Not losing weight.....

I had the band three weeks ago and I am not losing at all!  I am getting all of my protein in, eating 800 calories a day, and walking 45 minutes a day.  I thought after the first couple of weeks I would begin dropping.  I know in the beginning that your body holds on to all the food you put into your body, but am I failing at this too?  Did anyone else have this problem?

I wish I could smack every doc that doesn't fully explain how the band works. Please don't stress so early out becuse until you get a few fills you probably won't lose much weight. Right now just concentrate on healing and practice your new eating skills, eat slow, chew well and make sure one bite is down before taking another. If you are still on liquids then just be patient. It could take a few months before any weight loss happens, in the mean time just hang in there, your time will come!

Are you back on solid foods yet?  I lost poorly until I was back to regular food. 

Are you getting your 64oz of water (or crystal light or other VERY low calorie fluids)?

It's possible you might be eating too few calories...  try bumping it up 100 or 200 calories a day and see if that helps.  I know it doesn't make logical sense, but if you don't supply your body with the basic minimum it needs, it's harder to lose.

The walking 45 minutes a day is good, but is it more movement than you did pre-op?  Our bodies become accustomed to certain amounts of exercise too.  Change is good when it comes to exercise.

I'm not meaning to be critical at all, and if I come across that way, I apologize.  I'm just trying to give you some ideas.  :)

Do not worry.. you are healing now and you may even gain a little... Trust me I am 5 months out and am only at 21 lbs down. I get so frustrated until I go in for my fills and they explain that everyone is different and it might takes several fills and MONTHS  to get to a sweet spot. 
Give it a good 6 months to a year to settle in and get adjusted.

When I was three weeks post op I gained 6-8 pounds during that time because I was eating alot of carbs and high sodium foods .

It dont matter right now because you are healing that is all that matters like the other folks said.

I started to lose when I got back on solids.

And walking is great but I cant walk and do nothing else I wont lose no weight at all I have to do something very active for me to lose weight so when the doc says its okay to exercise maybe like Lisa said you need to bump up your exercise :o)

And 800 calories a day when you get back to reg foods you might need to bump that up also.  Me personally I cant lose on anything less then 1000 per day so I eat between 1200 to 1500 per day .

When I did the low calorie thing back in Feb I stalled for 5 weeks due to that .

these are just suggestions that worked for me and might not work for you though .  Good Luck :o)

Hi Cristie!  I was thinking about you since we share the same anniversary and was wondering how you were doing.  I went to the doctor yesterday for my first post-op visit.  I'm down 18 pounds since the surgery but I've been holding at that the past few days.  I noticed that since being able to eat a little more than I did initially, it seems that I've been fluctuating between a 2-3 pound difference.....one day I'm below 250, the next day I'm 251 or 252....but I'm not losing past that.  It's very frustrating.  There are some mornings when I wake up and I have no hunger at all and have to force down a protein shake.  Then there are other mornings where I wake up hungry, have a protein shake, and later have a small bowl of low sugar oatmeal.

Unlike you, I haven't gone back to exercising yet.  I had a hiatal hernia also fixed during the surgery so I'm healing from that as well, which made my recovery a little longer.  Actually, the doctor was surprised yesterday how swollen the area still is where the port is stationed.  It causes me most discomfort when I wake up in the morning and get out of bed.....once I stand up I feel a sharp pain in that area, and that has occured every morning since the surgery.

The way you are exercising now.....was that your regular norm before surgery?  A misconception about overweight people is that we never exercise and we sit around all day eating junk food.  I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and my diet has always consisted of fruits, vegetables, grains, etc.  If I had a slice of pizza or Chinese food once every month or two that was unusual.  I also belong to a gym and even had a personal trainer.  My routine was a good 45-60 mins on the elyptical, working up a good sweat.  But I could never lose the weight!!!  So I'm wondering, like someone else suggested to you, does this mean that I'm going to have to work out even more to notice a difference?

Hang in there.  This is all new to both of us.  The first week I lost 8 pounds.....and was in horrible pain, could barely get down vegetarian broth or water, and was very dehydrated.  But when I noticed the scale going down, it was exciting and almost became an obsession.  Now it's a disappointment when I see that same number day after day.  But we have to stick this out.....we didn't do it for nothing!!!!