Confused...

Hi Kimhook! That is how I totally felt the other day and even this morning but then I realized that somedays I might gain weight but it doesn't mean i did anything wrong. It happens, with any diet. I think also we are so newly banded and our bodies are getting used to having this thing in us. Plus we don't have fills (I assume your doc hasn't done one yet) and I heard it takes some time to get to a sweet spot and everything. Congrats on your weight loss! I lost 15 pre-surgery (like 5 in 2 days) then I gained 7 in surgery--stupid water weight! So since I started the whole process-including the 15 i have lost 20, so really only 5 lbs since surgery but 12 including the 7 i gained! So you are around the same as me. And i think you feel the same- not a miracle but results..i just know someday it will happen and its just a bump in the road!!!!!!

This reply is to many here on the board – those who have posted, and those who are just “lurking"

 

FIRSTLY – always remember YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!! If you don’t have support at home (spouse/family don’t approve; spouse/family don’t understand; spouse/family are away for a long period of time) always know you have the board. And if that’s not enough, ALWAYS KNOW I AM HERE. I will give you my personal contact information, and you can always reach out to me.

 

SECONDLY – Don't let the scale ruin your victories. Remember, weight WILL fluctuate. It depends on the DAY, the TIME OF DAY, and what’s going on “physically". If it’s TOM (no not me) time you can be a “little heavier" because of water. Or you may have indeed eaten more then you should have. So what?!??! Be proud you have realized your “slip", and you are being accountable for it. Now get back to the basics, and lose that temporary weight gain. And remember this: naturally skinny people deal with this their entire lives. HOW they react to it is what makes us different.

 

Using a military analogy: In my “past life" I would see a weight gain as a ‘defeat’, and decide that since I already ‘lost this battle" I might as well “lose the war"; admit defeat, and eat uncontrollably. Today, I realize I haven’t “lost the battle", but I had a “minor skirmish setback". I regroup, with help of the troops (folks on the board and/or support groups) – get the weapons and/or artillery I need and go and try to conqueror my foe. I also stop and realize I have won more battles then lost, and I see victory on the horizon.

 

Finally – A pet peeve .. DROP THE WORD ONLY !! I get very upset to read, or hear, “I’ve lost only X pounds". Why use the word ONLY !?!?!?! Be proud of those pounds you lost!!! This is a major accomplishment!!

 

How many times were you NOT able to lose that amount of weight???? Or when you did, you gained it right back?? If you lost weight, and haven’t gained it all back, then aren’t you really winning?!?!?

 

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. 

  

Also 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. So starting today – let’s officially start a movement to ban the word ONLY, and take pride in your lost

 

I LOVE reading your posts! I'm a newbie to- I got my band July 19. I haven't lost any weight since surgery; however, I haven't gained it and I have survived my TOM without binging. Binging when you're on soft foods is sooooo tempting (hello? ICE CREAM is calling me! LOL)  Anyway, I'm just sitting back and waiting for the work to pay off. I walked 2 miles today and didn't fall over dead, so I'm guessing that is several steps in the right direction! Anyway, you're posts are always great and I just enjoy them, so I wanted to let you know- keep posting for us newbies, we need the inspiration!

Thanks for the kind words. I am very humbled by them.

You are right!  I guess we need to remind ourselves that the band is a tool to assist us to lose the weight and in order to be successful it must work in conjunction with our bodies.  The mind has to catch up as well.

Hi,

I was banded 6/23, and have lost 17 lbs since the surgery.  I would NOT be disappointed, I think 14 lbs is great!  One thing i did to stop driving myself nuts, is that I have stopped weighing myself daily.  I only weigh once a week now. and am saner for it.

Good luck, and hang in there!

I was just banded on 6/23, and I totally understand what you are going through.  Between the pre-op liquid diet and the liquid post-op phase I was spoiled with average loss of over 5 lbs. per week.  In the last 4 weeks, or so, that i have been on soft foods I will have a week with 0-1lbs loss followed by a week with 2-4lbs.  Go figure.  I am getting familiar with the pattern, but it doesnt make the slow weeks feel much better

Hang in there, know that you are worth it, keep track of what you eat, and like others have said, make sure you eat enough.