A Few Tips From A Slow Loser - Now Past Goal -

[BioTeacher 0]

you sound just like me! I am one year out now and have lost only 35lbs. I am NOT NOT NOT eating bad stuff. All they say is it is MY fault and look at me like I am nuts. And I am exercising out the yazoo!! I weigh almost the same as you too! I am SICK of doing all this work and getting no scale movement! And I am tired of all the excitement of others. Thanks goodness I told almost no one I got the band or else they would be asking my WHY it isn't helping! :bored:

[marivan 0]

Hi Bio teacher, you sound as frustrated as the rest of us Slow losers. I see from your earlier post that you've gained five pounds since last time.

It is hard to stay motivated when you aren't getting any results. I was banded in November 07 and a year on I had lost 55 pounds, and like you I have been stuck since then.

I've just signed up for a personal trainer once a week, even though I was exercising, I think we have to change things around from time to time, and I knew that my every day workout was getting boring to me, so my body was likely bored too!

I'm also trying to fit in at least five fruits or veggies a day. Some days I don't think I am actually eating enough, and I actually sometimes just get so bored I open the fridge and then close it again.

I start my training next week and if you want, I'll let you know how I get on. I am going to Scotland for a wedding in October and when I agreed to go last year I was sure that I would be wearing some great outfit, now I'll be lucky if I can lose another 20 pounds by then. But I'm not giving up yet!

Write down and be honest, about every single thing that you eat, and make sure you are eating enough. I'm sure that if I could trust it, I should eat more. It seems counter productive, but if you believe all they say about your body going into starvation mode, then maybe that's what we are doing. Also, if you start writing down everything, you may be surprised the bite of something here, or nibble of something there. I try to write it down as soon as I can, because I often forget that I had a few nuts or tasted dinner before I sat down. And that's where it adds up.

Meena, if you know that you aren't sticking to healthy eating, then maybe you should get some support from your clinic. I don't mean any offence but did you think that getting the band would require no work from you? Perhaps getting another fill and getting some help from your clinic would be a push you need to get you going. I'm very disappointed that I've only lost 55 pounds and at a year an a half, not at goal, but I do feel that I am doing what I can to achieve it, with the band as my helper when I'm tempted to eat more than I should. You were very honest to yourself and us that you know why you haven't succeeded, and that's a good first step.

If anyone is interested, I'll let you know how I get on with my trainer and if it moves my loss after so long of just sitting here! And I've added Beans to my diet again!

[meena 1]

Thanks Marivan, I'll take that, but I did say that I dont blame this on my band, and I know it takes more on my part, which is why I'm holding myself accountable. Today is a new day and I'm dusting myself off ,and trying it again. Any and all encouraging words will be greatly appreciated.

[marivan 0]

Hi Meena,

I know, and I'm glad you took it in the spirit it was meant. I'm certainly far from perfect and I'm struggling. But it sounds like you are ready to get on that horse again! As long as we keep trying, we will get there in the end!

Mary

[SanDiegoUbermom 1]

Hello All,

I feel your pain. I've been banded since 7/06 and have only lost 20 pounds. I started at 224, a year out got to 184 but now I'm back up to 205.

Haven't had a fill in 2 yrs and haven't been to the doc's since last fill either.

I'm trying to kick start the program again and get back on track too.

marivan; on another post (were I found you first), you talked about a website about the 5 day pouch test. How did that turn out for you?

Did you purchase it or just go w/what the site had on hand?

I would like to hear how the trainer works out for you.

meena; marivan is right, keep track of what you eat. I'm trying to get back into that habit myself and it's hard. I'm not putting down calories yet, just logging the food and time I eat it. Oh ya and keeping track of my liquid intake too.

BioTeacher; I've been working out 3-5 days a week since April and havn't seen the scale move. I do Water arerobics and Zumba. I can feel and see my clothes fit better but that's it. I know that is a good but I would like to see the scale move too.

[marivan 0]

Hi SanDiego,

The 5 Day Pouch Test was a really good idea and I have done that a couple of times when I've felt that I was stuck. Its at Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test. They aren't selling anything, which is rare and nice for a change, they are just trying to help people that have had any kind of bariatric surgery. It's a simple five day plan and they explain each part. I found that it was good for me when I know that I am slipping from the healthy foods that I should be eating and also find that I'm able to eat more than I should be. It is mainly Protein, so you are back to what they said when we first got our bands, and it helps shrink that small stomach we have above the band. It's like a nice kick start. I usually lose weight on it.

I also exercise a lot and notice that I'm getting more tones despite the scale not really moving. But the strange thing is that just recently people are coming up to me and telling me that I am melting away. When I was 24 I lost 100 pounds in a year. And I had a plateau for over two months at the 200 point. But I stuck to it and eventually the weight started to fall off again by 2 or 3 pounds a week.

