So I’ve been struggling along for awhile now and thought I’d put it down in a post to see if you all have any input.
I’ve been banded since April, 2004. I’ve lost 86 pounds and I love my band. It has changed my life in so many ways. The problem is that weight-wise, I’m just stuck. This isn’t just any old plateau - it’s a long, long, 9-month plateau. I’ve tried all kinds of things to unstick this bad boy, but so far nothing has worked for long. I tried Weight Watchers, which was somewhat helpful, but ultimately left me at this same spot. I just finished doing a couple weeks of almost all protein. The problem with that is two things: I workout like a mad woman, and when I don’t eat any carbs, I feel much weaker at the gym; and at my doctor’s appointment yesterday, they strongly discouraged me from this diet. They really want you to have a more balanced diet than I was doing.
I workout six days a week, doing about 30-40 minutes of cardio and 45-50 minutes of weight work. It’s a very well-balanced, advanced workout. I’m really proud that I’m able to do this and it’s kicking my butt (in a good way). I understand that muscle is denser than fat and therefore can cause a weight gain, but at some point I hope to actually see results on the scale and in my clothes size. I had a bone density test yesterday and they also did a body composition scan. Basically, I have more muscle than most people my size, but am still quite fat.
I got a fill yesterday, which I hope helps some, but am at a loss as to what else to try? Any ideas?
In theory, I’ve done what I set out to do. I’m very healthy (except for the excess weight) and starting to move along with my life. I no longer have high blood pressure, I was borderline diabetic, and had a wealth of other complaints. Now I’m very healthy, except for the weight. I still need to lose 40 pounds or so. I’m doing things I haven’t tried before and exploring all kinds of options. That’s all great, but damn it, I want to look better than I do. So, advise away my Chickie friends! I could use some help here!
Your still-fluffy, but very buff underneath it all,
Chickadee