Welcome to the "Slow Loser" thread on LBT.

A few orders of business to begin.

First, we need to elect a leader. Someone who will voice our opinion clearly and with wisdom and humor. Our Leader will support us in our efforts and remind us of our NSV's and to not be discouraged.

I nominate - Vinesqueen. I can think of no on here on the board more eloquent and positive in her day to day outlook. (she has no idea about this, by the way - this is my own little invention - but I still think she should be our leader)

Second - we need to define "slow loser". I would propose that a slow loser is someone who is losing (or lost) less than 1 pound per week (average) during the first year of banding.

Third - Our Mission. Our Mission will be to stick together as a group. There is always strength in numbers. As we see newly banded people losing more in a month or six weeks than we have lost in 6 months to a year, we will join together and remind each other of how well we're doing. We'll chant the LBTSL ( that LapBand Talk Slow Loser) mantra of "It's not a race, it's not a race" over and over again.

Will you join me? Will you, a slow loser, a turtle in the weight loss race, make your voice heard amongst all these rabbits? Mostly will you let me know that I am not alone out here in bandland?

Looking forward to hearing from all of you.

I've been banded since July '05 and as of today have lost about 32 pounds. I'm a slow loser, but a loser none the less (it sounds strange to be proud of being a 'loser'). Since I began this journey in May, I've lost 40 pounds, and I'm ok with it.

Don't be discouraged by other people progress, be thrilled with your own.

I have :faint: not lost the complete 12 since sept 06. I am trying to get I am definately an "INEE" not an "outee". Thanks great slow one!

Good question! I am having the same struggle. I'm maintaining but not losing. I can't seem to find a motivating factor to get on a routine. What do you suggest when it comes to eating things. I still seem to eat too much of the wrong things. It amazes me that the food that is the most tempting, example ice cream, popcorn, sweets, seem to be the easiest too digest. How do we get our heads to think of some alternative foods with less calories?

I had my surgery in Sept. 06 & have a total of 5lbs. Have had 3 fills, that are great for about two to three days then I'm back to normal as to the amount of food I can eat, if I allow myself. I'm also extremely crippled up with osteoarthritis in both legs, making getting around & most kinds of exercise very hard. Some days the depression is unbearable. Plan to talk to the Dr. about a leak or there being a problem, but till then I'm really fed up!

:help: Okay, it seems that as I listen to the slow losers comments we need some suggestions as to how to eat better, how to increase our weight loss success, how to prevent discouragement, what amount of cc's seem to be successful for a slow loser(who has noticed a major difference at what cc amount), how would you know what is too much a fill (what kind of sensation occurs?), any advice to keep us believing that the surgery will pay off even if long term down the road (and by the way, what's considered long term.... a year, two years, etc.)

Alright don't give me the standard each of us is different, we know that, but our common attribute is the need to lose weight. We need to hear some of these facts and realities of those who have fought the fight and are still suceeding. Please and thank you!

Vickie

:mad:

Okay... I am a slow loser also but I know a lot of it is my own fault. They say that you will lose most of the weight roughly in the first year to year and a half. My question... if I get my sh%t straight, will I still have the ability to lose the weight or am I just out of luck. What is the chance of being successful after a year and a half. May will be two years for me and I have lost 40-45 lbs. While i am not complaining, I just have about another 60 lbs or more that I would like to lose. Anybody out there that has had this and how successful was the weight lose after 2 years?

Thanks in advance....

Megan, I hadn't realized that if I drank with meals it would allow me to eat more food. I find that many times if I drink right away while eating I will not be able to keep the liquid down and thus a trip to the bathroom. So are you saying never drink when you are eating, period!?

vickie

:mad: :fencing: Cathy,

The weight is not going to melt off, and I doubt you will have any great results until after you begin the fills. This is tough on most of us who have made the wrong choices for so long when it comes to eating. I have been banded since July and have totaled about 30 pounds. Most of this was initially lost my first few weeks after surgery, because I just couldn't keep much down. Now I have been averaging about 1 to 2 pounds a month to a month and a half. I have had four fills and am at 2.2 cc's. I still battle with binges so I am trying to come up with an answer for that issue. I know that those who have gotten on a routine of exercise, even if just a couple of days, seem to record a better lost record. I am seeking to get some motivation in that area, even if it means hiring a personal trainer for a couple of weeks.

