lageniafaye

It seems you are eating sliders in the morning and for lunch-I am guessing this is making you hungry in the evening. Try packing some Snacks that aren't mushies or liquid. I do know they go down easier and are a lot less trouble to deal with-but maybe you need to be eating a little more substance througout the day. You might be hungry and eating too fast or too much becuase you really haven't had any solids, I pack a yogurt, nuts, granola, banana, and snack throughout the day. This week I packed some watermelon-thank God no one was in my office because my stomache sure did make some crazy noises! lol Sounds like you are doing an awesome job-congrats!!

I was banded 3/28/12 and have only lost 30 lbs. One day the scales show I have lost five lbs, Yea, then the next day I have gained six. I think my scales are broke. I don't know. But one thing I do know. It took me a life time to get to the size I was before the band. It is not going to come off fast. If I lose one or two lbs a month I am OK with it. But when I stop losing, that is when I will be concerned.

I think most morbidly obese people would agree, on the surface, with the statement "I'm miserable because I'm fat". I also think most morbidly obese people would agree, after reflection, that the truth is, "I'm fat because I'm miserable".
Or, optimistically, "I'm fat because I *was* miserable, and I developed eating and lifestyle habits that led me to where I am now."
It feels kind of "cheap" telling my "story" in a post on a forum, because it took me over 3 years of therapy and a LOT of soul searching to understand why I am the way I am. And I'm not sure knowing has helped much. (In fact, in OA/AA programs they say, "Self knowledge avails us nothing." But that's a discussion for another post.)
My mother abandoned me when I was 11 months old. I was adopted by WONDERFUL parents who gave me a far, far better life than I would have had. But I've come to realize that I developed a severe fear of abandonment, and for some reason, the emotional/physical "high" I got from eating abated that fear.
Although I am at an age where fear of abandoment is irrational, I have not been able to overcome the eating habits I learned over the course of my life. Nor have I, as of yet (though I suspect I'm on my way, thanks to the band), been able to break my addiction to whatever physiological response my body goes through when I eat foods in large quantities.
As far as your post, DeLarla, I'm with you in every way. My biological father is a non-functional alcoholic and my brother is bi-polar. I can only assume some mental disorder from the woman who left her 2 1/2 year old and 11 month old child and never looked back. And I do my food damage (even now) after 7 PM. I'm great during the day -- controlled, responsible. When night comes, all I want to do from dinner until the time I go to bed is eat.
Jonathan

Let's look at my pre-band daily menu and see why I am fat!
Breakfast:
Chickfil a chicken biscuit with hashbrown and ketchup and a large coke.
Lunch:
McDonald's Big Mac meal supersized with a coke and apple pie
Dinner:
Mexican restaurant with chips and hot sauce, then huge plate of beef nachos and about 4 cokes then sophapillas for dessert!
Never one minute of exercise and I sit at a desk all day in front of a computer.
I have eaten this way my entire life. I am from the south so my mother only cooked deep fried southern meals as I grew up and I loved every bit of them.
I do have an obsession with food. I think about it constantly. I love to watch cooking shows and our friends make fun of me and my husband because we will get in a conversation about the best chicken fried steak meal in our area or which restaraunt has the best fried pickles. When I am stressed I want to eat, when I am excited I want to eat, when I am sad I want to eat, When I am alone I want to eat and so on and so on. If I am going out to lunch with a friend at work now I have to find out where we are going and sit down at that place's website and figure up a meal in my calorie range. I do this for hours at a time planning just one meal. If I were to go in and not planned I will order my usual bre-banded meals still! Obsession with food is something I am seriously thinking of going to a shrink for. I don't know what started it, but I know it is nothing I can kick on my own.
The reason my band works for me is not because of the little bit of restriction I feel on occasion, but because I told everyone I was having this surgery and now that I have had it I will be the biggest loser ever if I don't lose the weight. All of my friends feel it is so drastic so I feel I would let them down if it didn't work, so see even with the band I am still losing weight for other people and not myself. I don't have excuses anymore for my portions when I have a band. That right there is why I love my band...It no longer lets me make excuses to myself and when you constantly have people asking how you are doing it makes all the differece in the world to not want to look like a loser to them and keep the weight on. Obsession is a biatch!

Try eating tougher foods later in the day and see if that helps.
Supplementing with Protein powders may be an option. Yogurt and cottage cheese are good protein sources too.
Brad

i make an orange Protein Shake. i have vanilla Protein Powder and i mix it with OJ in my magic bullet! tastes like a creamscicle!

Yes, he did my surgery in Jan 08. I had my gallbladder removed in July 08 here locally and have continued my follow up with surgeon here. I had a leak for quite awhile before I decided to fix it. I replaced my port in Jan '11.
My biggest struggle has been head hunger and depression. I start off strong and then go back to old habits. I lost 100 pounds initially and then gained back 56. I am on the downward trek again.
I recently got diagnosed with hiatal hernia and severe gastritis. I am doing things right finally to avoid losing my band. So far so good.
I think I thought the band would do more. But when I really examined what I have been doing, I realized I was doing everything to cheat my band and work around it. It is harder starting over 4 years out when you know how to work around your tool. But I am determined to be a success.

I definitely do get that full feeling on a cup or less of food. If I continue a bite or two past feeling full, I'll get a huge lump in my throat that can be a little painful. I also seem to burp right as I get full, too. If I go too far and get that lump in the throat sensation, I get the hiccups. Also, I can go 4-5 hours without hunger after eating.

I am 4 plus years out and just recommitted. I could have wrote your post many times over the years. Many many times. I never felt like I found my spot.
The last few weeks I have been focusing on the rules and really concentrating when I eat. When I eat white fish that is soft and mushy, I can eat way more. I love home made chili but I can overeat it. So I portion out a cup and stop. Mushies take discipline.
When I eat a denser fish like Salmon, I really have to slow down and chew well and be mindful. chicken, forget about it. We don't get along. Hamburger, same thing. I realized I was avoiding foods that were dense and I couldn't eat as much of. Well duh. That is the point of the band right? Or I would take too big of a bite and not chew well and get stuck. Viscious cycle.
On Sunday my hubby and I had a nice turkey dinner at the inlaws. I was so scared to eat because I thought for sure I would have issues with the turkey. I ate slow, chewed well and listened to my soft stop signals.
My soft stop signals are usually a slight runny nose, or I sigh. If I push it, they turn into hiccups.
It seriously took me 4 years to finally LISTEN to my signals. Now I stop. And guess what, I really am full for a good 4 hours. I am not going to lie and say that head hunger doesn't still come around before that 4 hours... but I don't listen to it anymore. (Well most of the time... I am not perfect... Yet)
Recognize the difference between head hunger and real hunger. Focus on dense Protein and avoid mushies.
Soft foods will mush up and pass through. You will be able to overeat soft foods. Trust me. I did it for a long time. Focus on dense solid Proteins.
Proteins first. Green veggies second. Winning combo.

You need to be eating Protein but not too much soft stuff.
I was told to stop after 20 min. and wait. I also usually ( sometimes) have a soft stop of a runny nose or hic cups then i know to stop. You maybe full but your eyes see more food and your head says that more food = hunger.(head hunger). Measure your food then be done and don't thnk about the rest, you may find later you weren't hungry after all.
Wendy