What Does The "green Zone" Really Feel Like? Also, Is It True That The Green Zone Effects Nerves That Cut Cravings Altogether?

[street 3]

for those that started out not in the green zone and then got to it. was it a gradual process or just that 3rd or 4th fill or whichever and then it hit? The reason I ask is that after a couple of fills, while I definitely fill up faster I can still eat a pretty large amount of food. I can eat a six inch sub and chips with no problem but I probably could not eat a foot long. I dont really have to eat slowly or chew my food that well. i try to, but i dont really have to. I have never felt like been at risk of sliming, pb'ing, or throwing up. the most feeling ill get is maybe my first bite or two of a meal I'll feel pressure like i have to burp, and then i'll burp, and then I can eat fine after that.

im hoping that the next fill gets me there. last time i was there there they actually put in 2 cc's but when i drank Water it felt like it was just sitting there so they took 1 cc out. maybe i need another .5

[alb729 11]

Okay, I need to ask you "street" why are you still eating subs? First, I was told not to have bread or Pasta or any heavy carbs...did you get any instruction on nutrition? If not, call and find out what your diet should consist of. I can't imagine Subway being in play here. I was told to eat nothing that came out of fast food...This is a tool not a cure all...you have to eat right for it to work and it is work...but it does help a great deal from what I understand and from what I have seen.

I think you need another fill but more than that you need guidance in what you should be consuming in calories and in protein...carbs are NOT GOOD...I am sorry if I sound like I am lecturing you...I am not as it sounds like no one told you what you should be putting in your body for fuel...to burn off the fat....we are all there in the same boat as you..we are all just paddling to our own tempos...this is a great place to get advice but always start with your Doctors office....hope this helped...Anita

[Boniluuu 25]

I have to sit outside a subway and wait on my ride at wirk. IT SMELLS SO GOOD!!!! But for me bread and Pasta is out. I am in my green zone. I just have to chew my food better

[street 3]

Anita, thanks - I couldn't eat bread when I was on liquids or mushies but I can eat bread, Pasta, or whatever I want now. The only rules I have are no carbonated beverages and not to drink before and after a meal for 20 min. I was told that bread, Pasta and rice can bother you so to be careful when you eat it. Of course they suggest that you eat Protein and veggies before anything else, and they would not recommend eating subs all the time, but it is perfectly fine to have some bread once in a while. I actually force myself to eat healthy and try to aim for only 1200 calories a day (a 6 inch sub isnt all that terrible, most are less than 500 calories and I was dragged there by my coworkers.) and I have lost 45 pounds since May. But I feel like most of my success so far has been my own willpower and NOT the band itself. As I said, I do feel some restriction, and when I cook at home I will measure out only 4 ounces of meat with a small salad or veggie on the side and its usually enough to satisfy me, but i'm usually hungry again in 2 hours.

But this is all besides the point. My question was what does it feel like leading up to the green zone? Before you were getting stuck, after say your first and second fill - were you getting full on a cup of food for 5-6 hours? could you only physically eat that cup and nothing more? Did you have to chew slow and take small bites or else you would get sick? I have not experiences any of that. I would be thrilled to get some sliming or get stuck so I knew this thing was working correctly!

One thing I have noticed is that right after a fill I get full very quickly (even just on liquids or soft foods that they tell you to eat for 2 days after) but a few days later I am able to eat more again. I have read that there is some swelling that happens and that is why. I just wish that 'swelling' would stick. Like that first week after the surgery, I could barely get two shakes down a day...It was awesome.

Okay, I need to ask you "street" why are you still eating subs? First, I was told not to have bread or pasta or any heavy carbs...did you get any instruction on nutrition? If not, call and find out what your diet should consist of. I can't imagine Subway being in play here. I was told to eat nothing that came out of fast food...This is a tool not a cure all...you have to eat right for it to work and it is work...but it does help a great deal from what I understand and from what I have seen.

I think you need another fill but more than that you need guidance in what you should be consuming in calories and in protein...carbs are NOT GOOD...I am sorry if I sound like I am lecturing you...I am not as it sounds like no one told you what you should be putting in your body for fuel...to burn off the fat....we are all there in the same boat as you..we are all just paddling to our own tempos...this is a great place to get advice but always start with your Doctors office....hope this helped...Anita

[alb729 11]

It is so vast the many rules that are different in doctors offices for the same procedure. Eat bread, don't eat bread...blah blah blah...I guess it all comes down to whatever works for you. As for the green zone feeling...not sure I have achieved it as I get hungry again too soon I am sure. I feel restriction which does stop me from eating as much as I might normally...and sometimes makes me stop eating period...but I still get hungry too soon..my choices of what I eat are better but that is my own volition of choice...I wish I knew that zone for sure...thought I had it but I was wrong ..now I am not sure as my last fill was too much and some was withdrawn...I still have restriction and from time to time suffer pbing and sliming...it is disgusting...so I don't know if just a skosh more would do it for the green zone or put me over into the red zone again...it is frustrating,,I also got my lap band done in Mexico...that means the dr that does my fills here in WA state charges me...375 for the fill and if I need more I have to have it done within 10 days so he will only charge me 150 or it will go back to 375....they don't tell you about the after care in Mexico ..pay less and pay more later plan...that is a dilemna...hope you figure it out...Anita

[horsegirl315 114]

For me, the green zone is not being hungry before 2pm 90% of the time. I usually have a Protein Shake, or just a glass of skim or 1% milk win my Vitamins in the morning. Then I don't think about food until its time to make dinner...that's right. I DON'T THINK ABOUT FOOD! Sometimes I forget dinner even exists. I definitely feel like the hunger nerves are calmed, lol. I'm not saying its smooth sailing once you get to the green zone, I still hit plateaus...in fact I've been at the same weight for almost two months....just going up and down with the same five pounds...but the difference now is, I don't feel helpless or hopeless. I just move on every day, knowing that I will eventually get over this. I LOVE MY BAND!!!

