How does maintenance work?

[Cocoabean 430]

OK, this just hit me, 8 months to the day after banding! I am clueless how maintenance with the band works. I am familiar with the Weight Watchers maintenance plan of eating more when you lose and less when you gain. But so far with the band, I am eating at my appetite and losing slowly, but losing. I am now 2/3rds of the way there.

So, those of you at or near goal, how does it happen? I know my doctor doesn't like to do fills often, "chasing the dream" as it were. But do you get a bit unfilled if your weight goes too low or is too low unlikely with proper restriction?

I have 2cc in a 4cc band. I am seeing my surgeon next week for a possible fill and will ask him then, but I am curious and, I realize, uninformed.

Thanks!

Denise

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I keep checking back to see if someone has answered you and so far no....

I will say my understanding (and I am FAR from maintenance!) is that we will just keep on keeping on. Once I've lost all I want I figured I'd just make a little different food choices...

I have read that some people plan to get all restriction removed but to my thinking if I do that, why bother with the band? I can LOSE fine, it's keeping it off that's been the challenge for me personally.

Some get a LITTLE unfill so they can add back in favorites that may have been off limits when totally restricted....but then some don't ever get that much restriction to begin with.

I think the answer, honestly, is very individualized. I think it's kind of a non-issue. But I would love, like you, to hear from successful bandsters who have lost and kept it off a while, if they did something special, tinkered with their fills, or just went on with life.

It's a good question, hope someone who actually knows answers you!

[Jachut 487]

for me, weight loss just eventually petered out. I didnt hit a "goal" so much as just stopped losing (a bit over 12 months ago now) so to maintain, absolutely nothing changed. I didnt eat more or remove fill or anything. But then I never went on a super low calorie high Protein diet, I ate how I wanted to for the rest of my life.

I've recently had .2 ml removed from my band coz I got inexplicably tight for a while, it relieved that totally and has left me quite unrestricted. I had a rebound gain of about 3lb, which means I"m just at the top of my normal 4-5lb range anyway, so to all intents and purposes, no gain.

But I sure wouldnt want any more fill gone. Its much harder with really loose restriction, but I feel its important to gain those skills gradually, since living with tight restriction for ever more doesnt thrill me either.

I know that Chickie has no fill at all and has maintained really well, but by and large, when you remove fill or bands, you get weight regain.

The most important thing I think is I havent let up on my exercise schedule one single bit. That is for life as much as good eating is.

Maintenance will always feel somewhat like a diet. You simply cant eat whatever you want whenever you want to and only exercise when you feel like it and stay thin.

[Cocoabean 430]

Thank you both for your replies. I am thinking it will all become clear when I get there, which I am very much looking foward to!

[maryrose 2]

Maintenance will always feel somewhat like a diet. You simply cant eat whatever you want whenever you want to and only exercise when you feel like it and stay thin.

Well said Jachut. You really hit the nail on the head.

I am stuck right now and really needed to hear that I need to move my you know what!

Cocoabean, Just stay with this forum and keep plugging away. I am 1 1/2 years out and have a follow-up appointment at the clinic. I will never stop going there. I will be seeing the nutritionist and following-up with her also, because I need the discipline.

It's different for everyone. I know I could not handle being Un-banded, but that is just me.