I was thinking about this recently and it occurred to me that perhaps as I have yoyo dieted since losing that weight (which is longer than the 24 years that I had been alive at that point - I'm now 49) that maybe this is exactly the same, only I am plateauing for longer because of my age, the length of time I've been on this treadmill of diets, and soon my body will adjust and start to allow me to lose the weight.

Because I do suddenly feel that the weight is shifting and I will finally start to lose again.

I'm really excited about going to the personal trainer. You have your show the Biggest Loser, and in Canada we have a few shows called Last five pound Boot Camp, Bulging Bridges and my favourite X-Weighted. And I see what motivation it is having someone tell you what to do to get fit. So I hope to report that I'm starting to lose weight again! Whoo hoo!

[SanDiegoUbermom 1]

Thanks marivan for the update on the 5 day pouch test. It sounds like something we all should do every now and then.

I'm going to go back to the site and look again on how to do it and give it a try.

I wish I could afford a trainer because as I watch our "Bigest Loser" show I can see how much they do help.

I started out back in 2006 w/water areobics because working-out on land was just not for me. It hurt to much and the Water was great and still is.

Just w/in this year I've started going to a Zumba class and I love it. It's a full hour of dancing and I see my body changing. The one thing I like is how my stomach is getting tighter and this happened w/out doing a single floor crunch (which I can't do because of lower back issues).

I'm 46 so I know about the yoyo diets. Been dieting since I was 16. But as I look back at my picutres as a child, I see a healther kid not a fat, over weight kid as I was told (teasted) by others.

If I could, I would tell all expected moms not to have a c-section if at all possible. "It will screw you up in the long run". I loved being pregnant, it was like a licence to eat--for two! You could look fat, eat more, gain weight and it was for a good reason--You're having a baby!

Each pregnancy of mine (3) I gained at least 40 pounds. I lost half afterwords but w/3, it added up in the end and w/a c-section (twice) I now have lower tummy muscle issues (like they don't exist).

I would like to lose 3 pounds a month and get back on the right track of eatting.

I need to show my kids (12,11 & twins at 7) that they don't need all that junk cause so and so has some at school. There are other alternatives that we as a family can have and enjoy.

Edited July 1, 2009 by SanDiegoUbermom

[marivan 0]

I hear where you are coming from. This is a great time for you to show your kids by example too, that you should take care of your body. Plus they will be getting older and won't like if they are teased if they start to put on weight because of the food they eat.

I used to wish that I had been born to parents that were fitness "freaks". I was born to parents (well my Mother really, and Mother's have the most influence) who ate stodgy food, didn't exercise and I got my earlier ideas from her. It wasn't until I moved out of the house that I started to eat better and exercise.

Any you are doing great the way you've started with your exercise. I don't know how they haven't killed anyone on The Biggest Loser, having those people who are close to, or sometimes over 300 pounds running up hills! It is better to push yourself to your own limit. At first that won't be much, and Water aerobics are great for that reason, uses muscles but is easier on our bodies if we are heavy.

I started to get bigger from puberty and if I could go back in time, I would have learned to love myself then, as I ended up thinking I was ugly before I gained all the weight, and comforted myself with lots of junk and big portions.

We'll get there in the end.

I'm only going to have this trainer once a week, and have her give me a routine to do the other days. That will motivate me. It's $45 for the hour and I figured I was worth that much.

As long as we keep our goals in mind and don't give up, we'll get there eventually.

[notateechanow 7]

Hey all. I read this thread start to finish today because I'm really starting to struggle. I realize many of you wouldn't consider me to be a "slow loser" as I lost about 55 pounds in my first year. However, let me say that I lost over 75 pounds about 5 years ago using Weight Watchers with far less work and agony....so to me, this has been a struggle.

I moved in November and dropped a quick 40 in about 2 1/2 months. Not fair. Surprising and shocking at the same time. I realize the quick loss was because of exactly what you said--I ate a lot of Protein and very few carbs. I have been working out regularly all along, for at least an hour or so, 4-5 days a week. I also made a few other appointments that made a huge difference--the first with the nutritionist. With the amount of working out I was doing, she wanted me to get closer to 100-120 grams of protein a day! (Thank goodness for Benefiber!) I hadn't seen her since pre-op and thought that one year out would be a great time to remind me of the basics. I was in a very different position to listen. The second thing I did was made an appointment for a psychologist. I needed to address my head hunger and my compulsive behaviors that I struggle with now, nearly 2 years out. The last suggestion I have is to attend a support group if it's available where you had your surgery. This site has been a tremendous support for me, but nothing is more helpful than sitting in a room full of people who face the same struggles, frustrations, and disappointments that I've had. I've had a difficult summer and am now down about 115 pounds. I was running 15-20 miles a week (yep, never in my WILDEST imagination did I think I'd take up running!) but am now waiting for knee surgery. (Not a result of running but of returning to throwing the discus at my ripe old age.....)

