str1349

yesterday i got another fill - i got 0.3 cc in my already 2.2cc of a 10 cc band. i had clear broth for lunch after my fill yesterday, and for dinner had cream of chicken soup w/a small glass of sugar free fat free chocolate milk for 'desert'. this morning i'm having some grits w/splenda. lunch will be some kind of soup. i'm taking it super slow and trying not to get hung up over the numbers - jus focusing on making health choices. thanks for reading - have a happy bander day!!!

i got a fill today, and so far i've had jus broths and cream soups. along w/my liquids (water,tea) i'm jus taking it sloooow

Jus curious. What is your soft stop signals? For me, it's a easy burp. I learned the hard way that was my signal to stop eating!!

OMG! sacrifice live chicken.... lol!!! that sounds like something i'd say!! too funny - but congrats on a successful journey!!!

my job can be really stressful sometimes (i'm the RN Charge nurse for a 12 bed inpatient surgical floor) so between co-workers, patients and their families, demanding doctors, crazy hours - i can get reeealllly stressed out. i find that during these really stressful moments - i want to eat "jus because". sometimes i drink my calories (soda). it makes me feel better..... only for that moment. How do you guys deal with emotional or stress eating? i usually pack my lunch - salad or lean cuisine, fruit, beef jerky, cheese sticks. so i usually have something decent to choose from - but for some reason, the cafeteria always seems to have something that "sounds better" that what ever i brought from home. i think i use the cafeteria as an excuse to get off the floor for a little bit. i go back to the nurses station to nibble on my lunch - i rarely get a full 30 min lunch break, so i eat a few bites, work, eat a few bites, etc..... jus need some friendly advice on how to control stress/emotional eating.... thanks in advance

my doc has a book out "skinny jeans at last" and one point made about eating was to use smaller or different utensils!. i have small kiddos - so having toddler forks, spoons, and plates and bowls are not a problem. i also read about using chopsticks to help slooooow down when you eat. and, IT WORKS. at least it does for me. i bought some online and i eat alot of my food with chopsticks now. from salad, to tuna salad, to meat and veggies!! i'd love to hear what or how you eat to ensure success!! thanks ya'll (i'm from Texas) lol

i too was off track for a while... like several years. but what helped me is 1. following up regularly with my doc and 2. PLAN PLAN PLAN. plan what you eat, when you'll eat, plan every aspect. I know, that for me - if i jus leave everything to chance - then i'm more likely to make the WRONG choices. i also weigh and measure almost every morsel i put in my mouth. this is sometimes exhausting, but definately well worth my effort!!! i have recently bought toddler utensils (because they're smaller) and toddler portioned plates (again, because they're smaller) i hope some of this helps. good luck on your journey!!!

i know each journal is different - but my doc is unfortunately really vauge when it comes to post fill instructions. i only recently started following up w/ him after a small 7 year break (lol) and the best i can remember is him just not giving me alot of detailed instructions about what to eat right after a fill. i'm a very concrete thinker and need concrete instructions.... i'm going in for a tiny fill this coming tuesday and i am super excited. i'm prepared to be on clears the rest of that day, and for the next two days, then full liquids x 2 days, then mushies x 2 days, then semi solids x 2 days, then back to solids. i'm just curious what your doc's instructions were after a fill. thanks for ya'lls support

I posted a few weeks ago about maybe needing an unfill. I saw my doc today and got a small unfill. (0.3 out of 2.2 in a 10cc band). This is my first unfilled ever - since being banded in 2004!! I lost 4.2 lbs last month so I'm doing something right. I was still having to "spit up" sometimes and it took me literally forever to eat!! I've lost a total of 59.3 lbs and still have another 50 to loose. I'm well on my way!!

thanks for the encouragement.... about mom's luinch - i knew i needed to stick to my plan and wouldn't be able to quickly measure what i ate (i weigh and measure EVERYTHING I EAT) and for me - i knew i'd be tempted to eat, and over eat.... that jus me though!!

