Frustrated

Hi Everyone,

I had my surgery last wed. and I have lost 7 pounds since, which I am extremely happy about but I lost it during the clear liquid phase. I have not lost any weight since I started the full liquids...Is this normal, I'm getting very frustrated
Any advice would be appreciated

Always remember. The band is a LONG term solution. You are not going to lose weight as if you had bypass. I think a lot of people seem to expect the same weight loss as bypass. You don't even have any restriction yet so the only thing you got going for you right now is willpower. Be patient. The goal is only 4-8 pounds a month. Follow the rules and you won't fail. If after a few days you are concerned about how much weight you've lost then I'd recommend not even weighing yourself at home. Just be concerned with the numbers you get at the doctors office. Or weigh in the first of each month at home. Try hard to think of this as what it is, a lifetime change. Today I'm exactly 1 month out from surgery and I'm down 20 pounds. I was down 17 after liquids, so about 3 pounds in the last 3 weeks and that's right on a normal pace. I've had days where I gained. But as long as the overall trend is down I'm gonna be happy.

~~The goal is only 4-8 pounds a month~~

Then you write:

~~Today I'm exactly 1 month out from surgery and I'm down 20 pounds~~

Aren't you losing too much according to what you wrote in another post? ;o)

As I wrote earlier, the 1-2# a week thing is the average throughout your WLJ.  We should be losing faster in the beginning and more slowly in the end.

I double dawg dare you to lose 1# a week consistantly when you are a 22BMI wanting to get to a 20BMI.  HA!

I second "mrbillclark". This is a long term solution and not a miracle cure. I'm changing my relationship with food -- not dieting.

I had my surgery last Tuesday so I'm exactly one week post-op. I was freaked out at first when I weighed more when I got home than I did before I went to the hospital. It stayed that way for a couple of days and then finally I started to lose. I've established Monday as my "official" weigh-in day and try very hard not to get on the scale the rest of the week. The numbers in my signature and ticker will always represent my weight as of the most recent Monday.

Stick closely to the directions your surgeon has given you and you will be successful. Any weight loss journey (surgical or not) has plateaus as our bodies adjust to the reduced calories coming in. The important things is that the general direction is downward. The weight didn't accumulate overnight and it is not going to disappear overnight. I'm convinced, though, that as long as I work with my band and not fight against it, I will finally achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Just echoing

Remember, this isn’t a race. “Slow and steady wins the race".  We are a generation of instantaneous results, however remember we didn’t put all the weight on at once, it took years. So don’t you think losing it would take just as long? This isn't one of those miracle instantaneous weight loss programs. We all know types of programs always fail. This is a way of life

 

Nowhere does any of the literate state you will lose x amount of weight in x days. Think LONG TERM. If it takes you 2 – 3 -5 years to lose all the weight, WHO CARES!!! How long did it take you to put all those pounds on? Try to remind yourself that even if I lost only 1 pound per week, in year’s time I’d be 52 pounds lighter. Many doctors believe the slower you lose weight, the better chance you have of keeping it off. 

 

Many folks are hung up on the number. It’s not the number of pounds that someone loses in a specified period of time that is important. It’s how you feel. Don’t forget, if you are toning up muscle – your weight loss may seem to have slowed (or stopped), when in fact you are replacing fat with muscle. Muscle is heavier then fat. Someone weighting 200 pounds with a body fat percentage of 25 is carrying around 50 pounds of extra fat. That same person weighting 200 pounds with 10 percent body fat would be carrying 20 pounds of fat. So it’s not the number that is important.

 

The amount of weight lost is affected by many factors. Everyone loses weight at different rates. It has to do with age, gender, one’s weight, exercise, etc.. A 10 pound lost to one person could be as affected as a 40 pound lost to another. Think of it this way: If a 400-pound person loses 40 pounds; a 300-pound person loses 30 pounds, a 200-pound person loses 20 pounds, and a 100-pound person loses 10 pounds – the 400-pound person didn’t necessarily lose more weight than the others. All three lost 10% of their body weight. 

 

Remember there are other “scales" you can use to monitor your success: your constant hunger reduction (eliminated); reduced clothing size; increase energy; re-familiarizing yourself to body-parts unseen for years (errr… toes) ; “common" activity becoming easier (walking, climbing steps), just feeling good about yourself; sleeping better (reduced snoring); the mirror; better medical exam results (lower cholesterol and/or blood pressure); etc.

 

Be proud of your lost. No matter how small it may seem. Remember, it’s better to lose not a pound than to GAIN a single ounce.

Make sure you are meeting your daily protein requirements. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO WEIGHT LOSS. The body is a marvelous machine, and it will protect itself. If one doesn’t eat enough, the body’s metabolism will slow down - in order to keep itself functioning. If a person intake is less then what it expels, the body will start to “store" food.  Remember, you don’t want to make your 80 grams of protein by eating 4 gallons of ice cream or a starchy carb - so use some common sense.

As mentioned, FOLLOW THE RULES and you'll be successful. Just have a little patience !!

Thanks for the reminder everyone!  Slow and steady does indeed win the race.  My surgery is in two days, and I'll do wellto remember that.  Best of luck to all of you on your journey.
-Heather

we'll all be thinking about you, keep us updated!

I am one month out today too. I have lost 7 pounds since the surgery and have been frustrated as well. There were 10 days when the scale didn't change even a tenth of a pound. I'm trying to stay off the scale so often, but am using my home scale on the week anniversaries of my surgery (Tuesdays). This is the way it's going to be, so I'm really trying to adjust my expectations. Good luck!

 Don't get discouraged. A loss is a loss no matter how much it is or how fast it is. I have lost 22 lbs since surgery in November and I know for me I loose slow no matter what.  I go 1 week with a loss and then stay the same for 3 - 4 weeks until I'll have another loss.  My surgeon said sometimes that happens.  

After surgery, it is for a time of healing not so much losing. That time is right around the corner! So be patient