirl33 0]

I hate to be one of those that annoy you...but.....

Losing weight is a matter of calories in vs. calories out. Sure, we can still plateau when we are eating correctly (lower intake than output) but if we keep up the correct ratio the losses will return and continue.

Keep in mind also that exercising 5x a week means that your body will be building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. If it were me I would be sure to do body measurements because I would bet that you will be losing inches even if you don't see the scale moving.

Based on the foods you listed I did a quick calorie check...

Adding 3oz of ham and cheese to your salad is upping the calories by about 200, and that's before you add any dressing.

I'm not sure how many almonds there are in an ounce but 1 oz of whole natural almonds is a whopping 160 cals !!! Peanut Butter averages 100 cals/tbsp so with an apple I would guess that is a 200 calorie snack. Most diet books etc classify Peanut Butter as 'glorified fat' and don't consider the Protein content worth the fat intake to make it worthwhile.

Don't take me wrong...if you're accounting for this it is fine to eat altho those are pretty high calorie Snacks to have on a regular basis.

If you don't keep track of calories, you may want to track for a day or 2 just to see if there is anywhere you can cut a few. I know tracking makes me more accountable and it sometimes surprises me when I see it in black and white.

Patricia

[susansilver 0]

I'm very frustrated as well. I'm actually considering going back on to the pre op diet for a week or two just to see if that helps.

Hey Marivan,

That may just work, but not because it is so restrictive, but because you would change up your habits. One of the best things you can do to break a plateau is make some changes. Try some different foods, eat at different times if you can and - please don't jump all over me for this guys - cut down your exercise from 5 - 3x/week for just a couple of weeks. I bet you will see a nice drop! Once you are losing again, go back to your regular routine if you like.

Good luck and let us know,

Susan

[marivan 0]

I hate to be one of those that annoy you...but.....

Losing weight is a matter of calories in vs. calories out. Sure, we can still plateau when we are eating correctly (lower intake than output) but if we keep up the correct ratio the losses will return and continue.

Keep in mind also that exercising 5x a week means that your body will be building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. If it were me I would be sure to do body measurements because I would bet that you will be losing inches even if you don't see the scale moving.

Based on the foods you listed I did a quick calorie check...

Adding 3oz of ham and cheese to your salad is upping the calories by about 200, and that's before you add any dressing.

I'm not sure how many almonds there are in an ounce but 1 oz of whole natural almonds is a whopping 160 cals !!! Peanut Butter averages 100 cals/tbsp so with an apple I would guess that is a 200 calorie snack. Most diet books etc classify Peanut Butter as 'glorified fat' and don't consider the Protein content worth the fat intake to make it worthwhile.

Don't take me wrong...if you're accounting for this it is fine to eat altho those are pretty high calorie Snacks to have on a regular basis.

If you don't keep track of calories, you may want to track for a day or 2 just to see if there is anywhere you can cut a few. I know tracking makes me more accountable and it sometimes surprises me when I see it in black and white.

Patricia

Hi Patricia,

I put all of that day's food in Sparks and it totals 998 calories. The ham was lean and only added up to 118. Now my Protein for the day was 119, maybe I shouldn't have so much? But if I exercise hard every day and eat around 1000 calories, my math isn't great, but surely my body should be burning some of that. So I should be in a deficit. Doddy has done really well and lost 70 pounds and she is admitting that she is eating potato chips, I'm not eating any junk food and 10 almonds aren't going to kill me. (10 dry roasted added up to 56 calories).

What do you eat in a normal day? It would be helpful to know what people are eating, as I feel I'm eating real food, in small quantities and I'm really frustrated that the scale is going up at the moment. After nine months that muscle has to be going somewhere! :thumbs_down:

Thanks for your input, I do appreciate it, and I'll give up the ham, the peanut butter, but I am not eating excessively and thought approximately 1000 calories would result in a loss, and I have no idea why I've managed to gain 4 pounds this week. How is that possible. And I'm not lying about what I'm eating, what's the point.

