Is this a stall or just a sign that I need my next fill? 1st fill didnt feel very restricting. HELP!

Im very frustrated!!!! Im about 2.5 months out and I love my band but Im staying within the same 5lbs going up and down in weight. Is this a stall and Im just going thur the motions? Could this be a side effect of PMSing? If so is i****er weight? I never could tell being so heavy. If that is PMS could it be a combo of things? That Im PMSing and I need a fill? Im scheduled for 3/15 for my 2nd fill I have 5.4cc in my 11cc band. I felt some restriction at first but now its not very restricting at all! Whats up with that????? I have been to group and I have become friends with the lady what works in the office and runs my group she said once you lose weight its like a belt it isnt restricting and more and doesnt fit. Is that true in anyone elses case.

Im just freaking out a lil bit because Also on the 15 is support group and we have a goal of losing 6 lbs for the month. I know we dont always reach goals on time but the first 2 months the weight seemed like it just fell off! Now is becoming more slow!!

Please HELP I would love to hear from anyone that has experienced any of this!

First - congratulations on the weight you've already lost.  I know you are frustrated, but looks like you have done an amazing job.   

Everyone is different so I don't know about your case specifically - I would talk to your nutritionist for the best possible advice.   But I'll tell you my story since its similiar in results.

After about 4 weeks of losing I stopped and teetered up and down for about 3 weeks.   I too during that time was PMSing.   I went to the nutritionist and asked for some advice.   I made sure that I carefully journaled everything I ate, drank and all exercise and took it with me.    The nutritionist told me a three things:
1)  I wasn't eating enough.   While I was getting the protein in I wasn't getting enough calories.
2)  I was exericising alot and with the lack of calories she thought my body was thinking I was trying to starve it so decided to store up all it could.  
3)  PMSing can always have an impact.  She said wait until this time passes and see if you see different results.

I went home, increased by calories slightly, slowed down a bit on the exercising and the day after my PMS issues I dropped 2 pounds.    I don't suggest this method for anyone else - but HIGHLY suggest keeping that journal and speaking to your professional team.  They generally will know best what will work.

Good Luck

ADVICE WARNING: TALK TO THE DOCTOR BEFORE INCREASING /CHANGE YOUR INTAKE.

 

First a little tough love – are you following ALL THE RULES? If you’re not, that could be the issue .. with that said .. stalls are natural part of weight loss. It seems the body “catches on" to what we have been doing, and holds onto everything. After a while, the lost restarts and things go well.

 

However, stalls can also because by eating (a) too much (b) not enough. I know it sounds a little contradictory, and I will try to explain.

 

Too much: While we need to make sure we hit our protein requirements (60-80 grams, or whatever your Doctor told you), we need to make sure the carbs, calories, etc are “acceptable". Remember, you don’t want to make your 80 grams of protein by eating 4 gallons of ice cream or a starchy carb.

 

Not enough: Again, 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, 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

 

ADVICE WARNING: TALK TO THE DOCTOR BEFORE INCREASING /CHANGE YOUR INTAKE.

 

As for having restriction then losing it, this is very common. Remember, the band is around your stomach – which is an organ, and as you lose weight it will get smaller (shrink) which means the band is now “loose" when it once was tight. I ALWAYS USE THE BELT ANALOGY. Think of it this way: Imagine a belt around your waist. You may be able to put it on a certain notch, and your pants won’t fall down. However if you lose weight your pants will become loose if you don’t move down another notch, so you need to tighten the belt in order to hold up your pants. Same goes for the band, you may need to tighten it a few times as you lose. And it could be a long as months, or as short as days.

great analogy of the belt - puts it all in perspective!  I just have my 3rd fill and finally feel the resrtriction.  IT IS HARD being patient  after everything we went through....

I think you are doing really well. I am pretty much right there with you. Had my surgery a few days after you and have lost right at 40 pounds. But for the last 3 weeks I have been stuck at that 40 pounds. It is frustrating, especially after the big loss in the beginning but I have to remind myself of what life was like when I lost that big amount. Liquid diets, then mushies, and the fact that you really couldn't eat that much due to internal swelling. You were bound to lose a lot and now your body is slowing down and readjusting. It will pick back up.

For me I haven't figured out if I am eating enough. I eat about 1000-1100 cals a day but I exercise a lot. 45 min high intesity cardio and 20 min circuit training 5 days a week. I think I may need to up my cals to keep up with my training. ???

Hopefully it picks back up for us soon b/c it is discouraging.

I have only had one fill, 3 cc's and don't get another until the 26th of March. And I think she will only do 1 cc so I don't expect much restriction so just sticking with my eating good and exercise plan for now.