Hi all - I am feeling really depressed & demotivated... I really need some help! I have been banded for just over 7 weeks now... I lost 14lbs in my first week and in the remaining 6 weeks I have only lost 3lbs...

I had 5cc in my 10cc band during surgery, and have since had a 2cc fill so have 7cc now in total. I am restricted but can still eat too much.

I am trying to eat healthy & manage my own portion sizes more than the band does. I am booked for another fill the 9th Sept...

I just want the scales to move!!

Can anyne who is loosing weight give me an idea of what they eat each day...

I would have lost at least 1lb a week before I had it done if i'd have ate what I am eating now! I just can't understand it.

Please help - its really getting me down now!

Dear Sallieanne,

I had my band fitted on the 8th august and lost 14lbs in the first week, was thrilled and then slowly the weight has gone back on despite doing a liquid diet for 2 weeks. I now weigh just 5lbs less than before the banding. I too am quite upset by this and can only think that i need to start excercising more. My partner is more postivie and says it will take time but its all part of a downward trend in my weight so in 6 months time i will definitely have lost weight and not to worry but like you i guess i expected more instant results and certainly never thought i would put on weight one i'd lost it!!!! Keep smiling and reman positive, it will happen.

love

annika

I think you ladies are being a bit hard on yourselves. The band is a tool, not a magic wand. You are not going to lose your weight overnight. It takes time and dedication. Listen to your bodies. Hear when your stomach tells you it´s full and stop eating at that point.

I too am battling at the moment to get the scale moving again, I had a very serious talk with myself today and realised that my band will only work if I put in the effort too. I am a food picker. It´s taking so much strong will power for me to stop myself from opening the fridge door "just to look what´s there" and nibble on it.

Be strong and our bands will work with us.

I have found that I can't "eat until I'm full, then stop" because I don't really know what "full" is. In the past, full has usually meant stuffed and uncomfortable. That's how I got this way to begin with. When I finally started soft foods, after being on modified full liquids for three weeks, my nutritionist gave me a sheet of soft diet sample meal plans. Breakfasts are either a soft scrambled egg; 1/2 cup of oatmeal or cream of wheat;1/2 cup sugar-free, fat-free yogurt; or 1/2 cup cold Cereal with 8 oz skim milk.

Lunches are either 2 oz of chicken, ham, or tuna salad with 6 crackers; 1/2 cup fat-free cream Soup with 2 oz string cheese; 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup peaches; or 1/2 cup egg salad with 1/2 cup peaches.

Suppers include 3 oz of one of the following: baked salmon, stewed chicken, baked turkey, grilled tuna steak, lean ham, or grilled tilapia fish; and 1/2 cup of spinach, green Beans, mashed potatoes, carrots, or pears, or a small baked potato.

I had a kind of an epiphany the other night, after finishing some chicken and mashed potatoes. I wasn't hungry anymore, but I felt like I could still eat some more, and I wanted to. That's when it hit me - I'm no longer hungry, so I SHOULD NOT EAT ANY MORE, regardless of whether I feel like I can or want to. I think that's one of the differences between people who don't have weight problems and people who do - "they" stop eating when they are no longer hungry; "we" stop eating when we've had all we want. And I think that's a big cause of complaints for us new bandsters before we reach our restriction "sweet spot" - we can still eat too much. The tool hasn't really started working like it should yet, but we still want to try to rely completely on it, rather than starting to make the necessary changes in our diets ourselves.

It has helped me tremendously to have the sample meal plans so I know how much I'm supposed to eat. I only put that amount on my plate, and when it is gone, I am through. And I am always no longer hungry when I finish. I have to stomp on the "but I want more" feelings because they are still there, but I know they are not coming from hunger.

I hope this makes sense, and maybe helps someone, because coming to that realization was really an eye-opener for me. I'm hoping it's a sign that I'm making the mind-shift to being a person who eats to live, rather than lives to eat!

Oh, and I lost 25 pounds after my surgery, but after adding soft foods last week I gained .8 lb. Sure, it was disappointing to not see a loss, but I was prepared for the fact that I would probably put some weight back on as I started eating real foods and until my first fill. I'm not happy about it, but I accept it as part of getting started on this journey!

