Ok where to start. I am 462 lbs and when I diet (1800 calories ) and excercise(walk a mile) I lose about 4 pounds a week. So why do I always hear this is a slow process? When I get my band and Im eating 1000 calories and walking a mile why wont I still be losing 4 pounds or more a week? Why only maybe 1 or 2 lbs? Makes no sence to me.

I think that is a general statement, everyone is going to lose at their own pace. I have heard that if you start out larger, you should lose at a faster pace in the beginning.

I'm sure someone will contradict me, but thats my understanding.

I think in general, whether it's a traditional diet or WLS, the more you have to lose, the more you will lose in the beginning. I started out at 228 and lost 10 lbs by the 5th day post-op. I fully expect it to slow down to a healthy 1-2lbs a week pretty soon, but I'm ok with that. It's better than 1-2 gain a week. LOL

I think it all depends on the person, what you eat, and whether or not you exercise. Also I do believe that at some point your weight loss will slow down.

I think it just depends on the person, I've only lost 12 pounds since my surgery on 7/10. I do wish it was more but I'm feeling good and I know that it'll come in time. We just have to have patience (sigh.... not very patient). But hey, I knew it was going to be slow going.

The more weight you have to loose, the faster it will be in the beginning. The are a lot of factors as to why this happens, the main one being that larger people burn more calories to function than smaller people...think of it this way, you expend more energy to move a 50lb weight than a 10lb weight. There is a period, I think it's referred to as "bandster hell" when you exit the liquid stage and start on mushy and real foods, where your weight loss will slow. This is probably the body adjusting to the new influx of calories from its previous deficiency (if you follow the post op diet). I think I'm entering this period right now...I lost 32 lbs in 3 wks and now I am not dropping the couple of pounds a day I was.

The suggested safe weight loss is 1-2lbs a week. I think if you keep a healthy diet and exercise, this can be increased, but I wouldnt expect extraordinary weight loss every week.

Good luck!

The more weight you have to loose, the faster it will be in the beginning. !

or not. I lost very little until this may when I finally hit my sweet spot and since then have lost 48 pounds. My AVERAGE is around 1 1/2 pounds a week, but I haven't lost that steadily. Some times I haven't lost, (or gained a little) sometimes I've lost 5 pounds (or more) a week.

We're all different...the big thing with the band, IMHO, is that you have better odds of KEEPING it off. What happened when you lost that 4 pounds a week? Gained it back I bet (been there done that) The band helps you hold your loss even if you do go nutso. It can be eaten around but it helps if you try to work it.

So to me it isn't that it helps people LOSE so much as that it helps people KEEP LOSING. If that makes sense!

And yes some lose fast and keep it off...lucky dogs! (hard working lucky dogs...because it's work, even with the band)

Definitely hard work no matter how you look at it. And RM is right, we have all done the diet yo-yo and most more than likely have failed or they wouldn't be banded. I am one of those. Also, I had not been able to lose weight for a long time and now I have already lost 25lbs since being banded. I am working hard to see that it continues. For me, it is also a state of mind. I went to all the trouble and expense of the band and I really, really want to make it work.

At your weight I think you should seriously reconsider. Reconsider the band. I personally, would hate to have that much to lose and using the band. But you know the options I assume and the downsides and positives of each, I assume?

yes I have looked at all the options. and why not the band? I dont think Ill ever be thin I just want to be healthier. Id be happy at 300 pounds. I dont care if it falls off fast I just didnt understand why its so slow but it makes sence being bigger and losing faster at first. And yes I last about 3 months on a diet and then give up and put on the weight and then some.

I think that weight loss is just more complicated than calories in vs calories out. Although most experts will tell you that it is not. All I know is that with my own personal experience that it has been.

So to me it isn't that it helps people LOSE so much as that it helps people KEEP LOSING. If that makes sense!

Well said!! It's the thought of keeping it off that makes me so happy with my decision.

I think that weight loss is just more complicated than calories in vs calories out. Although most experts will tell you that it is not. All I know is that with my own personal experience that it has been.

YES! YES! YES! Studies are showing that there are hormonal influences etc that impact loss. There are some supplements (like chromium piccolinate, or the substance in uncut green tea who's name i forget, ecgc or something like that) that helps you lose more quickly...and things that tend to retard the process. Metabolic syndrom/insulin resistance can keep your body from losing, for example.

And people on those EXTREME low calorie diets who are doing it to live longer....adapt their BMR to low low LOW calories.

They'll probably get it all figured out in another 100 years or so. It's tied to many factors.

As I've often said, if it were easy we'd all be thin. I might add if it were really as logical as they think MORE of us would be thin. It's not; they don't really understand it yet.