Eating solids and gaining weight

[trulytangledgrl]

Well, I finally get to CHEW on actual food - instead of pretending to chew my creamy soup broth. I have been on solids since Friday now.... my parents were visiting the past week, and on Friday evening we went out to dinner, and I got meatloaf and had maybe 5-6 bites of it. I had a small amount of salad earlier in the day, and I can't remember what else but it was not more than 1200 calories. Yesterday I had some of the left over meatloaf, I had an apple, a very small slice of banana cream pie as a treat (it was maybe 4 bites), I had 5 small turkey meatballs (very small) with marinara sauce, and I had 1/2 of a turkey sandwich with just lettuce and also on lite bread.

I was at 181, and I get on the scale this morning and I am 184.2!! What the hell?! I don't like this!!! If THIS is whats going to happen when I eat solid food then maybe I will just stay on the damn liquid diet. I am extremely aggravated by this! I mean I KNOW that its typical - - you can't be on liquids for 3 weeks and expect to not gain once going back to solids but I am just really IRRITATED! I was SO close to the 170's and now I feel so far away again! I am depressed. :lb12: I need some serious encouragement and support from my fellow bandsters.

[cmarie]

Don't worry, it's normal. I gained back four of the 20 I lost during the liquid and since my first fill last week have dropped them all. This is a long term thing and although it's definitely frustrating to gain, keep your eye on the big picture! You made it through the liquid phase :-)

[Kim2BSlim]

Try not to stress over it. I think we all had that small weight gain after starting solids..I know I did. It just really sucks seeing the scales go the wrong way!

[Jann]

Well, I finally get to CHEW on actual food - instead of pretending to chew my creamy soup broth. I have been on solids since Friday now.... my parents were visiting the past week, and on Friday evening we went out to dinner, and I got meatloaf and had maybe 5-6 bites of it. I had a small amount of salad earlier in the day, and I can't remember what else but it was not more than 1200 calories. Yesterday I had some of the left over meatloaf, I had an apple, a very small slice of banana cream pie as a treat (it was maybe 4 bites), I had 5 small turkey meatballs (very small) with marinara sauce, and I had 1/2 of a turkey sandwich with just lettuce and also on lite bread.

I was at 181, and I get on the scale this morning and I am 184.2!! What the hell?! I don't like this!!! If THIS is whats going to happen when I eat solid food then maybe I will just stay on the damn liquid diet. I am extremely aggravated by this! I mean I KNOW that its typical - - you can't be on liquids for 3 weeks and expect to not gain once going back to solids but I am just really IRRITATED! I was SO close to the 170's and now I feel so far away again! I am depressed. :lb12: I need some serious encouragement and support from my fellow bandsters.

Sweetie, I don't know the technical answer but the logical one is our bodies have to adjust. I'm still on creamies and I lost a whopping ONE OUNCE today and I did not cheat one second! It's disappointing but I keep telling myself I have to stop micromanaging this and look at the big picture. I'm in a time game and I have to be patient. The weight will go as my body dictates. I now see how easy it is to be a slave to the scale.

[nothereanymore]

Your body is just adjusting. You will go through this, and you are not actually gaining based on your daily calorie intake.

Don't stress, if you gain and loose during this time it is normal and you should even expect it. Its going to be like this for a while so just stay off the scale for a while if you can and let your body settle in to its new routine!

(Another thing to watch out for, often we'll eat extra salt and no realize it and retain water for a short time. Look at the foods you ate, did any have extra salt)? Our bodies really start being affected more, notice how alcohol hits you harder, so do things like salt and other chemicals that make us retain water. That's one of the reasons that I started getting more into healthy eating and cooking all of my own foods, I could really feel the affects of high salt and additives to my food.

Take care!

Lisa

[jena]

Great replies everyone!

I'm going to get a reputation as the "poopie queen", haha, because I always say "Make sure to eat your fiber so you can get regular!"

