ElfiePoo

Meat is only tough and dry if you cook it the wrong way for that cut of meat...or cook it too long. You'll have the same problem if you eat high protein (meaning you're eating low carb, yes?). Counting calories won't fix the problem. :thumbup:

Shad, I am sorry to hear about your uncle. :thumbup: My .02 on the donuts...if you feel you must take them some, and can resist the temptation, stick 'em in your trunk. If they're one of your trigger foods, don't take them at all. Those who love you will understand. .

My headache must be affecting my vision. I thought you said 'teletubbies'. I always knew those things were on the Darkside. :thumbup: Melody

You know, I understand why we'd be tighter right after a fill, but can someone explain to me why I get more restriction each day? It seems like it takes 2 weeks after a fill for me to get the full effects of that last fill. I had a fill last Tuesday and yesterday I noticed that I seem to have more restriction in the sense that, not only am I content after my meal, but I actually felt 'full'...knowing that one more bite would put me over. I'm not complaining as I'm hoping this will ultimately be my sweet spot for awhile since this is the time of year when I get the urge to cook and bake...which I don't do too much of in the summer because it's just too darned hot most of the time. Fortunately, my husband works at the local college in the IT department...meaning they have lots of student workers (aka 'locusts') and I just send anything I don't freeze into work with him. We all win. Looks like winter may be moving in here. Low 60's and rain today and tomorrow and then it drops down to the low 40's. I can't wait for the snow!! Have a good one y'all! Melody

Depends on what type of restriction you're looking for. I'm looking for the feeling of 'enough'...which I get with one piece of pizza. Phenomenal since I used to be able to sit down and eat half of a pizza...or more. After you finished that piece, was it enough? If so, then you don't need a fill. If you're one of those looking for restriction based on not being able to eat certain foods or only being able to eat a couple tablespoonsful, then you probably do. If all you had for lunch was one piece of pizza, you should be congratulating yourself! .

Melisannde, I never did buy that whole 'don't drink cuz it will wash the food through more quickly' so you'll be able to go 5 hours between meals. I mean, logically, the first drink you take after that 30 minutes will wash it through anyway. I wait 30 minutes because if I drink sooner, I start PBing. I have a theory that it's because it's moving things around in the pouch and something is getting stuck. Plus, I also think by waiting 30 minutes, we're able to feel full enough to put down that fork instead of continually washing the food through and never reaching that feeling of 'enough'. .

Expecting too much? :thumbup: Right now your body is healing. Let it. Most likely, your body is becoming very efficient (lowering your metabolism) because your calories have dropped so low so rapidly and thinks you're starving. However, if you're not logging what you're eating into something like Fitday.com, I would recommend it. It's not hard to add *lots* of extra calories into our diet even on puree. .

Cleo'smom...great post. I'm one of those that does not do well on a low calorie diet. Years ago...when youth was on my side...I did the Optifast diet (800 calories) for a month and lost nothing. I managed to stay on it for another few weeks and did drop 3 lbs but that was it. My doc sent me to see a nutritionist who told me that it was because my body was becoming more efficient at conserving my calories and that I would do better eating more. We bumped it up to 1100 calories and I started losing 2-3 pounds per week almost immediately. Fast forward a decade and I decided to drink nothing but Protein shakes all day. Again, little to no weight loss at 900 calories but when I starting drinking extra shakes and took it to 1200, the weight started dropping off at a nice rate. The latest 'fad' seems to be telling people that 'starvation mode' was a fad. Yet it's hard to argue with the fact that there are an awful lot of people eating 800 or 1000 calorie diets...sometimes 2000 calories less per day than they used to eat...and who are not losing. Supposedly, cut your calories by 500 per day and you'll lose 2 lb per week...so how come they aren't losing anything...or only losing 4 pounds in a month? Even Optifast increases calories over time and brings people back up to around 1200 calories. Oh and the part about 'stunting' your metabolism. I have a vague recollection of an article a few years back that talked about how crash dieting (under 1000 calories) will impair the metabolism over time. My suggestion...if you aren't losing weight, try increasing your calories. That's what worked for me. .

Shad, My experience is that restriction does keep me from taking that bite too many. At some point when I was on my way to being overfilled, I hit a point where I just 'knew' that I had enough and even though the food was good, I was able to put my fork down. Partly because I was satisfied, but partly because I knew if I took that next bite, it was going to cause me pain because my pouch was now too full. I'm not at that point yet but at least now I know what I'm working towards. What I find absolutely fascinating though is that eggs, bread, chicken...all became taboo (stuck) at around 6cc the first time round but after my unfill from 8.75cc to 6cc, I could suddenly eat all these things again. Granted at 8cc I have to take much tinier bites and chew thoroughly but I can have them. The care they take, however, means I just don't eat that much of them because they're too much trouble. I have a feeling that once the band gets another tweak or two, they'll be back off my list. .

