BandedBrunette481

All the other commenters are right, pizza is not a good choice. But! I will say this. I ate pizza within a month of being banded too. I limited my portion size to one small slice and I enjoyed every bite of it!
However, I don't make a habit out of eating pizza or anything else that is unhealthy. I'm not one of those super strict dieters who only eat Protein and veggies. I just make smart choices, limit my carb intake, and limit my portion sizes. I also developed a lot of self control. It takes a lot of hard work on my part and it's something I had to work on, it didn't happen overnight.
You asked what you should be eating in the first month. My surgeon's instructions had me back on regular food on the 4th week after surgery. But that doesn't mean go crazy and eat whatever you want. You still want to take it slow and keep it healthy. You should be eating mostly Protein. Remember, you're trying to build good habits that will last the rest of your life.
You're going to make mistakes. Everyone does. But you have to get back on track and think about why you're doing this. Keep your eye on the prize! It's a tough journey, but it's worth it

I had my first fill on April 9th and I also don't feel much restriction. I can eat anything, I just don't. Like kll724 said, it's basically just dieting right now. My next fill appointment isn't until May as my doctor will only do them every 6 weeks.
It's hard work and it's easy to get discouraged, but you just have to keep working hard. It can take several fills before you feel anything and maybe even more until you get just the right amount of restriction. Don't give up! Keep track of what you eat, stay hydrated, and get moving, even if it's only walking. Find a hobby even! Staying busy helps take your mind off the food.
You can do this

This was BEAUTIFUL....
You should have written "DROPS MIC" at the end of that cuz reading that was like a "moment"

Love it! I'm "done" with you! (In the nicest way, of course!)

Here's to not overdoing it, and not wanting to! Feels good, doesn't it, to be out of that feeding cycle, the more, more, more......
Congratulations -- you are doing so well! We will hit Onederland soon -- when is your birthday (you referred to in your blog)? Enjoyed reading your pieces!

Awesome!!! Isn't it great when you realize all the things your body is physically capable of accomplishing now?

I've been banded about 2 months now, I have 3cc's in my band, and I've been working at listening to the signals my band is sending. I think it's hard for us newly banded people to always tell what level of restriction we're at. I honestly don't know if I'm in the green zone or not, but I had an epiphany the other day about being full. It went like this:
Last night, after a home cooked meal with friends, everyone was sitting around talking about how full they were and rubbing their stomachs. I sat there thinking am I full too?
I wanted to ask them all how they knew they were full. Did they feel it in their stomachs, physically? Because that’s what my definition of full was before I was banded. I was full when I physically felt as though I couldn’t eat another bite. If I felt like I could still eat more, I wasn’t full.
Epiphany: I was still expecting that feeling after being banded, just that it would happen with less food, and that is all sorts of wrong!
That’s not how full is supposed to feel for anyone, banded or not. That’s what overeating feels like. Maybe full is the wrong word to use in general because, to me, it means “no more room.” My doctor often uses the term ‘satisfied’ in place of full but that doesn’t work for me either because I’m a food addict, I’m never quite “satisfied” with any amount of food. That’s how I got up to 235 pounds, ya know what I mean?
I prefer the word done, as in “I am done eating.” I don’t have to be full or satisfied to be done eating. It just means I have to stop, whatever the reason. Plus, it sounds very final and that helps me stop my head hunger.
So, was I done eating at that dinner with friends? Absolutely. I could tell that I had eaten in the sense that I felt the food in my stomach, but I wasn’t hurting or feeling uncomfortable like so many of my companions. I was just done.
It’s wonderful to realize that I don’t have to strive for full or even satisfied. I just have to eat enough of the right things to fuel my body and then be done. (This is an excerpt from my original blog post. Click here if you want to read the whole thing)
I wanted to share this on the forum because I hope it can inspire others who are struggling.
So who's with me on making "done" the new term for full?

Most people do the same thing you have done - seriously diet after getting banded and are in the losing phase, so don't worry, everything you are saying makes sense! That being said, I haven't "dieted" in the traditional sense since being banded. I hate counting calories and weighing food all that stuff and I don't ever want to have to do that. I want to live a healthy lifestyle, not be on a diet the rest of my life, ya know?
I have only been banded 2 months, but I've been doing a lot of soul searching and trying to pay attention to my signals as well because I couldn't tell if I was full until I was too full, like you mentioned. I write a blog and I've covered some of these topics, so I just wanted to give you the links in case you wanted to read my thoughts on it all. Hope it helps
My post on dieting: http://blissfullybanded.wordpress.com/2014/03/29/how-i-diet/
My post on being "done", not "full": http://blissfullybanded.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/im-done-and-a-weigh-in/

Congrats on all of your success!! I had a similar experience when I tried on an old pair of jeans. Last time I wore them they were sooo tight and now I need a belt to keep them up because my butt is gone lol!
Keep up the good work

Well Done ,I am two months down too but have actually gained the weight back as I feel no restriction and am hungry all the time. Your story gave me hope. Thank you and God Bless !

I didn't drink all that much the first few days either. It gets easier as the swelling goes down. It's still important to stay as hydrated as possible though so try warm liquids (they seem to go down easier), sugar free popsicles, Powerade Zero, ice chips. A friend suggested Pedialyte popsicles to me even. Whatever works for you, just keep sipping. You'll feel ten times worse if you get dehydrated on top of everything else your body is going through! If you really can't get any more liquids down soon, you should contact your doctor and let them know because it could become a serious health concern.
Best of luck to you!

