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Well, I have finally landed on something that seems to have gotten my weight loss going. I have not lost any significant weight since the surgery a year ago. I just toy with the same 2 or 3 pounds. I am now down 5.5 pounds in a little over a week. I have just started focusing on eating meats and vegetables and fruit every once in a while. It is basically just a low carb approach. I refuse to call this a diet as I seem to have an all or nothing attitude. If I fall off the wagon, I have trouble getting back on when I am dieting. So, I am just staying away from the bread and sugar. It is truly working. I am afraid to say this out loud, but I think I may have figured this thing out. The band is certainly allowing me to eat smaller portions. I feel like I have a very good friend in my camp. I am still working on eating until satisfaction rather than until I am uncomfortably full. I get full quickly and still want to eat. I seem to be knocking one obstacle at a time out of the way. It started with not being able to eat much so I started eating things that would go down easily, like crackers and sweets. Think I have that conquered now, thanks to low carb approach. Now, I need to get to the point that I can stop at satisfaction rather than eating til too full. Such a head game! So, here I am a year later and finally starting to lose weight. Yikes!

I started exercising and have a heel spur and achilles tendon issue that flares up. Will try getting to the pool, but so much harder to work that into a busy schedule with so many meetings right after work. Walking was so much more convenient. Have started a workout that you do in your living room that works all the muscle groups. 30 minutes of that and I have a good workout. No impact. Good luck with the fill

Thank you to all that have commented in response to my concerns about my progress. I value each and every one of your stories. I have little golden nuggets that I have gleaned from each story. I loved where someone said when I am walking I am walking away from fat. That is a great visual for me. I went to the nutritionist and we came up with a plan. She gave me a great tracking sheet. I would never have believed that I would enjoy tracking, but I am actually enjoying it. My 3 goals are simple and doable. 1)Walk 15 minutes a day. 2)Journal for 1 week. 3)Plan my Snacks. What I found I was doing was thinking I was out of control on calories and would feel panicked or pressure that I could not eat anything else. This would just make me want more since I had "blown" it. I am tracking and am finding that I am right at 1300 calories now. I am amazed how it is giving me peace of mind to be able to eat. I am looking for satisfying planned snacks. Lite yogurt with granola or almonds is doing the trick right now. So, 3 days under my belt of working toward trying to break those bad habits.

I go to the doctor tomorrow. I have had 2 fills and am at 2.5 cc's. I have not lost weight since my initial weight loss at the surgery. I have successfully kept the weight off, but have not lost any more weight. There are certain foods I am unable to eat without plugging, and am certainly learning about my eating habits. Before, I thought is was just volume. I am now learning that I will graze since I am unable to eat large volumes. I have become a sweet eater and was never a sweet eater before. I am realizing that I miss overeating and I think I am filling it with foods that will go down easily like sweets. I am concerned about what to do tomorrow at the dr's appointment. If I tighten the band, will I go to the empty calorie foods even more? I am so disappointed in myself that I am one of the ones that has learned to "out smart" the band. It was my biggest fear before having the surgery. Every morning I get up and say this is the day that I am going to succeed. I truly feel just like I did before the surgery. I constantly think about not eating and end up doing the opposite. Very sad about this.

Well, I went to the doctor today. I have been journaling my foods eaten and it quite apparent that it is not volume but sweets that are stopping my weight loss. I had surgery back in August and I have not lost weight since the weight loss I had before and right after the surgery. I continue to learn about my eating problems. I was never a sweet eater and have turned to sweets since I am unable to eat large volumes now. So, with that said, it is good that I know this....now to conquer this need or desire to still eat even when I am full. Logically this makes no sense what so ever, but I don't eat with logic in mind! The doctor did not want to do a fill until I have seen the nutritionist. They are both so skinny and I find it hard to believe they can identify at all with what a person like me goes through. His comment to this was that their best resource is to be able to share what other people have found that works. That I believe can be helpful. So, I have made an appointment with them. I am going to continue to journal my foods and get the sweets out of my reach. I think I will keep weight watcher type Desserts on hand but try to avoid over eating on them. I pray that I will do this. I, so, admire people who can set their minds to something and stay the course until it is accomplished. Thanks to y'all who commented on my post last night. It was very encouraging to check my email this morning and I had 4 of you who had responded. Each response was different and each was helpful. I hope you are doing well on your journey.

Well, I am 2 days from surgery and getting anxious. I am over the what if's of having this surgery. What if I gain it back. People keep saying you can fail at this. You have to work at it. It is not a magic bullet. For so long I thought, "Well that is what I have to do now". Why have the surgery? An answer finally came that worked for me. A friend said," The difference is, that if you work at it with the band, you will see results". My other concern was that if you can fail at this, well, I WILL as I have in the past. Finally I thought about it from a different vantage point. I was in sales for 20 years. I never went into a sales call thinking I am not going to close this deal. I was in control of it. I was not a vicitm where it was controlling the outcome. It was like a light bulb went off for me. I am not a victim. It is my choice to succeed and I have someone in my corner called the lap band helping me succeed where I could not before. I get energy and confidence from that. My last concern to mention at 2 days before surgery. I am anxious about going to the hospital. I am a private person and dread not being in control of things. I am one to avoid shots at all costs, so to do this is quite a mountain to climb. I hope all goes well. I have been amazed at how easy I have handled the diet before the surgery. Only a couple of times have I been hungry. I made a big batch of soup and added lots of spices like cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Used boxed chicken broth for a base, added tomato juice to it along with onions, carrots, celery, cabbage. It is an old weight watcher's recipe. It is so satisfying to fix a cup of this. The veggies are still mostly crunchy so it gives me something to chew.