HeatherinCA

Yep, kids menus are all mac & cheese and fried chicken strips, grilled cheese...
I just eat a portion of a regular meal, and take the rest home or trash it or someone else eats off my plate. Or yes like said above lots of restaurants have the lower cal menus and those are normal size portions. I don't know about everyone else but I don't eat like 1/2 cup of food, I still eat a fairly regular amount. Obviously not the overinflated portion, but I eat enough to warrant purchasing an entree.

Nope. But, we are all addicts basically.... The band is a lot of work to achieve success. For me it's an everyday mental struggle.

Between the pre-op liquids and stuff, I lost a good 30lbs pretty fast. But then it slows dramatically once you start solid food.< /p>

There is no "full" feeling, and you will always be able to eat normally unless food just starts getting stuck, but that isn't healthy. You just have to control what you eat. See, the thing w/ the band is you can eat less, and you won't be hungry, your band and your body doesn't know how much food you've eaten. The hunger hormone just isn't released, your body is satisfied with less food. I know I could probably physically eat half the food that I do.. and not be hungry. I just choose to eat more. I like volume. It's alllllll willpower, it's all mental.
I found some willpower the last 2 days! Stuck to my diet, and exercised woohoo. Let's hope this sticks. I was trying to blame everything on my parents, and them eating out a lot and eating crap (since I moved back home), but that's dumb, I make my own decisions, if they want to ruin their diets then they can go ahead. It's hard, because they eat out of stress. Which is clearly where I learned it, but it's so frustrating.

First off check what you are eating. Make sure you are still on your diet.
If it's not your diet then try changing it up a little to jumpstart it.

Well, you don't have THAT much to lose... not sure why you'd need the bypass? But, the bypass does much more work for you. I always saw the bypass as an option for someone who needs to lose like 200lbs, where they need more help than the band can provide. The band is mostly willpower, but it helps control your hunger so you can have an easier time dieting.
But really, it's up to you!

The hunger goes away after the fills, that is their purpose the amount of food you eat? You have to control that.

The hunger goes away after the fills, that is their purpose the amount of food you eat? You have to control that.

Going 4 to 5 hours without any hunger. I can still eat anything I want, but I'm never hungry, so it's up to me to make good choices. Everyone thinks of it as something different...
I honestly don't believe in a "sweet spot" you are only going to lose weight if you follow your diet and exercise, there won't be a point when this piece of plastic makes you lose weight, it's a piece of plastic!!!. The band will just help you from being hungry all the time like you would be pre-banding if you were eating 1200 calories. Some people it takes a number of fills to not be hungry anymore. For me, my first fill did it, a few weeks later BAM, no more hunger.
But, just because I'm never hungry, and my band is in a good place, doesn't mean I didn't eat a boatload of crap last week, and didn't lose any weight. It's my fault. I don't think "oh I need another fill because I didn't lose" it's my own fault I didn't lose. I need to work on the mental side of things.

Yes, Stay positive, forgive yourself, you will make mistakes.
Also, this isn't rocket science. you MUST eat 900-1200 calories a day, or you won't lose weight, no whining if you are cheating and not losing weight. I know everyone says it isn't a diet, but really it is. I can't eat like a fat person and lose weight, I have to eat like a skinny person. I see hundreds of posts on here about not losing weight, it's that simple, don't follow the diet, you won't lose weight.
Also if you are not banded yet. Not everyone gets sick and pukes all the time. I've never had a single problem, never PB'd, no food has ever been stuck.
The band is for hunger control. When filled properly, your hunger should cease for 4 to 5 hours. I would say look for that, instead of "restriction" because the band won't stop you from eating.. there is a hole in it, food goes through. If you are eating your 900-1200 calories a day you should be satisfied. Whereas pre-band I would have been starving all the time.
Don't snack or graze. Everything had calories, it can sabotage your diet.
Eat as much Protein as you can, but I don't think you need to be obsessive about it, or drink Protein shakes. i haven't had a shake since my post opp liquid diet. Remember those shakes can have hundreds of calories, they are Meal Replacements..
Also, it's all mental, 90% of this battle is overcoming food addiction. You have to change your habits.

No, but I know it's up to me how much I lose, if I give up it's my fault, not my bands... I do understand exactly why people can't reach their goals. They can't get over the food addiction.

No, but I know it's up to me how much I lose, if I give up it's my fault, not my bands... I do understand exactly why people can't reach their goals. They can't get over the food addiction.