Right now you should be getting 30g of fiber to ensure you go poopy every day. That's not easy for anyone to do, and especially hard when you are eating less food.

My suggestions in getting the fiber is K20 water, 5g protein and 5g fiber, Fiber One fat free yogurt with 3g protein and 5g fiber. There are also fiber supplements, Benefiber makes chewable wild berry tablets with calcium that have 2g of fiber each. There are also other brands of chewable fruit flavored tablets that are great. They all seem to have 2g of fiber each.

When you are regular, it pulls more excess water out of your body and helps reduce bloating.

After 3 weeks on liquids, you probably need to get your bowels going again. Try to do it with fiber for a few days before you take a laxitive.

HTH,

Jena

[Kittycat]

Try not to get too frustrated, like the girls said your body is adjusting and my surgeon told me not to expect weight loss between surgery and my first fill.

I am not on solid food yet, but expect that once I am, my body with need to do some adjusting and I may gain some weight back. As long as you are sticking to the plan, you are winning!!! Get out the measuring tape, I bet the numbers are great there!!!

You are doing so well...keep up the good work!

Cathy

[Jann]

Your body is just adjusting. You will go through this, and you are not actually gaining based on your daily calorie intake.

Don't stress, if you gain and loose during this time it is normal and you should even expect it. Its going to be like this for a while so just stay off the scale for a while if you can and let your body settle in to its new routine!

(Another thing to watch out for, often we'll eat extra salt and no realize it and retain water for a short time. Look at the foods you ate, did any have extra salt)? Our bodies really start being affected more, notice how alcohol hits you harder, so do things like salt and other chemicals that make us retain water. That's one of the reasons that I started getting more into healthy eating and cooking all of my own foods, I could really feel the affects of high salt and additives to my food.

Take care!

Lisa

OOOOH, that must be the answer. I went back to broths to switch up from creamies. Not a milk lover. That broth was extremely salty and I had to drink two bottles of water to ditch the taste. Thanks for that Lisa! That makes sense to me now.

[sphynxmomma]

Don't feel bad girl I'm in the same boat as you.

[2mara]

Hey Carrie,

Hang in there! Have you added exercise yet? Even just 20 or 30 minutes a day of treadmill or biking can help you balance out adding solids back into your diet.

And, I have to agree with Jena, "the poopie queen." I felt so unregular on soups and the first couple of days of solids.

Also, think about your monthly cycle. I've seen many people post that they were off their regular 28 days after surgery. I gain 4 to 6 lbs a few days before and drop it 4 or 5 days later... every freaking time! My Aunt Flo visited during creamy soups when I was taking in 800 calories a day or less -- and still gained 5 pounds over night. This time, I put the scale away for a few days instead of driving myself crazy.

Great job on eating small portions, small bites, and chewing so well!

Keep it up!

~Tanya

[Guest cedartown]

Same here.Although i haven't lost any weight in many days now.(none gained) my size is getting smaller.I'm sure yours is too.I've lost 1 inch in waist without losing a pound.

Hang in there.I've changed my goal to not gaining any before my 1st fill.

[Allcdngirl]

Carrie.. there are many reasons for the scale to go up and down. Water retention, staying on the same calorie intake for a while, body going into starvation mode, and holding on to everything it's got. Remember.. you MUST increase your calorie intake to continue to lose weight. You are not doing anything wrong. You have done a great job so far, and you will continue. Here's a note from Dr. Ortiz posted under Dr's corner. I hope you find this useful...

Statements for Success…..

Once you get the band your not home free…It’s the home stretch!

Same Band, same surgical group and same follow-up…Why do some patients fail while others succeed?

During the first two months, before your first fill, the presence of the band just hanging around your stomach will keep you from feeling too hungry. This means you and the band will work as a team. It offers you a chance at eating less and not feeling the extreme hunger you are used to when you were doing this all alone.

The band is a tool.

First three weeks (liquid phase): It will help you feel less hunger. Do liquids, just liquids…vary them. You don’t need the protein of constant shakes or high calorie liquids. Don’t do just one type of liquid, and please don’t use a blender! Do not use substitute shakes more than once a day during the last week.

Liquid phase is three weeks is 21 days

Yes you will hear that some patients did less days of liquids and nothing happenned. Well wait until six months have passed and you find yourself struggling with more band adjustments and not feeling the restriction. These patients enlarged their pouch. Once the harm is done it won’t show up imediately, but it will hinder your weightloss and you may never reach your goal. Now I ask you is it really worth it? By the way the only way to correct pouch enlargement is through surgical repair.

Solid phase between three weeks and your first fill.

Most patients lose weight. Some will challenge the band. Here is the mentality. You decided to have surgery, you will carry a foreign body around your stomach for life, you shelled out some money the least you can do is help this little ring out. How? Once you are on solids challenge the band, not by eating everything in site and then asking I don’t feel restriction, is this normal? Of course it is normal, the band is healing in place totally lose. The real challenge is by testing how small a portion you can eat three times a day without feeling too hungry.

Reasons to follow these guidelines.

I have studied thousands of patients and found common things to those who succeed and those who fail.

Those that follow these statements tend to lose around 30% of their excess weight during the first two months. They also reach their weightloss goal earlier (sometimes less than a year) and with less fills and no complications.

If you follow these guidelines, once the 6 to 8 weeks are up, you won’t be wanting a fill because poor weightloss requires it…you will be getting one because this last weight-loss effort and you deserve it!

Dr. Ariel Ortiz, MD, FACS

[mlgpdx]

Carrie

Don't despair.... it's perfectly NORMAL for you to gain a few after being off liquids and b/4 your first fill... you WILL succeed. I promise~! I've read your post and I know how dedicated you are ..... this is bandster "hell" and it may take more than 1 or 2 fills so please don't put all your eggs in the "first fill" basket.. continue to make healthy choices, exercise and it WILL happen.

xoxox

blesss up

[trulytangledgrl]

Hi girls!! Thank you ALL SOOO MUCH for your replies. I appreciate it a lot - I am now remotivated and will continue sticking to my plan 100%!! Even though I know in my mind what is happening, and that I shouldn't be worried, sometimes it just helps when other people tell me! I am sure you all can relate. I am hovering around 183-184 and haven't budged above that so that is good.

I have been having bowel issues lately - which was a HUGE problem in the past but started seeing a gastroenterologist about 3 months prior to surgery, and she started me on the new medicine Amitiza which is for chronic constipation (it was determined after extensive testing and a colonoscopy that this is what I have) and it works quite well; however, for some reason the past week or so not so much. SO... Jena, I will keep in mind about getting extra fiber hehe. Thanks girl.

Tanya - I have started some exercise. Some light walking every night, and I also walk a lot during work. Yeah it sucks about Aunt Flo... she sure knows how to pack the pounds on us. HAHA! So how is it having real food? Its nice sometimes isn't it?

I am going to schedule my first fill tomorrow!! I am going to Dr. Ren in NYC. I read about her on another lap band forum and she gets rave reviews! I will let you all know when that will take place. I am excited. Thanks AGAIN, EVERYONE for your motivation and support. I love all my bandster buddies <' />

[banded4lifeHubby]

Hey Carrie!

How are you doing? Long time no talk.

Sounds to me like you have no worries as it sounds like what you are experiencing is normal.

Tammy is sitting here with me and she says she has also gained a bit since going on the solids.

She also says she feels no restriction right now and can't wait for her first fill.

At any rate, I hope you are doing well otherwise and hang in there!.

[Painter]

One more comment in the "poopie" catagory. Don't forget your system has eliminated all the "stuff" that was in it on the liquid phase so your empty until you start eating solids again. I went through exactly the same thing and was really upset but also very constipated. Finally that seems to be settling, whew. Like Cedar I have lost inches more so that pounds in the last couple of weeks.

Hang in there.

Cheryl