For those of you struggling with losing pounds but noticing the inches, be sure to take measurements! This is the only thing that has helped me make it through the months when the scale didn't reflect my sincere efforts. I still want to lose about 30 pounds. I'm not sure it's going to happen, but I'll re-asses when I get closer. Nothing about this surgery and efforts post surgery has been easy for me. I have had to work for every pound I've lost, but I wouldn't change a thing. I'm re-learning to eat as normal people do and trying to stay active. My long years of sedentary life and bad eating aren't habits that I can lose overnight.

Thank you all for your insight. It's really great to know I'm not alone in this frustration. There are so many who make this seem easy and who talk about their thinner selves. I was never thin and don't have a thinner me to reflect on. My greatest moment was being called "thick" by a man the other night. For the first time ever, I didn't feel like the fat chick at the bar....I was simply voluptuous. It's the small things that make me happy in this battle. Keep up the great work.

[marivan 0]

Hi luv2teech7,

You are right, it is all a journey. I am terrible at a) remembering to measure myself and :biggrin: doing it properly or valuing the data. But I know when I am on a long plateau it is amazing that people comment on how much I have lost since they saw me last when I've maybe lost 5 pounds. That's a testament to how we lose the fat in more subtle ways that numbers on a scale.< /p>

And although I would have loved to have lost my 120 in a year or at least the first hundred, I feel that I am learning eating and exercise habits that will keep me my goal size when I do reach it.

All good suggestions and we will all reach our own finish lines.

Mary

[scout47 1]

LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up")

People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off.

This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters.

Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit.

When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general:

I *added* Protein to every thing I ate.

This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. :biggrin:

How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked.

With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do.

Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories?

If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked.

And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.)

Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can.

How did I do it? Here were some tips.

• At breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a Breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein Powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts.
  
• Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of Soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too!
  
• With my DINNER I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work!
  
  

See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me.

I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO!

Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...)

Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

Thanks NewSho for all the tips. One thing I wanted to ask is when you were talking about soup--what type do you eat?

Thanks.

[Meliwriter 9]

Hey all. I read this thread start to finish today because I'm really starting to struggle. I realize many of you wouldn't consider me to be a "slow loser" as I lost about 55 pounds in my first year. However, let me say that I lost over 75 pounds about 5 years ago using Weight Watchers with far less work and agony....so to me, this has been a struggle.

Thank you for posting. I am seven months post op and have only lost 35 lbs. It has been a serious struggle to get to forty. I go back and forth every week and cannot figure out why my weight loss has stalled. I have had two fills and they were quite large but that hasn't helped me jump start my progress. Like you I have had success with WW in the past, so thus far, I have not lost more than I have with any other weight lose attempt. In fact the most I've ever been able to lose at once was about 35lbs so, breaking that 40lb mark is a big deal to me.

I am glad that I found the forums because I was starting to blame myself, something I think is natural for folks with weight issues to do. I have failed so many other attempts that mentally my insecurities about my ability to be successful are starting to show. I read about other folks who have restriction, who have the weight come off quickly in the first year and I feel stupid for ever believing that that could be me. I feel like there must be something wrong with me, because I'm not seeing the same results. Its a very difficult thing to wrap my head around.

Unfortunately I had my surgery done at a place that doesn't have good support for lapband patients, their focus is gastric bypass. So I never know if I'm getting advice that applies to me and the other post-op folks don't seem to face the same challenges that I do.

That said, I will try to increase my Protein intake. Right now I get 60-70 grams on a good day, but I also work out regularly at least 4 days a week for 50-60 minutes. I have been doing a combo of weights and cardio in an effort to speed up the weight loss but that hasn't helped either. I feel like my body is refusing to give up the goods!

I wish I knew why it was so challenging for some folks. Is that just natural or should i be concerned that something else isn't right. I haven't experienced any of the symptoms my doctor mentioned, but my band is already half full and I don't have restriction. Is that odd?

