I am going to be honest ....

[CajunCutie 1]

I had surgery 12/19/07. I currently have 8ccs in my 10cc band. I am scheduled for another fill Thursday. I have good restriction. So, what is the problem?? I am still about the same weight I was the day of surgery! I feel like I am trying to fight my band. Most of the time I eat healthly. But a few times a week I get ice cream (700+ calories) and frozen coffees (300+ calories). I paid for this surgery to help me lose weight. But, I am just eating around it. The "bad" stuff goes down easy. I keep saying I am going to start walking. That hasn't happened yet. What the heck is wrong with me???? I went into having this surgery with 100% motivation. Now, I am at 0%. I have all the tools I need to lose weight: my band and a great support network. I know what I need to do, but I just haven't done it yet. I feel like a failure. I look at other December bandsters, and see that yall have lost tons of weight. How do I mentally get on the roll with my band???

[JosieK 120]

hi cajun

i have had spurts when i would eat junk because it was easier and my weight loss stalled. i sat down and asked myself questions similar to the ones you asked yourself in your email.

i was also pissed at myself. i said "i cant believe i had this surgery and i'm eating junk"

2 things that helped me

1. journalling my food on sparkpeople.com

2. exercise. i made myself go to a week long bootcamp to ramp up my endurance. and then i just stuck with a 5-6 day a week routine. when the weight started coming off...it was easier to maintain this and it helped me to stay away from junk

i still struggle with ice cream...but i keep trying.

good luck.

[Cerrin 3]

I am with you CC I have mental wars with my head on what food to eat. I am working on it. I hate HATE logging food. It makes me aware of what I am NOT eatting instead of what I am eatting. It is a mental thing for me.

As for working out. I just do it. I dont really give myself an option.

How I got started working out like crazy was I set a goal for myself.

For me it was to be in the gym 10 times in 2 weeks. If I made that goal I had treats for myself.

My friends boxed and wrapped $20 gifts for me. like gift certificates to movies my nails done. Things like that. NON FOOD rewards.

So Every 2 weeks I had a gift if I made it to the gym. I started off small like just walking on the treadmill. Then I moved it up to lifting weights along with walking. Now I spend 2 hrs in the gym after work.

I go more then 10 times in 2 weeks so this month I changed my goal. but my treat was a personal training session. So I am sore from working out with her. But motivated by doing things I thought I couldnt do.

I hope it helps.

[Twilight 2]

Hi there Cajun! I'm so glad you stopped by and sent out a plea. It is a huge step to even stand up and say you are struggling. How many times in our lives have we not wanted to stand up and say "Help" and instead fed that problem?

We all knew that we had a problem with willpower coming in to this. If we could just "say no" we would. If we would just "get moving more" we would. But if we want this band to work we need to do some things to help it along. It is going to take dedication and some tough love for yourself. Just remember that you are worth it!

I have been very strict about following the band rules. I don't eat soft foods at meal time. I chew chew chew and I listen to my body when I think I'm full I stop. I make sure I eat my solid Protein first and then veggies. If I'm still hungry I eat my carb. I put my food on a small plate instead of a big one. I make sure that I get in all my Water. These are tough things to make sure I do. But those are the rules and I knew that going in.

Notice that exercise was not one of the rules. I have been really bad about that. But as the weight has come off I've been more active in my house. I clean more than I used to. I park further away in parking lots. I take the stairs more. Now that I'm down to a weight where I don't hurt all the time I've amped up the exercise. I told myself that there were going to be no excuses. Honestly once I get out there I enjoy it, but it's the getting out there that is the struggle. I have set myself a goal of getting some sort of exercise every day. Friday night it was not possible, but it has been every other day. On Sunday I even went out when it was sleeting and walked. I cut my time in half because it was cold....but, no excuses, I went.

When I made the exercise goal I also decided to start tracking my food intake. I do mine at Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plateand like it. There are others out there but that was the first one I went to. I've heard of fitday and sparkspeople also. Here I set my goal, I track my food and my exercise and I see where I am spending my food bucks (those are my calories). I think of what I can have as my budget and then I start shopping around more. I'm a little thrifty IRL so it works for me. I make sure my Protein goal is met each day and then look at how my calories breakdown by fat/protein/carb. I'm not a lowfat sugarfree freak...I just stay under the blue line everyday. If I'm not under the blue line every day the next day I fix it. by doing it everyday I keep better track of my diet.

Honestly, as a fat chick, I had no idea of portions or what the true calorie content in some of these foods are. Heck, some of the baked potatoes I used to eat are higher in cals than I should consume in two meals!! And when you see 1/2 your calories a day coming from fat it's quite an eye opener.

My advice, pick one thing and concentrate on it for a week....maybe two. When it becomes second nature and not WORK anymore, add another of these suggestions into your routine. Again, when these are working successfully, you can add another.....until you find what works for you.

Oh...the other thing I do is weigh every morning. I may fluctuate up and down a bit, but if I see any more than a 2 pound change I'm looking at my diet and my movement to see what the heck I did.

