SueBee01

I have been reading a lot over the past several weeks about newbies getting fills. The question should always be, do I really need another fill? Many people are searching for the "green zone" and having that perfect "restriction." I will tell you from my personal experience that I don't know if there is a "green zone," but I do feel that you should not feel restriction. What you should notice is that with the band you should be able to eat less and feel satisfied. You MUST be committed to eating a smaller portion (most say 2-3 ounces of Protein, 1/3 c of veggies and 1/3 c of good carb for your meals) and extensive exercise. After eating that 1 to 1 1/2 c of food you should be satisfied, NOT full. And this satisfaction should last around 4 hours give or take. Everyone is different! For the first 8-10 months, I was never hungry. I just ate because I was raised to eat at certain times and that was a very hard habit to break. But I did it and you can make the necessary changes too. It is mind over matter! It doesn't mean drink your meals and expect to have a "full" feeling! If it can slide through your new pouch, it is not going to satisfy you. The nerve endings in your new pouch are what give you that satisfied feeling. If you are letting the slider food go through to your old stomach, you are eating no different then you did before you were banded. And you WILL be able to eat more than you should. Log your food so you really know what you are eating and exercise as many days a week as you can. Do a little to start. Once you start losing weight you will feel better and be able to exercise more. That is the whole point of weight loss and is key to the success of losing with the band. This is just my personal experience and hope it helps others. Be smart, be safe with your band so you can live a longer, healthier life with your band. I was able to get to my goal weight of 165 after 14 months of hard work losing 165 pounds. It can be done and it doesn't have to take a million fills and getting too tight. I had one fill. Good luck to all you newbies and welcome to the losers club.

That is awesome! Way to go. I am looking at the same three surgeries. Here in N. Florida, it is about $10,000 for each. I am doing the breast and arms first. Probably next Spring, just had hip replaced. One thing at a time!

Nicki, I had never heard of that bread so I looked it up! They are beautiful! I hope you live somewhere cool as they are so big and probably used to being outdoors. I am allergic to cats too al though I love them. We used to have them until I couldn't stand it anymore. So when the last one died at 18, that was it. Now just hypoallergenic dog! It is hot here today, 94 now. So I did my 25 minute bike ride at 9 this morning. I will lift weights tonight.

Thank you ladies! I think those of us who have been successful really need to share how we did it. I get scared reading some of the things I am seeing here on how people are using their band. I always treated it delicately and still do as it is a foreign object on my body.

If you are feeling stuffed and uncomfortable, don't eat so much. You should feel satisfied, never full or stuffed. The amount of food you eat should be based on how it makes you feel too, not just what a doctor tells you to do. All of our bodies react different to different quantities of food. I was never hungry and only at two meals a day and a snack for a year. My nut was good with that because your body will tell you when you need more food. Also means you definitely don't need another fill! Good luck and keep losing!

Finished up PT this week. Now I am on my own. They suggest going back to my normal exercise routine for the next four weeks before I hit the tennis courts and golf course. So that I am doing! Headed off to St Augustine to do some volunteer work today for an Animal Rescue group I work with. Great job Nicki! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Don't add a protein bar until you are able to have real food. You should still be on liquid or mushies at the soonest. When I was in the early stage, I drank 3-4 Protein drinks a day and that was easily 80 gm of protein. Are you drinking a hi Protein Drink? You should be. Your body needs the liquids and hi protein to heal. Drink, drink, drink. No dense or hard food until you are told to. Your stomach needs to heal. If you are having problems with protein drinks, you need to try different brands. Some are nasty and you may have aversions to some as your body and taste buds do change after being banded. Just try something else. You can also buy an unflavored powder and add to crystal light if you don't like the milky flavored ones.

I keep my band on the loose side. I can eat anything, but I do not eat any white bread (just because I chose to eat healthy bread) and little pasta just because they both expand so much. They waste space in my stomach that could be better served/satisfied with other things! I always quote my nut, "love what you eat!" I still love to eat and make the food I eat worth it nutritionally, is enjoyable and what I want! I figure if I am going to eat so little it is going to be worth it!

Nicki, I usually buy ground turkey or turkey burgers but I just found Purdue ground chicken and chicken patties. I tried them this time because they have no hormones and are cage free chickens! They were awesome! I can only eat half of one, but that leaves my husband to have 1 1/2 and he loves that!

