aeromech

Well, I have gotten it down I believe. I am down to having one or two Snacks a day, not constant grazing on high fat/carb items is helping tremendously. I have about 25-30 lbs to go to my goal weight and am having trouble getting the workouts in with my stupid nightshift schedule. As far as what it feels like when you are at the satisfied state, I stop eating as soon as I lose interest in eating. I try to make sure I am doing something while eating, and as soon as I miss my bite timer because I am too busy... It's time to stop. Usually within the 20 minute meal length for me. Sometimes I am totally into what I am eating and end up finishing my portion easily.... Have to watch the portion sizing carefully on things like that or else I eating way too much. I hope to tackle this better and get down to goal by the new year. But if it take longer, I'm OK with that.

Well, I think I need to employ more gum! I drink lots and lots of Water, but the "feeling" of eating is what is missed I guess. Kind of like a smoker just quitting but needing that action of puffing on something like a habitual action. There is so much psychology involved with this. I am hopeful that people realize this. Thanks for the replies guys!!

I have only told about 6 coworkers out of more than 50 I work with, wife, kids, mother-in-law know. That's it. I prefer to be discreet about it and if someone asks what's with the weight-loss, I blame diabetes and the hiatal hernia repair. The hernia especially if someone hears me struggling with being stuck in the bathroom. I figure that no one needs to know and the ones that feel conscious about their weight end up working out and becoming healthier on their own. Not hurting anyone by not sharing. Eventually I will "come clean" with every person I meet, but for own this is the way it is.

How do you stop this incessant snacking!?!? I'm not hungry but I keep going for Snacks here and there. It's hurting my weight loss for sure. I can't get below 225lbs and have been stuck here for over a 2 months. So, do any of you have some little tricks you used to get away from the snacking? I have great restriction right on and don't get hungry for 5 hours even without snacks. When I'm busy, take that as not bored, I can do this. But boredom goes all too well with snacks for me. Thanks, John

I take small bites and have a minute between swallowing and the next bite. It works well for me. Use a minute sand timer or the "eat slower" app on your phone to get a good rhythm. Sometimes I have to spend on coffee during my meal, it relaxes me for some reason. Watch what you eat early in the day. Most people are tighter with their first meal and have to do a variation on mushy foods and Protein shakes to get the first meal in. The types of foods make a huge difference, some people have problems with certain ones and others not. Experiment cautiously but done be totally afraid to try new things. Doughy bread, sticky rice, fresh carrots and fresh broccoli are not my friend at all. Talk to your Dr. Maybe you are too tight. I had the hiatal hernia repair at the same time as being banded, Dr put in 4cc at surgery and I ended up having everything removed because the swelling from the hernia repair. Everyone is different, but it's worth talking to the doctor about and maybe even getting a fluoroscopy done. Good luck.

Do not, and I repeat DO NOT OVERHEAT your food. Especially if you are really hungry. That's the worst stuck/burning feeling ever!! First reaction is to just swallow when you have really hot food in your mouth. Take it from me, it's worth checking and waiting to avoid having a bad experience. That is all...

Very true for me. I have had to limit myself on the Snacks. I plateaued for a while and that went away with the limitation of snacking.

BTW, I have gotten 2 small fills since I made the original post and have not had to sliderize my food. It's all about following the rules and chewing the right size bites completely. Working out...... Treadmill for 50-60min every other day keeping heart rate in upper fat burn range. I gained a few lbs probably due to muscle swelling/water retention. Hopefully that will go away soon. Work stress isn't being my friend lately. Combined with lack of sleep, makes me one hungry dude!!!

So far nightshift hasn't been too bad. I know my Dr wants me to sleep at least 7 hours, but if I get 5 I am doing good. Going to the gym after work at 3am isn't too bad either. Just frustrating when my workout buddies get off the treadmill at only 30 minutes and leave me hanging. It's ok because I have my own agenda. Going to make my Dr's goal weight by by birthday. Then we see where I will go from there.

