Hope41

@@Hope41 Protein!! You have to get in the habit of eating all your Protein first (instead of mixing or going for the carbs first). Add unflavored Protein Powder to your morning meal (into yogurt works). I was banded for 5 years, just had it removed last week and doing the sleeve in Sept. I only lost 40lbs and could never be filled more than 3.5cc in a 10cc band due to severe restriction. I feel your pain but i also know I didn't follow perfectly. Just from personal experience, stick to the protein first and foremost and make sure you really are getting at least 64oz a day. Oh and Water water water!! Add lemon if you struggle. Good luck!

I was recently looking for motivation on our site and came across this video that the lovely Bandista posted. It really is a must watch. It is explained so clearly with the information broken down into the basics for us to follow. I feel everyone should watch it and post it also. I just wished I had seen this sooner!
Since watching this I have stopped eating Breakfast and just have coffee simply because I'm not hungry, I always had the mentality that breakfast is the most important part of the day and even though we are eating so less we should still have our 3 meals. I also cut down my portion sizes and drink Water when I get the head hunger and since watching this video I have lost 10lbs As the Dr states we need our bodies to use up the fat stores and we need very little food
I hope you enjoy it and also get some motivation from it!
http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/162123-the-eight-golden-rules-lap-band-videos-by-dr-paul-obrien/

Im far from the green i only no i have a band from the scars lol, iv lost around 12 lb since surgery not what i was ecpecting at all

I habe 7 cc in 10 band and dont have any restriction yet

Sounds like something everybody goes through when they are just starting out....I know I did, and was very frustrated to say the least....felt like it was a waste of time.....

Doesn't "normal weight" vary person to person? Your idea of normal might not be my body's normal. Thanks though.

Most servers in restaurants think I feel there is something wrong with my dinner.
One time, I hardly touched my entree, and the server was worried and kept asking me if it was ok...I kept assuring her it was...
She took my plate away, and then came back with a whole new plate...said the cook felt bad and was apologetic....so he made me something "Special" not on the menu...also said hey were not going to charge me.
I had to tell them a little white lie and said I was not feeling well, and had an upset, was just getting over a stomach bug...
Then I turned around and ordered ice cream along with a coffee for dessert.
Thats just the way it goes with the band sometimes.

I just had my 4th fill and I feel great. I have not felt very hungry at all these past few days. Leading up to this fill, I could go about 4 hours between meals but I could still eat larger amounts than what I knew I should be doing. My doc's office was happy since I had lost 8 pounds since the last fill, but I knew I wanted another fill. I have high hopes that this could put me at my sweet spot. I am 6 cc's in my 10 cc band.

I saw this quote tonight and love it!!!! It should remind all of us that no matter how slow, fast, hard or easy our success is if you never give up you can't be beat. Just keep on keepin on and theres no way anything can beat you; not a person, not your situation, not the number on the scale!

Thank you for describing your green zone, I am not there yet, but close I think ........sometimes I can go 4hours and other times about 3 other times maybe 5 ....still all over the place but when I go the 5hours I eat too fast and get stuck...still learning....also still learning the one cup portions LOL

I agree. My goal isn't to be skinny. It is to feel comfy in my skin

This is a question - topic I read here everyday. What is, and how did you determine your weight goal?
Well, I can only share what I know from my own experience....whether sound or not, it's what I went through and live by.
First of all, BMI's mean absolutely nothing to me! Very unscientific. It's ok to use in general, but it is by no means accurate.
What is accurate is how much of your total weight is comprised of lean muscle, Water, bone density, etc, and % of BODY FAT.
We, as weight loss people, should be concerned with how much body fat our body is comprised of, and not so much what we weigh. (although it is nice)
According to BMI charts, I am still 15 lbs overweight. BUT, given a full body analysis, I have a VERY LOW body fat %...if I was to loose any additional weight, it would not be fat but other things that would make me very dangerously unhealthy. Yet the BMI charts say I need to!
I take note of professional athletes, such as football players, seeing their height is the same as mine, I then notice their weight....and according to the BMI Charts, they would be OBESE! But to look at them, the are ripped with no fat whatsoever.
If you google Body fat % to see the charts, you can see what your body fat % should be, Anything more or less, is very unhealthy.
When one finally gets into their proper zone, then they are at their optimal weight. And it will not be the same as the next persons weight.
Because I am (was) a Diabetic, I learned this in relation to how body fat effects Insulin and metabolism at the cellular level.
I had high Cholesterol, triglycerides, poor circulation, obstructed arteries from plaque build up (CAD) which resulted in a heart attack and subsequent cardiac surgery, ALL because of having a high body fat %....NOT being overweight.
Also, the required 6 month weight loss program I had to go through for surgery, the center had the equipment to do these analysis, and emphasized it over actual weight loss (which is a perk to loosing body fat)
I focused on loosing body fat, exercised with that in mind. And as long as I ate healthy, Protein and Water, my body continued to loose weight - BODY FAT...until it settled at a very good % (athletic in my case)
Then I was done...stopped loosing. Not because I said so, but because my body said so. Have not gained, no lost any weight in years...
And all of my medical issues dissipated....no more medications. (other than cardiac meds which I will have to take for life)
And I am still Overweight !!!
Also, when I read where people set weight goals for themselves, I wonder what are they going to do when they reach that goal? Start eating again? But we had surgery to stop us from that, right? At least that's why I did it.
Maintenance? IMO, there is no maintenance...this is a lifestyle change not a diet program...again, just my opinion.
Ok, enough of my rant....I can ramble on early in the am (it's 4 am)....but there it is...agree or disagree, does not matter...just sharing how it is for me.