You can do this. You can be successful. You have the tools, and with us you have support. Keep posting and telling us of your triumphs and trials. We are here to support, encourage, and applaud you. Good luck...I look forward to hearing great stuff from you.

Edited April 22, 2008 by Twilight

[Cerrin 3]

Great Idea Stephanie, I am a budget freak. Maybe I will have to think of calories like money.

[lucysmom 0]

I can't express how happy I was to see your post. It's a subject near and dear to my heart these days and I haven't taken the steps to put it out here on a thread. I had my surgery on 12/06. I have been losing, but the last few weeks I've struggled more and more with what I'm eating and I fear that my monthly visit/weigh in in two days will be a devastating experience.

A little history: I was a smoker for 37 years. My overall personal transformation began 27 months ago when I quit smoking. I had struggled with working a food program/quitting smoking over the last 5 years - I could do one at a time, but was never successful tackling both simutaneously. After being smoke free for a year, I began exploring WLS and decided on the lap band. I had the surgery last December and was doing fine UNTIL I found a new addiction. As a child, I loved chocolate. As an adult, I detested it. You could put a mountain of chocolate next to me all day and I would have had no desire to touch it. That has now changed. I'm assuming that's because I'm no longer smoking and it tastes good to me now. Eeeks! I am battling the desire to eat chocolate - plain milk chocolate bars - all day long. My meals are 'band friendly', I'm exercising 5 days a week, but I eat WAY too much chocolate. I'm working on the mental side of this and have had a better time of it the last two days, but it's a battle that I didn't expect to have to wage.

I know that this process isn't something that I'll master overnight and that I have to work at it every day. I was just glad to read a post from someone else who is also struggling with eating around their band. THANK-YOU for sharing so honestly and opening the door for me.

I know I have to work on this; it is just good to know that I have a kindred spirit(s) out there with whom I can be completely, honestly, me.

Please keep up your posts and I will do the same if you find this as helpful as I do.

Cynthia:redface:

[CajunCutie 1]

Thank all of you for responding to my post. I am so glad to be a part of this forum for support. I am struggling. I am scared. I feel like a failure. But, deep down I know I can do this...and that gives me hope.

I am now worried that I have done damage to my band or expanded my stomach. I am going to my doctor tomorrow morning. I am going to tell her the truth about what I have been putting in my mouth.

Thank you all again for responding and the support you have given me.

[notateechanow 7]

Hey there, Cajun.

The most important part of all of this is to STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP! SO many other people in this world will do that for you. I was once told at at Weight Watchers meeting that most of the people in their program--losers and gainers--were perfectionists. How could that be? Wouldn't I be perfectly following the plan if I were a perfectionist? No. Truth be told, when you're a perfectionist, you want everything to be perfect. When one thing throws you off your original plan, you scrap it and vow to start again. For some, that's tomorrow, but for most, it's Monday. Why Monday? Who knows, but it's a convenient excuse. I read someone's posting earlier today about working WITH the band, not against it and she mentioned the excuses. Stop using them to beat yourself up.

You've made the big step of surgically altering your body to lose weight. You now have to believe you're worth the rest of the energy, time, and planning it requires to stay on plan. Find an activity--it doesn't have to be in a gym--that you might actually enjoy, even if it's just to have a friend walk for 10 minutes with you and talk you through it. Build it up slowly..but most importantly, get moving. Think of this as time you give to yourself. You should find something that you like to do--even if it's walking in a mall! Stop as often as you need. You needn't buy anything or even stop in any stores. Stop at every bench you need. Next time, try to go a little farther and skip every other bench. Working out doesn't have to be the torture it's always been for us. It can be social, and it can be fun. You just need to find something that engages you.

As far as the food goes, make every day a new challenge. If you usually like icecream every day, move to a few times a week. Switch to a lower fat version. Weight Watchers now makes 4 oz cups. Can't overeat if you only buy a small amount and don't have the rest in your house. Enable yourself to be successful, not to binge. Set yourself up to succeed. Get rid of crappy foods that you know you shouldn't have OR buy small portions that don't allow you to binge. Like chocolate? Buy a small sample at the store and that's it. If it's too much effort to go back to the store to get more, you're less likely to eat it.

All things considered, we all react differently to the band. Some lose weight fast, others not so much. I, like you, have really struggled....but surprisingly, have come to enjoy working out. I work out every day so even if I lose the battle in my kitchen, I've won somehow. It doesn't entirely balance itself out, but it's the small victories. This isn't a panacea for all that ails you. The band works for those who use it properly. Stop beating yourself up and let it go. When you can start to forgive yourself for minor transgressions, you'll feel better. Figure out what's eating you and you'll feel better. Good luck. I'm glad you posted your story. I think that took a lot of courage. :redface: Thank you.

[notateechanow 7]

Thank all of you for responding to my post. I am so glad to be a part of this forum for support. I am struggling. I am scared. I feel like a failure. But, deep down I know I can do this...and that gives me hope.

I am now worried that I have done damage to my band or expanded my stomach. I am going to my doctor tomorrow morning. I am going to tell her the truth about what I have been putting in my mouth.

