Confused and Frustrated

Fills are very different for everyone. The first thing to remember is how the fills are done. Some doctors do it under fluoroscope (x-ray and barium drink), while most do it “blindly" (poke and hope). If under x-ray the Doctor can “see" exactly how ‘tight’ the band is, compared of a Doctor who puts in  x cc in at a time. Sometimes it takes fewer visits to get to the “sweet" spot with fluoroscope then with blind.

Band: Realize has two size bands(9cc and 11cc), and Lap band has 3 (4cc, 10cc, 15cc). Hence it could take more saline in one band to get to the “sweet spot" (ex. It will take 4.5 cc for a 9cc band to be half-fill, compared to 5.5cc for a 11cc band and 7.5 cc for the 15cc to be half-filled). Now before you freak about the “size" of the band, remember this: all bands (no matter what brand or size) all “close" to the same diameter. It may take a longer time (more saline) for the “larger" band to get that diameter then a smaller band.

Finally, remember when eating: you eat Protein first, then fiber, then (if room) non-starchy cabs, then fats (very little). Again, it’s the Protein that will make you full

When I first had the operation I had the same concerns as you. A close friend, who is a Certified Fitness Trainer, gave me a valuable lesson concerning losing weight. He gave me some information I found interesting, and thought I’d pass it along. The first thing he said is “You have to EAT in order to lose weight". I know, it sounds strange. He further explained, this does not mean to OVEREAT, but eat sensible portions. That means eat until you feel full (not stuffed).

He explained 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 it functioning. If a person intake is less then what it expels, the body will start to “store" food. If a person stay on this type of eating regiment over a prolonged period, the body starts to “eat it self" - which is extremely unhealthy and could be fatal.

That’s why I hate “the scale". 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.

Many may compare their lost to someone else’s, and get discouraged. 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 loose more weight than the others. All three lost 10% of their body weight. Noticed, I started at 435 pounds. So my weight loss, while number wise may seem a lot, could be the “same result" if someone started at a lower weight and lost less “total amount" of pounds

And sometimes it is not the number of pounds that someone loses in a specified period of time that is important. Remember, 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 weighing 200 pounds with a body fat percentage of 25 is carrying around 50 pounds of extra fat. That same person weighing 200 pounds with 10 percent body fat would be carrying only 20 pounds of fat. So it’s not the number that is important.

Finally, 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. Those types of programs always fail. This is a way of life. Plus in all my years of losing weight I’ve come too realized with instantaneous weight lost comes instantaneous weight gain.

Nowhere does any of the literature state you will lose x amount of weight in x days. Think LONG TERM. That’s what I am doing. My new outlook is  “Slow and steady wins the race".  Even if it take me over 5 years to lose all the weight I want to, I know in the long run I will be happy and healthier. My doctor firmly believes the slower you lose weight, the better chance you have of keeping it off. My doctor reminded me that each pound I gained took time to put on, and it’s going to take some time to lose those same pounds.