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OMG - maybe 3 times a charm - It took a while for my Water to go down... I stopped and got a smoothie and I take a sip and it takes a good while to go down... it should last me the entire day Doc said that he usually sees the green zone in peeps between 7 and 9 cc's - I'm at 7.5 and when he injected me you could see the resistance in the solution in the syringe - it kept trying to push it back into the syringe. I believe that I NOW have restriction. I wonder how the next few days will go - I'm going to take it slow and liquids. As for my body shrinking - it is but it seems so slow - I'm down 7lbs in one month - Doc said 1-2 lbs per week is good - slow and good. blah blah blah - I want to see 12-15 lbs in a month - but I didn't get here over night and I get it... So nice to be on this journey with you Vicki!! I'll let you know how this 3rd fill is doing for me. All the best to you too!

Hi Vicki - I go today too - for fill #3 I'm aggravated however b/c I've been really watching what I eat and logging it in an app - Lose It - and the scale hasn't moved in two weeks! I'm hoping that this fill really tightens me up and I'll eat even less - but i haven't been eating over 1200 calories - plus going to the gym for 30-60 minutes of cardio exercise and just started light weights with a trainer... I'm not going to let this derail me - but DAMN - what's it going to take! I'm also curious about my band - like I wonder if it will ever do what it does for success - we'll see how this fill goes - I'm already at 6cc's in a 10 cc band - he'll probably put 2cc's in today. Glad we're on this together - I'm down 22lbs too.

I'm sure many on here are parents - and you can totally relate to the witching hour - in my house it's the hours between 5:30 and 7:30 otherwise known as dinner time! I am so very proud that we have this time as a family and we make it to the table together each night nearly 7 days a week - my problem is I'm an excellent cook and make delicious food - albeit - probably not the most figure friendly - hence why I'm in this place to begin with... so rather than digressing I'll get to the point - What do YOU do to satisfy your hungry belly as soon as you come into the house and start cooking for the family? I have been drinking Arizona diet Tea - but with the aromas of the food and the 650 calories I've eaten today - well - I can be described as a GRIZZLY BEAR!!! Please post some ideas to feed the beast that won't derail the day and get me thru to my actually sitting at the table with my meal without feeling ravenous, which will help me to eat slower and enjoy the food rather than trying to tame the beast in my belly... I'm sure you get the point.

Why thank you TMF - I know it IS something to be proud of and it is good weight loss - but it seems like it is NOT equivalent to the level of sacrificing - but if that were the case I'd be 50lbs down plus you do hear these people who are loosing 100 lbs in a year and that's about 2 lbs a week... but I hear you as far as 6 months from now it being even harder - but if I'm down 60lbs and have 20 more to loose it will at least feel better than it does now when I look in the mirror. all in all - it's a journey I'm happy to be on and LOVE the community here to be able to spew at the mouth on ideas - keeps me in check. - so thank you again TMF for chiming in - always a pleasure. cheers

