I am still just so confused and uncertain about this whole thing!! I was banded on 12/11. At four weeks I was allowed to go on full regular diet because I had no problems whatsoever tolerating food. I had my first fill of 1cc into my 10 cc band (it already had 4.5 cc in it from surgery) two weeks ago so I'm at 5.5 cc in a 10 cc band - I still don't feel restriction. I try and portion out my meals to what I think I should have and stop eating at that amount. I don't feel hungry after stopping eating but don't feel full or restriction, I just stop because the food is gone. The problem is when someone else serves me (like at a relatives or when going out to eat.) I have trouble with the portion, don't realize if I'm full or not, and eat more than I know I should. I still eat WAY, WAY less than I did prior to surgery but more than I should be eating. (for example: prior to surgery I could eat a whole club sandwich on italian bread, an order of regular fries, appetizer and dessert with two sodas. Last night I had 1/2 a club sandwich on wheat and about six sweet potato fries) I don't snack - only eat three meals a day. I don't think I'm eating enough either. I don't take in 1,000 calories a day, I'm more around 500-850. I get another fill on 2/10 - thank GOD - because even though I have been losing weight slowly, I feel like a failure and that I'm not doing what I'm supposed to or that this hasn't worked. Anyone else feel this way, experiencing this?

If you don't have restriction, then your successes are from willpower. As you get fills restriction will come and portion control will be easier.

Also, less than 1000 calories a day can put your body into starvation mode and it becomes very hard to lose weight.

So, why do you think you are eating more than you should be if you are not taking in enough calories?

The surgeons office told me I should be eating 1/2 c to 1 c at meals and that by one year out a lean cuisine would be a normal portion for a meal. I can eat that now! I don't eat more than that though. They said 1/2 a sandwich should be a meal. I can eat 1/2 a sandwich and then cheese or cottage cheese or something else with it, etc. 1/2 c is not enough. If I eat at noon, I'm hungry by 3 - no way I can last until 5 or so when it's dinner time. Yet I feel if I have a snack - albeit a healthy one - I'll be cheating somehow. I suppose it's psychological at this point. Everyone says if I don't eat enough I won't lose either but I feel snacking got me into the predicament I'm in and I shouldn't eat unnecessarily, only when necessary. I'm trying not to look at food as enjoyment - that's what got me here. Food to me now is sustenance. If it's enjoyable, I will overindulge.

I try and portion out my meals to what I think I should have and stop eating at that amount. I don't feel hungry after stopping eating but don't feel full or restriction, I just stop because the food is gone.

That's a very good thing, and it's what you will need to train yourself to do. When I first went back on solid foods, I only put on my plate the amount I was told to eat. When I finished, I wanted more. But that was just my old habits talking. When I asked myself "Are you still hungry" the answer was NO. That was a HUGE realization for me, that my wanting more had nothing to do with my hunger. I still struggle with it to this day, almost 18 months after surgery.

Portion, portion, portion - get to know what a portion size basically looks like, then when you eat away from home you can make better choices about how much to eat. Ask the waiter to go ahead and bring out a to-go box, and box up the rest of your meal before you even start eating. Don't try to rely on feeling "full". If you are like me, and many other overweight people, we don't really know what full feels like. Over-full and uncomfortable was generally our stopping point. That's why I go by portion.

You also said you don't allow yourself to snack, but you get hungry between meals, and you don't want to eat unnecessarily, but only when necessary. If you are truly hungry, then it is necessary to eat. Don't think of them as Snacks, don't eat them for enjoyment - they are fuel.

You are doing fine! The first couple of months are usually the hardest, as you retrain your brain and body, but the struggle will be worth it.

I'm also eating more than I should. I am going in for a refill. I was banded on 11/18/09. I can eat anything, and hardly ever feel that I am restricted. I am loosing about 2 pounds each week. Sometimes it fluctuates back and forth, according to what type of foods I'm eating, but it always goes back down, with an average of 2 pounds a week.

I find that eating chicken or meats, that I do feel the restriction, but eating soups, salads, and vegetables, I do not. I'm ok with this though. I was told by my doctor, that loosing 2 pounds a week is excellent. You do not want to loose too quickly or you will have more loose flab. If you lose it slowly, it will tend to shrink with the weight loss. I have not lost enough for me to know this yet, but I'm hoping.

Most the time I eat what I know is good for me, but there are times when I eat things that I know that I should not, and I'm still loosing. Between meals I eat nuts (pecans, peanuts, walnuts, etc) to tide me over. These are good fats and proteins. I was on the atkins diet before doing the surgery, and it worked great for me. I just could not keep loosing on the diet. My body would get to a stand-still and not loose any more, and of course, I would gain it all back. I found out a lot of good information from being on it though. Eating Good fats with Proteins will burn themselves up and not put fat on the body. That is what makes the atkins diet so great. Nuts have the good fat and protein. Beef jerky also helps me.

I also agree that you should not think of it as a snack, but just something to tide you over. Just a small amount, eaten very slowly will make a world of difference. Good luck.

Brainless snacking and eating for fuel are two different things.

