Restriction Saves Me!

[HeatherA 1]

Thanks for your response Heather. I do eat lots of foods which go down easily but even things which I should have problems with seem to do the same. Some things get stuck but once it passes, then everything slides down after that. I can eat bread, apples, chicken etc with no problems. I can't believe how much I can get down if I allow myself. I walk every day to help keep the weight off. I don't get hungry for long periods of time with this fill so if I use willpower I'm fine but once I start eating I can't seem to get enough. I know for me there's a psychological aspect... as soon as I start losing again, I sabotage myself so I don't lose any more... I am at my comfort zone and anything less is too scarey right now. I have to work through that soon because I want to get a lot more weight off before my niece's 21st birthday party in June and my brother's 40th birthday party in July.

Definitely sounds like a little more fill is in order. Right now I can't eat a lot even if I wanted to. The only thing would be if I was eating lots of shakes and things like that... solid food definitely has its limits. I hope this restriction stays, but I know it probably won't.

Stay in touch... I'll be rooting for you!!!

Thanks for the detailed post, Heather. I'm also waiting for my band. It's just good to hear the every day normal stuff.

You're welcome. :-)

Jowjow, first of all, you have to stop comparing yourself to others.

If you'll look at the OP's stats, she was at a higher weight to start with, and had a higher BMI. You started at almost 70 lbs lower than she did. Typically, those with less to lose will lose weight slower than those with more to lose.

And remember, everyone is different, and you shouldn't try to compare yourself to anyone else. AND if I had to guess, I'd bet that the meals that she's describing here are not what she'd typically eat on any given day.

Absolutely. Also, my weight loss includes pre-op as well as post-op. JowJow doesn't state if hers is all post-band. If it is, then she's way ahead of my game :-)

[HeatherA 1]

:rolleyes2:That indeed is very encouraging. I had my surgery one month ago and am going tomorrow a.m. for my first fill. I have not been having 2nds when I eat (or 3rds) but still am eating a full plate. I am looking forward to that "full - not hungry" feeling with this fill. I hope that I get that!!!!

I had restriction with my first fill for a few days about a week after I was filled. It only lasted a short time. So don't be discouraged if you don't have any restriction, or you do and then it's gone. I think that's just the nature of the game. I really have been riding it out by tracking my calories every day and exercising. Basically, my surgeon told me the day after my surgery to be prepared to diet. He warned me it might be awhile til the band helps me out.

Good luck with your fill tomorrow!!!

[Sades 4]

Thanks Heather. I'm rooting for you too. (FYI, rooting in Australia means having sex! :rolleyes2:) I'm sure another .5 or 1cc will do it. I walk every day and do aqua aerobics once a week and that helps as well.

[jowjow13 0]

Thank you sooooo much...especially for not hating me :rolleyes2:

I tried increasing my calories for two days...I gained a pound...panicked...and stopped! Am I wrong?

My two works outs include walking (2 miles in 30 minutes) in the morning...and then a core training dvd (30 min) or cardio at the gym (60 min) at night...depending on whether I have time for the gym or just the dvd at my house.

[shortgal 5]

JowJow, I think expecting big weight loss to continue after losing over 35 pounds, just doesn't happen. We lose fast in the beginning, we plateau, we lose steady, then we stall again. This is normal, just hard to accept.

As stated before a lot has to do with how much we have to lose. Your current BMI is not that high so weight loss will slow down.

I know you tried uping your calories a little and gained. What I do when I'm stalled is a day of liquids and then continue my regular intake and then one day have a couple hundred calories additional. I think our bodies get used to stablizing if the calorie intake is the same everyday, rather than mixing the intake up and down. Within a week it might be the same average of 1000 per day, but one day is 800 and one is 1200 another is 1000 etc.

Your weight loss has been great, don't worry so much. And nobody here would hate you for doing well!

Here's my formula for a low calorie day. Some days I can't make it all the way through, by dinner I cave and have Soup.

8am: Atkins shake

11am: 1/2 bottle of Isopure CLEAR

2Pm: Same as 8am

5pm: same as 11am

8pm: Same as 8am. you can reverse any two, but I find the high Protein every three hours works to keep me satisified. If I feel I can't make it all day, I substitute a box of butternut squash Soup at the 5pm time. If you do have soup, change the 8pm Atkins to the glass of Isopure CLEAR.

Sades: Made an earlier appt for a fill. Going in on Thurs. Last one brought me to about 7 cc. I had a couple great feeling days while on the two days of soft food after the last fill. Felt full all morning after a small b'fast. Yes! That's what I want!

