ElfiePoo

90% of people make up the statistics they quote. Oh...wait... Seriously, I'd love to know where he got this 'fact'. .

Most people used to believe the earth was flat too. Consensus doesn't indicate correctness. My surgeon, by the way would agree with the article. I have to say, my experience does too. YMMV. .

100 pounds in about 3 months?? That sounds more typical of bypass...or even the sleeve. In answer to your question....*YOU* decide. Don't leave that up to your doctor. Some doctors will try to tell you that you need to weigh what the insurance charts say and, even though they've revised them, their weights are still unrealistic and don't take into account muscle mass or other things that are unique to each individual. I plan on going on maintenance when I get to the point where I'm happy...which may still be higher than a doctor would like. We'll see. I'm just hoping that I won't do the reverse and keep trying to lose beyond where I look healthy. Not a big fear of mine at this point. .

Acadia, Great analogy. I look down at my plate with its little 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of rice or potatoes (maybe) and think, "geez...it's a fraction of what I used to eat. Why am I not losing faster!?" It didn't make a lot of sense to me until I plugged my stats into a calculator that said the caloric difference between what I need to maintain my current weight vs my ideal weight is only 500 calories per day. So if I eat 1600 calories per day, I can expect to lose 1 lb per week. If I cut my calories down to 1100, I'll get 2 lb per week. Now, I could also throw the exercise equation in there to 'maybe' get another pound per week but to be honest, 30 minutes of Tae Bo *maybe* twice a day is about my max. I detest exercise but at least this is fun. Plus...this all has to be done *consistently*. Not exercise 'here and there' or up the calories 'here and there' and it all adds up to stalls and slow weight loss cuz we're still filling up that tank a bit more than we need. .

Deb, I never rely on a 'full' feeling because I never feel full. Over a year post op and at my sweet spot so I can eat my 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of starch and not feel hungry for at least 4 hours. If I ate until I was full, well let's just say I'd put down half a pizza. People tend to lose faster on a low carb diet (under 60gm a day) and faster yet when it's kept under 30gm a day. Calories are a bit trickier. Some lose well at 800. Others need to be at 1200. It may seem logical that we'd all lose faster at 800...but that's just not the case. You'll just have to find where you do best. The thing I've found to be more important than anything is consistency. A few days at 800...a few at 1200...one or two at 1800...and the weight loss stalls because it all averages out. If it makes you feel any better, I eat 1200 calories per day, 30gm of carbs and I only lose about 4 lb per month. It's frustrating, but it is what it is. .

You're very welcome, Kelly. I too fought hard against the idea of 'dieting'. I kept saying I got the band so I'd never have to diet again. Then one day it occurred to me that statement would be true *IF* I was already at my normal weight but my goal right now is not to maintain...it's to *lose*. In order to do that, yes I need to *diet*...meaning I need to cut my calories so I'm at a deficit and in order to cut those calories, I have to avoid those things that put the weight on in the first place. I look forward to the day when I no longer have to *diet* but, in the meantime, am teaching myself how to eat like a normal person...and the normal weight people I know live by the 'all things in moderation'. My mother-in-law is only 4'7 and weighs 94 pounds. She still eats cake, pie, chips, etc...but not on a daily basis and all the rest of her eating is 'in moderation' as well. She's so tiny that she only eats 1/2 of a sandwich for lunch. More than that and she'll gain weight. .

I think it's safe to assume that if we deal with constant, abnormal hunger despite having just eaten, that there is something different about our internal anatomy which doesn't allow the food to put enough pressure on the vagus nerves. No, it's not because we've stretched our stomach. We need the band to help do what normal people take for granted. So it's safe to assume that even with the band, there are some people who still might not get the pressure on the vagus nerves and, even when they're so overfilled they can't eat anything, they're still hungry. According to my surgeon, the band does not work for everyone...but there's no way of identifying who those people are before they're banded. .

Well they've canceled all the schools today, except for the community college, because *supposedly* the roads are icy due to rain that changed to sleet. My son went out (has school and starts his new job at the college today) and said it's still a warm rain. Unfortunately, I think that means by the time he comes home, the roads will be a sheet of ice from the dropping temps. On the bright side...I don't have to leave the house today. Nothing new to report here. Breakfast is done and I'm off to do some Tae Bo. Have a good one y'all! .

Stacey, I have no experience with birth control pills, but I've seen some other threads where people talked about weight gain as a result. Three pounds though...that sounds like maybe Water weight (wishful thinking, am I? ). Nah...we'll call it good thoughts. Are you logging your food into something like fitday.com? Is it possible that you have some hidden calories there? Just thinking out loud. .

Thpppt.

The reality is that it doesn't matter how courteous we are, there will always be somebody sitting in the wings who will choose to perceive the response as rude and nasty...even when it wasn't and even when they've been told their perception was in error. Fortunately, I've only been on the receiving end of that by 3 people over the last year, but after going back and looking at these posts again, I notice that they all have the same 'voice' and the previous personas sort of disappear before the new one comes into play...so I figure it's the same person and they're just stalking me. I guess I should feel honored to warrant that amount of attention.

No regrets at all. You know, to be honest, if I never lose another pound, I still wouldn't regret this band because it has taken away the constant hunger I used to deal with. .