Edited August 31, 200817 yr by MistyD65

You have to remember that your body just went thru a great deal of stress with surgery, a difficult diet and now a fill. It could be fighting to hold on to what it thinks it needs. You lost so much so fast - it goes into starvation mode. Stick with your proper eating and the weight will come off. It is very slow and with the band, it is meant to be slow. Doctors only suggest losing 1-2 lbs a week on average, so if you lost 14 lbs in the first, you are already ahead of the game. Don't rush it - you need to learn to eat properly, exercise and the rest will come. This isn't a race - when you learn to do those things - it will become a way of life - not a diet. Try to make sure you are getting at least 3-4 oz of protein in each meal with some veggies. Don't skip meals either to force the body to stay in starve mode. Eat 3 balanced meals a day and exercise some and you will see the results - not melting results - but you will see results. Also, sometimes the scale doesn't move - but the inches do. Take your measurements as well so when the scale is being stubborn you have another weight to measure. Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself - if you are eating right - don't worry about the scale.

I think we all go through this the first bit of time after being banded until we get a sufficient fill. I was able to keep losing during this stage only after I really started exercising. I also went onto a diet of lean Proteins, tons of veggies, limited fruit, no potatoes or processed carbs and this helped as well.

Just remember, this is only temporary. Once you have good restriction it will get so much easier.

Hi all - I am feeling really depressed & demotivated... I really need some help! I have been banded for just over 7 weeks now... I lost 14lbs in my first week and in the remaining 6 weeks I have only lost 3lbs...

I had 5cc in my 10cc band during surgery, and have since had a 2cc fill so have 7cc now in total. I am restricted but can still eat too much.

I am trying to eat healthy & manage my own portion sizes more than the band does. I am booked for another fill the 9th Sept...

I just want the scales to move!!

Can anyne who is loosing weight give me an idea of what they eat each day...

I would have lost at least 1lb a week before I had it done if i'd have ate what I am eating now! I just can't understand it.

Please help - its really getting me down now!

Hi! I had my surgery on June 4th, 2008. My weight loss has been extremely slow. After my first fill, I could still eat practically anything, just not quite as much as I used to. I just had my second fill. There is a major difference! I had only lost 10 lbs before this fill. Now I have lost 20! I eat tuna salad, soft scrambled eggs w/ one piece of bacon, a lot of tuna salad!!!!! If my stomach is upset, I will eat something more soft, like a potato or Beans. Talk to your surgeon about your concern, and he/she will take care of you! :thumbdown:

Kristi

I have found that I can't "eat until I'm full, then stop" because I don't really know what "full" is. In the past, full has usually meant stuffed and uncomfortable. That's how I got this way to begin with. When I finally started soft foods, after being on modified full liquids for three weeks, my nutritionist gave me a sheet of soft diet sample meal plans. Breakfasts are either a soft scrambled egg; 1/2 cup of oatmeal or cream of wheat;1/2 cup sugar-free, fat-free yogurt; or 1/2 cup cold cereal with 8 oz skim milk.

Lunches are either 2 oz of chicken, ham, or tuna salad with 6 crackers; 1/2 cup fat-free cream soup with 2 oz string cheese; 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup peaches; or 1/2 cup egg salad with 1/2 cup peaches.

Suppers include 3 oz of one of the following: baked salmon, stewed chicken, baked turkey, grilled tuna steak, lean ham, or grilled tilapia fish; and 1/2 cup of spinach, green Beans, mashed potatoes, carrots, or pears, or a small baked potato.

I had a kind of an epiphany the other night, after finishing some chicken and mashed potatoes. I wasn't hungry anymore, but I felt like I could still eat some more, and I wanted to. That's when it hit me - I'm no longer hungry, so I SHOULD NOT EAT ANY MORE, regardless of whether I feel like I can or want to. I think that's one of the differences between people who don't have weight problems and people who do - "they" stop eating when they are no longer hungry; "we" stop eating when we've had all we want. And I think that's a big cause of complaints for us new bandsters before we reach our restriction "sweet spot" - we can still eat too much. The tool hasn't really started working like it should yet, but we still want to try to rely completely on it, rather than starting to make the necessary changes in our diets ourselves.

