What Does The Green Zone Feel Like For You?

[Lapbandster 496]

Everyone has different experiences with the green zone, and I have read some interesting things on this site. Some barely feel any physical hunger, others get full after a few bites of food, and others hear their stomach gurgling after they ate enough. I have also heard hunger/feeling stuffed causes some to get left arm pain.

So since I am post-op with no fill yet i'm just wondering what your experiences in the green zone are.

It can vary, i know, but what does the green zone mean to you?

[Lapbandster 496]

no one?

[newbandlady 3]

Before the "zone", pretty much could eat (within reason) anything I wanted. Wasn't overly concerned with the size of my bites or how quickly I was eating. After reaching the "zone" I got a big wake up call! God forbid I take a bite too big because I will be stuck for hours/days. Stuck is super painful for me. like having a heart attack painful! Before I could eat a snack of candy bar here , a little cheese there, maybe some popcorn....now no interest. I need the room later for so something more important like food to keep me living! Before i was breaking the rules and drinking diet soda, now it is almost painful and gives me heart burn! No interest in that at all! Now I order food and its a waste of money so I pick a few bites off my husbands plate or have a bite of my kids food but my nights out aren't so much fun when they involve a big juicy steak and baked potato. That all being said I have lost 60lbs which includes losing the 10lbs I gained back after a 2cc unfill (due to an overfill earlier in the year). And 20lbs was in the last 2 months after reaching my green zone! I am probably slightly over a comfortable green zone but I know myself. Give me an inch (or.1 cc in this case) and ill eat a mile!

[Summerrain 520]

Green zone for me is not waking up hungry. First meal of the day for me is anywhere between 10 am and 11 am, I don't feel hungry for five to six hours, 2nd meal is my dinner, my night time snacking urge has completely disappeared and the scales are going down each day.

I am satisfied between 1/2 cup to one cup of food per meal.

Because of this I am really strict on making good healthy choices for my meals so I get my Protein in first and either salad or vegetables second.

Two litres of Water per day. My restriction level is comfortable, I can pretty much eat everything provided I take small enough bites. My restriction is at a good level also to accommodate the varying fluctuations the band is finicky for eg ttom, stress etc because when I get stressed my little friend decides to get a bit tighter on me.

The biggest thing I've noticed I'm no longer obsessed with food every minute of the day, only when it's meal times.

Another thing I've noticed is if I don't go to the grocery store with a shopping list then I would come out empty handed as nothing in the supermarket or food courts no longer have me drooling over everything.

I'm finally in control of food and not the other way around like it was pre banding.

Fingers crossed I stay this way for a while before needing a top up.

[2012 359]

Does your stomach stop growling when you reach the green zone? I'm not there yet, but I can go for awhile without food, especially when I am at work and it's non-stop, I usually end up eating because my stomach is yelling at me.

[newbandlady 3]

Does your stomach stop growling when you reach the green zone? I'm not there yet' date=' but I can go for awhile without food, especially when I am at work and it's non-stop, I usually end up eating because my stomach is yelling at me.[/quote']

My stomach rarely growls

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

The green zone for me means I am satisfied with 3-4 oz Protein, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 c of startch for 4-5 hrs between 3 meals a day.