Hi band teacher - the two times that I've gotten a fill (surgery 10/23, 1st fill 12/2 & 2nd fill 1/6 - my next 1 is 2/3) (hey today is my 3rd month bandaverisary) my doctor laid me down and asked me to do a sit-up crunch - I was fully paying attention to my gut - he stuck the needle in and sure enough I could feel him hit the plastic b/c it stopped the needle from going in any further, he then sucked out the Fluid (the first time there wasn't much at all) - 2nd time sucked out the initial 4 cc's and then injected back in the 4 cc's plus another 2. So I do feel confident that there is fluid in there and he's hitting my port - so my advice and opinion (take what you'd like ) at your next fill appointment ask your doc to suck out every bit that's in there 1st - that way you KNOW he's in your port and he's got a precise measurement of your fluids - only then can you really be sure. Also, be present with him as he has the needle in you - sometimes it's easier to close our eyes and cringe - but I think it's important to ask questions during the procedure - it's your right - and tell him to slow down and talk to you to reassure you and allow you to be present and cognizant. Now, with that said - my restriction at 6 cc's is not very satisfying and honestly it really feels like I am on just another diet - the Atkins diet (by direction of my doc) - now I'm using the Lose It app and only allowing myself 1200 calories trying hard to keep to high Protein low carb low fat no sugar foods. Right now - given all that I've read, this early in the stage of being banded - we're on another diet and it sounds like it will take 6 full months (if we're lucky) to get to where the band is working for us and really limiting what and how much we eat. My weight loss is SLOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! I am eating WAY less than I have eaten over the past 4 years - like probably by 3/4 less and it's the slowest possible weight loss EVER!!! But I look at the gigantic slash in my belly and know that I'm committed and with that I am NOT going to put ANY kind of bad food in my mouth, unless I want the scale to go up - and that ain't happening on my watch! I did well until I hit Christmas and although I behaved myself mostly I still ate more calories than 1200 causing my weight loss to stall - now since I got home from a weekend get-away with hubby to New Orleans (oh how the food there is SO delicious!!!) and I had my 2nd fill (the day after I got back) I've been very good but still am only down a couple of pounds. So - I'm committed to doing the right things like eating good wholesome foods up to 1200 calories (I really like the Lose It app), trying to eat as slow as I can (this is the hardest thing for me), NOT drinking while I eat and waiting at least 30 minutes - I just learned (finally) that right now b/c I'm not fully restricted all drinking while eating is doing is helping the food get thru the band - and you really want that food to trickle into your stomach - otherwise I am more likely to over eat, going to the gym 3-4 times a week (right now I'm doing the elliptical 30-45 minutes - no weights yet) and holding out that this surgery I chose to do 3 months ago kicks into gear and that it IS life long from this point forward... It's ALL up in our heads at this point and doing these good deeds will make us successful - I believe - and I hope that this helps - and again - this is all my OPINION - I'm not being uppity - I just have to be a little hard on myself to abide by the rules and not cheat - b/c if I do limit myself to 1200 calories a day, especially of the good things - I WILL lose weight. And thank GOD for sugar free chocolate pudding and a baby spoon b/c that seals off my day and I don't eat ANYTHING past that event - My Chocolate Pudding Desert EVENT - every evening. (I HATE that it is processed food btw - something I've had to overcome) God bless! (I DO pray that this helps someone - if not, well it helped me b/c now I feel empowered to stay with this mental position) ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh TTYL

Yes, I do believe so ... all ideas and suggestions welcomed! thank you HealthyNewMe

It's interesting that there are 72 views here and only one post and that post was the "no-duh" answer (no offense 2muchfun) - I think what we're needing here is ideas of WHAT exactly successful lapbanders are eating... I like to have a plan, that's why I really liked Jenny Craig, because it was all written out, eat what was on the menu (and nothing else) and you lost 2lbs a week. No brainer... but here it's different, especially if you are not in the green zone yet where your band is doing a lot of the work preventing you from over eating - b/c even the good food, non-slider food, adds up and if you eat more than you should well you aren't losing any weight. In fact I've been debating if I should go back to JC until my band is adjusted b/c it's a plan that I know works - but I do NOT like eating out of box all of the time. I'm looking for (and perhaps Christy Z) a written out menu plan - like a month of choices meaning 30 breakfasts, 30 lunches, 30 dinners and 30 Snacks - recipes and nutrition information - something to follow - that encompasses the "no brainer" foods but is written out... anyone have any suggestions here? I'd place a bet that I'm not the only one looking for some kind of a plan...

I love the Arizona Tea with Ginseng and Honey - zero calorie - I was NEVER a diet drink person, if I drank soda it would be a fountain coke a cola - but that was only a couple of times a month - over all I drink a good amount of Water - but - since banded I am hooked on the Arizona Tea - and I like that I can add as much water as I like so I can water it down so it's not too sweet - the Arnold Palmer drink is also good - it's similar but tea and lemonade. I consider this Fluid b/c it's counting towards my 100 oz per day.

