So I am 3 weeks out and Dr. ok'd me to start mushies and turkey with gravy etc...I said I wasn't going to over indulge on Thanksgiving, but I did...although I was still somewhat good. No rolls, very little stuffing and pecan pie without the crust. I had turkey with gravy, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, veggies, cranberry sauce and watergate salad. I started with a very small plate and shhh...went back for seconds. I don't have restriction right now, my first fill isn't for a couple more weeks, therefore I don't necessarily feel any different when eating slightly past my limit, such as yesterday. However, as of two days ago, I hit a plateau and had not lost anything since my first week after surgery. I kept thinking maybe I was under eating and it was stalling me. I specifically told my sister, watch, I ate this Thanksgiving dinner, stuffed myself and it will probably boost my metabolism. That it did. Woke up this morning 4lbs lighter! Guess I did need to eat a little more afterall. Ive been so scared to eat over 1000 calories per day, but in fact I really do believe it is what is stalling me. Anyone else splurge a little or have any advice? Anyone not losing like they should? It makes me hate the band right now because I want to see that loss, even if it is 2lbs a week, I'll take it. But I'm stuck and it's so frustrating. I hope this 4lbs lasts and doesn't creep up somehow. I think it's time to start exercising more?

Seconds and pecan pie will make those 4 lbs creep back up pretty fast. Just because you overdid it yesterday doesn't mean you shou'd have,. Pecan pie has 518 calories...for 1/8 of a pie!!!! Hopefully today you are back on the band wagon.

The time after banding and before restriction is tough but it's really important you count calories and measure portions so you will lose during this time.

I'd say it was coincidence and I'd also be VERY careful about bigger portion sizes so early on. Exercise is a much better idea.

Just accept the plateaus, thy are going to occur no matter what you do.

What is with the photos and avatars here okay? That's not me!

U did gain all you weight in one or two meal and you wont loss if u miss one or two. it is commitive over time. Water weight maybe everything at holiday meals has salt ....you are to early one to worry about it just keep track and stay true to yourself.

I'm not feeling guilty that I over indulged at all. It was one day, one holiday. While overall I have to change what I eat, the whole purpose in having the lap band was so that I could still consume the foods that I love, just in moderation. I'm early on, yes, but I've been dieting for nearly 20 years and I'm well aware of what it takes to lose weight. I am proud of myself for what I did eat yesterday...considering it was a fraction of what I would have eaten pre-band. That to me is success. Perhaps it sounds like much when I say I over ate, I had seconds and I had pecan pie...my first plate was very small, I was being cautious because I wasn't sure what it would take to fill me up, and as I went into the second plate...I'm talking maybe 1/4 cup more of food. And for the pecan pie, we're talking 1/16 of a pie, so at 250 calories, probably less considering I didn't eat the crust, I feel I did pretty good! I definitely ate more than perhaps I should have, being 3 weeks out, but like I said, it's a fraction of what I used to eat and I knew right away it was too much and learned from it. My body has always worked well with less eating and then taking a day to amp up the intake to give my metabolism a bit of a shake up, I really feel this was the case. Maybe I should try that carb cycling everyone keeps talking about? Of course, I do not intend to eat Pecan pie and Thanksgiving everyday...I am pretty sure I know better than that! LOL

You went back for seconds? Seriously and you are only three weeks post op? Oh my I shut my mouth. The pie alone killed you.

Yes the lapband is to let you eat what you want in moderation not seconds and thirds and all the stuff you ate. No way no how can you eat that much you stuffed yourself and well I for one don't condone what you did. You just sabotaged yourself just three weeks out. It's called restraint. It's called not eating crap on holidays because you used to. It's called enjoying your family not still being in love with food.

I'm not feeling guilty that I over indulged at all. It was one day, one holiday. While overall I have to change what I eat, the whole purpose in having the lap band was so that I could still consume the foods that I love, just in moderation. I'm early on, yes, but I've been dieting for nearly 20 years and I'm well aware of what it takes to lose weight. I am proud of myself for what I did eat yesterday...considering it was a fraction of what I would have eaten pre-band. That to me is success. Perhaps it sounds like much when I say I over ate, I had seconds and I had pecan pie...my first plate was very small, I was being cautious because I wasn't sure what it would take to fill me up, and as I went into the second plate...I'm talking maybe 1/4 cup more of food. And for the pecan pie, we're talking 1/16 of a pie, so at 250 calories, probably less considering I didn't eat the crust, I feel I did pretty good! I definitely ate more than perhaps I should have, being 3 weeks out, but like I said, it's a fraction of what I used to eat and I knew right away it was too much and learned from it. My body has always worked well with less eating and then taking a day to amp up the intake to give my metabolism a bit of a shake up, I really feel this was the case. Maybe I should try that carb cycling everyone keeps talking about? Of course, I do not intend to eat Pecan pie and Thanksgiving everyday...I am pretty sure I know better than that! LOL

I just responded to your words written in you post so evidentially as you say I misunderstood. Sometime writing is like thAt.

Everyone has to do what is right for them. Personally overeating at 3 wks post op doesnt work for me but I was on a mission to get the weight off so I wouldn't have to diet like I had been doing for 30 years.

Best wishes for your success

Thank you Floridays...

