jennygirl37

Juat eat til you are satisfied. Full is a miserable feeling. I gurgle, burp, and have pressure when I am full.

Satisfied is the goal. Full comes about 10-15 minutes later.

I just feel satisfied after I eat my one cup but best part of the band for me is I don't think about food all the time. In fact I eat by the clock rather then by how I feel. If I eat to much I burp or get the hiccups or throw up which you never want to do. I have lost 63 lb in 6 ,mos so it works for me...hope it helps

I had my first fill last Thursday, 4cc's into my 10cc band. This is going ok. I can eat fine as long as I am chewing and going slowly. I have had a few episodes of not doing this well enough. Sometimes I feel satisfied with about 1 cup of food, sometimes I feel I need more. I usually get 3-4 hours of feeling like I am not hungry. This afternoon after eating lunch about 1.5 cups of chicken chili and Beans, I still felt hungry. This suggests to me that I need more fill. However, I am burping so much. Even after the first bite, there is a lot of burping. I emailed my doctors office and my physician feels that due to the excessive burping I am overfilled and should have some Fluid removed. I am sure that the burping is not due to eating too fast. I have tested this several times. I am just not sure about the un-fill. I am not sure about any of this right now, its all confusing. Sometimes I feel like I ate enough, sometimes I don't. I know that I am probably not in the green zone after the first fill, but if I am overfilled then....well I don't know what then. Any input about this is appreciated!

I think that certain foods are better than others at keeping us satisfied longer. This could be why sometimes you feel satisfied and sometimes you don't! If this is your first fill it is probably pretty unlikely that you are in the green zone. Don't be afraid if things don't seem right with getting some Fluid removed. The smallest amount can relieve symptoms and still give you the same restriction. Getting and removing fills can be a very tedious process and very frustrating and confusing! If your doctor feels you should get some removed I personally would listen to him. Good communication between you and your surgeon is key to your success! Good luck!

As far as the burping, I tend to burp a lot since being banded, especially when I've just finished eating.
Don't assume just because you've only had one fill you're not in the Green Zone. For thing, 4cc is a big fill. Some people are in the Green Zone with no fills whatsoever, so it is very possible you're there.
Here's the thing about the band- it's finicky and it's a learning experience. You say you had 1.5 cups of food and still felt hungry. Did you try waiting 10-20 minutes to see if that hunger passed? Very often people are surprised they're really not hungry when they give the body time to process the food and send the "done" signal to the brain.
Typically speaking, we think of being in the Green Zone when we can go 4 or more hours on a cup of food without being hungry. But, remember your doctor is the expert, and if he thinks you're too filled then trust his judgement. You can always get more Fluid added later without consequence but being too tight is dangerous. It's always better to error on the side of caution.
Best wishes

I am in the same boat. I was banded on 1/18 and lost 14lbs the first two week and then about 6 after that. Then the past 4 weeks...nothing. My doctor told me this was totally normal and I should not be discouraged. I joined the fitness center last week and got my first fill on Thursday and finally saw the scale move this morning!

I am in the same boat. I was banded on 1/18 and lost 14lbs the first two week and then about 6 after that. Then the past 4 weeks...nothing. My doctor told me this was totally normal and I should not be discouraged. I joined the fitness center last week and got my first fill on Thursday and finally saw the scale move this morning!

Your post is similar to so many every day. So yes, nearly everyone(99%?) has experienced going a few days and not lose weight. Losing weight vs losing fat are two different things entirely.
The band is not a magic wand where we lose fat or weight every day or even every week. Your scale does not separate the two main factors of losing weight. Fat vs fluids!
The scale does not know that it's your TOM or that you ate chinese with a 1/4 cup of soy sauce, or a lean cusine with 750 mg sodium, or 2 cups of chicken Soup loaded with sodium. Your scale does not know you've exercised rigorously for the last 2 weeks adding muscle to replace lost fat.
You can lose 3 lbs of fat in one week but the scale may not indicate any loss of fat at all if you are retaining fluids.
It's so easy for our bodies to retain 3-5 lbs of water/fluids if the environment presents itself. Eat a lot of sodium, TOM, medications or illness make our bodies retain fluids. That's weight and lots of it. Most of the 20 lbs you've already lost is Water loss. It won't continue at this rate and you can expect wild 1-5 lb fluctuations every day or week. No one is immune. jmo
tmf

I go by this chart: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/target-heart-rate-for-weight-loss.html and calculate my net calories burned here: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx

I also find that the Diet Green Tea is a good alternative to Water. I get in all my water, but sometimes just want something different. I gave up diet soda the first day of my pre-op diet and haven't missed it all that much. I thought having no caffeine would be horrible. Not nearly as bad as I thought!

never ever thought id survive without my diet soda iv
but day i started preop, havent had one since
i had headache for about 4 or 5 days, detoxing i guess
but good riddance....i choose to listen to what my dr says.
he said no more carbonation, so no it is.
however some will say they drink a soda or beer or whatever.
i say do what your dr says and not worry about what anyone else does or dont
because it dont matter..

My biggest struggle is learning that difference between the want and the need. Your success is HUGE, good job!!!

My biggest struggle is learning that difference between the want and the need. Your success is HUGE, good job!!!

My biggest struggle is learning that difference between the want and the need. Your success is HUGE, good job!!!

Wow! Our starting weight is the same and our date of surgery is also the same and I am down about the same as you!! I have not had the courage to take a photo yet! You look amazing!!!

extremely powerful and i am beyond proud of you for stopping smoking...you are already a hero in my eyes.
but what stuck out to me was your words.
Knowing that difference between wanting something and needing something.
once someone understands this, they will succeed.
i myself needed to read this and i am so glad i did.

