The elusive green zone

[Burlingtongirl 2]

Hello, I was banded in Mississauga, Canada June 28, 2013. I'm over a year into this and I'm still struggling to recognize my green zone. I have a large band and have been up at almost 9 ccs and am now sitting at 7.4 ccs. I think at first my expectation was that the band would make me not want to eat and the weight would just fall off. When that didn't happen I sought restriction. I find stress really makes me tight (and silly stress like having people over for a BBQ or going on vacation). I lost 25lbs on the horrible pre op liquid diet and have only lost 20lbs in the last year and a bit. I got so bad a few months ago that I couldn't eat anything and was living on Gavescon and bringing up acid in my sleep. I ended up having an emergency fill and they took 3 full ccs out. I was back to starving and really kind of beaten up mentally. Now I am trying to be smarter about understanding my band and what the green zone really means. I think it means that if you eat according to the 8 rules that you won't get stuck or slime very often. I think it means that if I am honest with myself I don't feel much physical hunger (my deep fried loving brain, that's a whole other post). At 7.4 ccs I am mildly hungry when it's time for my 3 meals a day, but I don't really need a snack in between lunch and dinner. If I eat slowly I can feel my band doing its thing and become satisfied pretty quickly. If I'm honest, I'm still eating more than a cup a food per meal (more like a cup and a half). I think I might be in my green zone. I know what the red zone feels like (got the t-shirt) and that didn't result in any weight loss (just me sucking on cheesies to get easy things down). Did anyone else struggle to find the right fill?

[B-52 7,113]

Yes, it is very allusive....a very fine balance between band adjustment, how we eat, and what we eat....

There was a time when it was not unusual for me to get stuck.slimed a few times a day....there were some very hard lessons to learn, and some old habits, beliefs I had to break....and it's very hard to determine if it's me or am I too tight. And it could have easily been interpreted either way...after calling my Dr. he said if I come in and get that last small fill taken out. 1/2cc, that would put me back to where I was before I had that last fill....and was that the place I wanted to be?

The answer for me was No...so it must be something other than the band...which turned out was Me!

I am in my 60's...that's a whole life of eating wrong! Some very deep ingrained habits that I was expecting to change withing a few months and a few fills?

Very hard to do....I'm still learning.....

I read posts here everyday about people eating certain things, and asking if it's Ok....I have to shake my head, but then, everyone is different and if it works for them, then who am I to say differently....

Edited November 6, 2014 by B-52

[Julie norton 2,850]

For me, the struggle is part of the journey. I needed to change how I ate and lived life. And I did.

I was compliant, but still took many years to figure out band life. Good luck????

[Julie norton 2,850]

Why are part of the conversations cut off? I wanted to express how we all try to find how to live in this new life we created. Trial and sliming for me!

[Julie norton 2,850]

Ugh! Trial and sliming ha

[Bandista 7,466]

During my research phase I really benefited from seeing a therapist. I wanted some one to go through the process with me -- an objective third party -- and I knew I needed to sort out some issues. It's not as though I hadn't done a lot of work on myself already. I am 53 and have read so many books about food and eating issues and I had done some therapy here and there over the years. This was the first time, however, that I was able to admit to myself that I had a real problem. A problem big enough to require serious intervention. By choosing to pursue weight loss surgery I was facing issues head-on for the first time instead of making excuses and feeling betrayed. We looked at all of my behaviors and broke them down one by one. It was tedious and most times I just wanted to move ahead, but the therapist kept me at it and I discovered some interesting patterns that I needed to break. It was one thing for me to say, "I eat when I'm stressed" but another to take specific incidents and notice how/where/why/when I was going for food to address it. To tamp that stress down. I would use food to "prep" myself for something I didn't want to do. For whatever reason, I find conference calls very stressful so I discovered two things -- first grounding myself with something to eat prior to a call and then afterwards using food as a reward. That's just one example. Another is driving in the car and seeking out some kind of treat. Another was to eat very lightly at a party but then while cleaning up afterwards eating way too much. It turns out the stress of not wanting to be seen overeating and concealing my appetite was making me feel deprived and then I'd want to rectify that as soon as I got the chance. Now I really think about these situations that I am in regularly -- whatever they are. I am looking at the stress factors and assessing them, facing whatever it is and finding out that it's not really that big of a deal -- and of course the food wasn't helping anyway. Sorry this is a little disjointed, but maybe something will ring true for you, too. We are all so different but we're all the same in many ways. Sending best wishes your way!