Hello All... I'm looking for some answers and/or wisdom. so drinking fluids (and I'm talking about Water and non sugary drinks - fluids in general (not beer, wine, coke, diet coke - not talking about the "bad" things to drink here-that's another post )) - so drinking fluids with the lapband is still a very questionable topic to me and here is why... I understand that the "rules" are to not drink 1/2 hour before a meal and to wait until 1 hour after the meal to drink fluids and I want to know why? I thought it was b/c the food would come up if you drank with solids. I'm drinking with my solids and this isn't happening to me, in fact I find that drinking makes me feel a lot better because it doesn't feel like food is staying at the back of my throat... but I started to think about it and maybe you aren't supposed to drink because it washes the solids thru the band hence defeating the objective of the band to SLOWLY trickle the food into your stomach and for the upper stomach to get filled to send signals to your brain that you are full? I know that I have read varying degrees of this and some believe you should drink and most believe that you should not drink with your meals... Anyone want to shed some clarity around this - I would be so grateful b/c I don't like to eat without drinking - in fact I will have to completely change my mindset and my habits. I will also say that I am not at the green zone yet either - I'm just shy of 3 months banded, two fills and third scheduled for Feb 6th. I am definitely tighter than I was before 2nd fill and I have found that each day since I've gotten the 2nd fill I'm tighter and more limited in what I can eat - but this drinking while eating subject has me puzzled. In summary - I can most definitely drink while I'm eating and it helps to not have that tight clump in my chest and probably allows me to eat more... so is this why you don't want to drink while eating - it defeats the purpose?

I love avocado - but I know it's fattening - so Wholly Guacamole sells these 100 calorie cups and I usually take chicken or eggs and chop them up and add a few chops of red onion and celery and instead of mayo I use the guacamole - it's so good and satisfying I try to eat every two hours something small when I'm at work, so I usually start with a hard boiled egg and then I have a little cottage cheese cup and then my chicken salad and then a SF pudding - I'm staying away from carbs and it's interesting to see how many people can still eat sandwiches - I miss them but I'm very scared that I'll get stuck. I also take low sodium turkey slices and spread a bit of hummus and do a roll up and if i have it I'll take butter lettuce and wrap it around the turkey for a lettuce wrap. That's pretty yummy too. I made black bean soup the other day in a crockpot with chicken strips, so I'll bring a cup of that to work. I've also found these low carb souffles in the freezer section and they are tasty and very airy. What I don't eat right now is anything made of Pasta or flour - If I need something carb-like I eat potatoes or rice but rarely, maybe once a week. One more thing - Arizona tea with ginseng and honey zero calorie has been really helping me - it's tasty, doesn't leave a strong after taste and not too sweet like some diet drinks - and I get the powder so I can control how concentrated it is - it really helps me get in my fluids.

Carolinagirl - do u know WHY ur doc & nutritionist gave u this advise? I'm looking for the WHY u should stop drinking before u eat and wait 20-30 minutes after??

Talk about an "ah-ha" moment. Makes complete sense as to why I can eat so much - this is REALLY going to help me - so thank U!!! Note to others with similar experience - it's not that you shouldn't drink w meals but if u do it defeats the purpose of the band - I SO wish someone explained it to me this way this past few months. I even told my Doc that I was drinking while eating w no problem - he didn't say, "STOP" - I guess there comes a point when I'm better adjusted that drinking WILL cause the food to come back up - but for now it's causing the food to drop below the belt leading to over eating. Point TAKEN!

I'm sooooooooooooooooooo with you Mcnay1! I was banded on Oct. 23rd and I've got 6 cc's in my band. I am restricted but i'm not really feeling it as much as I thought. I have not had any food come up, I have had the chest pain and now this past few days I'm getting a bit of pain by my port after I eat. I'm down 20 lbs, I really enjoyed my holiday (prior to 2nd fill) and although I didn't over eat I did have more carbs and sugar than I had had since before surgery - then my husband and I went to New Orleans for a long weekend - our first trip without kids since we've been married 13+ years ago - I had a blast and ate well. Came home and had 2nd fill the very next day, so 10 days ago. For breakfast I have hard boiled eggs - two of them plain with salt (that is usually around 8 a.m.) and I eat them too fast I know - old habits. Sometimes I'll take fresh spinich and put it in a pan with spray and sprinkle fresh salsa (not jar but the stuff from the deli area) on top and cover for a minute then I crack two eggs on top and cover until they are done - that's very good too. At 10:00 I usually have one of those 90 calorie cottage cheese cups and then for lunch I have a 1/2 chicken breast with the Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie to-go cups - I mix that and celery and onion with the chicken (sometimes I throw in an egg if I didn't eat it for breakfast).. usually no more than a cup of food. I eat a SF pudding cup around 2:00 - so the day is usually good for me... it's this next portion of the day that I am weak b/c I'm hungry and really need ideas of something to eat when I walk in the door so I don't nibble before dinner. I've been eating a teaspoon of Peanut Butter. Then dinner is Protein (fish, chicken, taco meat, ham, turkey - whatever I'm cooking the family) and then I will have some roasted potatoes or rice - I will not eat any Pasta or bread. I do eat veggies but very few. I will have breaded pork chop but know that I shouldn't. When I go out to lunch I get salad and usually fish (I love Tuna) or chicken that is grilled. I will eat Soups but worry about them b/c they can be high calorie and high carb. I'm trying to stay under 50 carbs a day and no sugar. The # one thing that I believe has been saving me is my consumption of liquid - no calorie Arizona Tea with Ginseng and Honey - I am getting in my 80oz a day with that and it helps with hunger. I don't know about you, but I can totally drink and eat at the same time - I'm TRYING to cut it out, but it's REALLY hard for me. My next fill is scheduled for Feb. 3rd. I look forward to the point when I don't have to worry so much about WHAT i'm eating as much as how much b/c my band won't allow anymore than a little bit - I'm not there by any means but I do consume WAY less than I have before surgery. It's the Journey - right - slow and steady. And my expectations are 10lbs a month - I hope I see that come Feb. 1 I hope this helps. and I hope to hear and see more suggestions.