So I'll ask for .5 cc this time and then keep my appt for 3/20 in case I need another .5cc.

I can still eat apples as well, altho that is one food I have to eat slowly. The PA that gave me the last fill has been banded and when I told her I could eat apples, she said "with the skin on?" and I said yup! And she said oh yeah, you need a fill! She asked about bread, but I don't eat that often and if I do, it's whole wheat and toasted. But before my last fill, I had a whole grilled cheese sandwich!

I know we keep saying this, be we must be close to restriction soon!

[sadie11 2]

thanks for all the good wishes everyone.

I got my band yesterday March 3rd and had the typical miserable day like any surgery. However last night I felt pretty good. The only pain I have is where the port is and I understand that is typical also.

I am thrilled to be drinking Protein shakes after 3 days (count 'em 3 days!) of fasting before surgery! Also had a little vanilla yogurt and it tasted divine!

I'm taking the pain meds and feeling pretty good. Did a little work today and realized I am very foggy so I am putting off a bunch of things. I own my business so I have a great boss!

I am planning to stick to the very rigid diet my doc gives us (Dr. Brown in Denver). My partner is getting banded on March 10th so we'll do this journey together.

2008 is our health year. We have to improve our health significantly and fortunately losing weight will help all our problems. What a blessing for us!

Back to the TV and snoozing- I love naps!

Love and best to all with your journey! thanks for all the great info!

Sadie

start 257/ current 247 / goal 155 or so

[HeatherA 1]

Congratulations Sadie!!!!! Welcome to the land of the banded :-)

[Sades 4]

Glad to hear your surgery was successful Sadie, now the fun begins! :biggrin:

Shortgal, 7cc for me let's me go a lot longer without food and I eat much less through the day but that's because I'm at work and don't think about it as much. I can still eat heaps if I let myself and I still do the night grazing, some nights more than others. I haven't made my next fill appointment but will make sure I get one in the next 2 weeks. We are definitely so close, another .5 - 1cc has got to do it. Let me know how you go.

[shortgal 5]

I hope the .5 cc does it, because by the one afer that, it will be four months post op by the time I get restriction! I had no idea it would be this long! Weight loss is getting slower and the wedding (and dress shopping) is getting closer every day. I don;t have unreasonable expectations of the band, but two pounds every week is what I need. I know that's possible with good but not too tight restriction.

I know you're as frustrated as I am!

[ready2loose 0]

Try this recipe for a change in taste

6 eggs

3 tablespoons cottage cheese

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 cup chopped broccoli

shredded cheese

1/2 half cup chopped ham (shrimp, crab or lobster)

mix and pour into pie pan (non stick sprayed)

Bake until brown at 350

Pretty ummy hot or cold. Can be Breakfast, lunch or dinner.

[luluc 6]

I hope the .5 cc does it, because by the one afer that, it will be four months post op by the time I get restriction! I had no idea it would be this long! Weight loss is getting slower and the wedding (and dress shopping) is getting closer every day. I don;t have unreasonable expectations of the band, but two pounds every week is what I need. I know that's possible with good but not too tight restriction.

I know you're as frustrated as I am!

Hey Shortgal - Didn't want to HiJack 'skyblue's' thread yesterday...But I'm short as well 5'1. & it's been a pain in the #$% #$% (fill in what you want) to get restriction - the kind like I see my husband have.

We were banded the same day - and he's fine at 6.5cc's...Me I went for fill #6 yesterday for a total of 7.9cc's now. I KNOW I'll need another one - maybe 2 according to my Doc who said I'll need to be over 8cc's to get to the sweet spot. Ugh...frustrating is not even close on somedays - especially when I'm working out like crazy.

Anyway saw this thread "Restriction Saves Me" and I had to pop in...I save myself by dieting / exercising while patiently waiting for that "sweet spot"...

[jowjow13 0]

I lost 8 pounds preop...the rest after...I know I must sound ridiculous...and I AM proud of the 35 lbs...I just feel like it would be dropping off even faster....I have met so many people that aren't excercising and stilll losing...or still eating junk and still losing...just confusing. I know it's different for everyone...

I get my second fill on March 13th...hoping for more restriction....as I am still in the willpower stage. I mean don't get me wrong...it's less than ever...but still not where I think I am supposed to be.

Thank you everyone for the kind words and the encouragement

[HeatherA 1]

JowJow, you're doing great and will keep doing great. Sounds like you are on the right track. It's hard when we compare ourselves to others because we are all so different and we all come at this from different angles with different metabolisms and different life factors.

Stay the course!!!!!