Sometimes it is from the change in diet, the surgery itself (any major surgery) and the change in your body from the extreme weight loss. Everyone's body handles it differently. Not everyone will have hair loss. That is why increased protein works for some and additional other vitamins works for others. I had to do the funky vitamin routine as a lower protein intake has not shown co it used problems. Let your doctor know and they will help you.

Lady bandits, awesome! I haven't wore a bikini since I was 14 and at that time I was a size 14-16! Good on you. Nicki, great job with the ice cream! So proud of you. I had a busy day. Hit the gym this morning for 1/2 hour on the bike and elliptical, worked from home, PT in the afternoon for an hour, had dinner with the husband! Made chicken burgers on my George Forman and they were great! I liked them better then turkey burgers. Went to the golf course and practiced putting and chipping. My first time since hip replacement, then home with the dog to watch some TV. Try it all again tomorrow! Going longer each day on the bike and elliptical! Tennis courts soon!

That is great, congrats!

Don't put undue stress on yourself. There is a lot of head issues here with the process. Just stick to the program and hang on for the ride. I started losing from the get go, had one fill, two plateaus, and lost 165 pounds in 14 months. Stick to the plan, gets lots of exercise and log everything. I used MyFitnessPal because it really opened you eyes to what you were really eating and told you what you would weigh in five weeks if you kept on the program. It is self motivating and worked! You will get there. The first couple months are the hardest because you are healing, swollen and can't work out as much.

Nicki, you are doing great! Kymmie, just get on MyFitnessPal and start logging! It will really help, open your eyes and help to get you motivated. Good luck. Had a great week getting back to exercise! Back riding bicycle, went to the gym two days in a row as it has been raining here and was able to get back on the elyptical with no problems. Worked out for an hour each time incorporating some weights and got down three pounds this week! Back to 167, yippy! Volunteered yesterday for the Animal Rescue I work with and actually picked up my first size 10 dress pants and a dress! That was exciting. So now I can say I am down from a size 26 to a 10/12. Definitely staying here, no going back! Hope everyone has a great week! I have two more weeks working from home then back to reality.

Don't forget you can always add additional chicken broth to the soups or whatever you blend.

Sometimes it has nothing to do with how well you are eating, it happens to some of us and not others from the surgery and weight loss. My surgeon put me on several vitamins for three months and it stopped falling out. It has completely grown back. He also said that your hair grows on a seven month cycle. Ask you NUT to see if they have the vitamin program, if not PM me and I can spell it our for you. It is touch, a different pill every two hours during the day for three months. Or try the Biotin and see if it works for you.

I agree with the head hunger issue! Still deal with it after a year and a half! It was really hard to learn to only eat when hungry, not on a schedule of three meals and two snacks and desert all the time which is what I grew up with! Don't feel like you have to eat all the time. It is different for everyone too. My NUT always says only eat when you are hungry, eat healthy and love what you eat! So I DO!

Well, I have enjoyed eating pretty much anything I want for the past twelve weeks being a home body after surgery. I have seen the scale go up and down 3-5 pounds during that time and I have decided I better start paying attention since I am not working out yet other then the required physical therapy. I am ok with the scale now sitting at 170, but I don't want to see it go up any further! I must say I catch myself saying 270 and it really freaks me out. I told my husband and he said you look great and remember it IS 170! Gotta love him! Nicki, I am going to back off the ice cream a little and get more water in. Road my bike for the first time last night since surgery. Only went 1.5 miles, but was more concerned about getting on and off and not falling! Next week I will start on the elliptical! Can't wait! Hope everyone has a great week.

Protein shakes are great in the beginning, but I am a true believer that you have to learn to lose and maintain eating real food. I can't see drinking protein drinks the rest of my life so I don't drink them at all now and haven't since 4 months post op.

I hope that you are successful. After so many years of trying, regaining and trying again, I am happy that I chose the band as I too am a food addict and it helps to control how much I can eat. Now I am more focused on eating healthier and exercising. My band is helping with the portion control. Good luck to you.

Now you can all look forward to adding chopped up chicken or ground turkey to it when you get to add real meat! Awesome!