I also find I am still a binge eater, however the band does limit the binge compared to the olden days. Never be ashamed at the efforts you are making to battle the bulge. You need to pat yourself on the back for making a courageous attempt at resolving an issue that is affecting you life daily. We are not people who want to give up! We are looking for a way, the band was your choice. If you are like me, you have probably tried many things, and the band was a major turn to lead me down a new path. I too feel discouraged, but I will not be defeated, even if I fail, I will get back up and just keep trying, It might take years, it might take a lifetime, but I am better off if I don't stop and continue to go on, even if I am a Turtle!

Keep the Faith!

Vickie

Vickie,

What you said makes a lot of sense we just can't give up, even if it takes us years. someday we will be at our goal weight. I too have to stop drinking while I eat I was told that was a no! no!. That will only alow you to eat more than you should. So my goal for this week is to not drink anything during my meals and drink lots of Water after. I will see if that makes a difference overall. Like you said I to find it odd that the wrongs foods are the easiest to dijest. doesn't make sense but they are. So making a few adjustments and trying to stick to them will be my goal this week. Hope everyone has a great week and I suggest to try something different everyweek to see what works for you.....

I'm 2 and a half years out (closer to 3 at this point, I guess), and I'm still losing. I don't really think we have any kind of window, our surgery doesn't work that way..

Megan, I hadn't realized that if I drank with meals it would allow me to eat more food. I find that many times if I drink right away while eating I will not be able to keep the liquid down and thus a trip to the bathroom. So are you saying never drink when you are eating, period!?

vickie

Hello everyone, I have a bad habit of 'cheating' with drinking after I eat...I was doing well for a little while but it is a very hard habit to break.:faint:

I went a year without a fill, and this past time 5 months between apts due to a new job.

It's been a struggle, and this week I went to the doctor - I had gained 2 lbs - I was soooooo distressed - I've never gained.

I'm so dissappointed in myself. I cheat, and I'm failing. My physician spends literally 1-2 minutes with me each and every follow up. This past time, a new doctor spent time with me and I can't tell you how amazing it felt. He asked me questions, encouraged me, and spent more time with me than my original physician did if you combined all of my post op appointments for almost the past two years.

So, this physician gave me a fill .2-.3 cc - I made him put the .3cc in - and I am tight tight tight. I can barely eat. Perhaps a couple tablespoons of salad. I'm drinking my protein shakes, and my coffee (it's my indulgence - drip in the morning with coffeemate and a small mocha in the afternoon).

I'm tempted to blederize everything and let it slide down, but that's what I did before. I could eat a whole can of chunky soup if I blenderized it. I also ate things with LOTS of dressing so that it would go down. I'd eat more in the evening because I could. And I started eating candy, not a lot, but it exists in abundance at my office and I'd been so good for over a year - I just broke.

So I'm in the doctors office this week and there is this woman who got banded 6 months ago and has lost 80 lbs. I ask her what she does. She weighs all of her food, she rarely cheats, keeps all banned food out of her house. She just did what they said.

Why can't I be like that. There have been moments when I am, but I haven't been able to keep it up beyond a few months at a time.

wow...ok cool so I think I feel a smidge better but here is a problem. I was banded jul of 2006...by Dec I was down about 40 pounds. Here I am now in Feb and I have GAINED 11 pounds!!!! WTF??? Seriously, i have been filled twice and am way too ashamed to step on the scale or go to the doctor and check for another fill. I have just been eating a bunch of bad stuff bc it is the easiest down the shoot ya know? OH THE IRONY!!!! When you are just a fattie trying to diet, you can eat all the healthy stuff you want. When you are a fatty post lapband, the healthy stuff is too hard to swallow.... Oh help!!!! HELP!!! Any suggestions??

MellyBelle, I am not you so I can only speak for myself. If I were you I would buckle up and go see the surgeon as soon as you can. You don't want to gain all your weight back. You should have optimal restriction. If you don't then you need a fill. It took me 5 fills in my 10cc band (I'm at 3ccs) to feel optimal restriction. I now eat like a bandster. The weight loss is still slow but it is moving in a positive direction. Good luck.

I have had 5 fills since been banded in May 2006, and have only lost around 30lbs. I am now at what I think is my sweet spot and I am finding it really hard to eat the right things. I can eat bread rolls with no problem but cant eat toast, slimfast but not soup. I am finding that I can eat foods that I'm not meant to have easy, and food I am meant to eat hard. What is going on here:confused: