NOTHING has worked and I need your help.

[Fruitysunshine]

Hi all, been around 6 months since I last posted.

Struggled with my weight since having kids, tried many different things including Weight Watchers several times, Rosemary Connolly once, Slimming World several times, LighterLife 4 times and eventually had a Gastric Band fitted a year past February.

Nothing has worked. I am not putting weight on but I'm stuck at 125Kgs and despite fluctuating up and down a KG or two the weight is not shifting. I am the same weight as when I had the surgery Feb 2010, heavier than when I had my last baby in 2007 and I am beginning to really struggle as I feel I'm running out of options. My band is so tightly fitted, that I'm practically on slider foods all the time.

I am now toying with the idea of going back onto Lighter Life but why? It has not worked before so why should I return to it?

I'm looking for constructive advice as to what may be going on. I really want to crack this but now feel I'm just running around like a headless chicken and stuck on the same groove in the record. My health is deteriorating and I have to do the stairs with a break in the middle as my ankles hurt so much now, I get off a chair and the pain on walking in my leg muscles is horrendous, I'm 5'3 and I know this weight is more than my frame can cope with - it's practically cracking under the strain.

Has anyone experience of this situation and how did you break the cycle of no results? I would be really grateful for any opinions. I just want to get back to my days of slimmer, happier me.

 

[thunderthighs]

Do you mean you stick to diets but the weight doesn't come off? Or you can't stick to a diet? If it's the first one then it's definitely a medical problem which only the medics can sort out for you. Have you had your thyroid checked? Good luck for the future and hope you get it sorted.

 

[woodmouse]

I've had no experience of this myself but it sounds a truly awful situation to be in. Have you thought of going back to your doctor and telling him exactly what you've told us? Surely he has a professional obligation to help you?

 

[Fruitysunshine]

Hi - thank you for your responses.

When trying LL and other plans in the past the weight has come off quite quickly but eventually gone back on - that is through me not following into management or keeping to the lifestyle change. Thyroid been checked and is fine.

Since my last pregnancy in 2007 the weight has gone on but is not coming off. I have cut out all alcohol, can't eat a normal sized meal now due to the band restriction and am probably taking in max 1000 calories a day and that is due to eating foods that I can get through the band like readybrek, chilli, yoghurts, etc. No carbs at all or most vegetables as they get stuck in my band.

I am still under the hospital for my band but they say I am not trying hard enough. I find that difficult to take in because I know how little food I actually eat. Last appointment I asked them about any other medical issue which may be causing this and was practically laughed at by the Registrar who said that despite the idea that there is a fat gene it is not true in any way and I just need to get my head around the fact that I have to eat less. Ok, but I consider myself an open minded, hard working woman and common sense tells me that if I am taking in far less calories than I used to and the weight is not coming off then something else must be at play? Apparently not.

So, I am now in the position of having an gastric band fitted which is having no effect and dealing with all the issues that brings on a daily basis and having thought processes which are probably skewed as my search for the right weight loss tool has come up against a brick wall.

I have the hospital in 2 weeks time again and I'm taking my husband with me to see if he can add more credibility to my concerns but if we get nowhere I think I am on the verge of insisting they take the band out. Then I am back to square one of trying to find the right tool to help me lose weight.

When I was slimmer I used to look at overweight people and think "There is no WAY I will ever allow myself to get that big" but I did and I'm here now. I have children in school, run a business, am studying for a new career and have friends but in my whole life of trials and tribulations I have never felt as isolated, lonely and scared as I do lately. I have a bike and cross trainer coming next week to try and help me get more exercise but the scariest thing is thinking I will never lose this weight, never recover my life pre-last baby and will lose the respect of my friends and family at my inability to shed this fat.

I really want to pinpoint the central issue to all of this but can't find it.

 

[woodmouse]

Hesitant to say any more because although my weight has been around the numbers you state and I'm now about 25lbs less, I'm not on Lighter Life but just started on Slimming World EE plan and have always eaten loads of vegetables, but I am wondering if a) you are eating enough calories, and b) could you try liquidising your vegetables with added water to get the right consistency? I once acted as carer to someone who could only take a meal that way, and, believe me, you can liquidise nearly everything.

 

[Sazie]

I was going to suggest something similar to woodmouse.....veg soup is a good option that is fat free and although its boring if you ate that sort of thing for a week or two and still didn't lose weight then you could force medics to listen to you?
Although not in the same position as you I know how hard it can be to get medical staff to listen at times, I have an underactive thyroid along with other hormonal issues and have ended up having to go private, which although pricey means I am actually listened to and they have the time to get to the bottom of my issues.
Sometimes the easy more liquid things to eat can be more fattening than we realise - sounds silly but what sorts of yoghurts are you eating? Things like muller lights are great options, but some yogs out there (e.g. tesco finest lemon - my old fave!) is really fattening! I would pick it instead of choc thinking I was being good, and then I realised I may aswell have eaten the choc!!
Good luck with it all.

 

[iwillsoonbeslim]

I really feel for you xx
I can only suggest what's already been mentioned. If your daily calories are regularly working out at 1000 or less, your body is probably terrified to start burning off it's fat stores as it'll feel like you're not refuelling it properly.
Have you tried something like myfitnesspal to track your calories in/out?
I wish you lots of luck xx

 

[surfinbernard]

How frustrating! Just wanted to throw some encouragement your way. When your exercise equipment arrives get your favourite upbeat music on and get moving, exercise is the golden key for a lot of us. I have never struggled like you are but after having kids it gets harder and harder to shift that baby weight and for me it is a struggle to get below a bmi of 25 when my waist is still bigger than it should be to lower my risk of disease as I tend to carry it all round my middle. I could live on a breath of fresh air and a gulp of cold water and still lose no more but exercise starts it shifting again, although I do still have to be very careful what I eat. Noom is an excellent free app if you have a smartphone, it will help you keep track of food and exercise and shows you how to balance exercise and diet to create a calorie deficit, it's very good indeed. Good luck!

 

[LittleSis]

Can I jump in with the thyroid suggestion? It took me nearly 2 years to get mine diagnosed. Also you should still be able to talk with your Lighter Life counsaler.
There is nothing worse than trying so hard and not getting anywhere. If it helps I knew someone who had a band fitted and she didn't loose any weight either. Could I suggest you keep a food diary between now and you next appointment(Thats if you don't already).

 

[Legomom]

^^ this was my idea! I think if you keep a regular food diary as evidence for the doc then you may get listened too.

In the meantime I would suggest trial and error! Which after everything you've been through must feel like a massive challenge!!

You could be stuck at that weight from eating too few cals 1000 is quite low long term? Or maybe it's the restricted diet? Perhaps the high carbs and dairy isn't working for you? I'm not sure what lighter life constitutes but if you did lose on that can you try recreating it for a week and seeing if that helps? And obviously try the exercise!

I can't imagine how awful it must be to go through band surgery and all that follows without losing! *hugs* if you really can't find a way round this I'm not surprised you want it out!!

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[teroclro]

If you dont

^^ this was my idea! I think if you keep a regular food diary as evidence for the doc then you may get listened too.

In the meantime I would suggest trial and error! Which after everything you've been through must feel like a massive challenge!!

You could be stuck at that weight from eating too few cals 1000 is quite low long term? Or maybe it's the restricted diet? Perhaps the high carbs and dairy isn't working for you? I'm not sure what lighter life constitutes but if you did lose on that can you try recreating it for a week and seeing if that helps? And obviously try the exercise!

I can't imagine how awful it must be to go through band surgery and all that follows without losing! *hugs* if you really can't find a way round this I'm not surprised you want it out!!

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[teroclro]

If you don't eat enough you will put on weight your body goes into starvation mode
That's why I like slimming world I don't stop eating and loose weight
but you do need to follow it