My surgeon doesn't want me snacking, as in brainlessly eating; but I can eat between meals if it is a planned out and healthy something. Usually a piece of fruit or string cheese.

Once you find restriction a half of a sandwich will make a meal--but before then you will be white knuckling it to get by with that. If you don't have good restriction it is like the band is not there. Was 1/2 to 1 cup enough for you before? Of course not!

I have good restriction and I get hungry every three to four hours, depending on what I ate.

You might try bumping your intake up to about 1200 calories a day and see how you feel. You might feel better and make it to your next meal without starving. You also might find you lose weight a little quicker. At 500-800 calories a day, I think you are running the risk of losing a lot of muscle tissue.

After fills you still need will power.

I was baned on the same day! COngrats!!! YOU ARE DOING SOOOO WELLL!!!!! AMAZING!!! SOund slike you have had lots of will power in progress and I think it is just incredible. I had my first fill on 1/14/10 and felt some restriction for about one week and now not a much. I guess we just try and get the right amount and it is all so different for each individual. If no one has told you, you are just making such great progress, KEEP IT UP!

After fills you still need will power.

Good point, and yes, we do. The band does not remove head hunger. I still fight the desire for junk food every day.

But, the band assists me in the fight by helping control my physical hunger. When my physical hunger is satisfied, I can better fight the head hunger. I can also make better choices for my meals.

Someone up thread mentioned about feeling restriction with chicken and other meats but none with salads and soups. This is normal. Salads and soups are not as solid as meats. They will go through the band faster, and thus not sustain you as long.

I think of the band like a funnel. Put clear Water in it and it goes through very quickly. Put something like ground chicken in it and it will go down very slowly. Which will stay in the funnel longer?

I was banded on Oct 21st 2009 and I do not feel restriction yet either. At first right after a fill I will feel tighter but then it wears off. I go in tomorrow for another fill so I hope it helps. I am going on will power also, but want the band to help more. I gained a couple of pounds at Christmas because I ate the wrong things however, I have that off now and think I am doing OK. I am not counting calories and think I should do it so I know what I am eating a day. I think you are doing very well with as much weight off that you have so far. Keep up the good work.

YOu know, I started analyzing how I ate different this week. I was so missing salad and I was able to eat that this week. I think I ate too much salad with higher fat dressing and not enough solid protein and the scale went up a pound! DANGIT!!!! I don't want to stop losing so soon into this whole venture. I had a fill on the 14th and going to call and ask for another one this week.

You are doing great! I was banded one day before you and have only lost 9-10lbs since surgery. That should make you feel better! Plus, plan to lose only around 7-8lbs/ month. It's much slower than RNY, but is a very healthy rate to lose! I eat about 1400 calories/day and only have 2cc in a 10cc band, but I do feel restriction occasionally....especially if I eat too fast! Hang in there!

It seems like you need another fill. I was the same way. With the larger band it seems to talk longer to get to the "sweet spot" I got really frustrated and depressed because I wanted to always eat and never felt full. I felt like a failure too! I think everyone's been there at some point post banded. Just let you surgeon know...I'm sure he or she will give you another fill and put you back on the right track. Seems like you're doing well though...with weight loss...according to your tracker!

I thought I was the only one who was in this situation! I was banded 9/11---that might have benn my 1st mistake! Im not at 4 mns post op and not 1 lb off! I have 5.5 cc in my band--and Im just not sure what is happening. I have had issues with throwing up but as far as the fullness goes--no!! Ive gotten in touch with the surgical center and they have taken notes on all that has happened since my surgery. Ive had and still have pain by my port area. Im beginning to wonder if I have a band that has slipped from vomitting? She did mention that to me.

Depressing??? OMG Yes--:wink::frown::eek:---we work so hard to get where we are at and still nothing.............................

I feel the same way! I had my lap band surgery Dec. 18 and am doing great with the weight loss-28 pounds so far, but I don't feel any restictions. I had one fill of 4cc. I just want to feel satisfied with smaller portions of food-that's what I had the surgery. I keep wondering if there is something wrong-did the band slip, did they put the wrong size band on me, etc...I am doing good because I have changed what & how I eat but it's a stuggle because I no I can keep eating. This is depressing.

Thank you my bandster twin! LOL. I have had TREMENDOUS willpower. More than I ever thought I would. I have successfully "dieted" for years. Going 6-8-12 months without snacking, eating small portions, not cheating but then BAM I give in to temptation thinking "oh this one bag of chips tonight because I'm feeling bad won't hurt me" or "we are on vacation!" etc., and before you know it, right back up with the weight again.

If I could live through the two week liquid diet and not die, then I knew I could successfully live with this band. It is just so much to learn that you can't wrap your mind around PRE surgery.

I was baned on the same day! COngrats!!! YOU ARE DOING SOOOO WELLL!!!!! AMAZING!!! SOund slike you have had lots of will power in progress and I think it is just incredible. I had my first fill on 1/14/10 and felt some restriction for about one week and now not a much. I guess we just try and get the right amount and it is all so different for each individual. If no one has told you, you are just making such great progress, KEEP IT UP!