My surgeon says he is happy with a 1 lb loss every 7-10 days. At first, I was doing much better than that, losing between 2-3 lbs a week. Now that I've been banded a while, the weight loss has slowed down (even stopped the past 6 weeks) so losing and keeping off that 1 lb a week is taking work.

There are only a few things I really miss living my new lifestyle. Sour Patch Kids are probably the biggest thing. Sugar coated in sour sugar? Yes please!! But I haven't had them in months. Every know and then I will crave a drink of Pepsi. The way the carbonation burns...mmm! But I know it's potentially hazardous so I don't give in.

After the first 5 mths (I ha no restriction till my 3rd fill), I started losing 8-10 lbs a month. So, about 2-3 lbs a week I guess. I think it's perfectly normal. And after 3 yrs, I eat EVERYTHING. Including bread, rice, pasta, and an occasional soft serve from DQ! Luv their vanilla soft serve! I noticed your blog about Olive Garden and not eating breadsticks and pasta. Olive Garden is my FAV restaurant and I eat there about once a month. I usually get seafood alfredo (I know, a no-no in most bandsters diets) and chicken gnocci soup. I can eat about 1/3 of the soup, 1/2 of a breadstick and the alfredo makes about 4-5 meals for me. I get sick of it after a couple of days of eating it and toss the rest. And I can eat more now than I could, say, a year ago.

You'll probably still be able to enjoy your fav foods, once you get the proper restriciton and you experiment a little. Just don't eat a food for the first time at a restaurant. Thats my advice! Otherwise you'll have to explain yourself to all the ladies in the ladies room who inquire if you're ok.

Good luck!

Marci