I need guidance, help, motivation!

[acasner 0]

Hi everyone, it's been awhile since I've been on this site. I really need some motivation and help from all the lapbanders out there that have had sucess. I was banded August 2009, so I am about 15 months out. I have only lost about 60lbs. Now, I am happy with this loss, it's much better than gaining but the problem is that I have not lost any weight since May/June 2010. So, for the last 5 months I have not lost any weight. I have a 14cc band and he has it filled to about 11cc. He told me he does not want to fill it anymore, he tells me I have the most CC's than any other patient in the office. (that really made me feel like crap). Anyways, I know it's my fault. I am overeating! I want to get this weight off more than anything but for some reason I give into food. I still have about 70-80lbs that I need to get off and getting the band tightened is not an option. I know what I need to do, I just need to do it (which I can't seem to do). I am just reaching out to all of you to help me, give me some hints, give me encouragment... I need it. I know I should only be eating about 1/2 cup at each meal and I am probably eating about 2+ cups at some meals. I can not let food control me, I've got to start losing again:(

[Blackbutterfly719 0]

Hello. I'm recently banded (11-16-2010). However, I want to help you. There are a couple of suggestions I'm going to make. You need someone besided yourself to hold you accountable for your eating habits. Someone who will not cave in to your wants and needs. There are many support groups available. One of my favorite is Overeaters Anonymous. You can go to their site and find a group in your area.

Another important thing is movement. Your post did not say naything about exercise. You need to have a consistent exercise plan. No less than 3 days a week.

Please do not give up on your goal!! You can accomplish it. You just have to remember that this is your life and you need to live it to the fullest.

I hope I was able to help.

Dawnya

[lellow 1,713]

Hey Amanda,

firstly hunny let me give you a hug, coz you sound really down on yourself at the moment and that's not good for you.

I firmly believe that restriction is one thing, but changing your mindset is the second half of it, and the hardest part by far. I set myself some guidelines that I employed to get me past some of my hurdles and I won't lie, it wasn't easy to follow them, but I got there in the end. I wrote about it here:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/119054-i-guess-im-a-success-story/page__p__1530066#entry1530066

Feel free to msg me if you need encouragement or just someone to hold your hand!

[JeweI 2]

We aren't all completely gung ho about this all the time. Most of us lose motivation. When the motivation is gone habits will kick in (wether they are good or bad). So start developing the habits you need to be successful. Start doing things you did at the begining like logging your food and excercise. Counting your Water. Even if you are not doing 100 % what you should it gives you a starting point to work on. If you had 3 glasses of Water today aim for 4 tommorrow. If you had 2 cups today try 1 3/4 cups tommorrow. I had been stuck from June until last month. I started back excercising on a schedule. Planning meals. I am on a losing trend again.

Make a plan, try your best to follow it, record, improve each day.

The key for me is to make it automatic. I don't make food choices when I am hungry. They have already been made and written down earlier in the week. Also having someone review my food log keeps me motivated to stick to the plan. The nutritionist at my doc office is good about it. I also have fall back plans. If life happens and I end up not having time to cook for me and my family we go somewhere I KNOW will have a wise and yummy choice for me.

I have learned not to expect my weightloss journey to go perfectly. We will slip and stumble just keep going though. Also remember this is something that is achievable and you can be the one to achieve it. I love this quote and it goes along with what I am saying. ‎"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner. Prepare to do it is the first step. Good luck to you and feel free to pm me if you wanna talk more.

[acasner 0]

Thank you all for your posts. I appreciate the words and encouragment. It's been hard for me because I don't have anyone that understands why I did this (had the lap band)... so when I am eating I always have someone saying "Oh you can eat more then that blah blah blah!" I know that I can't but I do overeat, it makes it so much easier for me to fall off the wagon because I blame them, but I know it's myself to blame. I am working on going back to the habits I had for the first year after surgery. Thanks again!

[Msbandtastic 1]

Hey Amanda,

firstly hunny let me give you a hug, coz you sound really down on yourself at the moment and that's not good for you.

I firmly believe that restriction is one thing, but changing your mindset is the second half of it, and the hardest part by far. I set myself some guidelines that I employed to get me past some of my hurdles and I won't lie, it wasn't easy to follow them, but I got there in the end. I wrote about it here:

http://www.lapbandta...66#entry1530066

Feel free to msg me if you need encouragement or just someone to hold your hand!

I read what you had to say and it gave me a lot to think about. I feel that your way of doing things might be the right way for me to but right now I am afraid to try it. I am only six weeks post op. Right now I am following the rules to the letter and doing great but I am definitely obsessed with food and my next meal. I believe your way would help to really end this obsession. Another thing I am interested in is the concept of eating only when I am hungry. Right now I am eating when it is "time" to eat at 8, 12, and 6. I have never been able to stand being hungry and to be honest have never allowed myself to be hungry. It is a novel idea and one I might think about experimenting with. I can always go back to the "rules" after a week or two if it didn't work. Thank you for the ideas.

[lellow 1,713]

I read what you had to say and it gave me a lot to think about. I feel that your way of doing things might be the right way for me to but right now I am afraid to try it. I am only six weeks post op. Right now I am following the rules to the letter and doing great but I am definitely obsessed with food and my next meal. I believe your way would help to really end this obsession. Another thing I am interested in is the concept of eating only when I am hungry. Right now I am eating when it is "time" to eat at 8, 12, and 6. I have never been able to stand being hungry and to be honest have never allowed myself to be hungry. It is a novel idea and one I might think about experimenting with. I can always go back to the "rules" after a week or two if it didn't work. Thank you for the ideas.

It's funny but we have completely different ways of doing things here in Australia. We never get told to have only this or that many calories, we don't get told to eat low carb or low anything. Just a balance of foods, eat when you're hungry, listen to your body. But I do think there are many ways to get to the same goal, so I don't advocate my way of the thinking as the right way at all. However, if any of it helps you get to where you want to go, I'd be stoked!

Good luck and I hope you find success which ever way you get there.