[Julie norton 2,850]

Great story bandista. Rings true for a lot of us. Thanks for sharing

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

I'm newly green. If I eat big pieces or too fast I get stuck. If I eat my Protein s l o w l y and chewchewchew then I am fine. Hardest thing ever for me to learn is to slow down that first bite and chew it to mush. I can't say it enough. I thought I was gonna be the exception. Hahahahahaha.

[Kai-shek 230]

I know some people will slag me and perhaps I will deserve it. I have had great weight loss success with the band (had it done 21.3.2013). Lost all my weight from 220lbs down to 116lbs and I love my new figure and love buying clothes but I feel like I have never been in the 'green zone' not once. I am either too tight or too loose and I continue to visit the doctor to either have fill/u fill. I wat this body and it is worth it but I still wish for a normal relationship with food and I don't have that.

[Burlingtongirl 2]

Thanks everyone, it's so great to hear the stories of others. I am such a compulsive eater (such an impulsive person in general) and I know I'm not being successful because I'm eating junk. I get so desperate about food. I need to realize that I'm not going to die if I don't give in to my thoughts to eat junk. I bought a mindfulness CD. I am so tired of getting in my own way. I need to start fresh! So hard!

[Jack 855]

Ah, newbies!!!

Answer THIS question:

Did you ever learn to dance without getting your toes stepped on?

Can you ever recall a time in your lives when 'stress' in social situation was NOT a personal reaction?

Can you ever recall a time where 'eating' somehow merged with "OVEReating" without making any clear connection with 'social stress' and anxiety?

If you can answer 'yes' to these and similar....welcome to MY club!

re: "It turns out the stress of not wanting to be seen overeating and concealing my appetite was making me feel deprived"

games are games....ask how I recognize this one.....

'Feeling deprived' is NOT the same as 'feeling HUNGRY'. And 'feeling STUFFED' is not the same as 'being NOT hungry'.

Way too often we strive to feed a non-physical sensation rather than recognizing 'why' we over eat is as important as 'am I satiated'.

Learning to recognize those various triggers that stimulate us to comfort ourselves somehow by OVER eating is a dance of many steps.

HERE's a GREAT insight. Yes, it took me a long time to learn this too:

"I am mildly hungry when it's time for my 3 meals a day, but I don't really need a snack in between lunch and dinner. If I eat slowly I can feel my band doing its thing and become satisfied pretty quickly. "

Cheers on our journeys, fellow Bandsters!

Keep moving towards the GOAL!!!

Edited November 9, 2014 by Jack

[Puppypaws57 137]

Could you tell me the 8 rules you are refering to?

[Burlingtongirl 2]

Hi PuppyPaws57,

http://bodywellfitness.com/2012/03/25/de-mystifying-dr-obriens-the-8-golden-rules/

Dr. Paul O'Brian is an Australian doctor considered to be the expert and a pioneer of the Lap-Band. I had my surgery in Canada and my doctor had trained with Dr. O'Brian. I was sent home with a copy of the 8 golden rules. My doctor instructed one cup of food per meal, but that was the only difference. I attached a link.

[Puppypaws57 137]

Thank You. I'll check it out!

[chayamom 8]

It is very interesting reading everyone's post. I have quiet a drawn out story which I plan on posting in the appropriate section but in short, five years after surgery and a doctor switch, I'm finally working on finding my green zone. At the same time I started exercising regularly. I'm trying to figure out whether the pain I feel is due to being too tight or due to a new exercise regime. All I know at this point is I want to feel better and I want the weight to start coming off. Any input will be very appreciated!