BeachBish

Hi - I haev a 10cc band...went to a 7.5 then had to go back down to 4 and now I'm back up at 5.5...?!?!?!? :/

Same here folks. I go through this full/satiety battle every time I eat. That's why food addiction is worse than any other addiction. You can stop drinking, stop doing drugs, stop gambling. You can't stop eating.
For me, I weigh everything out. It helps when I don't feel the soft stop. And there are definitely times when I don't feel it. If I'm out for a meal, I eyeball portions. I'm better at it now but once in a while, I overdo. That's when the band kicks in. I can tell because for just a moment, I feel uncomfortable. When that happens, I stop even if it's in mid forkful.
Jean is absolutely right. The satiety signals are very subtle and you have to pay attention. What a change from before when I'd eat so fast it was like inhaling the food. I couldn't wait for seconds or even thirds. Eating slowly and small portions does help me to enjoy food more rather than focusing on eating as much as possible.
..And it's true. Being normal sized is a better feeling than overeating...even if the food tastes fantastic.

Well Im ready to get to the green zone. Paying for these fills is breaking me. But hopefully this one.and one more and Ill be done..($500 later..augh)
Really wish you the best..I know its all worth it..Just getting there..

that's what I have in mine and feel little to no restriction....but I try my very best to control my portions and though i'm eating way less than I did before the band, the weight isn't coming off and waiting on the green zone is trying my patience...lol

Hi - I haev a 10cc band...went to a 7.5 then had to go back down to 4 and now I'm back up at 5.5...?!?!?!? :/

11 days out of surgery and you are taking bites of REAL food? OH NO! That's a bad girl....LOL! Becareful you are NOT healed yet down there. You don't want food to scratch or irritate your stomach.

Patience my friend, but please make sure you obey the rules and stay on liquids and soft foods. IT IS A VERY SLOW AND AGGRAVATING PROCESS!!!

Glad to haev a new friend. XOXO

No, you aren't crazy. I'm still working very hard to figure that out myself. I think there's a fine line between feeling satiety and feeling full and it's difficult for us to distinguish the difference because we're so used to continuing to eat until we feel full. I know for me, personally, if I stop when I no longer feel hungry but don't feel full yet, I have this overwhelming fear that I'm going to be hungry again in just a few hours so I eat more. I'm working hard to find the right place and the right feeling but it's difficult. After my last fill, I was getting what I recognized as a "soft stop" when eating my meals but since the fill settled and the swelling from that fill has gone down, I am not experiencing that as much. I think I may need another fill but I'm pretty sure I'm very close to the green zone at this point. Just keep working on it and paying attention to your body. You will figure it out as will I.

No one is supposed to feel the "full" sensation. You're supposed to look for the satiety signals. If you're full, you've eaten too much. I went back and read some of your past posts. Jean McMillan is one of the magazine contributors here and this is what she wrote:
"I just had another thought, about something that might help you find your very own Green Zone. One of the biggest jobs for any WLS patient, no matter what surgical procedure they have, is learning how to recognize satiety. That's something I managed to completely ignore for 54 years before my band surgery, mainly because I was eating for a lot of reasons that had nothing to do with physical hunger, good nutrition, health, or any of that good stuff.
Satiety is the feeling of having eaten enough food for now. For someone like me who had a gaping void inside that no amount of food could ever fill, learning to recognize satiety wasn't just hard - it was scary. Deprivation was one of my worst fears. I think that fear exists to some extent in every living creature. If we don't eat, we eventually die - every single one of us. A morbidly obese, middle-class, middle-aged woman with a job and a home and loving friends and family is not likely to starve to death, but that fear haunted me for a long time.
Fortunately, I made lots of friends on online WLS sites like Bariatricpal who helped me by sharing their own satiety signals. The work of paying attention to and heeding those signals was all up to me. I got better at it as time went on. My conscious behavior and the effect of more saline in my band helped a great deal. Now that my beloved band is gone, that work is much harder, but like it or not, it's my job for life.
Other members have shared some of their "stop eating" signals on this thread, but please don't kick yourself (or blame your band) if all those signals don't happen to you on the magical, mythical day that your band is filled to an optimal level. Even if and when that day arrives, those signals and that optimal fill level are probably going to change. One of the best - and hardest to handle - consequences of my WLS has been learning to pay attention to and take good care of my body. It's the only one I have, and I plan to make it last a long, long time.
Jean"

Hi - I haev a 10cc band...went to a 7.5 then had to go back down to 4 and now I'm back up at 5.5...?!?!?!? :/

