mattie7632

Hey Everyone! So, I think I'm close to a comforable fill level and would appreciate your feedback about the quantity of food I ate today to see if when I felt full is typical or if I should feel full sooner. WHAT I ate today is not necessarily typical, but the quantity is about right. Thanks!! Morning: 3 pieces of bacon, coffee (wasn't full just stopped) Lunch: (restaurant) 3 ribs, 1.5 small chicken strips, about 5 steak fries and about 1/3 of my dinner salad. (stopped when full) Dinner: 1 leftover chicken strip, coffee (wasn't full-chicken got stuck so stopped!)

Stateofzen: That is exactly what I would eat now also, half the sandwich today and be perfectly satisfied vs the whole thing before AND the fries AND the side salad.....LOL. I think for me though, it may not be enough for substantial weight loss so I don't know if eating even less will help.......or what. Still figuring it all out.....

I'm definitely at a stall right now, it's frustrating. My friends husband just had the surgery today and was on the clear liquid diet for a week--Lost TWENTY TWO pounds-- in ONE WEEK! I lost 9 that week, same diet. Talk about not fair!! This has been an odd month, but I'm sure I'll get the lapband mojo back

All docs are different. There are a few around here that don't require a pre-op either. Mostly the diet is to shrink the liver so maybe for your doc, it depends on how much weight you have to lose. As for the post op diet, that is pretty much what I did, although my doctor wants us to do liquids for longer that a couple days if possible.

I am a slow loser too. There really are a lot of variables to weight loss, eating less is just one of them. For example, 10 years ago I dieted by eating less and counting calories-much like today--and lost 12/pounds in a month. Well now, I'm 10 years older and guess what, the weight just doesn't drop like that anymore. Keep the faith though and keep working on it. I too get discouraged but am convinced that if we continue to eat as instructed and commit to the lifestyle change, our bodies can't hold onto the fat forever.

Wondering if anybody out there has seen a difference in their weight loss by adding more Water daily, if so how much?

Thanks everyone, your comments have been very helpful! Since my last fill I noticed I have to chew more carefully, but not necessarily sure if that means I will need another fill-- My doctor will ask me if I need an adjustment when I go back, and I honestly just don't know yet, still learning about this thing I guess! The portion size I ate at my restaurant meal yesterday seemed about right to me for maintaining, but not sure it was small enough for the weight loss phase. Does that make sense? (BTW that was a Saturday TREAT/CHEAT day for those of you who advised me on the food choice-I don't believe in depriving of any foods in moderation as that leads to failure in the long run.)

You'll do fine! Do your best! The doctor is just trying to keep you safer and not damage your liver, so the more shrinking the better. We are overweight when we start this and our livers are fatty anyway....not to make the diet sound unimportant...but think about it, we are different weights when we get the surgery, so all livers will be different sizes and dif amounts of fat remaining.....you can't get rid of all your liver fat until you are a skinny minny.....so just do your best! Get a good nights sleep!

Doctors give different pre-op diets, some people get a full range of liquids like protein drinks and stuff, mine put me on clear liquids for a week. That consisted of sugar free jello, broth, sugar free popsicles, coffee, tea, diet drinks and sweetener ( non dairy creamer was okay)--and I lost 9 pounds that week and my "liver looked good". It was a tough diet, but it worked!

---I missed the part about the lady dying....look anytime you go under anesthesia there is a risk, but people don't die JUST from the lapband. Surely that lady died due to other complications. Google it and you will read that lapband deaths and serious injuries are extremely low....

Take a deep breath!!! You can do this! 1. You can still do okay on the pre-op, the purpose is to shrink the liver because they doctor has to flip and go around your liver for surgery, it will shrink quickly if you do Clear liquids or whatever diet doc told you. In 4 days you still can do this on clear liquids. 2. My husband too, would always bring me home goodies, but once he saw my eating less, he got the hint. I'm betting yours will too. If not, just tell him nicely to bring you home some good Protein drinks 3. As for the food addiction, you may still struggle with that. The band will control your hunger to some degree so you can get a better grip on this. But, I won't lie, you can sabotage yourself. As you have probably read on this board, there are people that continue to eat Cookies and milk and no weight loss surgery can stop you from consuming liquid calories or sugars that go down easily. Let the band control your hunger, and you control what you put in your mouth and you will do okay! Hang in there!!!

According to my doctor it IS how much we eat also.......so hoping to get feedback on how much others CAN EAT before feeling full vs. what they eat and calories--2 different things. My doc says "6 bites and then you feel full for some people up to 4-5 hours"--. Well, I can eat more than 6 bites no matter what the food is, prob like you at 1-2 cups, so I wonder what amount of food is typical for the average bandster to make them satisfied

Rock On Dave!!!

