jlpettas

Okay - now I know what sliming is - what is PB?

Thank you all sooo much, and sorry for the typo in the subject line - oopppss :smile2:. I am going to have my surgeon check the amount that is in my band, I am worried that there may be a leak. I should have 9cc in my 11cc band. If I am not restricted now, what will happen when my stomach shrinks? This is all great info - thanks for the support!

I have had 5 fills, just called to schedule my 6th. I am wondering if I am expecting too much from the band. Should the band physically restrict how much food you eat? Or, should you fix yourself one cup of food and stop? I am working on stopping eating when I begin to feel full, but years of making sure I cleaned my plate (after all, there are starving children in Africa!), that is a hard habit to break. I see other people losing weight much quicker then I am, and at support group meetings I hear people talk about how little they can eat now. I can eat a foot long sub if I wanted to (I don't want to, but you get what I am saying here.) I need some feedback from people who have had the band and can give me an idea of what is a realistic expectation. I think that I am an exception to the rule. It would be nice to know that another fill or two, and I will have what my mind thinks I should have for restriction. What do you feel with restriction? Do you get sick if you eat more than your band will allow? Do you simply make yourself stop after eating a cupful? What should I expect from my sweet spot?

Okay - I had my surgery on July 8, 2009, since then, I have lost a total of 20 lbs. Most of that was in the very beginning. I work out AT LEAST 3 times a week, usually 5 times a week. The only benefits from the band so far is that my back will hurt if I don't chew well enough or if I eat too fast, and I also don't go back for seconds. I am not restricted in the amount of food I eat. I am making better choices then in the past. I am exercising more then I did in the past, and yet I am only able to maintain my weight right now. I know that the band is only a tool, and I am completely willing to work for the weight loss. I am not sure if I was expecting too much from the band in the first place. I have heard that people just aren't able to eat much after the surgery. I've heard that you would only be able to eat one cup of food. I've hear that you would get sick if you ate too much. None of that is the case for me. I do feel full quicker, which is why I am satisfied with smaller portions then before. I feel like I must be me, I must be doing something wrong. Usually 3-4 fills, and you hit your "sweet spot". Can someone help me understand what to expect when I hit my sweet spot? Will I really be able to eat only a small amount of food like I have heard about?

As far as what I am eating - I know I am not being perfect. I am eating much less fast food. When I do eat fast food, it's kids meals instead of super size value meals with Desserts afterwards. We have pizza once a week and I limit myself to one slice and one breadstick. During the week, we have leaner meats with veggies. This may come in stew form, chili form etc. The problem is - I can still eat 3 bowls of chili or chicken stew if I want. I knew that the band wasn't going to be magic, and that I would have to work and change my habits, but shouldn't the band be HELPING me by restricting how much I can eat? Isn't that the point? Am I really expecting too much? I go to support groups, and people who have had much fewer fills than I have a hard time eating normal portions - I WISH I HAD THOSE ISSUES! I am not that good at controlling my portions - that's one of the reasons I am where I am today. I know I need to focus on my protien, I need to drink my Water, and other things that a typical dieter would do. I am tight in the mornings and often start the day off with a protien shake, then I find myself still wanting to eat a little more. Excerise is my strength right now, definately not social hour. As I said earlier, I go 3-5 times per week. I do mostly cardio with an avg heart rate of 150 - 157 for A LEAST 45 minutes. One thing I do need to work on is strength training. I find the cardio motivating because I can see numbers that = results (calories burned, heart rate, steps climbed, miles walked, etc.) I can jog on the treadmill without holding on - I couldn't do that at the beginning of the year. I can go 45 minutes on an eliptical - could not have even dreamed that when I started. Now, I stick mostly with the eliptical with a high cross ramp and good resistance to help with the calorie burn. Food is the problem. I know food is the problem, even though I am making better choices, and trying to make myself eat less (and train myself NOT to finish everything on my plate). If it is not a reasonable expectation to believe that the band would help restrict the amount of food I can eat (and I do avoid sliders), then what IS a reasonable expectation for me to have for the band? I am going to continue to work on the items I know need more work - drinking more water, avoid snacking, making sure I get enough protien, limit my carbs, work on strenth training, but I think I am going to call my surgeon tomorrow and let him know how little restriction I really have. Any thoughts on realistic expectations are welcome!