disappointed, I've only lost 1 1/2 lbs in 4 weeks!!!!

Well I went to my dr appointment this morning and I have only lost 1 1/2 lbs in the last 4 weeks.  I had my surgery back in February and I have lost about 35 lbs total.  I haven't been excersising as much as I was during the summer and I know I've been making poor eating choices.  They gave me 1/2 cc fill today, so I think I have 5ccs in my band.  Maybe in the next 4 weeks I can loose more weight....any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated...

I am in the same boat this month. Went in and only lost three lbs. My food choices were not great this past month, I also drank a lot of calories(darn u starbucks). The blame lays with me. I have gone back to the basics again, no snacking and no well I can have one more pumkin latte.

My 2 cents is to get in regular excersise. It is such a huge piece of the puzzle. Start out slow, and gradually increase your duration/intensity. It is so tough to get started I know, it took me about 4 months postop to hit the gym. I started out walking slowly on the treadmill for 20 minutes. I gradually worked my way up. Now I jog for 30 or walk briskly on an inline for 45. I lost 107 pounds in 10 months.
As far as eating, I swear by a lowfat/lowcarb/high protien diet. I eat eggs for breakfast, a lean meat (chicken, fish, porkloin) and veggie for lunch and dinner. I snack on low fat cheese sticks and 1/4c nuts. Good luck! You can do it!

HI.  The band works as a partner.  You need to eat in a way that you feel the stretch so that you know you are full.  There is a style of eating that helps you to get the best results. 

If you start your meal with solid protein, then vegetables and salad, and only then, if you have room for a small amount of carbs.  Chew your food thoroughly and drink water 30 minutes before or one hour after your meal.  Avoid any liquids that have calories, since you can consume a lot of liquid calories without getting the signal that you are full.

When you're fill is just right, 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of food with leave you full and you won't be hungry again til the next meal.  When that happens, you will lose 2-3 pounds a week. 

You know when it's time for another fill if your meals are getting largerk, you're hungry between meals, and your weight loss is slowing down.  If that's happening for 2-3 weeks, it's time for and adjustment.  That's the best way to keep your weight loss steady.

Eat well, exercise, get regular adjustments.  Sometimes it takes a while to get the fill just right.  Don't be discouraged.  Check with your doctor if you have questions or concerns.  Good luck.  Dr. Gail

Gail Altschuler, MD
[email protected]
415-897-9800
www.marinweightloss.com

Well what the "doctor" says is in a perfect world but for 1/4 of us bandsters we never get restriction or a feeling of satiation much less go for hours between eating. Also most eat between 1/2 c and a cup of food the amounts listed are more like RNY servings. This just goes to prove what we always say here "every doctor is different"

Well --- if you have lost 35 pounds in 7 months that is better than 1 pound per week (as an average).

The "average' weight loss with banding is 1 - 2 pounds per week

You state that you have been making poor eating choices and not exercising as much as before ---- sounds like you know what you need to do to increase your weight loss ----

Hang in there -- go back to 'basics' --

Protein first at every meal
Produce to satisfy your hunger and help keep you regular
No fluids with meals (or 30 minutes or more afte)
No liquid calories (or limit to under 100 calories a day total)  -- that should let you have Crystal Light or coffee/tea with milk or cream
Some type of activity regularly ---- not necessarily heavy exercise, but at least some walking

I'm losing at a very similar rate...it is so hard and can be so discouraging.  The band is the slowest of all the WLSs....I knew that going in, but it can still be discouraging sometimes.  (I've had several friends and family who have had RNY and watched their weight practically melt off, so that makes it even harder.)  I still think the band was the right choice for me, but it can be so hard.  Not much room for "cheating" at all. 

You know what you need to do...and you're not alone!  Hang in there.  Exercise is probably the biggest key.  It's the one I hate the most...but you just gave me a good reminder kick in the pants, so hopefully I'll be getting off my butt now to do more!  

 All I can add to the previous suggestions is to journal your food intake.

use somewhere like dailyplate.com or myfitnesspal.com

If you bite it, write it.  :)

thank you all for the suggestions and encouragement.  I going to try my best the next four weeks to excersise more and stick to the high protein, low carb, low fat diet.  THanks again....

U will go up and down the same couple of pounds if you do not exercise. About 6 years ago..way before I got the lap band I became a strict vegan...I lost 124 lbs...HOWEVER..I would walk every single day. On the days I did not walk...the scale did not budge..even with a plant based 800 calorie a day vegan diet. You have got to be dilligent in ur exercise. That's just the bottom line.