I don't think you are crazy - AT ALL! In fact because I have recently been both unrestricted and restricted so much that I couldn't even get Fluid down I can tell you that there is a very fine line between the band working and not working... all in MY opinion and experience.
That said, at 7 cc's I was still very much able to eat quite a bit albeit I am a pretty compliant patient so eating what I'm supposed to be eating but still able to eat more than a cup a sitting - then at 7.5 I was definitely feeling like "ok, this is how the band is supposed to work" in that I was only able to eat less than a cup especially earlier in the day but by days end (when I personally need the most restriction) I was still able to eat over a cup of food at a sitting. So, I went in for another fill really believing that I'd never get restricted enough - boy oh boy - I learned the HARD and DANGEROUS way where I was so tight I couldn't eat or drink anything and nearly collapsed my esophagus. Now I'm back to 4cc's and WIDE open - like I can eat a hamburger from Fudruckers open.
I've got to wait 30 days to be able to get a fill again - but now I know that my sweet spot is somewhere near 7.5 and I'm hopeful that doc will get me back there next fill. Even if he gets me to 7.0 I'll be happy. Also, I have learned that not eating before the fill and eating fluids the next 24-48 hours after a fill is VERY important b/c of swelling that may not occur right away - I'll definitely will not eat solids until a few days after a fill b/c I believe that me eating solids after a fill contributed to the trouble I got into last month.
This is probably too much info - but to offer some commiseration I don't think you are crazy I just don't think you are adjusted to the level you need to be at with your band.

Well I clicked on your status thinking you had Lap band...as that is where I was on the site. However you had GBP...your rules maybe totally different from the lap band. Sorry if I over stepped on the rules part. I Truly wish I had had the gasric by pass as opposed to Lapband as this is NOT workign for me.

11 days out of surgery and you are taking bites of REAL food? OH NO! That's a bad girl....LOL! Becareful you are NOT healed yet down there. You don't want food to scratch or irritate your stomach.

Patience my friend, but please make sure you obey the rules and stay on liquids and soft foods. IT IS A VERY SLOW AND AGGRAVATING PROCESS!!!

Glad to haev a new friend. XOXO

Hi! Maybe you can tell us the PERFECT days meal...

I generally do a Protein shake in the am. I work so that is simple and 30 grams off the bat first thing in the morning.

Protein Bar at 3ish...

chicken or fish at lunch w/veggies and same at dinner.

