lost interest and little restriction

[cariel 0]

I know part of it is being lazy, but I am not losing weight. I've lost 20lbs and feel so much better, which is sort of been a curse for me. I do want to lose MUCH MUCH more, but just cant seem to get motivated. My band is right at 5.1 cc in a 10cc band, and I don't feel much restriction at all. Once in awhile if I eat something and then drink right after it gets stuck and will need to come back up, but other than that I seem to be able to eat whatever in fairlly large amounts. At my last appt my dr. suggested not getting a fill and just working on my self discipline.... that was sort of discouraging, if I had self discipline I wouldn't have needed the band to begin with.

I'm feeling frustrated and just need to vent and hope some of you will have something encouraging to say.:tt2:

[bambam31 168]

How long have you been banded and how is your exercise routine?

Sufficient restriction is important, but the band is only a tool. Extraordinary results require an extraordinary effort.

Good luck!

Brad

[BetsyB 9]

When your doctor said, "work on self-discipline," what do you think his motivation was? Some doctors really do have unrealistic expectations of what their patients can accomplish without restriction. Others --maybe yours--have different goals. For example, he might be encouraging you to work on behaviors that will make it easier (and safer) for you once you have more restriction: things like eating very slowly, chewing very carefully, and so on.

In your shoes, I'd kind of want to know what was going on in your head. I mean, if he thinks just putting a band around your stomach is going to do the trick, chances are, he's wrong. (Sure, some people only need one fill--or even NO fill--but the vast majority of us, regardless of our determination and self-discipline, require more. And that IS, after all, why we got banded!)

All that said, motivation and interest aren't required in order to make the band work for you. We do all kinds of self-care things independently of motivation. We don't wait for motivation to brush our teeth, or to exercise, or to do a million other things each day.

Sometimes, making things non-negotiable can be really useful.

My doctor's eating plan is kind of rigid. There's leeway for personal decisions, but by and large, it's pretty formulaic. By making it non-negotiable--something I will do no matter what I feel about it on a given day---I think I've not only done myself huge favors in terms of rate of loss, but also in terms of freedom. food has taken its proper place in my life as a result.

When I didn't yet have good restriction, it was hard to follow sometimes. I was hungry. But by making it non-negotiable, and telling myself it didn't matter if I was motivated or interested, it really was lots easier.

[MrsCabes 2]

I know part of it is being lazy, but I am not losing weight. I've lost 20lbs and feel so much better, which is sort of been a curse for me. I do want to lose MUCH MUCH more, but just cant seem to get motivated. My band is right at 5.1 cc in a 10cc band, and I don't feel much restriction at all. Once in awhile if I eat something and then drink right after it gets stuck and will need to come back up, but other than that I seem to be able to eat whatever in fairlly large amounts. At my last appt my dr. suggested not getting a fill and just working on my self discipline.... that was sort of discouraging, if I had self discipline I wouldn't have needed the band to begin with.

I'm feeling frustrated and just need to vent and hope some of you will have something encouraging to say.:tt2:

Before I read other responses - good restriction makes all the difference in the world!

It took 4 fills, for me, before I had (what I think is) perfect restriction. It's not HARD when you have good restriction. It hurts sometimes and it's painful...and it's a learning process. But, good restriction is just that...GOOD! It's impossible for me to eat more than my band would allow now.

I have to question your doctor. Fills are what makes our bands work! If he wasn't willing to give you fills, WHY get surgery? Let's face it, if we all had awesome will-power and control, we'd be skinny and wouldn't be battling weight our whole lives!

PUSH for a fill - the first few months are so difficult, mentally. You question every decision you've made, surgery-wise. But, I'm telling you, when you do hit your "perfect" fill, your regrets will go AWAY!

Good luck to you!

[vlp1968 83]

I agree with pervious posts. Be assertive with your doctor. Explain exactly how much you can eat and how you feel in terms of hunger. You might want to journal it and bring it will you to your next appointment. Good luck!

[Jachut 487]

When your doctor said, "work on self-discipline," what do you think his motivation was? Some doctors really do have unrealistic expectations of what their patients can accomplish without restriction. Others --maybe yours--have different goals. For example, he might be encouraging you to work on behaviors that will make it easier (and safer) for you once you have more restriction: things like eating very slowly, chewing very carefully, and so on.

In your shoes, I'd kind of want to know what was going on in your head. I mean, if he thinks just putting a band around your stomach is going to do the trick, chances are, he's wrong. (Sure, some people only need one fill--or even NO fill--but the vast majority of us, regardless of our determination and self-discipline, require more. And that IS, after all, why we got banded!)

All that said, motivation and interest aren't required in order to make the band work for you. We do all kinds of self-care things independently of motivation. We don't wait for motivation to brush our teeth, or to exercise, or to do a million other things each day.

Sometimes, making things non-negotiable can be really useful.

My doctor's eating plan is kind of rigid. There's leeway for personal decisions, but by and large, it's pretty formulaic. By making it non-negotiable--something I will do no matter what I feel about it on a given day---I think I've not only done myself huge favors in terms of rate of loss, but also in terms of freedom. food has taken its proper place in my life as a result.

When I didn't yet have good restriction, it was hard to follow sometimes. I was hungry. But by making it non-negotiable, and telling myself it didn't matter if I was motivated or interested, it really was lots easier.

You know, much as I'm not a dieter, there's a really good point in this.

I remember back when I used to start a diet every Monday, the only thing that ever really worked for me over the short to medium term was Lite n Easy, which is a home delivered meal program here. I loved getting up in the morning, seeing a weight that made me feel in control on the scale and KNOWING that if I ate what was provided to me and nothing else, then the next week another pound or two would be gone. It was formulaic, dependable and to be truthful, although I've lost my weight through eating less of what I want and not dieting, I would really love if Lite n Easy bought out a lower calorie/smaller quantity program because I definitely WOULD be on it to lose that fantasy 10lb that I just cant be arsed getting working on (although I'd lose well on the 1200 calories I just cant pay $125 a week for food that its just too much for me, too much bread and too much fruit that I end up throwing away, along with a good half of each dinner)

But could you do somehting like that? That assurance that calories, everything is in control and that all you have to do is follow the instruction, like Betsy says, that can be extremely motivating. It might be what it takes to get you on track again.

I know how you feel, even at goal and maintaining for a good couple of years, I do feel at times like I need a shake up and to just get focussed again and I could REALLY lose some more weight.

Oh and yes, another fill when you can get it will only help.

[cariel 0]

Thank you everyone who posted a reply, you are so motivational and can see things from another perspective.

I will make an appt and request another fill. I was a little annoyed when I paid my co-pay for NOTHING at the last appt. (I can weigh myself at home for free!)