When I first had the lapband, I was really frustrated. I felt like I could eat "anything"! It made me mad because I felt like the "band" should be doing something. I'm only 2 weeks out, but just this week I've tried to be more patient and have learned to listen to my body. To the signs of actual physical hunger. You can read and read and read books, but until you have the procedure, its hard to understand what they are talking about. By sitting back and thinking about what I'm doing and how I feel, it all is beginning to make sense. I thought I would feel something right away and that all my feelings of hunger would be gone. Boy was I in for a reality check. Things are getting a little better every day. And I'm so thankful to all of you who helped me with my last post :-) You guys are GREAT!

It would be nice if the lapband also took away cravings!! I wanted chocolate yesterday so bad I was ready to scream I know exactly what you mean about listening to your body. It's definitely a learning experience, figuring out when you are actually hungry or when you just "feel like eating", knowing when you are satisfied vs. full...but I am happy to learn new things and this is an important step that I have taken for a healthier me so bring it on body, I'm paying attention!!

When I first had the lapband, I was really frustrated. I felt like I could eat "anything"! It made me mad because I felt like the "band" should be doing something. I'm only 2 weeks out, but just this week I've tried to be more patient and have learned to listen to my body. To the signs of actual physical hunger. You can read and read and read books, but until you have the procedure, its hard to understand what they are talking about. By sitting back and thinking about what I'm doing and how I feel, it all is beginning to make sense. I thought I would feel something right away and that all my feelings of hunger would be gone. Boy was I in for a reality check. Things are getting a little better every day. And I'm so thankful to all of you who helped me with my last post :-) You guys are GREAT!

I absolutely know what you're talking about. The hardest thing for me has been when I know I'm NOT hungry any more, but there's food left, and I have to fight to stop myself from eating it. This band thing is HARD. Don't let anyone tell you differently!

Six years later and i'm still working on this! This morning I bought a piece of carrot cake to go with my coffee, had a bite and realised I didnt really want it, i'd ordered it purely on impulse. So I left the rest, but its so hard to always stop and think first!

I start to kinda hiccup and if I listen to it and obey it, I will be fine. When you start to have restriction you really have to start listening to your body. still learning that part now, 3 months out.

I used to think I didn't have a "sign" that I was getting full and then lately I noticed that I get this feeling like I have to burp (but there's nothing there to burp...if that makes sense). THIS is my sign!!! It only took me 7 months to figure it out...lol

It took me and entire YEAR to adjust to what a reasonable dinner plate looked like. I overserved myself enormously at first, it gradually got better but it took a year for me to be comfortable seeing like one tiny lamb loin chop, a spoon of mashed potato and a small pile of peas on a salad plate as dinner!

Now unfortunately I underserve my poor growing teenage boys. They get literally 1/3 the amount of dinner their friends would get and then I yell at them for snacking! I cant bring myself to believe that a human being can actually ingest, for example, a restaurant sized meal and survive.

It actually stood me in good stead whilst I've been unfilled for 8 months. Becuase I still served what looked normal to me (ie. small portions) and when you're not mentally thinking "this isnt enough", surprisingly, it actually IS enough.

Thank you for posting this! I have not been banded yet, but I thought the same thing! I had my seminar last night and one of the things the Dr. addressed to my questions, was that after the initial surgery the band is relatively loose. He said they do that because of all the swelling around it..and over the next 2 to 4 weeks as they fill the band and let thing adjust and settle you will begin to feel the restriction.

So glad I went to that seminar!

All the best on your journey!!

When I first had the lapband, I was really frustrated. I felt like I could eat "anything"! It made me mad because I felt like the "band" should be doing something. I'm only 2 weeks out, but just this week I've tried to be more patient and have learned to listen to my body. To the signs of actual physical hunger. You can read and read and read books, but until you have the procedure, its hard to understand what they are talking about. By sitting back and thinking about what I'm doing and how I feel, it all is beginning to make sense. I thought I would feel something right away and that all my feelings of hunger would be gone. Boy was I in for a reality check. Things are getting a little better every day. And I'm so thankful to all of you who helped me with my last post :-) You guys are GREAT!

I understand where you are coming from. I just posted on here about how frustrated I am because I'm not "feeling any different." I was banded 4/18/11 and am still learning. I try to pay attention and have finally learned that I "Sigh" a little when I'm done....I don't eat till full anymore, I listen to my sigh to come and then I stop. My problem is that my sigh happens and I stop but I'm hungry again in about 2 hours. That is what is frustrating to me. I am stomach hungry not head hungry so I eat and I just don't feel like I'm accomplishing much. We can do this.