M

[Vinnieboomba 0]

Marivan;

I hate to be to simplistic but where is doctor through all of this. That's his or his staffs job to increase your odds of doing well.

They should have a help line.

Vanman

[marivan 0]

I went to my clinic a month or two ago and showed her my food diary and the nutritionist said I was doing everything right. She couldn't see any reason that I wasn't losing. I'm thinking of getting another fill, but not because I am eating too much or binging, but they always say if you aren't losing get a fill. It's not a magic bullet though.

I'm going to go on my pre-op diet again for a week or so and see if that doesn't shake things up a bit. If not, I may go to my GP and ask her to send me for tests (other than thyroid, as I've been tested to death for that) and see what they can find out. Maybe it's just my age (48) and it's harder to lose the older you get?

Thanks for the comments.

M

[lisa in toronto 0]

I went to my clinic a month or two ago and showed her my food diary and the nutritionist said I was doing everything right. She couldn't see any reason that I wasn't losing. I'm thinking of getting another fill, but not because I am eating too much or binging, but they always say if you aren't losing get a fill. It's not a magic bullet though.

I'm going to go on my pre-op diet again for a week or so and see if that doesn't shake things up a bit. If not, I may go to my GP and ask her to send me for tests (other than thyroid, as I've been tested to death for that) and see what they can find out. Maybe it's just my age (48) and it's harder to lose the older you get?

Thanks for the comments.

Maryvan:

If not already done, you should have hormones checked to make sure you don't have hypothyroidism, diabetes, or PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). These would all be causes of weight gain or difficulty losing, and all can be treated. Good luck to you. I can see why you are frustrated. The nutritionist at my clinic suggested one or two weeks on the pre-op diet for a very lengthy plateau I was on.

[lisa in toronto 0]

Also, if you still get 'em, accept that you will gain pounds before periods.

[Amayqt 0]

I feel your pain and fustration. I've been banded now for 5 months now, had two fills and can hardly go a day without throwing up. I know my band isn't overfilled because I'm only at 2.5 cc's. I have lost a total of 6 pounds. I lost about 10 right after the surgery and then gained back 12. Recently I started back on Metformen for insulin resistance and was able to loose the 6 pounds so that weight isn't really attributed to the band. I'm really fustrated as it appears that no matter how much I exercise, eat/don't eat, diet etc. nothing seems to work.

[Doddie63 6]

Hi: I had a thyroid/diabetic specialist well respected in his field and was written up in the papers and also lectured around the country and overseas. He has since retired.

He diagnosed my Graves disease (hyperthyroid). After treatment, I became Hypo and was put on synthroid and remember his words. The blood tests show a range that doctors consider normal, but because of my weight he wanted me at the top of the range. He felt overweight people have a slower BMR than most. I don't lose weight quickly but I do lose weight steadily. Perhaps you should ask your doctor to consider putting you on synthroid. The drug takes up to six weeks to take affect. No harm in asking?

Edited July 11, 2008 by Doddie63
can't seem to type today

[Amayqt 0]

Thanks. I've had my thyroid checked a million times and each time they come back saying its normal. For some reason I just don't feel like it is. I'm constantly tired and seem to have a lot of symptoms for hypothyroidism. I will speak to my dr. about the meds and the BMR scale for overweight patients. Thanks for the advice.

[marivan 0]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I do still get my period, I'm not getting any pre menupausal symptoms that I know of. I've also started tracking my periods and weight loss to see if there was some sort of pattern, but not really so far. And I could accept it if it came off again afterwards. I'm at the 40 week mark and that means I am losing on average of 1 pound a month. Pretty sad.

I think I may go to my Doctor. She's pretty supportive and was great when I told her about the band. I've been the same weight (up and down 2 pounds or so) since the beginning of May. I'm really working my butt off and it just seems so unfair.

Amayqt, keep in touch and let us know what you find out. It may take me a couple of months to get an appointment with my Doctor, but I'll let you know if a) she'll refer me for testing and :cool: what they find out.

Thanks everyone.

M

BTW Lisa, is your nutritionist Jill? at TLBC? Perhaps that is the stock advice? Did it work?