Hang in there. If I remember correctly, you have a 14cc band. According to my surgeon, most people don't get any real restriction from the band until they hit about 7-8cc. I'm at 8cc and have some restriction but think I still need just a bit more. .

Right now I have good restriction and I can eat a cheeseburger if I take the top bun off. .

I never had a problem with Water even after surgery...or even after I had too much fill. On the rare occasion I'll take a gulp and it will come back up but I think that has more to do with my throat seizing up and closing than it has to do with the band. .

Almost 19 years ago I walked into one of these home stores (little bit of everything) and as I walked past a digital scale I heard this voice say (in a very policeman like way), "Step onto the scale." Told my husband I wouldn't want that scale in my house because I'd be afraid of what it would do if I refused. :huh2: .

Stacie, Oh no...you're going to become a sneak scale user? I am ROFL at the thought of you sneaking off to find a scale in K-Mart but remember, it may only depress you even further since one scale will not weigh the same as another and may show you even heavier than your own scales. My doc's scale weighs me about 1 pound heavier than mine. The bariatric clinic's scale weighs me 2 pounds lighter. I won't even weigh myself on my mom's little step on scale <shudder>. You know...you may be eating more or the wrong stuff, but it sounds like you're also staying pretty active so maybe it will balance out. Now step away from the *crap*. :huh2: Melody

I used to think I didn't need to measure my food because I knew what what 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup looked like after dieting for 40 years. Then I got a bit anal one day and measured my food. Guess I'd forgotten how small 1/4 cup was. :huh2: So now I measure everything unless I'm eating out, which I rarely do anymore. Question...just curious as to how your surgeon has determined that your band is 'tight enough'? If you are still hungry and still able to eat to excess at a meal (20-30 minute period), then you should be getting fills...and that is according to band literature. .

Have your doc check you for anemia. I just read an article that said a large majority of women go undiagnosed for anemia and it should be something that is checked regularly...but isn't. Sorry...can't recommend anything else. I'm always tired because I never sleep well. .

It was an absolutely gorgeous evening for a walk and...bonus...my distance is increasing. When I started out 3 weeks ago, I was only able to do 2.5 miles in an hour. Tonight we walked 3.5 miles in an hour! I knew my stride and pace were increasing but had no idea I was up to 3.5 miles! I wondered why some of my songs seemed kind of 'off' in pacing me when they were perfect before. I can't say I'm any less bored with this whole walking thing but it is kind of neat to see the improvement. Now I think I'll take myself off to enjoy my nice quiet house... Melody

I've never had it tighten so much I couldn't get liquids down, but yes my band does its own thing. I just go with the flow. As long as I can get a Protein shake down, I'm not going to worry about it. .

You'll probably find you can still eat the same way after if this is your first fill, but just be cautious. Bread usually becomes a problem after you start getting fills, but if you take small bites, chew well and don't drink with meals, you should be fine. I usually wait 15-30 seconds (or more) between bites just to make sure the previous one went down with no problem. Melody

Morning fellow bandsters... So I'm down another 2.5 lbs which puts me right back to where I was a month ago. :blushing: It's supposed to be in the 70's for the next 2 days so I think I'll spend it in the yard. I should've had all the end of season stuff done a month ago but God must love me because he's giving me a second chance. Parents and sister are going home today (yeah!). I love them...but more so at a distance. My house is generally quiet and since they've been here, the tv has been on *constantly* with one football game after another. Add to that my mom's constant babying talk to her little chihuaha and said Chihuahua's barking at my cats and I'm ready to go screaming off the deep end. Thank God I'm not an emotional eater! Think I'll go for my walk right after they leave. It's a gorgeous day outside! Melody

Elcee, I wouldn't worry about 'not smiling'. Most professional models look grumpy and surly...understandable considering that they can't eat enough to sustain themselves beyond the 'starving Ethiopian' look. Melody

If it's been a month since your fill, sounds like you are overfilled. It shouldn't hurt to eat (unless you aren't taking small bites or chewing well). You should be able to eat more than '3-4 bites'. Melody .

....:blushing:...

Congratulations, HB!! .

Since I was getting my nutrients, obviously this can't be true...or at least true in all cases. .