DebraSV

Wow. No I had not seen those videos and that's a lot of info. Clearly there are some differences in my surgeons guidance and the guy on the video. I know my band was placed with approximately 25-30% of my stomach above the band. I also find it very interesting that my doctors really don't want us drinking with the meal at all. They prefer 30min prior and 1 hr after. Also they prohibit carbonated beverages because they supposedly stretch the band. So not quite sure how to apply the differences.
But I am definitely eating too fast, and my bites are probably too big at least 50% of the time. I also have a tendency at night to eat until I feel full,so that is definitely not good.
Thanks for sharing the info. I am probably still more in the yellow than the green since I do get hungry, and I definitely eat more than 3X per day, so I have lots of room for improvement.

If you could follow my progress it was very similar. I lost about 6 lbs in the post surgery liquid phase, and then nothing for at least 3 months and 3 fills. I went into surgery at like 215lb., and After the liquids I sat at 209 for the longest. But I was expecting that, I was told that was a norm. I was told to focus on Protein then green veggies and if I was still hungry I could add some carb. I did lose inches regularly, and there were a few occasions ( usually special events) where I strayed a little, but not much. Then I got a fill and it was really tight. I lost like 3 lb and over that month got like another half lb off. Then I got my next fill, and had to have a little removed, but the pounds started coming off pretty regularly. But it is still slow. Which is really good to allow your skin to catch up and you look and feel so much better. I am still not sure I have hit the "green zone" or if I will have to kick in will power more because things are slowing down again for me. But I ma hoping to gain some insight on that when I go to the doctor in a couple of days.

2muchfun,
You may be a genius! I had really not considered this as a possibility before your post last week. but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if that was a lot of my problem. So I started really trying to determine, not hungry v. full v. overfull. And I had a whole weekend of no sticking!!!! I have found that I am to a point that not hungry is pretty much 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of whatever. But when I stop at that point I don't last but a little over 2 hours. Full is usually around 1 c to 11/4c. And when I stop I am still comfortable but I tend to last about 3 to 4 hours. I also found that when I over do it by a bite or two I get that tickle at the base of my throat that comes just before I feel stuck. And then the burps set in. I have also discovered I have about a 2 bite tolerance or range between full and too full.
Thanks so much for your post! It has really helped!!!

I am not getting much of the signal until a few minutes after I stop. Then I almost always get burping hiccups. I'm guessing that may mean I have gone too far?
I am cutting things up really small to eat. but just last night I put a piece in my mouth, began to chew, then felt a large portion slide down my throat, and yes it got stuck. I really have to make sure the food stays forward in my mouth. If it gets past my back teeth, its gone!
This is quite a learning curve.

Thanks for the insights. So I may not quite be at the green zone yet. It looks like as I cut smaller, chew more and slow down, I can still put a good bit away, I have now gone 2 consecutive days without a stick ( knock on wood), and realize that the stuck episodes just really make me not eat. So as I focus on the habits i need i am eating more than I think significant weight loss will allow. I will just have to see.
I love the idea of the small spoon and cocktail fork Bandista! and can really relate to how ridiculous this slow eating is!
Wow I hope I can learn in less than 10 mo.... but who knows. The stubborn runs deep!LOL
SO does anyone ever get in a hurry to eat and go? If so do you just skip the eat or what ? I had no idea I did so much squeezing of meals into my schedule. If I don't have a full 45 min to 1 hour its pretty hopeless for me.

I am not getting much of the signal until a few minutes after I stop. Then I almost always get burping hiccups. I'm guessing that may mean I have gone too far?
I am cutting things up really small to eat. but just last night I put a piece in my mouth, began to chew, then felt a large portion slide down my throat, and yes it got stuck. I really have to make sure the food stays forward in my mouth. If it gets past my back teeth, its gone!
This is quite a learning curve.

I am not getting much of the signal until a few minutes after I stop. Then I almost always get burping hiccups. I'm guessing that may mean I have gone too far?
I am cutting things up really small to eat. but just last night I put a piece in my mouth, began to chew, then felt a large portion slide down my throat, and yes it got stuck. I really have to make sure the food stays forward in my mouth. If it gets past my back teeth, its gone!
This is quite a learning curve.

Re-educating yourself to slow down, eat small and chew big is one of the hardest things for bandster's to do. I was in the green zone 7 months post op but thought I too was too tight so I had a small unfill. Mistake. I just needed to learn to eat like we were told to eat from our nutritionist.
It took me 10 months to figure out how to eat right and I still get stuck at least once a week. Not nearly as bad. Most times I feel the pressure and back off for 3-5 minutes to let the food pass.