ok. so i was kinda nervous about going to my moms house for Easter lunch. this was her menu - pot roast - pan brown gravy - mashed potatoes - english peas - salad - deviled eggs - hot rolls - strawberry cream cheese pie - all home made and home grown!.... normally - i'd fix a plate and go back for whatever seconds i could stuff in.... all while washing it down w/whatever i was drinking! however.... now that i have 'recomitted' and am diligent about following my rules.. i pre made MY lunch at home last night and jus took it w/me to my moms house. i had 1 c salad greens w/2tbsp zesty italian dressing mixed w/2 tbsp of salad vinegar - 4.5 oz of oven roasted turkey breast - fire/ice pickles (dill pickle silices cooked w/splenda - tobasco sauce - and add red food coloring when done - then cool in the fridge - they're sooooo good) then i added 2 deviled eggs and only half a small dinner roll - from moms!! i ate my lunch while everyone was eating theirs. My family is super supportive!!! i am full and satisified, and i'm not angry at myself for making unhealthy food choices. it took some extra time last night just to get everything together, but it certainly paid off!! yay me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for listening

today was super stressful at work! completely new computer system, diffiult co-workers, 12 hr shifts!! but - i managed to stay on track - eat what i packed (pre portioned healthy choices for snacks, lunch) when i got home tonight, i ate dinner. i had a lean cuisine 'ranchero beef w/sweet potatoes' dinner. my hubby had cooked a favorite dish of mine 'hot wing chicken' and after i ate my lean cuisine - i was still hungry, so i had a small flour tortilla w/some of the chicken mixture inside. i ate small bites, chewed well, and didn't drink w/my meal . i was full and satisified - but not stuffed. btw 'hot wing chicken' is just ground chicken breast cooked in a skillet w diced peppers and onions - when complete cooked - add your favorite hot wing sauce. - you can eat this mixture like a sloppy joe, or on crackers, or like me - in a tortilla!!! anyway - i'm going to see my dr tomorrow for a small adjustment. i am soooo close to my green zone - i can taste it... no pun intended!!! i'll post tomorrow after my appt!! thanks all -

here's some tips, hope they help. ... make sure you have what you like on hand - sf jello - ck or bf broth - sf popcicles - juices - crystal light.... what ever you enjoy. and remember - clears are not forever. you CAN do this. hang in there - take it one day at a time. ....DONT GIVE UP, YOU CAN DO THIS!!!. surround yourself w/those who encourage and lift you up. also - find things you enjoy away from the table - crosswords, tv, reading, anything - jus don't obsess over what you 'can't have' right now.....

oooh oooh add me too!! i'm str1349

yep. i'm really struggling w portion control. sooooo....since i didn't eat my salad i'd made myself today for lunch - so i ate it when i got home tonight for dinner. i got mostly ham/turkey and hard boiled egg whites and some shredded lettuce and measured out one cup, and ate it right out of the measuring cup. now, to some of you guys, this may sound silly, but for some reason - i really felt 'in control' .....i had my portion, and i was ok. and i ABSOLUTELY did not drink. i set the timer on my phone ( so i wouldn't drink for 30 min), and walked away. this is kinda big for me.... that's the two things i struggle w is portion control and not drinking while i eat!!! thanks for listening.... what do you guys do to assist w/portion control? thanks guys!!

i know this sound simple - but this has been one of my biggest struggles w/my band. I know that this is hindering my complete success and i truly want to enjoy living the 'banded life' as well as loose my additional weight. i would appreciate any non-judgemental advice on how to not drink while i eat. what are some tricks, tips, ideas for those of you who are succeeding in this area? thanks in advance..... when we rarely go out to eat, i've started telling the waitress that i don't want anything to drink - they look at me funny sometimes - but at least i don't have the temptation!!!

good point. i'll pay more attention to my time frame w/eating - thanks guys for all the advice.....!!

i recently had an unfill of 0.3 cc. i had a total of 2.2 cc in my 10 cc band. well, my tiny unfill has made a HUGE difference... too much of a good difference.!!! now i can eat whatever i want - no restriciton!!!! i called my dr's nurse and made an appt to have a small adjustment this coming tuesday. i'm sooooo scared of gaining any weight back..... and i didnt want to wait until next month to 'fix' it..... i know i can eat too much.. we went out to eat and i ate...... (hangs head in shame and guilt.....) two crunchy tacos, side of rice and hadfull of chips/salsa!!!!! OMG - i could NEVER eat that much before.... i cant' wait until i find my elusive green zone!! i'm still trying to follow my portion sizes, and not drinking w/meals - but i'm really excited to have some restriction again!!!!!

mis73 - thanks for your reply. i do understand how the band works, but i am able to eat more thank i could before. i am not getting full on my small portions, and i find that i am still looking for something else to eat. i've never had an unfill before - and just havent' found my green zone. hopefully that is coming soon. thanks again for your reply - my concern is w/the amount of food i am able to eat now.... ;(

