How Much Can You Eat At 4Cc Fill?

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Amen insanejane! I'm having a very difficult time with my band.. I am 7 weeks post op and have nothing in my band. I haven't lost a single pound in 3 weeks. I go for my first fill next week, thank goodness, but have been too afraid to discuss my failures on here. I see so many people get slammed for posting the negative truth about how their band process is going. Esp what they can eat. I'm not specifically talking about this post.

We are all on here for the same reason.. why put someone down for their failures.. isn't that what most of us have experienced our entire lives. Speaking for myself, absolutely.

Encouragement goes a long ways.

Please don't call yourself a failure. With no fill in it, your band isn't even working yet. All you can do until you get optimal restriction is to keep on keeping on and do the best you can in the circumstances.

[karewpah 173]

I'm with Jean here...no one has failed...at 7 weeks out, you're just getting out of the healing phase and into the filling the band phase.

Get your fills, work your band...just because you say you can eat so much food, or that you feel no restriction, that's not "bashing the band". That's bandster hell...the time between healing and getting a fill that gives you some restriction.

Right now, until you start getting to the green zone, it is a diet...it's willpower and making good choices.

My last year of being banded has been fraught with poor choices...it's a journey...not a sprint.

Be kind to yourselves.

[RidiculousCan'tCancel 14]

I just got filled to 4 ccs and I can barely do mushies. Even my Protein Shakes have to be taken sloooowly and anything thicker than yogurt/pudding causes me to "stick". I am thinking we're going to have to take some back out. I have a 10cc band so I'm not even at half right now. I think every person is different depending on their internal organs/how the band is placed/etc. Can you call for another fill ASAP? I was STARVING when I had 2.5 ccs but at 4 I am going the opposite way - too tight! Good luck and please let us know how it goes!

[Lanie M 7]

Not being "judgy", just stating my opinion. Every time I turn around, people are talking about "lifestyle change". (Including me.) To change your lifestyle doesn't mean keep eating the same things you ate before your surgery. I don't know about your surgeons, but mine was very clear about me changing my eating habits. That doesn't include pizza. Not all bands will work the same way for the same people. We all know that. BUT, we all use change the way we eat. If not, we'll be the same fatties we once were. (Or in my case, still am.) If the band is still not filled enough and you want to eat.... then go ahead and eat. But just try to make better food choices is all. We're all works in progress and no one is failing. We're all struggling and learning.

[motivatedlap 8]

Not being "judgy", just stating my opinion...people are talking about "lifestyle change"...doesn't mean keep eating the same things you ate before your surgery. ..That doesn't include pizza...we'll be the same fatties we once were...try to make better food choices is all. We're all works in progress and no one is failing. We're all struggling and learning.

It is different for everyone. And I think it is COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC to think that it will be possible for ME to cut certain foods or food groups out of my diet- bravo to those of you who can if it's the right thing for you. I feel that for me, that's just setting me up for failure- every diet in the past failed because there were all these "bad foods" that were off limits. I eat pizza and I will continue to eat pizza on occasion but now I can only handle a small slice. MODERATION is what I feel is the key. Most of my diet does consist of healthy foods, but I still want to enjoy a treat now and then (meaning once or twice a week).

Lainey M made a great point at the end of her post!! We're all learning, so learn what's right for you and don't feel guilty if someone else gives you a hard time for a food choice you make- YOU have to live with that choice, not them. Everyone is different.

[superluli 17]

Yeah I must say most of the posts don't make me feel that great. Constantly being told that eating carbs= failure and that these foods shouldn't be in your life to begin with was how I gained all this weight to begin with. My first diet 12 years ago was to go from 135 pounds to 120 by cutting out carbs. When I quit got bored got stressed and relaxed a bit about the diet my weight creeped up to 140. And I have done this process over and over again till I reached the 208 that I was pre surgery. I have lost and gained the same 30 pounds over and over again in he past 3 years doig exactly what people do on this site. Protein veg low carbs no 'fun' food. I just can't do it. And no matter what you tell me cauliflower and lettuce are not 'fun'! You eat them coz you have to!

I too will continue to eat what I want. By if I have a slice or two of pizza or a few sushi rolls for lunch I'll stick to fruit and veg for other meals. And if I can't imagine goog a day without bread then I'll have a slice of toast!

It may not get me to a size two but I will see how far it gets me and then decide if I want to put in more effort.

I didn't get to where I am because I ate a piece of toast, I ate ten! I ate a full medium stuffed crust pizza with cheesy garlic bread and chocolate for dessert and got hungry 8 hours later and ordered a burger. So perspective is good. I hope it is gets better which is why I posted this, to see at what point in ur band does it work better.

Kudos to all you who have cut out all the bad stuff. I really hope you maintain that attitude about food for the rest of your life. I could only maintain it for 6 months tops, and relapsed heavily afterwards.

Finally I'd like to say that I have observed what my thin friends and family do, and they don't crave anything and don't deprive themselves of anything. They just eat far far far less than I do. They eat the same pizza I eat but over 3 days not 30 minutes, they balance out one bad meal with two good ones. They don't say ah well you already had a bad lunch what's the point of veg now just go for that cheesy deep fried whatever and tomorrow is a new day like I did for so long.

[lellow 1,713]

I didn't cut carbs out. I didn't cut anything out. If I couldn't eat bread, I ate Pasta. Or noodles. I ate some carbs almost everyday.