A cute top or outfit is always a great reward, it will be something you can show off your beautiful new self. Happy loosing!

I'm curious if anyone else feels like this... because I am hungry below my band but above my band I feel like I've eaten enough (b/c of soft signs like hiccup or tightness). I'm trying to listen to my upper stomach but I feel hungry. I'm eating mostly Protein (chicken, salmon, eggs for the most part) and a little veggies and very little starch. It's a new week and I'm really going to concentrate on what's happening with me and hunger and document. Just curious if any of you have experienced this before - I am under 3 months banded (Oct. 23rd) and I've been filled twice and have 6 cc's in the 10 cc band.

"What next" - that's a GREAT question LBChic73! I'm on fill number two and although it's a bit tighter than I felt with fill #1 a month ago I'm still not feeling completely restricted and more importantly I'm still feeling hungry. I'm a Protein kind of a girl, so I am eating predominantly chicken, turkey, fish and ground beef - little to no carbs but I'm not staying full - and I honestly believe that the food is going right thru the band. I have a 10cc band, he filled 4cc's on 1st fill and 2cc's this 2nd fill - and said that it usually takes 6 months to get it right (aka green zone). I can eat more than a cup of food at once - but probably not more than 2 cups. It's making sure that the 2 cups are nutrient rich foods and not garbage that I believe is key. Easier said than done I can still gulp Water and drink at least a cup in a matter of seconds... I wonder if that is supposed to happen - I guess I expected that I wouldn't be able to gulp - when does that change? Anyway - good question Lapbandchic73 - I'm interested on hearing more answers, especially from those who are banded 6 months... sure wish there was a search or filter feature to connect with those who are at a certain stage. Albeit - I know that we're ALL different and our doctors are ALL different too. It still nice to hear peoples experiences.

I'm a couple of week before your surgery date (Oct. 23rd) and I'm in the same boat... but I don't throw up. I just had my 2nd fill and although it's definitely tighter than the 1st fill I don't think I'm there yet. I too eat WAY too fast so I'm trying to savor every little bite but I'm not doing so great at it - plus I'm an eater on the go. I'm hoping others will chime in here too - I need more insight and suggestions - the app is a good idea but it's more to it then timing. I can also drink while I eat - easily - can you?

I was on here yesterday looking for recipes - looking for low carb/low fat Soups and someone mentioned an organization or weight management plan that seemed to be around a long time - I want to say Lindor - but that is chocolate haha - does anyone know what I am talking about? it's a weight management organization that when I went to the sight they had their program but they also had some really good recipes too... I know that it started with an L... That's all I've got - does anyone have an idea - please post if you do - much thanks!

YES!!! Thank you Jean - that is what I'm talking about and thanks for the additional recommendation for ibreathei'mhungry.com - I'll check it out.

I'm curious what you mean by too tight - can you explain what your are experiencing? I got my 2nd fill on Monday and I feel tight too, but when I eat, as long as I eat slow and feel the food go thru then I am feeling like I'm probably not at that "green zone" place... but I am not sure - i've only been banded since Oct. 23rd - so still very much feel like a newbie. Jammiebp - What are you experiencing? Details please :)

Absolutely - I've been banded since Oct 23rd and having these foreign objects in my body has been the biggest adjustment for me - and it's the port and the tubing that I'm feeling (that's what the doc said)... I still have issues hugging my family and always saying - "watch the port" - it's very sensitive and takes getting use to it - I'm still no there yet albeit I'm pleased with the results so far. Slow and steady.