Wow! 6cc at surgery? I think you're the first person I've ever heard of whose doc put that much in at surgery! At any rate, hang in there. When I had my fills I never felt anything for about 2 weeks. Then *wham*, one morning I'd wake up tight and have to be super careful in my chewing. It would ease up again in a few days but still noticeably tighter. As someone else said, at this point, even the tiniest fill (even .1cc) might take you from hunger to the sweet spot. Don't give up yet .

No complications. Didn't even feel the pain med prescription since I didn't need any in the post-surgery recovery hours. .

23 pounds in a month is phenomenal. Don't expect that every month. After a drop like that, it's possible you may not lose for another month. Maybe not, but it's possible. Our bodies have a way of evening everything out. .

To be honest, I don't think I've ever gone to food for 'comfort'. The worst times for me are riding in a car, reading or watching tv. It's almost like my hands aren't occupied enough and need something to do. So now I try to keep my hands busy. On road trips I take my needlepoint (my husband prefers to drive). At night I work on my photo albums or quilting. I've found that has helped the most with the 'habitual' eating. .

Ok...so one egg and one slice of bacon is not going to cut it. Fortunately I ate Breakfast an hour later than usual so I don't have to go as long to lunch. Maybe I'll do the same thing at least the rest of this week...just eat half the breakfast I used to and eat an hour later. Right now I have a homemade crab cake in the oven and I'm steaming some edamame...yummy. C'mon lunch!

I didn't plan on telling people, nor did I plan on hiding it. However, my husband told his mother who proceeded to tell everyone else in the family, both here and in France. Talk to people who don't struggle with their weight or who successfully take excess weight off and keep it off and you will (most likely) find they've never struggled with constant, unrelenting 'hunger'. When they eat, they're satisfied until their next meal. Their extra pounds can be attributed to not being active or splurging a bit too much on their favorite food...not out of hunger but just because it tastes good. I could eat enough for 3 people and 10 minutes after a meal, I'd be physically hungry again. Now, I eat my 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of rice, Beans or potatoes and I'm not hungry for at least 4 hours. ..

Congratulations on meeting your goal! That should be pretty motivating to get you to your next goal! .

Shannon, With this kind of attitude, I believe you'll be successful in the long run because you're being honest about why your weight loss has been slow *and* you aren't giving up. This is a journey, not a race. We're changing a lifetime of habits and, while some people seem to be able to do it seemingly effortlessly...most of us take one step back for every two forward *but* we're moving forward! Good luck to you! Melody .

Misty, I feed my family the same thing I eat. They just eat more carbs than I do. I generally just pan fry, broil or grill my pork chops, steaks, burgers, chicken or fish, add in a salad and/or some vegies and a rice/potato/bean side dish (cuz I can eat them too). Occasionally I'll make biscuits or bread (for them). The other night I made shrimp scampi (shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter), rice pilaf and steamed broccoli with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Another night I did stir fry with snow peas, broccoli, minced gingerroot, onions and pork loin served over rice. We seasoned it individually with soy sauce. Another night we had hamburgers on buns. They had regular buns. I made Atkins revolution roll buns (tweaked the recipe though) made without flour. Another night we had meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Tonight I'm doing chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and feta, risotto and a salad. I just make sure to serve out my 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and 1/4 cup of rice or potatoes.

Good morning bandsters... Just thought I'd check in before I start my day. Breakfast is done and I have time to do a round of Tae Bo before I head out into the cold. <Brrrrr> I don't think I've been out of the house in 2 weeks so it feels like an adventure. I need to go in and change my ticker as I'm officially down 1 lb this morning. I know I know...I should be happy but c'mon...4 lbs a month? Pfffft. In an attempt to shake up the slow weight loss, I've decided to cut my breakfast down to 1 egg and 1 slice of bacon. We'll see if that's enough to keep me going for 4 hours without hunger. If it is, that's where I'll stay. Have to admit though that looking at that one lonely little egg and slice of bacon was a bit...sad. They just looked like they needed a bit more 'company' and while I'm not hungry right now, my stomach is still doing the whole mental 'feed me, Seymour'. Last week my busy hands activity was working on sorting photos for my two sons albums and updating mine. I had to stop at the end of 2004 because I can't locate the digital photos (that I most likely didn't print) from that time to the present. I know I have them because I remember taking them. Now where the heck did I download them? I'm gonna cry if I can't find them. So since I'm too depressed at the thought, I've put everything away and, like Scarlett O'Hara, I'll think about it tomorrow. In the meantime I'm going to start working on my son's wedding quilt to keep my hands busy. Here's hoping I don't run over my thumb with the rotary blade. If memory serves, it hurts like a mother. Have a good one y'all! Melody P.S. I just read back through this post. Apparently you can just call me Mrs. Murphy today since I'm obviously looking for things to go wrong. .

Not any more embarrased than I would have to admit that I went to WW, did Jenny Craig, Nutrisystems, or take insulin. And those who think it's the easy way, don't understand how the band works. The band merely removes the abnormal, constant hunger. It does not make us put the fork down or choose the right foods. That is still up to us. .

This will be my last word on the subject. You 'called me out' (as you put it) on something you 'perceived' (wrongly). I did not call anyone stupid, nor did I insinuate that they were. I can't decide whether your bitterness over your band is causing you to attack me...or whether you're just my previous stalker under a new name. In either case, I'm done with you. .

My doctor let me set my own fill schedule although they recommended waiting a month. I went in about every 2 weeks...back before I realized that my band doesn't even react to a fill for 2 weeks. I'll be going along thinking the last fill did nothing and then wham...tight.