[okiekatt 40]

When you are in the "green zone" you know it.....I got a fill every 3 weeks after surgery for 7 months before they told me I had a leak, each time I had hoped that this time would be it, after my second surgery on my 2nd fill, I was on my way home and my chest started getting this pain and I couldn’t even swallow, ran back into the office for an unfill, , 4 months later I saved up the money and got up the nerves to get 3rd fill, and my doctor did a test that showed my metabolism was low and gave me some pills sent me home with no fill, the pills did help but.......I never had that full feeling you hear about, eating a cup or less and being full for 3-4 hours sounded like exaggeration to me ...so 4 months later after my last attempt to get a fill 11 months after my second surgery and 1 year and 3 months after my first surgery, I walked in his office and pretty much begged for a fill, and they gave me...ready for this?? 1/4 of a cc .......And it WORKED for the first time EVER I get it! I really never think about food, mornings I am too tight to eat even my Protein Drink goes down slow, at noon 2 scoops of tuna from subway and dinner half a can of enchilada Soup I don’t eat the same thing every day, that is just an example, it is crazy kewl when it works and I wake up each day hoping that it hasn’t stopped it’s been 1 week today and I find this overwhelming excitement thinking this is it!!! I really felt that last week was going to be my last attempt, it wasn’t working, wasn’t going to work, and would never work, I was just going to be one of those people that the band just didn’t work for. Very sad and very depressing BUT NOT ANYMORE! So, if you are like I was please never give up its hard and so so depressing if it’s not working for you find out why,,you might have a leak or you might just need a teenie tiny adjustment just don’t give up

[street 3]

When you are in the "green zone" you know it.....I went every 3 weeks after surgery for 7 months before they told me I had a leak, each time I had hoped that this time would be it, after my second surgery on my 2nd fill, I was on my way home and my chest started getting this pain and I couldn’t even swallow, ran back into the office for an unfill, , 4 months later I saved up the money and got up the nerves to get 3rd fill, and my doctor did a test that showed my metabolism was low and gave me some pills sent me home with no fill, the pills did help but.......I never had that full feeling you hear about, eating a cup or less and being full for 3-4 hours sounded like exaggeration to me ...so 4 months later after my last attempt to get a fill 11 months after my second surgery and 1 year and 3 months after my first surgery, I walked in his office and pretty much begged for a fill, and they gave me...ready for this?? 1/4 of a cc .......And it WORKED for the first time EVER I get it! I really never think about food, mornings I am too tight to eat even my Protein drink goes down slow, at noon 2 scoops of tuna from subway and dinner half a can of enchilada Soup I don’t eat the same thing every day, that is just an example, it is crazy kewl when it works and I wake up each day hoping that it hasn’t stopped it’s been 1 week today and I find this overwhelming excitement thinking this is it!!! I really felt that last week was going to be my last attempt, it wasn’t working, wasn’t going to work, and would never work, I was just going to be one of those people that the band just didn’t work for. Very sad and very depressing BUT NOT ANYMORE! So, if you are like I was please never give up its hard and so so depressing if it’s not working for you find out why,,you might have a leak or you might just need a teenie tiny adjustment just don’t give up

Thanks, I'm going back this wednesday for another fill. I think maybe .5 cc will do it for me - I'm hoping anyway. I have 6.5 in a 14cc band right now and last time I was there they overfilled and I got that feeling you described - I drank some Water and it felt like it was just sitting there so they took 1 cc out (they had put in 2cc)

you sound like you are doing great now and good luck to you! it sucks that you had to go through a second surgery but I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

[f1stborn 59]

For me it when I can go hour running errands.n not get hungry. As long as I have my 64oz of Water.jug w me n ate a Protein rich diet for Breakfast im good.... Sometimes I have to force myself to eat some protien just so I can reach my 60 to 80gram if Protein goal each day...if I didn't need protein I could probably eat like 2Oz a meal twice a day n be good

Sent from my SGH-T989 using LapBandTalk

[Heathermarie0407 67]

Okay' date=' I need to ask you "street" why are you still eating subs? First, I was told not to have bread or Pasta or any heavy carbs...did you get any instruction on nutrition? If not, call and find out what your diet should consist of. I can't imagine Subway being in play here. I was told to eat nothing that came out of fast food...This is a tool not a cure all...you have to eat right for it to work and it is work...but it does help a great deal from what I understand and from what I have seen.

I think you need another fill but more than that you need guidance in what you should be consuming in calories and in Protein...carbs are NOT GOOD...I am sorry if I sound like I am lecturing you...I am not as it sounds like no one told you what you should be putting in your body for fuel...to burn off the fat....we are all there in the same boat as you..we are all just paddling to our own tempos...this is a great place to get advice but always start with your Doctors office....hope this helped...Anita[/quote']

I see no problem with subway. It's low in fat and calories. And high in protien. If you can eat it and it is good for you, I don't see why you shouldn't. Just as long as your aware that the day will come that you probably can't eat breads.

Once during my pre op phase when I was seeing my doctor once a month, I went in and had lost 10 lbs in one month. The doc was very pleased and asked me what I had been doing. I told him I was staying around 1200 calories, no soda, and eating very very little carbs, for about three weeks. But I just could not continue to eat like that. He said," look, you need some carbs, your body needs some carbs."

[Lapbandster 496]

Wow everyone thanks for the input!