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 had my thyroid checked. My doctor says it is within normal levels, but I've read of people who were low-normal who benefited greatly from synthroid, but it all depends on the doctor as to whether they'll give you anything for being 'low normal'.

The new snicker protein bar and the south beach diet bar.

There is an Atkins bar that's 150 calories and tastes pretty much like a snickers. It's low fat and low carb. I sometimes take one to work when I know I won't be able to have time for lunch.

Not that I am one to give any advice. I haven't lost an ounce in 2 months.

Thanks I will try it, too. The doc did not mention it. I was told by the dietician not to eat these, no straws and alot of other stuff that this doctor told me otherwise!

Bye the way, you are doing great. I am hoping to with this fill.

Okay, I'll copy it right off the box. It's Atkins Chocolate Peanut Nougat bar.

9 grams of fiber

19 vitamins and minerals

3 net carbs

11 grams of protein

150 calories.

I figure if I am going to eat chocolate, at least I am getting a little protein too. They do pretty well at holding off hunger when you're in a hurry and don't have time to fix something.

another 3 pounds lost in 2 weeks. I personally think this is dead slow. the doctor says that i need a fill, so i'm getting one in 2 weeks but i find that even with fills, nothing changes. I've had 2 fills so far of 1 cc. i don't know how the measurements work. i honestly thought it would be faster than this. My doctor also told me that exercising doesn't make you lose weight. is that true??

No, that's not true. You have to burn calories to lose weight. That's the first dr. I have ever heard say that. At my support group, when the people say they aren't losing, the first thing the dr. says is "how much exercise are you getting"

I was wondering if the people on this thread wouldn't mind posting their age.

I keep getting told that the reason I am not losing is because I am over the age of 50. Our metabolism slows way down as we get older.

I bought a box of each. It will be better than being hungary and looking for something not good for me.Thanks so much. All of you are keeping me hopeful that I will succeed.

P.SSSSSSS. I am over 50, too.

I've never heard that exersizing doesn't help you lose weight. Hell, my primary doc says walking is worthless (that was a shot in the gut, when I was walking 3 miles a day after doing nothing for years).

I'm 25 (today).

After 10 months I am finally hitting the 50 lbs mark. I have 1 more lb to go!

Hello all slow losers,

In this group I really have you beat, although I know there are a lot of turtles who have me beat. Anyway, I am just passing my bandiversary with a loss of 15 lbs.

I have a different idea about that than most of you though. I never wanted to lose weight fast; I wanted to lose weight without dieting. I don't believe dieting works, and there is a lot of evidence that supports that. So I have never followed any band protocols at all. No liquid phase (well a day or two), no pre-band diet (I went abroad for the band), etc.

Now some ppl I am sure would look at my weight loss and they would correctly point out that my method is not a 'recipe for success', but to me that depends on what success IS to ME.

I have lost 15 lbs effortlessly, and I would have gained. I no longer feel sick all the time. In the last year, I have re-learned how to eat, at my own pace. Now I chew chew chew and eat slow slow slow. I have started enjoying eating fruit for the first time in years. But this has gone gradually. I get a fill, I take a long time getting used to it, then I get another one. It is like easing into the ocean for a swim for me. I'll move on when I'm good and gol'darned ready!

Anyway, I just had fill #5. So in response to some of the comments- fills 1 & 2 had minimal effect, and I didn't wait too long before going on to 3. 3 was where I started having PBs and really had to notice how I was eating. Fill 4 was very small, as I was traveling for work and didn't want to be elsewhere if it was too much. Fill 5 just occurred, and WOW- had to pause after a sip of water to let it go down before the next one. Now I feel like my restriction is PERFECT. I just don't feel hungry very much. I am eating less than I plan to. I am definitely losing; I want to keep it to no more than 1 lbs per week though. Faster than that never feels good. I start getting irritable and light headed and I can't concentrate. So I am trying to keep a fullish meal size so I don't have to add a snack. I really never feel happy eating more than 3 times a day on a regular basis.

I don't know if this will help anyone at all- but my feeling is a) relax a little; fills are incredibly important and you won't know if you are 'there' until you get 'there', and it typically take 4-8 fills for most ppl; c) there is a lot of 'conventional wisdom' in the bandster rules, and they should be taken with a grain of salt. Not all of them are true (eg aspirin is not a problem, unless of course you are having acid or other stomach issues). Many of them work for some ppl a lot better then others d) even if you are not where you think you should be yet, doesn't mean you won't get to where you want to go. As long as you don't give up, you still are 'on the way'. e) Most studies of the band show it is in years 2-3 when a lot of the weight loss occurs, after ppl get adjusted and after behavior changes happen. f) 'Life is what happens while you are making other plans'- enjoy the journey, not the destination. g) Some slow losers have very definite medical problems. If you can't lose after good restriction and you know you aren't eating too many calories, see a doctor and demand help. See Vinesqueen's posts on this; she really covers that whole issue very well. h) Walking is useless- what utter BS!! They have just shown that exercise isn't necessary for weight loss; calorie reduction will take care of that by itself. But exercise is good for your health; the more the better. And, a little all day long is better than 20 minutes on a treadmill for longterm health. In any case, 3 miles a day is something to be EXTREMELY proud of - no matter what weight you lose you will live longer and be in much better shape while you are alive!

:help: Hey live2canoe,

Can i join your group,I had lapban on June 13 2006. weight before surgery 280.after on June 23 258/12, Now 257. I went to have afill today my first since Oct.So i am not only a slow loser, but also a backslider.

So what do you say room for one more squishy person.