But I did try to have a balanced diet of all food groups. I tried to not eat too much high calorie, high fat or high sugar foods, but I did occasionally eat all of those things even while losing.

I did not feel deprived.

The link to my 'mindset' is in my signature, if you're interested in the way I lost weight. I don't feel like I dieted. I feel like I use restraint. Restraint, not deprivation. And I exercised. Read my 'story' if you're interested, and take or leave any or all of it.

But you can lose weight on a diet that doesn't cut any one thing out.

[superluli 17]

I didn't cut carbs out. I didn't cut anything out. If I couldn't eat bread, I ate Pasta. Or noodles. I ate some carbs almost everyday.

But I did try to have a balanced diet of all food groups. I tried to not eat too much high calorie, high fat or high sugar foods, but I did occasionally eat all of those things even while losing.

I did not feel deprived.

The link to my 'mindset' is in my signature, if you're interested in the way I lost weight. I don't feel like I dieted. I feel like I use restraint. Restraint, not deprivation. And I exercised. Read my 'story' if you're interested, and take or leave any or all of it.

But you can lose weight on a diet that doesn't cut any one thing out.

I read your story and you just basically wrote the plan that was in my head for the next year. I too started from a 36-37 BMI and my target is 22 BMI and I really hope what worked for you works for me. I cannot wait to start exercising again. I love competitive sports and dread going to the gym or a work out class. I am really looking forward to getting to a stage where I can play squash regularly (I used to play well as a teenager)

It's funny, I also remind myself that this is only temporary - i will lose weight, get the band unfilled and manage on my own - but deep inside I know I won't do that.

You definitely are a success story - because you CAN have everything. A great body AND yummy food (albeit in less quantities)

I am not from the US, I'm from Egypt, and mostly everyone I know who's succeeded with the band has followed what you did. My lapband doctor recommended that exactly. He said eat what you want, but in little little quantities, my nutritionist also recommended I stop stressing about everything, relax and let the band work its magic as long as you avoid sweets and high calorie drinks (which is a non-issue for me, i have no sweet tooth whatsoever)

I feel like people from the US use a different approach than people from elsewhere in the world. You're not the only Australian who has shared similar experiences.

I want to ask you something since we are similar in starting and goal BMI, why did you need a lower body lift and breast augmentation? I was hoping my skin would shrink back without any 'help'... is that not realistic to hope for?

[lellow 1,713]

Sure it's realistic! There are banders on here who never needed to remove excess skin. But I have 11 years between my 3rd and 4th child, and in all that time, my tummy never 'bounced back' from the slack it developed from pregnancy. I had an overhang over my mons even when I was over 100kgs. Even when I was pregnant again. I had this massive pregnant belly, and excess skin hanging under it. So I knew when I lost the weight, that part was never going to suddenly 'disappear'. My upper tummy was also mangled, with my muscles lumpy and knotted, and separated in some parts, apparently. My body lift was considered 'reconstructive' as a result, as I had obvious 'abnormal structures', according to my dr.

My BA was from the weight loss though. I lost all volume in my breasts and after having E cups all my adult life, I hated how they looked. So that was vanity, I'll be the first to admit it!

[superluli 17]

Haha, no shame in that! I could totally see myself going for that AA cup if I could afford it - I can't wait to get rid of those Ds!! (I like the beyonce type body - exactly what I am not )

Man, being a woman is hard huh?! Men just take their bodies for granted! No child birth, no periods or menopause, higher metabolism and they are always warm in the winter while we freeze. My brother can out-eat the pre-banded me by a LOT - and he still in ok shape. It's a man's world in deed!

You and the others on this thread have made an amazing transformation - through different ways! You should really be proud! Congratulations, and well done

I am a bridesmaid for my best friends wedding in September. We're discussing dresses and It's sooo hard to imagine or anticipate what size i'd be wearing then and how I'd look! I look at the models and I keep trying to decide, do I pick whatever is most slimming, or will it not matter come September?

For once I have hope in not being the fattest one at the wedding! 2 days till my next fill!

[motivatedlap 8]

I feel like people from the US use a different approach than people from elsewhere in the world. You're not the only Australian who has shared similar experiences.

For sure! It seems like a lot of people are pushing the whole 70g of protein/no carbs approach to be successful. My doctor gives advice very similar to Lello's mindset- which is a GREAT read by the way! My doctor trained in Australia and gives out Dr. Paul O'Brien's book as a guide and I find it a really realistic approach for how to eat for the LONG TERM.

I'm also hoping to stop counting calories soon because I think I'm at a good place after my third fill, but it may be a little too soon to tell. I weigh every day as well, which I know many people say don't do, but it makes me more aware of what I'm putting in my mouth- and it makes me feel really good to see the number moving down each morning! And when it's not moving, I work a little harder that day to try to get it to move the next day. I never get depressed and binge if it doesn't go down or moves up a little.

[lellow 1,713]

I was my sister's bridesmaid just this past Friday actually! She chose a pale green dress (I said right at the beginning, any colour is fine, just not green!) and it was baggy on the top. Lucky for me though, the boobs took up most of the slack so it ended up being quite fitted on top after all! She told me she didn't want me outshining her on her wedding day, which I took as a compliment

I was just ecstatic that I look decent in the photos!

[lellow 1,713]

Oh and here's a hint, buy or get the dress made as close to the wedding day as possible! I sometimes lost a dress size in 2 weeks when I was losing!