Thank you all again for responding and the support you have given me.

How did things go with your doctor? I have to tell you...I've been on vacation all week this week with not much to do (as you can see by my millions of posts!) but it's afforded me the opportunity to look more on the web for LapBand stuff, blogs, etc. We're not the only ones for whom this has been a struggle. There are so many out there who continue to struggle with this daily. One particular one I've been reading was a woman who said the same things you did, but one day it just "clicked" and she started losing weight--as my doctor told me, "slow and steady". She hadn't lost more than 60 pounds in a year, but seriously..what would you give to lose 60 pounds?! You'll get there..and when I find the website address for this woman's blog in my other computer's history, I'll PM you to have you read it. It was very encouraging. :smile2:

[brandyII 9]

Cajuncutie,

I got banded in 8/07 and have gained back all the weight I had lost prior to weight lost about 25 lbs. Anyway my fills were a bit screwed up all this time and I was basically overfilled or way underfilled and finally after pleading with my surgeon to take some out he took out half and now I'm at 2 ccs and I have a 10 cc band.

I ate around the band also with sweets because they were going down easily and were satisfying but now that finally I can eat a piece of bread again I can eat healthy choices as opposed to the bad choices of the sweets and can eat a whole Weight Watcher's TV dinner etc... And on top of that I still have restriction with just 2 ccs and he didn't think I would.

I don't know if that will help you but I know how frustrating it is especially when you see everyone's tickers going down and everyone screaming "I love my band!" and you're like "what's wrong with me?". Anyway just wanted to share my experience so you know you're not alone out there, I finally feel somewhat good and it hasn't even been a week yet but I think taking out those two ccs is finally working for me. Good luck to you okay and talk to you doctor and see what suggestions he/she has for you too. brandyII.,

[CaliforniaNurse 2]

thanks for posting. I needed to read this today and realize that others are not perfect, it is not only me. i want to know how your doctor appointment went? I have a new doctor that I have seen only twice, but he is upset with me because I have not started exercising yet. I know that I will start before I go back and see him in May. I am afraid he will not see me if I tell him that I have not started exercising. Just changing the way you eat is a big shocker to our systems and I feel tired and out of energy. anyone experience that?

[brandyII 9]

Calinurse,

I have a weird thing where I feel hungrier on the days I exercise, which is mainly walking on the treadmill and/or weights. Anyone else feel hungrier? Sometimes I feel like I'm better off concentrating on my diet than exercising.

[CajunCutie 1]

Thanks to everyone that has responded.

I went to my doctor Thursday. I received a small fill. I now have 8.4ccs in my 10cc band. I gained 1 pound since my last visit a month ago. That was a little upsetting. But, I am not letting that get me down. My doctor wants me to write down everything I eat and turn it in to her in 3 weeks. I need to start being accountable for what I put in my mouth.

Losing weight is a process. I will reach my big goal by reaching one small goal at a time.

[notateechanow 7]

Wow...a couple of things here...

First, it's totally normal to be more hungry when you workout, even without the band. Your body metabolizes food faster when you're moving around, thus making it work through your system faster. Be careful NOT to drink until at least an hour after a meal. That should slow it down a little. Also, have something small to eat if you are hungry after working out, but be sure it's something higher in Protein. Protein will stay with you longer and make you feel satiated.

My doctor told me not to agonize over losing only 2-3 pounds in a month as we're still "looking for my sweet spot". He explained that until I'm where I need to be, I'm really just dieting without help. Sure, we all know that the band is/should be helping along the way, but it's not worth stressing over. Be sure your foods are solids....don't make the mistake I did of eating yogurt and cottage cheese because they're high in protein. They don't stay with you and are considered to be liquid. Eat solids slowly and let them sit in your stomach. I liked the funnel anaolgy. If you put food into the funnel (your modified stomach) and let it work it's way through, it's going to serve you far better than if you run the Water and push it through....

I haven't lost much weight, but I've been exercising. I thought you guys might find it amusing to know---NO LIE---my nutritionist told me to CUT BACK ON THE WORKING OUT!!!! Not something I ever expected. I was doing about 45 minutes of circuit training plus 45 minutes of jogging/walking a day, at least 5 to 6 days a week. Oh, and would it make you feel better to know that I lost 4 pounds that month?! Yes..only 4. LOL. Then, after cutting back, as directed, I only lost 3--just as I anticipated! I was an athlete in college and my body is accustomed to working out 2-3 hours a day. Granted, that was nearly 14 years ago, but once programmed....it's hard to get out of that. Obviously I don't have the time or energy to do that at this age. This is why my nutritionist told me to find some physical activity that would be something sustainable. Meaning, in 3-4 years time, I'll still want/be able to keep it up. Don't make life changes you aren't willing to maintain. They'll just set you up for failure and disappointment.

Good luck to all of us! I hope that knowing we're not alone in our frustration makes you all feel as good as it does me. I appreciate your sharing. :smile2:

[mrskrzyz 1]

Gosh I love this board!!!! You are all so informative and motivational!! Thanks