It has helped me tremendously to have the sample meal plans so I know how much I'm supposed to eat. I only put that amount on my plate, and when it is gone, I am through. And I am always no longer hungry when I finish. I have to stomp on the "but I want more" feelings because they are still there, but I know they are not coming from hunger.

I hope this makes sense, and maybe helps someone, because coming to that realization was really an eye-opener for me. I'm hoping it's a sign that I'm making the mind-shift to being a person who eats to live, rather than lives to eat!:thumbdown:

Oh, and I lost 25 pounds after my surgery, but after adding soft foods last week I gained .8 lb. Sure, it was disappointing to not see a loss, but I was prepared for the fact that I would probably put some weight back on as I started eating real foods and until my first fill. I'm not happy about it, but I accept it as part of getting started on this journey!

Misty-

This is well said! This is a learning experience for us all and with experience, the weight will come off. We need to be patient and be kind to ourselves.

Thanks for all the helpful tips. It does help to hear from people that have been there.

I am right there with you so you are not alone!!!! I only have 2.2 in a 14cc band and have had no restriction (except for a week when I had nasal problems I seemed to have some restriction)

We just need to watch ourselves and I believe at some point that we will have the restriction that we desire..........having the band has given me piece of mind that this time whatever I do loose I will keep it off.........I was on a upward spiral so not only am I not getting bigger I am loosing even if it is a small amount.

It is frustrating to see hudge losses others have, but am grateful that I have this opportunity........this band and that someday it will do it's job because I am doing everything I am supposed to do and can do.......

Keep the faith, we can do it!!

I think it's about what you are eating and definitely moving...I agree with what everyone is saying but I would also examine the foods...a soft potato is nowhere near as good as a nonfat yogurt or a 100 calorie shake. "Normal" foods should still be very, very lean and good in choice and carb/sugar content. I had a great dietitian - did you? She helped me work out a "mush" diet that has very, very low carb and sugar. She said two tbls of hummus with a couple of crackers can be 300 calories - where cottage cheese and tuna is more like 80 and certainly easier to take calorie/fat/sugar wise.

I would talk to the dietitian just in case and make sure you are making the right choices and get moving...I am forcing myself to walk everyday and I do believe that has really helped. I'm so new so I don't have anywhere near all the answers but we did have a great DR office with a lot of pre op meetings and orienatation.

i have a cup of oatmeal for breakfast cottage cheese and yogurt for lunch and meat vegetable and sweet potatoe for dinner if i want a snack i have sf pudding cup or sf popsicle

sallieanne I'm in Cheltenham too!!!

I have decided to have a band fitted after a good couple of years contemplation, still not sure if I will go NHS or private depends what my GP says.

Did you have your op on the NHS?

Katie X

I am restricted but can still eat too much.

I would have to say your are not restricted if you can eat to much, get another fill and start moving at very least walk fast a few miles a day it will help big time!!!

Breakfasts are either a soft scrambled egg; 1/2 cup of oatmeal or cream of wheat;1/2 cup sugar-free, fat-free yogurt; or 1/2 cup cold Cereal with 8 oz skim milk.

Lunches are either 2 oz of chicken, ham, or tuna salad with 6 crackers; 1/2 cup fat-free cream Soup with 2 oz string cheese; 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup peaches; or 1/2 cup egg salad with 1/2 cup peaches.

Suppers include 3 oz of one of the following: baked salmon, stewed chicken, baked turkey, grilled tuna steak, lean ham, or grilled tilapia fish; and 1/2 cup of spinach, green Beans, mashed potatoes, carrots, or pears, or a small baked potato.

Seems to me you are eating a lot of carbs, I would cut back if I were you. Oh and be very aware of what you put in your salads and stews.

Good luck, you can do it!!!

Edited September 24, 200817 yr by Renob

Wow I love what Misty said, I think she is right. I am coming to the same conclusion.. I have 2.6 cc in a 10cc band. I only had restriction for the 1 1/2 weeks after surgery. I guess from being swollen. Now I do not seem to have any. My next fill is at the end of october. Boy i can't wait. For now I am trying real hard to watch everything i eat and i am trying to recognize that satisfied feeling in my tummy before it turns into that stuffed feeling.