As far as skin goes, I think everyone is unique in that way. I have a friend who did lose about 150 pounds, maybe more and she has excess skin now. Another friend lost about 100 pounds and does not. Age probably plays a big role in that too--excercise as well as it helps tone. As far as foods go, I still enjoy coffee, Pasta, all of the items you stated. There's not really anything I CAN'T eat, but some foods cause stuck episodes. Even then, it's not every time I eat that particular food, it just depends if I didn't chew enough, time of day or month, etc. But your fill maintenance can help you keep on track with that too. For most people it doesn't effect them to a point that they regret the procedure. Hope this info helps

I cheated a couple times, and had the same thing--tuna. Don't sweat it, but try not to do it again. In addition to shrinking the liver, the diet is also so your stomach and bowels are quiet the day of surgery and they have to be emptied for that to happen

This is EXACTLY what's going on with me as well. I will undoubtedly puke if I drink while eating and can't eat at certain times!! Today I ate very little and it does concern me because I don't want to slow metabolism by not being able to eat until later in the day (except coffee). But, I'm going to give it a few weeks before I rush and call for an un-fill. It could just be a learning curve on my part, now that following the rules have become pretty important

Well, just a couple months ago I was on this forum beyoching because my doctor will only fill about a cc at a time. So I had my 2nd fill for total now of 2.6 cc--and sure as sh*t, I think I'm a tad too full!!! I've actually GAINED 2 pounds since my 2nd fill and I'm pretty sure it's because I'm gravitating to foods that are easier to get down now, as chicken and protein get stuck almost every time now or cause a sharp pain. What can I say? -- Foot in mouth. Maybe I can eat THAT without getting stuck! LOL..

Well that's what I thought too, but then I got my second fill and realize I liked it better before! I did better eating small quantities frequently. Now at only 2.6cc I have a hard time getting down my protein causing me to eat more carbs, keeping me fuller longer....and guess what? Gained 2 pounds this week. I'll be asking for an un-fill to go back to where you are, if it doesn't get closer to that on it's own soon!

Wow there is a lot of insanity on this thread. I think you need an un-fill. I'm still somewhat newly banded, but my last fill has shown me the difference between just about there and too full--now I'm eating foods like -- Cookies and milk -- because they are easier to go down. It was MUCH EASIER to eat the right foods for weight loss with a little less. I think you are 1. eating "slider" foods with no fat burning properties or nutrition and 2. storing fat, both of which will keep you at your current weight, right? Perhaps you should join a support group or individual counseling to learn a more healthy approach to eating and your body and dieting. It sounds like what you are doing is and will continue to be, destructive and harmful to your health--

Hey, I gotta bust up this party and say you're not allowed to use the word TOOL! LOL -- Anything but tool, anything! :blink:

I agree with Dave on the frequent smaller meals of protein. Also, you can eat completely right and not lose anything sometimes. The rate of fat burning is different for everyone, and sometimes changing your eating habits and caloric intake is not enough to lose substantially. For some of us, we also have to incorporate proper water intake and exercise for the scale to move

They are not unsightly at all -- I'm 3.5 months out and I just have 2 small pink lines on the side of my belly button---

Nope, but I grew up in Batavia! Love the Windy City-- It's my stomping ground!!! I need a trip soon for Chicago shopping and Navy Pier......

When people say that getting the lapband is "taking the easy way out", this is what they don't understand. As you have figured out, we CAN cheat the band and once we learn all the tricks to getting around it, we most certainly can sabotage our success. I've had a not so great couple of days myself. I have been eating what I know I can get by the band. Why? Same reason, the band is doing what it is contracted to do and when I eat my Protein and not chew right or eat too much, the feeling is not comfortable or I'm running to the bathroom as it's stuck! It's easy for us to sit here on our computers and type what you should or shouldn't do, so I can't judge or tell you that. All I can tell you is that for me, so long as I make the right food choices, the band works and I lose weight. If I give in and do what I can to get around the band, I stop losing Best of Luck to you, you CAN do this just as soon as you make up your mind to !!!

One day at a time! My motto--if I must cheat then I will, but will be mindful about it. For example, if I really want McDonalds I'll get it, but I might just get a Filet O Fish and a small diet. That's a lot less calories than a meal or something, and it satisfies my craving just the same. Stress also contributes to my making bad choices. I try to keep Protein around so that even if I'm cheating there's a better chance I'll grab a mozzarella stick or a Protein Bar or shake or something. You CAN do it! You've lost 20 pounds already! I got 6 weeks on you and only 25 pounds so the way I see it, you're ahead of the game! One day at a time! You CAN!!!