Congrats

I have similar issues! I don't like when people constantly comment about my weight loss, even if it's to compliment me because it makes me feel like I'm under a microscope. I start to feel like I have to keep losing a lot or they're going to notice that I'm not. Like you said, I realize that they aren't trying to put pressure on me to succeed or hurt me, but it's still hard.
What helps me is blogging, to be honest. It gives me an outlet for all of my feelings, positive or negative. It's a good place to Celebrate yourself because it's your blog. It also pushes me to do better, in a good way. And I like having a record of all of the success I've had so far. If I ever feel bummed I can go back and look at how far I've come to feel re-motivated.
I realize blogging isn't for everyone, so you could also try a journal/diary. At the very least, I suggest writing out a list of all the things you want to accomplish or all of the things you want to be able to do once you start losing weight. It's called a Weight Loss Bucket List! Put it up somewhere in your house where it can give you daily motivation and remind you why you're on this journey.
Another great tool is support groups. You can look them up online or ask your surgeon's office if they have any. It will give you a network of support, a group of people cheering for you and reminding you that this journey is about YOU, not other people.
Don't get discouraged. Keep fighting. I wish you the best of luck!!
Oh!! And my standard response when people ask how much I've lost is "I don't know the exact number but my clothes fit better and I feel great!" because really, that's a better judge than the scale anyways.

I didn't drink all that much the first few days either. It gets easier as the swelling goes down. It's still important to stay as hydrated as possible though so try warm liquids (they seem to go down easier), sugar free popsicles, Powerade Zero, ice chips. A friend suggested Pedialyte popsicles to me even. Whatever works for you, just keep sipping. You'll feel ten times worse if you get dehydrated on top of everything else your body is going through! If you really can't get any more liquids down soon, you should contact your doctor and let them know because it could become a serious health concern.
Best of luck to you!

This past Tuesday was exactly 8 weeks since the day of my surgery and I couldn't be happier! I'm down 25 lbs, have 3cc's in my band, and I'm feeling great! I love my LapBand and I feel like I'm living a whole new, positive life.
It's really easy to get caught up in posting on these forums when something is going wrong, but sometimes, you just have to stop and take a minute to Celebrate what is going right
I posted some side by side comparison pictures on my blog of my progress so far. Here is the link if anyone would like to take a look.
http://blissfullybanded.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/2-month-bandiversary-pictures/
Thanks for all the support fellow Bandsters! I wish everyone the best of luck, no matter what stage of your journey you are on.

I didn't drink all that much the first few days either. It gets easier as the swelling goes down. It's still important to stay as hydrated as possible though so try warm liquids (they seem to go down easier), sugar free popsicles, Powerade Zero, ice chips. A friend suggested Pedialyte popsicles to me even. Whatever works for you, just keep sipping. You'll feel ten times worse if you get dehydrated on top of everything else your body is going through! If you really can't get any more liquids down soon, you should contact your doctor and let them know because it could become a serious health concern.
Best of luck to you!

Awesome!!! Isn't it great when you realize all the things your body is physically capable of accomplishing now?

I didn't drink all that much the first few days either. It gets easier as the swelling goes down. It's still important to stay as hydrated as possible though so try warm liquids (they seem to go down easier), sugar free popsicles, Powerade Zero, ice chips. A friend suggested Pedialyte popsicles to me even. Whatever works for you, just keep sipping. You'll feel ten times worse if you get dehydrated on top of everything else your body is going through! If you really can't get any more liquids down soon, you should contact your doctor and let them know because it could become a serious health concern.
Best of luck to you!

No problem!! I know that this site is a place people go for help a lot so you're going to read a lot of negatives, and like you said, the what ifs will start to set in. But I'll tell you what a fellow bandster once told me: the people who have the most problems with the band are the ones who don't follow their doctor's instructions (i.e. - overeating, eating junk, not exercising, etc) and/or have poor aftercare (don't have a support system or a doctor to help them). So don't get too worried over what you read on these forums! Just stick to all the band "rules," find a good support team, put in the effort and you'll do great!

Thanks for reading and for the compliments!! It's nice to hear all the encouraging words. I'm looking forward to seeing myself at six months as well. I post regular updates and pictures on my blog, but I'll have to come back here at 6 months and give another update!

I am so glad that my story has given you hope!! That's a great thing to hear. I knew I would regret not documenting my journey with pictures, even though they are hard to take and look at. I encourage it though because it does end up being a good motivator! Thank you for your encouraging words I wish you all the best as well.

Thank you for the kind words!! I can't wait until I'm 6 months out either. I have this fear I'm going to stall out soon, but I'll keep pushing forward no matter what

This past Tuesday was exactly 8 weeks since the day of my surgery and I couldn't be happier! I'm down 25 lbs, have 3cc's in my band, and I'm feeling great! I love my LapBand and I feel like I'm living a whole new, positive life.
It's really easy to get caught up in posting on these forums when something is going wrong, but sometimes, you just have to stop and take a minute to Celebrate what is going right
I posted some side by side comparison pictures on my blog of my progress so far. Here is the link if anyone would like to take a look.
http://blissfullybanded.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/2-month-bandiversary-pictures/
Thanks for all the support fellow Bandsters! I wish everyone the best of luck, no matter what stage of your journey you are on.

Awesome!!! Isn't it great when you realize all the things your body is physically capable of accomplishing now?

Awesome!!! Isn't it great when you realize all the things your body is physically capable of accomplishing now?