I am told to get 90 grams of Protein a day ...
the Water is the hardest for ME! I am loosing only 1 # a week...I've lost less than a # a week...since June.
~~~ VERY DISCOURAGED!!

I don't see any good Protein until 1 chicken thigh at 6:30pm.....I'd be hungry all day! Even with the one chicken thigh, that's no where near the amount of Protein I "eat" per day.
I usually start with 20-40 grams of protein within an hour of waking. Usually Protein shake or Liquid Protein. Keeps me satisified until lunch.
lunch is deli meat, grilled fish, tuna salad, or lentil Soup (homemade!). Maybe some cheese or cottage cheese and a few crackers.
dinner is solid protein. Fish/chicken/occasionally crock pot pork or beef (rarely). salad, green veggie, sometimes potato.
I eat fish/seafood probably 10 times a week. My fav solid protein source by far.
Lots of liquids.....coffee all morning, Water, crystal light lemonade, Powerade zero, etc.

Are you currently frustrated with your weight loss ?
Do you feel like you are eating a well-balanced diet, but still not losing weight?
Are you struggling to eat healthy foods?


No matter which category you fit into, your diet is the major player you need to get right to lose weight.
These are so many possible sample diets to review to help you self reflect and pin point which areas of your diet you could change. Lets start with the sample indicated below displayed in the table.
Can you see the 5 points which can be improved?
9am, 1 weetbix and milk consumed in 10-15mins, no discomfort on eating
11am, low fat late'
2pm, 1 salad biscuit with cheese, consumed in 5 mins, no discomfort on eating
5.30pm pre dinner nibbles of cheese and biscuits, grazed over 40mins, no discomfort on eating
6.30pm 1 chicken thigh and steamed vegetables, eaten in 10-15mins, experienced discomfort on eating
9pm small bowl of nuts while watching TV, no discomfort on eating
Assessment:
1. Even though the Lap Band feels tighter in the morning, 1 weet-bix consumed in 5 mins is quite quick. This is indicating that the Lap Band may need more Fluid. Hence only 2 hours later more food is consumed again, unfortunately the consistency was liquid again. This means that the receptor sites still have not been stimulated by the diet to induce satiety.
2. 1 salada biscuit with cheese for a meal is not sufficient food.< /p>
3. Nibbling pre-dinner will be due to hunger. The Band needs more Fluid, insufficient amount of food was eaten during the day and most of the food was of a wet consistency.
4. The evening meal is fantastic, but eaten quite quickly. This confirms the Lap Band needs fluid to help control the hunger more. You would notice that some discomfort was experienced on eating the more solid food. This is due to eating too big mouthfuls of food and inadequate chewing likely followed by not waiting sufficient time between swallows. If fluid is added into the Lap Band ideally but the pace of eating was not slowed down, then discomfort on eating will result in food regurgitation.
5. The evening nibbles in front of the TV could be either from hunger as the Lap Band needs more fluid and or insufficient amounts of food was eaten during the day or habit
Reading this article you may be thinking, my diet is so different, I would love some feedback. Well the offer is there. Provide me with a sample days intake and I'll let you know what is wrong with your Lap Band Diet, to help you lose weight.
Start typing...........

Well I clicked on your status thinking you had Lap band...as that is where I was on the site. However you had GBP...your rules maybe totally different from the lap band. Sorry if I over stepped on the rules part. I Truly wish I had had the gasric by pass as opposed to Lapband as this is NOT workign for me.

11 days out of surgery and you are taking bites of REAL food? OH NO! That's a bad girl....LOL! Becareful you are NOT healed yet down there. You don't want food to scratch or irritate your stomach.

Patience my friend, but please make sure you obey the rules and stay on liquids and soft foods. IT IS A VERY SLOW AND AGGRAVATING PROCESS!!!

Glad to haev a new friend. XOXO

Bless your heart!!! There's lots to learn about the Lap-Band...some being trial and error.

Good Luck and I hope things go well for you!

Bless your heart!!! There's lots to learn about the Lap-Band...some being trial and error.

Good Luck and I hope things go well for you!

Bless your heart!!! There's lots to learn about the Lap-Band...some being trial and error.

Good Luck and I hope things go well for you!

Bless your heart!!! There's lots to learn about the Lap-Band...some being trial and error.

Good Luck and I hope things go well for you!

Yes, IT IS HARD AS HELLO!!!!
When you can still eat the key-lime pie and it slides right thru... or a little Debbie....I KNOW I KNOW!!
I am TRYING to get back on track and get MY HEAD AND ARS BACK IN THE GAME!!!
Even with Lap Band the struggle still remains . . .

Peace Love and Weightloss for us ALL!!!!

Thanks ladies!!

Do you have a history of gout?
Has your nutritionist told you what the amount of Protein you should be consuming daily should be? I was not getting enough when I was first banded and needed to increase my amount. I usually take in 60-80 grams a day and now feel so much better.
If you are on liquids only, you can be having Protein shakes, and Soups to off set that. I usually do liquids for one or two days after a fill, and I will stick to the Protein Shakes and vary the flavors. I make sure that I am always having something so I'm not feeling deprived or hungry.
I will have my Water in between even in the form of Decaf, coffee or tea. I'll make some blended smoothies with kale and ginger etc. you can also buy Naked juices if you watch the sugar and carb content.
As I move forward I will move to mush foods, and that will include soft Protein Bars, blended chilli, eggs if you can tolerate them, bits of soft cheese, pulled chicken and soft flaky fish.
More solid forms of fish, chicken, beef or pork when I am ready to move back to solid foods. I eat the vegetable sparingly to ensure I get the Protein in first. I chew chew chew, and rest between bites. For me vegies have to be cooked or they don't digest.
You can do it!! I have faith in you!!

It is hard girlfriend!!! I have been going through the same somewhat expect getting unfills.. and add a break up to that as well... boo all I know is it was easier in the beginning as we sat home recovering we had all day to concentrate about it.. but I do agree with lisa .. between 60-80 grams of Protein a day is what I was told as well... instead of shakes add your Protein to soups.. other then shakes and Soups I don't know any other liquid forms of it.. remember why you did this? a support group? what is a small goal you are working towards? we all have that big one.. but small one? for me to get into the gym instead of it sitting there.. I had to go through this breakup .. boo lol but it is what it is.. goodluck momma! you got this!

Hi, I was banded September 2013. And I have lost about 19ILb, I feel restriction with my band, but can't stop eating In between meals and sweet foods! I haven't gained anything, but it's getting me down as I haven't lost any weight since christmas. How can I stop this cycle! I am so disappointed with myself. I know I never had an operation on my brain, but I was doing so well! Please help me get back on track. It doesn't help that my husband won't stop bringing chocolate home and I have no willpower.