I just wanted to ask if anyone here is working nights or graveyard and if so, what kind of hours? I got 3:30pm to 2:00am M-Th,1:30pm to 10:00pm F&Sat. 56 hours total. My biggest question if those of us that work this stupid shift, where do you find time to exercise and sleep enough? I haven't even walked much less hit the gym in a week because of this new schedule. On top of that I think I have too much Fluid in my band because I can't eat my food unless I magically transform it into a slider. I'm having a real time with portions and head hunger as well. My weight has stalled for over a month, seems like I can't get enough calories in to match my activity level. I range from 700-1300 a day. I hope this shift doesn't last till the end of the project....Nov-Dec. Let me know any of your thoughts on any of this. John

Thanks very much for the response Catfish! We are not very different creatures you and I. I was 335lbs at my heaviest and now at about 238. I just can't seem to get these calories up to the range I need. My Fitness Pal estimated my BMR at 2053, and that I should eat 1900 net calories. Net being eat and exercise combined. I couldn't eat that much if I tried.... I eat three times a day and get a snack here and there but never hit those numbers. I should have said starvation mode, its where your metabolism slows down and your body stores everything as fat because it's fighting you starving to death. Guess I really need to work on this.

I know everyone is different as far as daily activity levels and how much they burn each day and that we should have a 1000 calorie deficit for losing weight. Some days I am ravenously hungry with like 1300 calories and others I have problems getting in over 700 calories. I have to eat regularly to control my blood glucose levels or else my liver will pump me up and I will get high numbers without eating for more than 5 hours. I rely on complex carbs to slow the sugar spikes, but how much are we supposed to get to keep our bodies out of storage mode? It's a mystery to me. I try to keep active and even track with a fitbit one. Any insight?

I haven't posted in a while, busy with work and family. I have now completed 2 5k walks, first one was 51 minutes, second was 45 minutes! I am so happy I can do this! My glucose levels are very stable for the day after exercise, I might cut my metformin by half next visit to the endocrinologist. Yesterday was my third fill appointment and I didn't lose any weight this time, but my clothes are still fitting looser. The doctor said that's good. I need to work on smaller portions, taking time to chew properly and waiting enough between bites, having minor stuck episodes due to not following the rules. I also need to work on my exercise(45 minutes 4 times a week) and sleep 7 hours or more. I got 1cc more (puts me at 4cc total in a 10cc band) and it was a late appt, so I was on Protein shakes last night.... Should have continued that today too. I had some Greek yogurt at Breakfast and it went ok, but I tried cottage cheese and had a stuck feeling for about 20 minutes. I finished my cottage cheese later and ended up not hungry for like 5 hrs. I hate being rushed to eat while at work, it messes my whole day up. I also feel like I'm not getting enough calories a day. I think I'm in storage mode with 700-1000 calories. I got a fitbit one activity tracker last week and hopefully it will give me insight on how much I should be eating. It's going to be weird getting my calories and keeping portions at their smallest. Still limiting sugar and carbs, but want to incorporate complex carbs into my diet to control glucose spikes. Seems this fill has me cutting beef from the diet. It's a food that just doesn't work for me anymore. My BP and cholesterol will get better for it.

Haven't ran yet, but I did a 5k walk in 51mins this morning! I think I can train a bit and incorporate some running for sure. I did jog a little here and there and ran the last tenth of a mile. It was fun, gonna do another next weekend and the weekend after!

Ok, so first I have went from a size 40 pants to a 36....they are getting loose!!! I keep getting stopped by coworkers and they tell me I am looking skinny and asking how I am doing it. Feels so awesome!! The big one is that I just did a 5k walk this morning, my first official 5k! I finished in 51mins, my 12yr old daughter finished 52mins, 6yr old daughter 1hr 4mins, and wife made it 1hr 5mins!! It was so much fun! Next weekend there is another one our family is going to do. Can't wait! The pic in the blue shirt is just before surgery on pre-op diet, the white shirt pic is from this morning.