SO Excited. I am finally dropping. I think I have it the green. I am at 5.4 cc in a 10 cc band after my last fill.
BUT I am really struggling with getting things stuck. I know part of it is eating too big of a bite, but it really happens without me thinking; Esp. for my evening meal. But I also struggle with eating too fast esp. during my evening meal as well. But I have managed to get stuck several times since my fill last Wednesday.
I don't want to go back and have Fluid taken out until I know that I am just too tight. But does anyone have suggestions for remembering to cut food up really small, and chew really thoroughly and eat slow, especially when talking or trying to operate on a time line?

SO Excited. I am finally dropping. I think I have it the green. I am at 5.4 cc in a 10 cc band after my last fill.
BUT I am really struggling with getting things stuck. I know part of it is eating too big of a bite, but it really happens without me thinking; Esp. for my evening meal. But I also struggle with eating too fast esp. during my evening meal as well. But I have managed to get stuck several times since my fill last Wednesday.
I don't want to go back and have Fluid taken out until I know that I am just too tight. But does anyone have suggestions for remembering to cut food up really small, and chew really thoroughly and eat slow, especially when talking or trying to operate on a time line?

SO Excited. I am finally dropping. I think I have it the green. I am at 5.4 cc in a 10 cc band after my last fill.
BUT I am really struggling with getting things stuck. I know part of it is eating too big of a bite, but it really happens without me thinking; Esp. for my evening meal. But I also struggle with eating too fast esp. during my evening meal as well. But I have managed to get stuck several times since my fill last Wednesday.
I don't want to go back and have Fluid taken out until I know that I am just too tight. But does anyone have suggestions for remembering to cut food up really small, and chew really thoroughly and eat slow, especially when talking or trying to operate on a time line?

Nothing Big. Had my first fill yesterday and all was well. Surgeon was pleased with my healing and that I had kept the weight loss form all Fluid diet off. Seemed like I was doing things right so far.

Nothing Big. Had my first fill yesterday and all was well. Surgeon was pleased with my healing and that I had kept the weight loss form all Fluid diet off. Seemed like I was doing things right so far.

Nothing Big. Had my first fill yesterday and all was well. Surgeon was pleased with my healing and that I had kept the weight loss form all Fluid diet off. Seemed like I was doing things right so far.

I don't know that this is any help, but I can relate. I am pleased at my pre-op weight loss, and my Dr. and nurses were very emphatic to let me know that prior to my first fill was all about getting well, nit losing weight, I really did not expect to gain. But working on 3 weeks post op I got too adventurous I guess and am now up 2 lb. But I hvae not followed anything rigidly becasue I have tons of Jello and SF pudding and Yogert left from the post op period, and I was only at a no-eatting status for 3 or 4 days. I have had lots of fun with gas, which is also very normal, but between trying to figure out if I can choose foods that will help ease that, and seeing what I can and cannot eat comfortably, I ahve not kept up with carbs and such. ALSO I found out that they were not kidding about how muc you could eat after the swelling was gone. Though my portions are significantly smaller I can easily put away 2 or so cups of WELL CHEWED food. Sometimes I run out of time before I run out of hunger. I a also trying to manage that often I get hungry after only 3 to 3.5 hours. Sometimes drinking helps but somethimes not. Though I strated learning and practicing the "right " habits back in September, I found out that I was not nearly as consistent as I needed to be. So with all this learning and healing I have not been true to the chunky low carb diet as I should be and therefore have gained.
It really helped me to do a ton of reading on this site both befoe and after surgery. By reading I was aware that my weight loss would likely start slow. And truely I will be happy if I haven't gained by my first fill. I have also found out that not everyone has the same issues. Fore example, flour tortillas are trouble for me , the softer the worse, Some noodles from Soups no less are also troublesome. But I have no issues with eggs and toasted bread. Softer bread I can only handle in very small and tiny doses. I do fine with lettuces as long as they are cut really fine or shreded. But otherwise they can give me trouble. It just goes on and on. Based on what I have read and what several others have said will power is huge on the front end of this. And since we can eat more early on exercise is much more important. I am trying to keep a perspective that I hope to have started regualr weigt loss by the end of March or so. I am not sure that you will ever suceed without some degree of self control, so It is really great that you are doing so well on that end.

