Hi there, I was banded nov. 20th. I've lost about 15 lbs so far. Learning how to work with this band. My head wants me to eat much more than I can physically handle. Learning how to deal with what I used to be able to eat and what I can eat... Im wondering how the fills will help. Trying hard to stick to the guidelines. Looking forward to working out again! Really going at it 100%... enjoying all of the compliments but realizing that I need to change something... my mind. My self esteem is in the gutter. Also trying to detach my brain from my stomach. If I go to a restaurant and order, I automatically box up 3/4 of the meal and take it home, then eat the remainder. How much do the fills help? How much does excercise help? A note on my excercise habits: I'll probably be at the gym every day. I just want this to be over (being fat lol). I welcome all of your advice and help....

Now what..........you start eating smart, exercising smart and wait for your band to get restriction. Sounds like you are in good headspace and doing well. I am 3 months out and am not at restriction so can tell you that so far my fills have not made a difference. I believe this is one of the hardest steps because once again we feel like we are 'dieting'. Something suddenly clicked in me about 3 weeks ago and the sticking to 1cup, no slider food and healthy snacks suddenly became easier, not sure what it is. I can still eat anything, but I don't, and go to the gym regularly.......it's hard work, but I know it will pay off. Good luck to you.

Fills will help eventually. You may only need one but average is probably 5-6. Doctors prefer to sneak up on restriction, that way you have time to educate yourself how to eat properly with the band.

As our esteemed forum member B-52 said: "Until there's restriction...It's just another diet"!

tmf

Fills won't help with head hunger and the many adjustments needed to align your old thinking to your new upper GI tract, but they will help create early and prolonged satiety after you eat a small amount of food, and hopefully they'll also reduce your physical hunger.

It sounds to me like you're already doing a lot of good stuff for yourself, like trying to "detach your brain" from your stomach. Just the fact that you're aware that you have a lot to learn is a big plus. A wise and wonderful gastric bypass patient wrote on her blog a few years ago that the emotional WLS journey takes a lot longer than the physical one, so try to be patient (but firm) with yourself.

Exercise will help you burn calories and build muscle, so you look better, weigh less and less of your weight will consist of fat. Muscle burns calories more quickly than fat, so building muscle is a good thing. Exercise should also improve your mobility, flexibility, energy and endurance - also good things. And for me, exercise has turned out to have a wonderful side benefit - it fights depression.

What Jean said!

You might look at www.shrinkyourself.com. I'm a huge fan of it and it has helped me change my emotional eating habits so much.

Thanx ladies for all of the kind thoughts and advice... my first fill is the 20th

Your topic tiltle scared me at first, the NOW WHAT!

I wanted to know this all before I even got the band. It made my life easier by cutting down on food intake 2 months prior to getting the band. I was already in a good position to accept the band mentally and physically by eating better foods and taking in liquid Protein. Since I already knew that my doctor was very conserative in his "fills", I prepared myself by talking with former patients and found out if you are losing at a 1.5-2 pounds per week clip, the doctor doesn't do fills easily. He wants you to establish your eating habits over a longer period to teach yourself how to eat and not just rely on the band and fills to do it for you. Since it took alot of years to gain all my weight , I am prepared to be patient to lose the weight as well. I'm NOT looking at this as a "diet" like B-52 here on the forum, but as a way of my new life.

Best wishes and Keep the Faith

I think the head hunger is the hardest and a continued work in progress. I find at times u will say I am starving when that is not the truth. I know I need to eat regularly but I am really not starving. I have to say to myself, you are not starving but you want to eat.

This is all a work in progress. Welcome to the club and hang on for the ride.