tonysdca

I was banded in May 08 and lost about 65 lbs. I began eating around the band over the Christmas holidays, and it has been very hard to get back to where I was. I finally realized that the band is a tool and I had to work with it using diet and exercise. I have had several fills and unfills, and my most recent fill has given me a lot of restriction. I am going back to early eating program I had just after surgery (no more Cookies, chips, nuts) -and will begin to exercise regularly. This is not "magic" - it is a lifestyle change. Tony

I just had my second fill last week, and my doctor warned me that I would really feel this one - he was right. I have a lot of restriction, but I am still able to eat very small amounts of Protein and vegetables - provided I chew and eat very slowly. He had me on liquids only for 24 hours and I still feel some discomfort when I eat solid food. I had lost about 30 lbs since surgery, but the first fill didn't seem very effective so I plateaued for a couple of weeks. I am concentrating on the essentials, drinking lots of Water, eating protein at every meal, followed by vegetables, fruit, and lastly carbs. I definitely make better food choices since I had the surgery. I realize very much that is not a "magic bullet" but is a tool, and I have to do my part. I'm glad I had the nutritional and psychological counseling prior to surgery. I try and not obsess on the amount of the fill and concentrate on nutrition and exercise. was 231, now 195, goal is 150. BMI 38, now 32.9, future 25

I was banded on May 7, got my first fill on June 5. Lost 30 lbs. initially, and needed the fill. It has been more of a challenge. I do remember that the dietician told me to eat 50-60 grams of protein/day, and to eat in this order: protein, vegetables, fruit, then starches. I'm having more problems with quantity - 1 1/2 cups is hard for me at one meal. The hardest thing is not do drink while or immediately after eating (I get very thirsty). I find myself gravitating to softer foods. Early morning is hardest, and I can get down a protein shake, but really can't take semi-solid food. I can't eat anything that is very dry. I record all my food on MyPyramid.gov - United States Department of Agriculture - Home which helps me evaluate my caloric and nutritional intake. I am surprised I am getting as much nutrition as I am eating less than 1200 calories/day. I can eat so little I find I choose my food much more carefully - and actually cook fresh vegetables. I try to cook on weekends and put food into very small containers for meals throughout the week. Tuna and salmon salad are favorites (I even use real mayonnaise because the portions are so small). This is definitely a different deal than "dieting" because I really focus on the nutritional aspects of what I eat. Drinking the 64 oz. of water (or in my case Propel and water) is very important for between meals, both for hydration and satiety. For many of us, this is probably the first time in our lives we have eaten with discipline and thoughtfulness, so it is not that easy. I know I always just ate when, what, and as much as I wanted. Good luck to all of you.