Hey freshair, I have recently been banded and I too live in Canada. Yes I made the investment and paid out of pocket. I chose to go with Dr Cobourn in Mississauga Ontario. I looked into slimband but found they were too commercialized. The clinic that I deal with has been nothing but upfront and factual with how the band works. If you have done some research then you should know the general basics of how the band works. Dr Cobourn stated straight to my face that the band is a tool that will help with satiety. You have to follow the diet recommendations and exercise daily. They tell you that the band doesn't stop what you put in your mouth. If you make poor decisions you WILL NOT get the results you want. I have seen the slimband commercials and yes they could be miss leading but I think if you are going to invest $16,000 out of pocket you better be educated about your investment. I have been doing well with the band. I follow the recommendations made by my Dr and I feel amazing. I am down 30 lbs and 2 dress sizes. There is nothing better in the world than feeling good about yourself and knowing that this is a life changing procedure.

@@JustWatchMe you just gave all of us a great tip!! Getting up mid way through your meal to give your mind a moment to "talk" to you!! I'm going to start doing this! Thx!

Hi there, the links below in my signature really helped me understand the difference between being full and being satisfied. Especially for volume eaters, it's important to know the band isn't there for capacity limitations -- it's really about dimming the appetite. My signals for satiety vary and I have to listen. I have to be in a noticing place -- mindful. Sometimes it's boredom for me. I find I am keeping that bite of food in my mouth a long time and feeling sort of ambivalent. That's my signal that I'm done. Sometimes I will have a sigh. A hiccup for me is a danger signal -- I've eaten too fast and/or too much.

everyone is different. I had 3 fills until i had any restriction, which meant no significant weight loss until i felt restriction 3 months post banding.. At 7mls i could not hold Water down so was back 3 days later to go back to 6.3 ml. After losing 22kgs i feel i need more so had another fill which took me to 6.6mls. . i was banded in june 2014.

I'm at 3.75 cc's and just now starting to feel a slight difference. This is where we really have to be patient with ourselves and our Dr. and take this time to practice cutting stuff up small and not drinking with meals.

You guys are all doing it right. Listen to your body and keep up with follow ups and fills.
Keep us posted.

I am 4 years post op and I can only speak for what helped me continually lose during my journey. Always eating Protein first, staying away from sliders, not eating something just because it would go down, exercising and drinking lots of Water. The journey is hard and it takes time to change bad habits but with patience and perseverance you can do this. Yo-yoing is common and can be frustrating just like staying at the same weight no matter what you do. It took us years to pack on the pounds and it takes years to get it off. Good luck to you and hang in there. PS: I am at goal, it took me 2 years to loose from 262 to 122. Today I weigh 130's. I overshot my goal and needed to gain some back because I was too thin! Never thought I would say that do it is possible.

you were banded a month before me, I gained 2lbs between surgery and my 1st fill I have since had another fill, how often are you seeing your Dr.? don't worry too much about a weight gain though like the person above said it's a marathon not a race, and there are days when I can retain as much as 5 or 6lbs of Water. Don't give up.

B-52 you are truly an inspiration to all of us, thank you for sharing that with us.????????

B-52 you are truly an inspiration to all of us, thank you for sharing that with us.????????

I was once told early on, perhaps before surgery, one of the rules is to take bites no larger than your finger nail !
WOW...who can eat that small? Goes against everything I have been doing my whole life.
But that's the point. This is my NEW life doing things differently. And sometimes, not always, I have to take bites as small as my finger nail....and chew !