K1MB4

First: Friend Jean McMillan... she has been around for a while and had even written a few books about living with the LB. http://www.jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com/
Few tips i used from the get go: first, i eat on a kids plate. You know the ones with the dividers... Protein, veggie and starch. Eat the Protein first, then the veggies... and if i have room, the starch. When eating out... i order, and at the time i order i ask for a go box to be brought at the same time. I also, ask for an appetizer plate. Portion out my food, put everything else in the box. If i'm still hungry, i make myself wait at least 20 min... if i'm still hungry... i will grab a bite more of the protein...
NEVER NEVER NEVER order any liquid when you eat.... I wait till i get home to have something. This will give you your allotted time so you will feel fuller longer.
I would bet that if you really look at what your eating and not really the amount... you will see that your not making good choices.... I know i had to take a long look at myself at first when i was still able to eat two slices of pizza and complaining that i wan't losing weight.... pizza? and losing weight? they just don't go together... so i stopped all the bread, rice and most of the Pasta and potatoes... and started really moving my BuTT around .... and low and behold... i started to lose weight... go figure.
I am still guilty of eating something bad... every single day. I just had to learn to eat ONE piece of candy... instead of the the whole bag... which i did.
I myself am getting my act back together after having a complete unfill for my Tummy Tuck. I went 8 weeks with nothing in my band (i got 5cc in at 8wks).... and boy was i hungry... I completely fooled myself into thinking i could live with out my band and never gain weight again... i was WRONG... i ate... Pizza, rice, bread, and all the other bad stuff that i had went over two years with out. I gained 5lbs back over the last 17weeks.... i know that doesn't sound like a lot... but that's how it all starts... 5 here, 10 there... next thing we know..... 223lbs again.... So I went to my doctor Wednesday and he put in another 4cc to bring me back up to 9cc in my 14cc band.... I'm so happy to have my restriction again.. Thank you LB inventor.

Here's a great diagram of what the Green Zone is:

I think a big misconception people have is that the band will fix all their food issues. Believe me, it won't. It can make you full faster and longer, and it can control how much you're physically able to eat, but it won't stop head hunger and it won't stop you from eating around it. I have lost over 100 pounds since being banded in January 2012, and I'm very much in the Green Zone, but I still have ask myself at least a half dozen times a day "Am I physically hungry or head hungry?".
Something else to keep in mind, just because you can eat a lot of food doesn't mean you should. Very often if you stop eating after only a cup of food, you will find that while you still can eat more you're satisfied and no longer hungry. Too many of us bandsters are also binge eaters and we try to eat until we have that bloated full feeling we used to. That band won't make you feel that way, so stop expecting it. I'm discovering a lot of people say "I have no restriction" but really they do. They just assume because they physically can eat more that should and do, rather than stopping when their stomach feels satisfied at 1/2cup to 1cup food.
This is also why my surgeon recommends not eating more than a cup of food at a time (total, for the whole meal) and stopping when it's gone because it teaches you what satisfied feels like and keeps you from eating more than you should. I have measured out a cup of food to eat since I got back on soft foods after surgery. At the beginning, it was rough, I was still physically hungry after my food was gone. But, I stuck to it. Now, because I have good restriction, a lot of the time I realize I'm satisfied way before the cup of food is gone and stop eating.
Just my experience.

Thank you so much! So far I've had great support which I am very thankful for. I figure as long as I'm losing and not gaining and my doctor doesn't have any concerns then I'm doing ok!

What I do, is tell people that whatever road gets them to a healthy place, is great--for them. And this is your road, and your journey, and if it is getting you to a healthy place, then thats all that matters. Honestly, sometimes people need a little snark to put them in their place, and it can be done tactfully-- for example, if someone is comparing the weight loss, maybe a comment like "good news is were not in a competition" might do the trick depending on your relationship with them.
With my family (grandparents especially) I had to tell them to stop asking me my weight loss number every time I saw them. I explained that this is a lifetime of a journey and there may be times where you've gained, or lost, but 1) that can't be all life is about, and 2) no one needs to feel like they need to lie or explain a bump in the road should one occur. My answer is they will know when they see it, and otherwise we don't need to analyze it at every function.

Thank you too SP1587 I find that some people do get excited for me therefore ask every single time about the numbers. I will keep in mind why you said about tactful snark! Lol I am committed to this lifelong journey and don't want to become fixated on numbers alone, it will drive me crazy!

I'm the slow turtle too...but still winning the race. Surgery Dec, 2011... 268 size 24. Now I'm size 12...down to 175. Yes very slow but my second year of fills have been the most successful to me.

I understand your frustration but trust me, gradual fills helped my stomach adjust along with my thoughts and I found the results I wanted without the problems I saw others going through in their haste.

After surgery, I went back monthly to have my band filled a little each time until I felt it doing its job. This went on for about 5 months then my weight loss really kicked in. Within 12 months I had lost 40 kg. I know of people that had too much too soon then panicked and had Fluid then taken out. And people that just never went back for filling both resulting in minimal weight loss. So fill small amount regularly until you comfortably notice the weight loss. Make it work for you.

I'm really glad soccerbluej mentioned the comments from coworkers. I myself am having that problem. At my job, there were quite a few nurses who opted for the bypass surgery therefore resulting in a large amount of wt dropped in a small amount of time. I am the only one in my dept who chose the lapband but now my coworkers are steady comparing my wt loss to those around me. IM OVER IT! I try to be gracious and explain that my process is a lot different and that I am losing slower but that I am indeed making my band "work" for me. I've done a great job of being at peace with the slow wt loss but it makes me a lot more anxious when surrounded by everyone's constant commenting. So basically, how do I politely tell my coworkers "butt out, I got this!!"

Hahaha don't worry about them. Worry about you. You will get there if you learn to make it work for you. They will eat humble pie over the next 12 months

I understand your frustration but trust me, gradual fills helped my stomach adjust along with my thoughts and I found the results I wanted without the problems I saw others going through in their haste.

I spent quite some time in this very zone and called it my weight loss zone. When I reached my goal weight I then had a very very minimal amount removed from my band so that I could be in my maintenance zone. .3ml removed even though it sounds small was enough to allow me to eat a little more and maintain my goal weight.

After surgery, I went back monthly to have my band filled a little each time until I felt it doing its job. This went on for about 5 months then my weight loss really kicked in. Within 12 months I had lost 40 kg. I know of people that had too much too soon then panicked and had Fluid then taken out. And people that just never went back for filling both resulting in minimal weight loss. So fill small amount regularly until you comfortably notice the weight loss. Make it work for you.