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 am thinking I am a part of this GROUP also. I started ON MY SCALES @ 251 then by surgery 242, which some how the DR SCALES were 239?? I am 5"6. I am now about 223. I was banded in Nov of 06. So according to my band DR I have only lost about 16#'s in 5 months. However I am very happy. I have lost from a 18/20 all the way down to SOME 14's :heh: ! I exercise 5-6 times a week, walk 3 days, eliptical 3 days for 30-40 minutes, weight training a 1/2 hour 3 days a week. I get comments often about my weight loss. BUT the funny thing is I have not lost that much weight... I am getting another fill tomorrow and was actually thinking UMM.. I am losing, I am getting smaller do I really want one? But to try and speed up the process because the lake is calling my name this summer I thought I would. I do snack too much on fairly healthy items but calories are calories! I am hoping this fill makes things go a bit faster! I have only had two fills so far, I am torn about my comfort level of enjoying life which I am able to do right now and trying to get this weight come off a bit faster. :paranoid

Count me in too. I started out at 230 in Feb. 2006 was banded May30 2006 and weighed 218. I am almost at my one year anniversary and I have only lost 16 pounds. I tried the high protein shakes but was told to stay away from that type of diet due to my health issues. I am more mobile than I used to be but I still don't have a regualr exercise routine. I was last filled in November 2006. That fill made it impossible for me to eat more than half a saucer of food (yes it was tough at first, but I made it through the holidays). I plan to have a fill soon but what can I do to jump start the weight loss process? I am at 202 which is a major plateau from me. The next one is 187 if my memory is correct. I am constantly being complimented on the amount of weight being loss and I am able to wear clothes that I havent' worn in 15 years (I have six sizes in my closet).

Is there anybody out there who has reached their goal who was off to a slow start?

GJRay

Banded May 2006

230/218/202 and holding/145 GOAL

I am most definetely a part of this group. My surgery was July 2006 and I lost 18 lbs right after surgery and stayed there for about 3 months. I rec'f 1st fill in Oct 2006, and lost about 4 lbs. I got a 2nd fill in Feb. 2007 and have lost 8 lbs, which is about a lb a week. I am planning on having a 3rd fill in May. I started exercising this past week, 3 days of low impact aerobics for 30 minutes, and 2 days of walking for 45 minutes. I think my biggest problem is wrong food choices. I would appreciate any suggestions or comments to help me out.

It would be nice if some of the others who aren't slow losers would come in here and give us advice. How can we get them to do that?

I would recommend starting a new thread on that topic. I think this thread should probably be kind of 'just us' if that makes any sense.

I am very frustrated too:mad: . I was banded 10/30/06 and have only lost about 39lbs. I have tried everything. The problem I have is the healthy food is impossible to tolerate(Meats,ect). If I am supposed to eat Protein I am not sure how to get it down. chips and ice cream go down fine, but I try to stay away. I get sick of Soups. I am confused. TOO Tight? Not tight enough? Who knows! I know I need to exercise more.

Turner24

Turner, 39 lbs in 7 months is not slow. Anything from 1 to 2 lbs per week is average... I completely understand your frustration, because when we all get banded, we want the weight gone yesterday, but you didn't put the weight on in a year, and it's gonna take longer than that to get it all off.

Have you tried stewed meats? Maybe that will be easier to get down. I have only lost 20lbs and I was banded the day after you. I drink while I am eating though so I am working on that.

Sarah, I would like to try what you said about starting a new thread. I am still not sure where things go on this board. Is it the main lap band forrum?

And would I just say that some of us are doing what we're told and not losing anyway, and ask for advice?

I haven't lost anything after I lost a couple lbs when I got filled. It's like my body just gets used to the size of portions it gets and stops losing. I am not starving myself. Some people say if you don't eat enough, you won't lose either. I eat between 1,000 and 1,200 calories a day. I eat mostly Protein, but I do have Kashi Cruch Cereal a couple times a week. It's high in Fiber and I worry about colon cancer from eating only protein. It's what they call "good carbs" anyway.

I just got I believe my 3rd fill. Banded Nov 2006. I am so tight! YIKES. Can't eat hardly anything with substance. I guess I am still learning the way of the band. I have been hesitatant to be too agressive. This fill has made that not possible so far. I have only averaged about 1# a week since my first fill.:guess I guess things will probably pick up if this doesn't loosen up a bit.

Denise, I would put it on the main Lap Band Support forum. When you post, the more successful losers are going to ask what you're eating, when you're exersizing, etc, so be ready with that info :eek:.

There are other similar posts, but it wont hurt to start a new one with all the newer people around.

Well you sound like my kinda ... OK, I was banded 4/10/07, have lost 5#...BUT...isn't there always one? The 3 others banded that day have lost 12, 14 & 16#. I have done the deal correctly, to the tune of about 30 calories a day as close as I can figure, and started walking day 3 now at one and a half miles a day. whine.

Turner24,

I may not belong here. I've lost 65 pounds since my badning on Oct.3, 2006. But... I lost all of that by the first of March. I got my last fill in March and it's really tight. I can hardly tolerate anything. Yesterday, I had a total of 400 calories. But I'm not losing. haven't lost a pound since that fill. Thi is really strange since I'm not keeping anything down! I'm extremely proud of my loss up until that time. But what could be goin on?!?!

I'm sorry, My last fill was Feb. 22nd. My doc. refuses to put anymore in until I can tolerate some solid protein. I completely understand. I don't want to be any tighter than I am, believe me but am wondering what could be the problem here.

I like to post here occassionally because I am truly and probably the slowest loser on this board. I have been on the brink of despair, considered band removal, been dieting on diet pills, and done everything to try to lose weight.

Since my last fill (which was suppossed to be my very first fill level) i have achieved some weight loss. I think this is pretty good restriction for me because it is the first time I truly feel 'full' (you know the full I am talking about - just satisfied) with a small amount of food. And earlier trying to lose weight on a variety of caloric counts from 800-1500 never worked. Now I find if I eat under 600 calories a day I can lose a few pounds. I don't have much energy but if the scale is finally moving I am ok. I usually eat a V8 juice for breakfast and a protein shake or yogurt mixed with a little cottage cheese or soup for lunch and i have about 1/2 cup of food for dinner. I'm finding it is harder to stop because i still feel a bit hungry - heck i don't think 600 calories is much but if i even eat on bite too many i barf it up. whereas before on previous fills i always had to make mysefl stop way before feeling that fullness -

I wanted to give up so bad many times but i've now spent almost 20,000 on this band and what else can I do/try - i want it to work.

My doc had told me i would be able to eat everything in smaller amounts and the weight would come off quickly but that has never worked for me. I never wanted to eat 600 calories a day but if the band helps me to do that and it WORKS i will live with it.

Though I've had my thyroid tested (in normal range) when I have insurance again (later this year) i will explore if there are other reasons i can't lose.

My goal is to lose 65lbs and I'm at around a 14-16lbs loss after almost TWO YEARS.

I don't think there is anyone else here with that track record. And YES I did follow the rules - until this last fill I exercised pretty strenuously at least 4 days a week.