It shouldn't be a problem.. they aren't going to fill you so you can't eat... 6ccs at surgery really? Hmm...
Just remember you'll be on liquids and mushies for a few days..

It shouldn't be a problem.. they aren't going to fill you so you can't eat... 6ccs at surgery really? Hmm...
Just remember you'll be on liquids and mushies for a few days..

You aren't looking for "restriction" you are looking for hunger control. To be able to go 4-5 hours without eating. The band when filled properly presses on a nerve, which prevents the hunger hormone from being released. I have 5.5ccs in my band, and after a few weeks, my hunger was gone. Yes, I can still eat plenty, obviously less than pre-band, but I have to control what goes in. But my appatite is so little it makes it really hard to over eat.
I honestly think, there is no point when you will be able to just eat less food without controlling it yourself. It's up to you to mentally figure out when you are full.

It's different for everyone... it takes about a month for it to completely take effect.
I had 5.5cc for my first, after a few weeks, my hunger died. I have zero appetite anymore. So I'm thinking this is what it is supposed to do! Don't be looking for restriction, look for hunger control. The band will never stop you from eating. My hunger is gone, but I control what I eat. It's harder to overeat with the band (I definitely physically can't eat as much, but I can still eat enough to sabotage myself), I'm just satisfied with less, and with no real appetite you don't really care to over eat.

I feel like this should be posted in every thread you rule!
But i completely agree. No excuses if you are eating junk, you won't lose weight end of story.

The pain after surgery is fairly bad for 3 or 4 days. But it's not unbearable. I was never nauseous except immediately after surgery in the hospital and they gave me meds for that. The surgery is easy and quick, I was home the same day.
For me, I'm 4 months out, I've lost 48lbs. I've NEVER had any food get stuck. My appetite is gone. (doesn't meanI don't WANT food, but I'm never hungry) I was more scared when I read this board.. But it really is different for everyone. The way people use the tool is different for everyone... I would say if you can commit yourself to changing your eating habits then go for it, if you can stick to a 1200 calorie diet then go for it. If you still want to eat junk food all the time and expect to lose weight, forget it. It's still essentially a diet, you eat the wrong things you won't lose weight, that doesn't mean occasionally you can't have a cookie. But everything in moderation.
I'm not worried about complications right now. I will cross that bridge if I get to it. It's a fairly safe operation, SO many of them have been done. The technology has improved over the years.

You just have to train your brain, the hunger is 90% mental. We are addicted to food, it's hard to say no. That's a big lesson we learn when we get the band.
Hmm maybe don't give your daughter your trigger foods (like pizza)? I don't know what will work for your family... but if it's out of sight it's out of mind. In the end I have pizza! I just have one slice, or a lean cuisine pizza on ocassion. Not the end of the world.
One of the biggest bandster rule is don't graze! If you don't follow the diet, you won't lose weight. Plan your meals out so you will be less likely to cheat... write them down, try fitday.com

That's mean!
This is by no means an easy way out. I don't think skinny people quite understand the addiction, and disease part of obesity. I'm not fat by choice. Sure, I like food and all that, but it's uncontrollable. Nobody would intentionally eat themselves to 300lbs.
The band for me is just built in motivation, it's always gonna be there. It doesn't do the work for me, and I still have to diet and exercise, but we need some physical restraint, and to retrain ourselves on what is a proper portion.

You just have to train your brain, the hunger is 90% mental. We are addicted to food, it's hard to say no. That's a big lesson we learn when we get the band.
Hmm maybe don't give your daughter your trigger foods (like pizza)? I don't know what will work for your family... but if it's out of sight it's out of mind. In the end I have pizza! I just have one slice, or a lean cuisine pizza on ocassion. Not the end of the world.
One of the biggest bandster rule is don't graze! If you don't follow the diet, you won't lose weight. Plan your meals out so you will be less likely to cheat... write them down, try fitday.com

This.
I still have to pick and choose what I eat everyday. Learn about calories and portions... you can't be skinny and eat fat people food, doesn't work that way.

That seems too tight to me, if you can't eat solid protein... The fills just control your hunger. It's not supposed to restrict you from eating food.< /p>

That seems too tight to me, if you can't eat solid protein... The fills just control your hunger. It's not supposed to restrict you from eating food.< /p>

Still gotta follow the rules...obviously if you are eating what you want you won't lose weight.