i too have recently re-comitted to my band. i was banded in 2004 and stayed on track for about a year and a half.... then life got busy, and i got lazy!! i stil mananged to have some restriction and was able to continue to sloooooowly loose weight, althought i never went back to my dr or had any more adjustments, so 7 years later - i have lost a total of 55 lbs, but have another 65 to go..... so i re-comitted, followed up w/my dr and will do so monthly to stay on track. i have a 10 cc band, which only had 2.2 cc in it for the past 7 yrs. i recently had a tiny unfill ( 0.3 ) because i was still pb'ing. now.... i can eat ANYTHING and i'm scared to death...to gain any weight back...so....i'm going in this coming tuesday for an adjustment. congrats on your starting over .... sometimes i feel like i start over .... everyday!!!! thanks for sharing

i KNOW everyones story is different, however.......i got my first UNfill last week (wed) i had 0.3 removed from 2.2 cc out of a 10cc band. I got an unfill because i was too tight, taking tooooooo long to eat my 'band portions', and slowed weight loss, and i was pb'ing .... sometimes several times a day. Since my unfill - i am finally able to eat in a decent amount of time 20-40 min depending on what i'm eating. but i am starting to feel hungry now (something i rarely experienced pre unfill) for example.... this morning i made a protein shake (atkins shake, pb2, banana) and drank it (20 min) on my commute to work at 6am. after getting to work, around 8 - my stomach felt like it was going to start growling (hunger!!!) so i ate my mid morning snack early (low cal bread/deli ham) i ate on my sandwich off and on for maybe an hour (i got busy at work!!). I stayed satisified until around 11:30am . for lunch i had 8 oz. swai fish baked, 2 tbsp tartar sauce, and prob 1/2 c of steamed cauliflower/broccoli w/stray butter - and i am satisfied. i know its problably been too soon to see if i'm going to have results yet from having an unfill,.... i jus don't want to loose restriction. (althought what i had was a little too much!!) my doc says it's better to be a little loose than too tight. i completely trust him!!! so i'm going to continue to follow my rules and listen to my body!!! jus curious about others experiences w/un fills - i want to get to the point where i dont count calories or measure everything anymore. i do that now to stay accountable and accurate about what i'm actually eating!! right now i'm having around 1500 calories/day

i'm so in the same situation as you. i was too tight for a loooong time, got a small unfill (0.3 cc) and it made a huge difference. i almost think it was TOO much of a good difference. i'm not wanting to be too tight again by any means, however i can eat more than i should. and i get hungry - true stomach growling hunger - within 2-3 hours after a meal. i make good choice (90% of the time - occasional bite of cake,etc.) and i am still feeling hungry. i don't remember EVER feeling hungry before my unfill!!!! i am supposed to see my doc April 17th - but will try to see him sooner for a tiny re-adjustment!! i'm going to call his nurse in the morning and get her advice.... i don't want another 3 weeks to go by and take the chance of not loosing or even gaining!! congrats on your progress. hopefull soon we will both be in our 'green zone' best of luck

BritneyB - congrats on getting back on track!! jus curious, how much was your fill? i had 0.3 cc removed and it has made a huge difference. when i go back in April - i think i am going to ask for a small re-fill.. i am getting too comfortable to being able eat. this is a huge change from me not being able to eat decently for a long time. i'm scared i'm going to be out of control!!!! my small-refill cannot get here not soon enough

i recently 'started over' after being banded for 7 years (didn't follow up for various reasons.... whole different story) nevertheless, i'm back on track and have managed to keep off over 50 lbs. i am seeing my doc on a monthly basis and recently had a small unfill on march 20th. i have a 10cc band and was filled to 2.2cc - and felt like that was a little too tight (i was pb'ing/sliming alot) and my doc recomended a slight unfill. so i had it done. well, now - i fill like i can eat too much. since being 'recommitted' i'm really paying attention to how much i eat, how much i can eat, and how soon i'm hungry. well, i think i'm getting hungry too soon. i'm going to call my dr monday, and might go in for a re-adjustment. jus curious on what you guys think.... thanks guys!!!

i've been religiously measuring and weighting AND tracking everything i eat (MFP) for the past 6 weeks. i was off work today so i didn't prepare my meals the night before .... so i guess i jus got busy w/kids and the house and never tracked anything i ate. i still made good food choices, i jus didn't measure/weigh or track anything except my late breakfast...(everything bagel thin - 2 oz ham - 1 oz cheddar cheese - toasted and made into a sandwich - only ended up eating half - daughter ate the other half when i got up lol!!!) i know i made good choices - i guess i'm jus frustrated because i don't have proof - or a calorie intake number for today. i know it's not about calories, but about portion control and food choices - but my crazy brain jus needs to see concrete numbers/food choice lists/ etc. to remind the rest of me that i'm still doing a good job and still on track. (plus tracking keeps me accountable for what i eat - measuring keeps me honest about portions!!! ) i'll do better tomorrow for sure! i don't like feeling out of sorts - espeically w my eating!!!!!!!!!!!!!11