drsmossy

Thanks for all your comments, I already knew the answers when I posted I think, seeing a shrink I think is the best option. My main problem is food is my life, I am a chef and I used to eat loads at work, all high fat and high calories, one of the easiest parts of my life change was to never eat at work again, this is something I have managed for a year and feel very comfortable that I can continue with this for life. I just taste and spit out and have to explain to my junior chefs why I am doing this. It is so weird that we all go through this to become normal. In a few years time when I no longer see people who knew me as fat I will be just be seen as me. I think it is almost scary to become normal which is strange as that is what we all trying to be. Jacut saying that they have been banded for 6 years and still struggles is the way I think I will be in 6 years, it is almost a curse but in a way at least it gives us a goal to work to, I already know that when I reach my goal of 169 pounds then I won't just stop because in a way I won't want to. It is like we have been conditioned into dieting and it has become the norm. I either really enjoy dieting or really hate it there is no in between. After 6 years jacut do you still have top ups and do you still have restriction? At the moment some days I feel restriction to a point some days I think I don't feel any but I think maybe we have just got used to feeling restricted and aver the last year we have learn to chew more, eat smaller bites etc and now that has become normal. I just can't understand how I can still binge on loads of food one day and then be sick the next days because I eat a small amount the the foods that I wasbinging on the day before. It just doesnt make sense. All the people who have just been banded or are thinking about being banded should read this tread because I wish I had before I got banded, it wouldn't have changed my mind because I am so much fitter but I would have had my eyes wider opened by it. Every one always asks me if I am happier now as they just think being slimmer must make you happier but I can honestly say I don't know. I was a happy fat chap who loved food and smoking, now I am not so fat, don't smoke, much heathier but I have given up so much of the things I loved and now I am coming to the end of my journey and am becoming what they call normal I have the chance to waer nice clothes but I still see the same guy in the mirror he just doesn't smile as much.

Well I am just over one year out and have lost 90 pounds and only have 7 to target, so you may ask whats the problem? The problem is that I feel I have not learnt anything about food, being full is all in my head not in my stomach, I will be on a diet for the rest of my life as I only have two ways of eating, either dieting or eating way too much and the band has done nothing to curb this, I still weight myself 5 times a day, I lose unto 4 pounds some days and put unto 7 pounds on some days, I know it is all water weight but just fear the day when I don't jump back on the wagon after bingeing. I know the band helps but I have learn to eat through the fullness, for me it is like if I don't stop when I am full it seems to stretch the band and I can just keep eating and eating and after a year of feeling deprived I just want to binge, what also doesn't help is everyone telling me I have lost enough, I kinda don't want my journey to come to an end, I want a reach my target, I am now 176 pounds and I am 5 foot 7 , so I am still overweight, my bmi is still 27. 7, I just want to know if any experienced bandsters have had the same problem and how to overcome it and try to be normal. Any advice welcome.

Good luck it will make your life better

I was the same pre band with my sugar, I though I could eat whatever I wanted as I seemed to stop gaining weigh but a lot of my sugars were not being absorbed, my surgeon said to me on my last visit that after I reach goal weight I still need to visit him when the retraction fades maybe every sox months to keep me topped up so I don't regain inn the future - the thing about losing is you have to reach your goal or you will forever feel that you are depriving yourself and will stay on an up and down diet which isn't good for body and soul, just think from today that you will put your best effort in for a month and try and lose another 20 lbs and then take a step back and you will soon be even closer to your goal- good luck you can do it you have already come a long way, but to me the journey isn't over till you get to your goal, you will not be happy till you get there! By Xmas you could easily be there, just think how you will feel at Christmas if you haven't got there and loo back to this date and know that you could have done it

Well here is my story and if you have just had or are thinking about having a band you should read this. I am a 37 year old man from uk. I am 5-7 and I weighted 276 pounds. I had surgery on 27th September 2010, I had diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. I am now 181 pounds and am free of medical conditions now. It has been a hard journey, most of my weight loss was in first five months but my body shape continues to change for the better, I have not done much exercise but I am more active in my daily life. The main thing I want to talk about is that magic word - restriction. I have always felt disappointed with the restriction but I feel that you get used to feeling restricted and your eating habits change to the point where you don't remember how you felt about eating pre band. I have never really been unable to eat particular so called band unfriendly food and my eating felt different day to day which is frustrating. I had my last fill about a week ago, which was my 6th visit to my doctor, and I feel I am finally in the green zone, I hope it lasts so I can finally shift the last 12 pounds and complete my weight loss. I have read this forum over the past year and couldn't understand why some people couldn't eat certain foods whilst I could still eat almost anything. As everyone says on here it is still a diet and you have to stick with it till the band starts doing it's job, you may be luck and get there on first few visits or it may take longer and now I am almost 11months out I am happy that it has taken this long as my body has had time to lose the weight that took so many years to put on. I still love food, I am a chef, and I will always have an addiction to it but I know the band has and will always help me not to overeat and I am so grateful for that. If anyone has any questions I will keep checking this thread over next few days and I will try to answer them. The band is a fantastic tool in helping you eat less so if you are thinking of having one then do and if you have one and feel disappointed with it then stick with it, it takes time to get to the green zone, but use the time it takes to get there by improving your eating habits - good luck all!

I say eat less as that is the key - I am 3 months out from banding and I am down 58 lbs with 32 to go which I will lose in next 10 weeks, I have little or no restriction other than the mental restriction that is making me do this, I have had two fills and next one on jan 11th which I hope will give me more restriction, I dont exercise much and eat about 1200 - 1500 cals a day - I was at 800 - 1000 a day for first two months, I have to be focused everyday to achieve my goal, unless your mind is set on the task 100 per cent then i feel this wont work for anyone - I cant believe all the people on here who could never diet but then get there minds set on dieting and then do great - most addicts cant diet for more than a few ays without cheating but we all want he chance to be thinner an fitter and we manage the pre op diet, then we set off on the journey to restriction - i think it is a great journey that we all go on here, but the people who come on here an say they are eating 800 cals and not losing are lying to themselves less calories in verses more calories used makes you lose weight and thats a fact!!

eat less!!!! its not complicated

how tall are you and what weight did u start at? I am 11 weeks post op and including a 1 week pre op I am down about 50 lbs, I am eating about 1000 cals a down, most of my weight was lost in first 6 weeks, now I am losing about 3lbs a week and you have just got to get used to it. I have had two fills but only occasionally feel much restriction, I think everyones journey is different as everybody is different, all you need to do is keep your mind in the right place. I am 5-7 and started my journey at 267lbs

I am please you feel inspired by my story - I am now a month further on and I have lost another 13lbs, the weight loss has slow but I expected that. I have had a second fill about 10 days ago, another .5cc, I still can eat what I want so I still haven't got good restriction. Good luck with your op and make sure your mind is set right and you will be fine

try eating less - i have lost 50lbs in 11 weeks and still dont have much restriction. I dont do much exercise and I try to eat 800-1000 cals a day. I am now 218 lbs and 5-7inches and I have 50 more lbs to lose - I want to and will achieve this over the next 3 - 4 months.