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At least for a little while. Went out to breakfast with a friend, ordered off of the menu with no substitutions (scrambled eggs with veggies and feta), enjoyed a nice conversation, took small bites, ate slowly, sipped my coffee a couple of times and when I was no longer hungry piled my plates up and pushed them away. I ate about 2/3 of my eggs, 1/4 of my potatoes and half a slice of dry toast. AND I WAS FINE WITH THAT! Now, that wasn't say that the head hunger voices weren't screaming in the background about wasting food, about how good it tasted, about taking just one more bite. They weren't as loud as they usually are, I just checked and made sure that I wasn't hungry (Satiated), and dismissed them. There is hope...

...the kind in the old saying: swimming serenely on the surface and paddling like a lunatic underneath. Actually, I've been doing fairly well ever since I got back on board with my band (3/8). The additional fills have made a difference and at 9.25cc, I've decided to consider myself I the green zone. I stay not hungry for about 4 hrs after a meal. I never experience stuck episodes or PBs, thank goodness, but I am a pretty conscientious chewer, which is good because my bite size varies depending on the texture of the food I'm eating. I make sure to get my minimum 50g of protein per day and I keep track of my calories, but other than that I don't stress abut counting anything else (fat or carbs). I still eat "bad" foods occasionally (like chips) but only in moderation, in premeasured servings, and I always count the calories and try to make sure that at the end of the week I average out around 1200 calories per day. I can eat bread, rice, pasta, asparagus, steak ... there is nothing I have ever tried to eat that I was unable to eat. I also don't ever feel like my band "stops" me from eating. My portions are usually 1 cup at a time, sometimes 1.5 cups, but I never feel stuffed after eating or that my band is telling me to stop. My mind tells me to stop because it remembers the rules given to me by my doctor. In reality, I'm learning to be okay with that. Part of me wonders if I'm missing some vital part of the bandster experience by not having a band that bosses me around, but I think this way is honestly probably less painful. I also hope that it is teaching me more than if I had a vocal band. This way, I know that what I'm doing is a choice and since I'm going to have to do this for the rest of my life if I want to lose and maintain a loss, getting into the habit of choosing right is probably a good thing in the long term. Sure, there are times when I wish I was one of those people whose band made them forget about food completely. When I read about someone who never has cravings any more, or who forgets to eat, or who loses interest in food--even really yummy food--after a few bites, I wish that were me, but I'm doing okay with the me I've got, so I get over it. The bottom line is that I am losing weight. Not huge quantities and not as fast as I would like, but since I would LIKE to be losing 10lbs per week, I'm focusing on being realistic instead. My 1-2 lb per week loss (really does usually fall around 1.5!) is exactly on track. All I need to do is to remember to stay the course and I will get where I want to be eventually. Better to get there slowly than to stay where I am. So, like the duck, I just keep paddling.

To get my calories up, I added healthy fats like avocado and hemp seeds. I stopped buying low fat cheese (except string cheese and babybel- prefer lowfat there). I also added more fiber rich foods like carb balance tortillas, fruit and veggies. My carbs are up but they are healthy carbs. I did add one food that could be considered a slider but it is healthy, dry roasted edamame, 1/4c is 130 calories and 14 grams of protein. I can eat 1/2c of those buggers. I would try for 800 cals for a couple of weeks and then 1000 after that.

Isn't that a fabulous feeling?!?!?!?!?!? My problem is not stopping...it's wanting to order WAY more than I can eat and getting aggravated at my husband for telling me "You don't need to order all that!" I'm a year out and I still let my cravings get the best of me. Haha!

These are all great ideas guys! Thank you. Sometimes when I am frustrated I can't think straight. yummm...avacados I could totally do that. I never thought of returning my shakes...what a great idea.

Erp makes a good point that there are some higher calorie foods that are also nutritionally valuable. Just keep after it, you're going to find that sweet spot. That is surprising and upsetting that the premier shakes are staining your teeth! Costco has an awesome return policy - I'm sure you could take your unopened cases & return them.

great advice...move up more gradually. it's tricky...isn't it?

You might try going more slowly to give your body a chance to adjust as you up your calorie intake. You might try getting to 800 calories, do that for a couple of days, then move up to 900 calories, and so on. You essentially doubled your calorie intake in one day - no wonder your body didn't know what to do with it!

Good post Terry. I've been on this site since late December to get info and find out what to expect. I didn't really get the hand holding I was looking for from the doctor's office and I was really nervous about this procedure and my life afterwards. It seems to me...also a generalization...that alot of folks have unrealistic expectations...that the weight will melt off...that hunger will no longer be an issue, and that somehow this will all happen magically. When that doesn't happen, people make poor choices. Then they post this experience and you get the moms and dads giving advice and/or sympathizing. When I post something, I just try to be positive and encouraging without lecturing. I think most folks know when they know they did something self sabotaging.. . Now I do admit that I have lost more weight than I expected at this point in my journey, but I know this will not continue. I'll slow down and plateau at some point. I just find that the band helps me to make better decisions because I'm not hungry all the time and I DO NOT want to get stuck or throw up. That is a great motivator for me..