I don't know that this is any help, but I can relate. I am pleased at my pre-op weight loss, and my Dr. and nurses were very emphatic to let me know that prior to my first fill was all about getting well, nit losing weight, I really did not expect to gain. But working on 3 weeks post op I got too adventurous I guess and am now up 2 lb. But I hvae not followed anything rigidly becasue I have tons of Jello and SF pudding and Yogert left from the post op period, and I was only at a no-eatting status for 3 or 4 days. I have had lots of fun with gas, which is also very normal, but between trying to figure out if I can choose foods that will help ease that, and seeing what I can and cannot eat comfortably, I ahve not kept up with carbs and such. ALSO I found out that they were not kidding about how muc you could eat after the swelling was gone. Though my portions are significantly smaller I can easily put away 2 or so cups of WELL CHEWED food. Sometimes I run out of time before I run out of hunger. I a also trying to manage that often I get hungry after only 3 to 3.5 hours. Sometimes drinking helps but somethimes not. Though I strated learning and practicing the "right " habits back in September, I found out that I was not nearly as consistent as I needed to be. So with all this learning and healing I have not been true to the chunky low carb diet as I should be and therefore have gained.
It really helped me to do a ton of reading on this site both befoe and after surgery. By reading I was aware that my weight loss would likely start slow. And truely I will be happy if I haven't gained by my first fill. I have also found out that not everyone has the same issues. Fore example, flour tortillas are trouble for me , the softer the worse, Some noodles from Soups no less are also troublesome. But I have no issues with eggs and toasted bread. Softer bread I can only handle in very small and tiny doses. I do fine with lettuces as long as they are cut really fine or shreded. But otherwise they can give me trouble. It just goes on and on. Based on what I have read and what several others have said will power is huge on the front end of this. And since we can eat more early on exercise is much more important. I am trying to keep a perspective that I hope to have started regualr weigt loss by the end of March or so. I am not sure that you will ever suceed without some degree of self control, so It is really great that you are doing so well on that end.

I don't know that this is any help, but I can relate. I am pleased at my pre-op weight loss, and my Dr. and nurses were very emphatic to let me know that prior to my first fill was all about getting well, nit losing weight, I really did not expect to gain. But working on 3 weeks post op I got too adventurous I guess and am now up 2 lb. But I hvae not followed anything rigidly becasue I have tons of Jello and SF pudding and Yogert left from the post op period, and I was only at a no-eatting status for 3 or 4 days. I have had lots of fun with gas, which is also very normal, but between trying to figure out if I can choose foods that will help ease that, and seeing what I can and cannot eat comfortably, I ahve not kept up with carbs and such. ALSO I found out that they were not kidding about how muc you could eat after the swelling was gone. Though my portions are significantly smaller I can easily put away 2 or so cups of WELL CHEWED food. Sometimes I run out of time before I run out of hunger. I a also trying to manage that often I get hungry after only 3 to 3.5 hours. Sometimes drinking helps but somethimes not. Though I strated learning and practicing the "right " habits back in September, I found out that I was not nearly as consistent as I needed to be. So with all this learning and healing I have not been true to the chunky low carb diet as I should be and therefore have gained.
It really helped me to do a ton of reading on this site both befoe and after surgery. By reading I was aware that my weight loss would likely start slow. And truely I will be happy if I haven't gained by my first fill. I have also found out that not everyone has the same issues. Fore example, flour tortillas are trouble for me , the softer the worse, Some noodles from Soups no less are also troublesome. But I have no issues with eggs and toasted bread. Softer bread I can only handle in very small and tiny doses. I do fine with lettuces as long as they are cut really fine or shreded. But otherwise they can give me trouble. It just goes on and on. Based on what I have read and what several others have said will power is huge on the front end of this. And since we can eat more early on exercise is much more important. I am trying to keep a perspective that I hope to have started regualr weigt loss by the end of March or so. I am not sure that you will ever suceed without some degree of self control, so It is really great that you are doing so well on that end.

I cleared all the pre-op checks yesterday and I report to Surgery early Friday Morning 17 Jan. I am anxious and excited. I am very anxious about keeping up with all the lifestyale changes that are required. But I have done pretty well through all the prep for surgery. I also have a number of minor stomach issues that could meke things a bit more complicated, so that makes me a little nervous. I am looking forward to getting this weight off my knees and adopting an eatting lifestyle that will benefit both myself and my husband as he is diabetic and I do the cooking.

I cleared all the pre-op checks yesterday and I report to Surgery early Friday Morning 17 Jan. I am anxious and excited. I am very anxious about keeping up with all the lifestyale changes that are required. But I have done pretty well through all the prep for surgery. I also have a number of minor stomach issues that could meke things a bit more complicated, so that makes me a little nervous. I am looking forward to getting this weight off my knees and adopting an eatting lifestyle that will benefit both myself and my husband as he is diabetic and I do the cooking.