I believe you did misunderstand me and that's totally OK, I just wanted to clear up what I was trying to say. I just wanted some feedback really about what anyone else went through for Thanksgiving or if anyone else finds themselves at a stand still, if I'm not eating enough calories and so forth...

Apparently Cheryl finds it ok to judge when I was being HONEST. I'm sure there are a lot of people on here that wouldn't admit online that they overate at 3 weeks. I wasn't asking for harsh criticism, I was asking for advice. Being as far out as some are, I would expect words of encouragement, because after all, I'm sure those people have had tough times, too.

It's sad that people will make you feel awful for eating 1/16 of a pie on a holiday. Really? Apparently 3 weeks does not cure my love of food and neither will 3 years out...it's about adjusting to it. I'm a smart girl, I can figure that out. It's not easy...I'm learning...and I'll be successful because I have support, not people telling me I'm sabotaging myself when I fall off track for one stinking second. Wow.

GESTAPO SUPPORT! We are the bandsters... we need to get a grip!

Advice is what you seek, advice is what you will get. You know as well as anyone on here that if food is the focus of your life you will not succeed. If you think That losing 4 lbs was a reward for eating " stuffing" yourself then you may be disappointed in about a day or two.

I read between what you wrote, small plate and seconds really probably wasn't that much food- however you did eat for pleasure and not for necessity and you didn't eat with your band in mind or your health for that fact.

Justifying what you ate and how much you ate by saying that you were probably stalled because you were not eating enough is confusing two realities. 1) fat and sugar content in what you ate is not conducive of weight loss 2) eating two little of the right foods can stall your metabolism.

Now hear me out, why do you think you are being " judged" . why do you think that those on here don't think it was a good option 3 weeks out? They want to bash you? Not in the least!

There is a 50/50 chance that you will lose weight and/or keep it off. ( read all the post from " failed " bansters, they are everywhere).

I am not an expert but I am having great success with no stalling since my preop. I was banded 10/5.

I think judging by your old self and your old mentality you did great BUT judging by this new journey and the new you there is still some work to do. Don't wave the victory band just yet. I'd like to cross the finish line with you also successful. Breaking old habits really is the key.

I really hope you can take this and ALL of the comments in the spirit in which they are intended.

Keep us posted!

I'm not judging you I'm telling you the truth. You can't expect to lose weight by stuffing yourself or eating pie and water gate salad. The only thing healthy that I see that you ate was Turkey and Veggies whatever they may be. No I don't stuff myself and havent for three years and you know why? Because that is what got me weighing almost 300lbs. No the love of food will never die but learning to love yourself more needs to grow. Holidays are not about food but about spending time with your loved ones.

I think you women are awesome! I find such great support and inspiration at LBT. Just two weeks out, and so much is changing - as one of you just mentioned, it's about changing the relationship we have with food. I've been feeling a lot of feelings lately that I would normally stuff down with food, but that's okay - better than being numb and also it's part of the journey. We have such a marvelous opportunity to rebuild broken lives - I'm going for that with every thing I have, if I have a chance to like myself again, and it means no more bagels and cream cheese or no more seconds, well my happy life wins. For the first time in my life, I can walk away from the food - this is a magical chance. Thanks to all of you veterans here for showing us how it's done. Have a great night.

Anna

I do calorie cycling and that will keep you dropping the pounds! I'm 16 months out and 108 lbs lighter. 10 lbs away from my goal. I wore size 22 pants and I'm in a 10(probably could wear an 8, but like the feeling of the 10's being big )

Jg956, I completely understand where your coming from. Sometimes we just want people to validate our feelings or statements we make. I posted a week ago a similar statement and people jumped down my throat...I felt so terrible after reading the responses. It was like my moment of happiness and success was taken from me and left me feeling discouraged. I think people get the lap band for different reasons. I know one thing we all have in common is loosing weight, however, my reason was because I wanted to eat what I wanted but less of it. I felt a victory last week when I ate two donut holes. Prior to Lap band I ate 25 count in one sitting. To me, this was big!!!! I have always wanted to have control over the quantity of what I eat which has always been hard. I did three months in an eating disorder program to over come binge eating disorder. I still after three months could not control my quanity of donut holes. Seeing how people attack over what we eat vs how much is not fair. No one here got obese from eating a piece of pecan pie, maybe from eating the whole pie. If eating a piece of that pie allowed you to enjoy thanksgiving that occurs one time a year, good for you!!!!! You did not kill anything from eating that piece. Just because we have a lap band doesn't mean were banned from eating sweets or anything with high calories, it means we're not going to eat as much as we probably used too. Last year I lost 150 pounds from restricting quanity of food, I never once banned any food from my diet I just limited my quanity and how often I ate certain things. I'm really bothered by people making comments of what we can't and can eat. Three months in an inpatient eating disorder program taught me how to eat and never once did it encourage not eating certain foods , or restricting sweets on a holiday....I hope posting your true feelings didn't discourage you from posting because I really enjoy reading honest posts that come from our true real experiences. I honestly think some responses are of what people think they have to say. We have a doctor that can give us harsh realities, we need validation, support, active listening, and sensitive oriented opinions and responses. On the other side, I guess hearing harsh realities can also help us. I became emotional and discouraged after reading some feedback, and haven't touched a donut hole since because I replayed in my head the posts I read. Hang In there!!! We're both only three weeks post of so we have a lot to learn which is why I come on here and read so much !!!