I live in a very rural area, so I only have one option for a fitness center. It does look nice though. I should be able to go most days at 12:30-1:00ish, so I am hoping that there won't be too many people there during that time. I just need to get over being so concerned about how I look to other people.

So...I have managed to lose 50lbs with only walking as exercise. Haven't been able to walk much all winter and can't wait to get out there. I am considering joining our local fitness center. I am nervous about this, very self conscience about my body and my abilities to actually do exercise other than walking. I see that they offer an indoor cycling class. This sounds like something I might be interested in. And I don't want this to sound like I am lazy, but is this super hard? I don't want to look like an idiot and not be able to do a 30 minute class. I don't even know what they do in a cycling class. If you have done this please let know what your experience was like. I really, really want to increase my exercise and get toned!

I would do like some of the others suggested and go visit the gym first. You can watch a class or just peek in on one to see if it is something you would be comfortable with. Ask to see if there are different classes for different levels of fitness. Most gyms will be happy to sit down with you and answer all your questions! My first question was, what time is the gym the slowest! Don't feel self conscious! Most people that go to the gym are worried about their workout and could care less about your size or workout! Sometimes when we feel uncomfortable we feel like everyone is looking at us, but that's usually very far from the truth! Example: a guy came over to me and asked me if I was interested in talking to him! I asked him why he would think that! He said every day when I was on the treadmill running I would be watching him on the elliptical! I had to explain to him that I alternate running and walking on the treadmill and the only clock I could see in the gym was above the elliptical machines! So with that said, congratulations on your weight loss and don't worry what others are thinking, do it for you!

First off....check out the caliber of people that belong to the gym.....also the time of day clearly segregates peoples in the gym.....
I go early am, between 5-6....people there before work, mostly professional types...teachers, Dr.'s, Lawyers, Cops etc....
After 8am, it becomes mostly women, perhaps home makers? And at night you get the young "Look at me" crowd...
Having said that, if the gym has serious people there (not the night crowd), then NO ONE will look at you as a "idiot" as you say...they all understand why they, and you are there and they are all after the same thing.....trust me..I see it from my viewpoint everyday and if I make eye contact I always give a small "thumbs up" We're all in this together...that is how Gym rats feel.....
The night crowd, well I'm not sure what they're after.....
IMO, it is worth the little extra $$ for a classier gym, along with more professional trainers/employees.....
as far as inspiration, we all have to start somewhere....it is important we start....and you will get rewards...little ones at first that make you want to do a little more for the larger rewards....each small victory builds upon the next one....then the next, and so on....
Everyday, when I get on the treadmill, within the first 5 minutes I always tell myself "No way, it's just not my day today"
But then I tell myself.."I can do this for 10 minutes, right? I've done 10 minutes 100's of times"
Then at 10 minutes I tell myself another 5 minutes...I mean I've already done 10, what's another 5?
Eventually 45-50 minutes have passed like it was nothing....
I ran 5 miles today....there is absolutely no reason I cannot do it tomorrow....I just have to keep telling myself that like I just described...
The next day I repeat the process....and so on....although the little goals and rewards have grown much, much larger.....but you got to start somewhere....
Why do you think people go out of their way to run through the neighborhoods all hours of the day and in all types of weather? For their health? Well maybe, yes of course, but more importantly it is because THEY CAN! And the overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment is indescribable...not to mention the endrophines...
But you have to "Get out there" and start!!! And slowly build one reward after another and keep telling yourself you did this yesterday, I can do it again, even better!
One more thing....I wear noise canceling ear buds with my I-Pod....the place could burn down and I would not be aware of it!!! I'm oblivious....

I feel the same way. I started at 332 and am now 280. I jumped for joy when I left the 300's and then the 290's. I am super close to the 270's and can't wait until I am there! For now I can't even imagine the 260's!!

I agree totally, in fact in some ways, I think the mental preparation is even more important than all the physical preparation.
I'll be honest, if I'd have had Lap Band surgery 2 years before I did, I'd have failed miserably. I was in a horrible place mentally and truly at the mercy of my food addiction. There is no way I could've changed my behavior and eating habits back then. The only reason I've done well now is because I spent over 6 months before surgery getting my head together and dealing with my emotional/psychological issues that led me to food addiction to begin with.
If I could have one major piece of advice for people considering any WLS, it would be to deal with their mental demons before trying to deal with their obesity demons.

I have no idea....I don't count calories...I just make good food choices, and a lot less often than what I used to.

I very rarely get hungry, and when I do it is different than before being banded...hard to explain, I have no interest in food...my mind tells me I don't need it...I believe it's the band telling my brain I'm full, even though I'm not full, and may not have eaten in over 18 hours......If I am busy, so at work or out traveling around, I forget to eat altogether...my poor wife has to remind me....
Now, because it's winter I spend more time indoors, in front of the TV all day on Saturdays watching sports......I do tend to graze all day on different Snacks, but not because I am hungry.......but when I do do that, I will do not have any meals...the only thing I eat that day is what I have been grazing on.....so it all evens out....
BTW, as far as will power....No..it all comes quite naturally, as a permanent lifestyle
Before banded, I was addicted to food...could not get enough...I would be driving in my car, see a fast food restaurant and go in a get something, whether I needed to or not...I could think about a particular food item, and have to run out and get it.....and this was besides my normal (?) meals....
would also eta a large sandwich or something just before bedtime....
All that is behind me....even if I wanted to, I CANNOT overeat.....
Last cruise we were on, I threw out all the rules...told myself I was going to test this surgery, and eat whatever and whenever I wanted....I Lost 5 lbs!!
The band worked.....did exactly what it does everyday...where I am and what is offered to me makes no difference!