I don't understand restriction and finding the sweet spot

[sfchick 0]

I am 5 weeks out of surgery. I've lost 10 pounds, and I haven't had a fill yet.

The minute I could eat regular food, I did. I'm not exercising enough, and Im eating too many carbs. I'm eating far less than what I used to. I'm trying not to graze, but it is hard to break a lifttime of bad habits in a few weeks. I'm doing it though. I am just not as disciplined, and I'm going over the 70 grams of carbs mark. Still not drinking, no sodas, and not a lot of really anything that I used to.

I'm getting my first fill in 4 days, and I don't know what to expect. I'm HOPING it's going to help me lose weight.

I don't understand what "restriction" and finding my band "sweet spot" is.

Could someone explain? Does the fill help?

[Humming Bird 275]

yes, a fill will help you. It really depends on how much they put in at the fill for you to feel restriction/tighter.

Remember to go slow after a fill. Start with liquids the first couple days and slowly work into other foods. It may take several fills before you beat the hunger between meals .... known as "banster hell."

Your sweet spot will be that place where you can eat a very small meal ( about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) and stay satisfied until the next meal time. The looser your band, the more of your own will power comes into play.

Edited November 2, 2009 by Humming Bird
spelling

[LollyMoe 1]

Make sure you get in your 64 oz of Water and your Protein each day. Go easy on the carbs and get rid of anything that causes you to graze.

I didn't feel any restriction with my first two fills but am looking forward to my third. Maybe it will help me feel more restriction. I hope I know when I get to my sweet spot. Right now, it's still up to me to be completely in control of what & how much I eat.

The opportunity to even have the band is very special to me because I thought I was too old for it. They wouldn't do it five years ago when I lived in Louisiana because I was over 60 yrs old. Therefore I'm not eating anything that could cause me to fail! I will get healthier and live longer. The weight loss is just a side effect of getting healthier to me.

So hang in there and it will happen for you.

[happy2lose 0]

You will know when you reach descent restriction. Your band will feel tighter in your chest and it will at first be more difficult to swallow.

Sweet spot means the proper restriction when you feel satisfied eating less and can go 4 hours between meals without feeling hungry. Like another poster said, until your reach it you will have to rely on will power.

Hang in there,

Donna

[lkarelee 0]

I had my second fill on Saturday - and think I am close, if not at my sweet spot. I have a very bad habit of bolting my food - which has been absolutely curtailed by this fill. I am forced to eat slowly or I get a lot of pain in my upper chest - and I actually had an incident of thowing up at a resturant (thank goodness I made it to the ladies room in time ) because I wasn't chewing properly. I stay full for 3-4 hours after eatting which for me is really good.

I was banded in mid-August and for the first time feel the band working. It takes time...but eventually you will start to feel restriction.

[cb0828 5]

I had my second fill on Saturday - and think I am close, if not at my sweet spot. I have a very bad habit of bolting my food - which has been absolutely curtailed by this fill. I am forced to eat slowly or I get a lot of pain in my upper chest - and I actually had an incident of thowing up at a resturant (thank goodness I made it to the ladies room in time ) because I wasn't chewing properly. I stay full for 3-4 hours after eatting which for me is really good.

I was banded in mid-August and for the first time feel the band working. It takes time...but eventually you will start to feel restriction.

How much weight have you actually lost..

[Jachut 487]

If you're eating far less than you used to and not starving to death then you have restriction.

No amount of restriction will really make your food choices FOR you though. You can still make bad choices at any level of restriction.

I must confess though that even after 4 years banded I dont understand the concept of a sweet spot. To me, my band gave me restriction at every level, I just needed more fill to give the same restriction as time went on. Until I reached a point where I began to need fills less and less often and now havent a big one for well over two years. But at no point did I "arrive" at restriction. I had it from the word go. At the beginning it was easy to lose weight so I didnt need much restriction to do it - my body was used to a bigger calorie intake and dropped weight readily on a slight reduction. Now to lose weight, I'd have to fill my band right up to the point where I could barely eat 800 calories a day.