Melis

[notateechanow 7]

Melis,

Let me tell you a few things that I hope will put your mind at ease: 1) Until you have restriction, you're simply dieting. The band isn't doing its job until it's at a place where it has to kick in. With that said, don't test it! I know I did, and a lot of my friends did, too. I've told a lot of people on here that my band didn't start to work for me until after my 3rd or 4th fill and it is entirely true. 2) I didn't lose weight consistently in this process. Just as we don't gain it uniformly, some of us just don't lose it the same way as others do. I would stay the same weight for months on end, then drop a quick 15. My surgeon was happy because I still managed the 1-2 pounds average by the time my next appointment would come. 3) You're doing great! Keep up the good work. If, like me, you've never stuck to a plan regularly of eating well and exercising, it's just a matter of time.....don't give up now. I know how frustrating it can be, but it will happen. If you lose slowly, you'll lose more permanently. The weeks I drop more weight than others, the scale manages to creep back up a little on me. You're only 7 months post op and you've lost 35 pounds+!! That's more than 1 pound a week. You're doing this right and it will happen for you. As difficult as it sounds, you just need to be patient. If you wanted the quick fix, you would have gone the route of GB. You chose this instead. You'll make this work. You've clearly committed to changing your life and you're doing great! Take measurements--Particularly if you're working out. Your body will change in ways that the scale doesn't measure. My mom saw me yesterday for the first time in about a month and asked if I was continuing to lose weight. (My family thinks I should be "done" by now and worries....) I've actually gained about 6 pounds this summer. Sad, huh?! BUT, because of working out, I've re-shaped my body. Take pics. This will be a better way to be objective, too.

Melis, you're running a marathon here, not a sprint. I know how defeating it is and how frustrating it is not to feel and see immediate results. I also suggest keeping records of your workouts. I did that so I could track my progress. I went from walking on a treadmill at 2.7 to running at 6.0 in about a year. THAT was my biggest accomplishment, not losing 100 pounds. Keep in touch and look on here for support. This website SAVED me when I most needed it. We've all been through (and are going through) the same thing. You can do this and you will! Take pics of the scale as you go, too! I love reflecting on how happy I was when I hit 275!! OMG that was nearly 80 pounds ago now, but I was SO excited!!!! You'll get there, little by little! You CAN do this....:tongue2::thumbup:

As far as increasing my Protein goes, I may have gone a little overboard. I was up and in and out of the bathroom all night long with huge stomach pains. Anyone else have really bad Constipation? I did take a laxative and Fiber but I thought I was going to die last night. Thank goodness I'm on vacation for another week......

MELIS, As an added thought after the fact---1 pound per week ends up to be 52 in a year. You'd be happy with that, wouldn't you?! My biggest weight loss came between months 11-15 for me.....

Edited August 26, 2009 by notateechanow

[marivan 0]

Hi all,

luv2teech7, When I had my operation, the pain from the results of severe Constipation was worse than the pain from the lap band put in! I couldn't sit properly for days. So benefibre is my friend if I up my Protein.< /p>

Melis, what luv2teech7 says is spot on. I was really disappointed and depressed at times when I would get on the scale and see either no improvement or a gain. I just couldn't understand it. However I am happy with what I've accomplished now too, even though I have lost "only" 66 pounds since November 07. I am now at 227 from my all time high of 293, this is the lowest I can remember being for over fourteen years. I'm turning 50 next month and it isn't the horrible depressing thing I thought it would be, or would have been at 300lbs. And I can see the 100's just a bit in the distance!

I'm not measuring my progress in my own achievements, other than the scale. More and more of my clothes are now given away. I too started at a slow walk on the treadmill and now have tripled my speed and even run for small sprints. I started at 3lb weights and I'm now lifting 10.

My goal is to eventually get to 170. But even with the amount you've gotten off, you are far better off than you were. My husband says to me. "you've always had trouble losing weight, and who knows how those other people were eating before they got their band. Maybe this is the first time they've ever really restricted their intake, and that's why you are losing slowly still. It's just your makeup" And he's right. I had to stop going to some forums as it was making me feel bad about myself watching other get to goal so quickly, while bragging that they ate a lot, but still lost 4 lbs a week!

If you feel you can eat too much, go get another small fill. If you have had experience with PBing (productive burping) then you may be at the right level. I had 5 fills before I got where I am. And as you lose weight outside, you also lose weight around your stomach inside, which loosens the band.

Good luck and feel free to moan and bitch. We are all here to help each other.

M

[Meliwriter 9]

Thanks Marivan and Love2teech7! It's so helpful to know that I am not the first person to struggle with losing the pounds even with the surgery. I've always been active and made an effort to understand the types of food I was putting into my body and yet it's difficult for me to drop pounds. My father is the same way and he is a madman in the gym. I think I thought that given how much I work out, that the weight loss would happen quicker with the band, but as long as it comes off...I'm okay with that.

The hardest thing at this point is dealing with other people's expectations. I didn't tell a ton of people about the surgery because I knew it would take a long time for me to get to goal, but it's difficult when family and friends question how much I've lost and make judgments about my progress. Since I've been stuck at 35lbs I feel like I'm still at that point where people are thinking, I told you this wouldn't work, or I knew you couldn't do this! I just can't wait to prove them wrong!

On a side note, I have another appointment for a fill in September. So I'm just going to stick to my rules and watch my Protein.< /p>

I'm glad you all have found peace with where you are on your journey and wish you luck!

Melis