The thing that has been SAVING me, both in thirst and cravings has been Arizona Diet Tea with Ginseng and also the Arnold Palmer 1/2 & 1/2 Tea & Lemonade - I love the stuff - it's splenda but it's very mild and not overly sweet like so many of the diet drinks can be. I'm definitely getting my 80+ oz of Fluid a day - I'm very thankful I found this - because I was not getting those fluids in like I am now.

Hello LB colleagues So, I'm 7 weeks out from LB surgery today (yes, still counting) and the weight loss has been so painfully slow... and yes I am guilty for weighing myself nearly everyday, usually naked just before stepping into the shower - and YES I know that this is a big no-no but ya know the compulsive person that I am. Well, the scale just has been hovering at 10-12 lbs lost over the past 3+ weeks since surgery (I did not pre-op diet) and I've tried really hard not to be derailed (I had my first fill 9 days ago with zero restriction being felt) or discouraged but I must admit I've been a raging Beeotch (my poor innocent family) since getting the fill because I just want some help with satiety but no real relief being felt HUNGRY BEAR! But...I have been good, very good with what I'm eating, following the doc's direction (pretty much Atkins/southbeach) - so just plain feeling ripped off b/c "this" isn't working... Ahhhhhhhh - what a difference a day makes, I stepped on the dreaded scale knowing it was going to say the same ole' 211, or 209.8 if I was lucky and today it said 204.3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LIKE WOWZA! Deep big sigh of relief - perhaps my Christmas wish of "all I want for Christmas is to see ONDERLAND" will come true. Come on 199!!! The reason I'm writing all of this folks is because I know so many of us struggle and get so frustrated because all of this hard work - and it is HARD FREAKIN WORK - I'm living it - and until this green zone is realized and I feel some restriction - I'm basically on an Atkins diet with a big ugly scar on my belly... Which I keep telling myself is a symbol of the forever commitment I've made with myself and the good Lord - that this tool will be with me and it will guide me to the right choices and to accompany me on my journey to my goal weight in 2014 )) PATIENCE - I cry, but seeing that 204 this morning, well, I have to say I may not be such a grumpy B today, someone even said, gosh you seem happy today - LOL! May peace find you all and thanks for listening to my little rant - doing a happy giggly dance ))))))))))))))

Hi Everyone - these recipes look awesome! So I thought I'd share with all of you Thanksgiving will all be over in less than 2 weeks - hard to believe. http://click.email.beachbody.com/?qs=683b5afb7b7d92d032b34e77ff74427f3af51c2522ea6b12a6b8170efdc4a6adb349b85a020c6ad3 Tis the season Cathy

I was so nervous going into my doc's office today for my fill. Well his nurses forgot to tell me not to eat anything before I got there, thank goodness it was a very busy morning and I didn't have a chance to eat a thing - I grabbed some egg salad from the deli in the doc office building and when I got to his office I opened up the container and was just about to nibble my 4 oz of egg salad when a gal, who had been banded in April, and I began to chat and I told her I was there for my 1st fill and she yelps - "you can't eat anything!!!" - phew, that was close. so I go in and unfortunately the scale didn't move much in a month - only 4lbs (that's the bummer news) but the good news is that the fill didn't hurt one bit - not even a little snag of a pain. He giggled when I asked him if he was going to numb the area - he said he used to but the numbing needle and solution stung more than the fill needle he just stopped doing it - well I can see why! Plus he does it himself - he's the expert and leaves this stuff to himself, no PA no one else but him - he's done it 10,000+ times. Now I cannot wait to go in for fill #2! He put in 4cc's into my 11cc band and I go back on Jan 6th - one month or 5 weeks from today. He believes in the Green Zone but he said when he designates that I'm in the green zone, no one else, not even me. I like how controlling and accountable my doc is and I like that he remembered all of my issues from the last appointment. We all have such different experiences - I've been reading so much on here - but honestly this is SO personal in a sea of people who fight the same battles everyday. So happy to be here on this forum! Cheers y'all