mabunga24

I still have a lot of weight to lose, which is why I am trying to keep my calories around 1000 per day.

I always shoot for 1000, but if I hit 1200 I don't beat myself up :biggrin1: I have been dieting my whole life, so I thought I knew how many calories I was eating before I started REALLY keeping track. But I think I might have been in denial a bit or sometimes didn't count everything. But now that I have been more serious about it, I think it has made a huge difference for me.

This is pretty typical for me: Breakfast: V-8 or Protein shake Snack: granola bar lunch: shrimp cocktail (low calorie and high protein) or soup Snack: Fruit (lately it's been cherries since they are in season) Dinner: chicken, rice and veggies Other ideas for Snacks that have been great for me are the imitation crab legs (high in protein and low calorie) it really sticks with me. I also love the sippy soup cans that Campbells has out these days. They are very satisfying and just the perfect amount.

I personally am counting calories. It was a total pain at the beginning, but it is getting easier and easier. I have a little notebook that I carry around with me all day and I record absolutely EVERYTHING that goes in my mouth. When I first started I was SHOCKED at how many calories I was consuming even though I didn't feel like I was eating much food. At the end of every day I log my entries onto the website mycaloriecounter.com and it helps me to keep thing in perspective. Now that I have been counting calories so faithfully for the past 6 months I feel like for the first time I am in total control of what I am eating and the weight is finally starting to come off steadily. It is also a great help that I finally feel like I have hit the sweet spot as far as my band restriction goes.

Betsyjane- Thank you for your post and sharing your experience. I do feel like I am where you used to be...I have had my second fill and don't feel any restiction. I will go in for my third in a couple of weeks. I do have a question though about the dialated pouch that you mentioned. This happened AFTER you found you sweet spot? Do you know what caused your pouch to dialate? Besides 3 days of liquids...what other behaviors did you change? Thanks!

Sherilynn! I totally know how you feel! I have been feeling like this is just another failed diet attempt too....but we have to just keep trying! Keep in mind what you have accomplished so far! Hang in there!:nervous

:clap2: I am a little slow...but I finally found my fellow-December Bandsters! Yippee!

I am SOOO glad that others of you are as confused about this "fill" thing as I am!! I just had my second fill and I still can't fill any restriction. Things never get "stuck" for me. I feel like I am getting full faster, but I can definitely eat more than the 1 cup of food I am suppose to be eating. The frustrating part is that my roommie, who was banded 2 months before me, has only had one fill and has really good restriction. In fact, she has lost nearly 70 pounds in 8 months. I am at 20 pounds in nearly 6 months! YIKES!! I will keep trying until my next fill and hopefully that will make a difference for me!:nervous

I got my band on Dec 27th 2006 and have only lost 20 pounds. I got my first fill on Feb 23rd. Since the fill I have lost and gained the same 3 pounds...that nasty 3 pounds that seems to haunt other people as well. My roommate was banded 2 months before me and has lost over 60 pounds! She never goes to the gym...and I feel like I live there! One of the most frustrating things is that because I am working out so hard, my appetite is revved up and I feel hungry ALL the time! I am still trying to make wise food choices, but I have very little restriction from my first fill. I am going in for my second fill tomorrow and HOPE something will change. I wanted to know if anyone is still experiencing the shoulder and neck pain that was only suppose to happen immediately after surgery...from pressure on a nerve or something??? Does anyone else have that?? It only seems to hurt when I am hungry...but since that is all the time...it is killing me!!! I have talked to my doctor about it, but he didn't have an answer for me...so we will talk about it when I see him tomorrow, but I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced that??