MollyRN

Call me a rebel here but.... If you are getting enough Protein (65-90 grams per day), the calories don't really matter. God knows we have enough energy stored. It is when the protein is too low that the body kind of freezes. (And drink water) I don't count calories - never have. I can't eat before 12 or 1. I eat two very very small amounts of protein per day. I do exercise and that helped me a lot along the way. My band is wicked tight - probably tighter than many people could tolerate. I keep it as tight as possible without getting heartburn. That's been my sweet spot for about a year now.

You are not a failure. Tighten that band way up - let it help, let it remind you of what you can and cannot eat. It's been awhile since I have been on these boards but my all time favorite thing I ever read was about the mentality of a successful bandster. IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU CAN EAT WITH THE BAND, IT IS ABOUT HOW LITTLE. The goal should be eating only the bare minimum. My band is TIGHT - has been for a year now. TIGHT. I mean TIGHT. And that has been a struggle, but the upside has been that I no longer has any sort of relationship with food. It is simply a NON-ISSUE. Sure, some bandsters prefer to diet. I preferred to get slapped around a little. I have lost 140 lbs in 17 months and I go for my first unfill in two weeks. Be aggressive. It works. And I agree with the previous post - return to basics. Go get filled - a good one. Then do liquid for 2 weeks, like we did post-op. Get your head and your band back in the game. You can SOOOO totally do this!

I actually heard once that cold Water takes more calories for your body to warm up - but that might have been one of those diets myths I will say, anything with ice, super cold, will not go easily down for me. I like things warm or room temperature. You may actually be able to drink more if it is not cold.

The small incision between my breasts is gone completely - and I can barely see the belly button one - 14 months out. I will say that subsequent scars don't heal as well in my opinion. I notice that I may be a little Vitamin deficit in the Vitamins that promote healing. For example, I got a tattoo in July that took a week to peel (instead of 2-3 days). And my plastic surgeon says that we need vitamin therapy before any subsequent surgeries.

One other note, I do not eat 3 times a day. I am liquid in the am, coffee usually or maybe a protein shake if I am running.

My advice? My two cents? Curb this habit now. This is the undoing of a bandster in my honest opinion. Don't snack. Don't do it. Get a fill. Eat 3 times a day and force that habit. If I ate little bits constantly throughout the day, it's call eating around the band. You could consume triple the calories this way.

I wrote about this awhile back on my blog http://aleadsinger.blogspot.com/2011/08/come-onbe-honest.html

I am with Vicky - this is not a guarantee, but what it is is "IF I WORK, I GET RESULTS", which was not my experience without the band. I could work at it for weeks and not really get rewarded. The band is work with solid payback

I thought this rule was funny - but I have to say, it's not an issue because I simply cannot drink after a meal. And if I drink within 10 minutes of eating, you can bet I will see it again. If I drink when I am eating, it hurts. If I drink to soon after, it comes back up. Doesn't take any discipline for me - it's simply not possible. But, my band is TIIIIIGGGGHHHTTTT.

I agree - I should have done it years ago. But I also think that you have to make an agreement with yourself - and agree that this is your FINAL option and you will commit to it completely. This is surgery. This is not Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. I feel like I am always saying this - but my mentality has always been to see HOW LITTLE I could eat with a band, not how much. And in my experience, success with the band depends pretty heavily on this distinction. It meant a painful breakup with my friend food and a super tight band for a while, but I have to say, I enjoy food so much more now because it is not my crutch, my consoler, my friend - it is something far more healthy for me now. It is a personal decision - but the question is not really should I be banded or not - the question is ultimately, am I ready for success or not?

Everyone on here has been part of this journey for me - AND THANK YOU AND LOVE YOU ALL. Just wanted to share my news.... I've hit my personal goal of 160 lbs. Lost 126 lbs in just a little more than a year. SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY and feel so good. Take a look at my blog if you have a moment: http://aleadsinger.blogspot.com/ Here's my picture for the WALL OF FAME at my surgeon's office:

I hit 180 by my 10th month - so 106 lbs in 10 months. I have been very consistent though - between 8-12 lbs per month. Early on, where you are, most of loss would come post fill so keep nudging it until the fill sticks and the weight loss stays more consistent. I worked out consistently too.

Hey all! I started a July 4 challenge! https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aiox4VvE1kLndFpWSF9xdXlEdWN6cmFuNU9OX0djMHc&hl=en_US&authkey=CKS8sswC

Here we go. https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aiox4VvE1kLndFpWSF9xdXlEdWN6cmFuNU9OX0djMHc&hl=en_US&authkey=CKS8sswC Enter your starting weight and your goal weight and then next Monday, indicate changes with - numbers.