I can say something witty here but I will stick to the facts....

I have been banded for almost a year.

I have had the ride of my life just learning how to deal with my band

Alot of pb's and general stress regarding eating too fast, too much, wrong food etc.

I have only lost 30 lbs. Most within the 1st 2 months and I keep losing and gaining the same 10lbs for months now.

Im in this stressful place where my head hunger rules and I need some guidance to get out of that cycle - simply clicking my heels is not working to get me where I want to be.

I live in Canada, I am a married mom of 2 boys and I'm 41 years old.

I paid for my band out of pocket so I really want to give this a good go.

I want to lose another 65lbs so I can get under 200. Thats the BIG Goal.

I am giving myself another year to get this done.

I am honest and tell it like it is. I would be grateful for some support from someone who will stick with me and text often to check in and keep me focused and offer suggestions.

Please message me if you up for the ride...

Hi there, I'm in Canada , Ontario. So I too paid out of pocket. Where do u get banded? Do they offer counselling? I'm 6 days post op. replace the head hunger with an activity, walking?

Maybe try logging calories, myfitnesspal.

Good Luck!

Do you have restriction? In the green zone?

Learning to eat slow, small and chew chew chew has been my most difficult task in this journey. It's hard to do and I still struggle to this day. Got stuck this morning and probably 3 other times this week. And I know I need another fill. If I follow the rules I never get stuck but I seldom feel satisfied. Sound familiar?

I too fight the head hunger main ring bout every afternoon, late. That's why I believe I need another fill so that I can stay satisfied longer and maybe not even think about food. Good luck.

tmf

I am in the exact same boat... Banded in late March 2012 paid out of pocket and have only lost about 48lbs... it gets really discouraging when friends of mine have gotten banded within the last 3 months and have already lost close to 40lbs.. Some days I feel like im in the "green zone" and then BOOM I'm hungry right after I eat breakfast or lunch.. today I went in for a fill and have 8.5.cc's in a 14cc band... hopefully this fill will be that magic one!

Why do we get fills? To STOP or CURVE or eating...

I got stuck a lot during that learning phase because for years I ate poorly, and then, with the band I continued to eat poorly...let's face it, we simply have no concept of what eating properly is like....The way I eat now, like a bird the expression goes...I would never have imagined myself eating this way...thought it would not be possible, and thought it had to be unhealthy....all bad habits I learned growing up...

Many people count calories, keep a food journal.....for me, that screwed my head up....so now, I do not count calories. Stopped doing so 2-3 months after surgery...

What i did do is let the band be in control...I learned to "Listen to the Band"

I do not worry about how much I eat, whether I am getting enough calories or not....all I worry about is getting my Protein and Water...and when I do eat, I make sure I make good food choices....healthy food, high in protein.

I do everything I can to be active...go to the gym 5 days a week....why? To burn calories....

Loosing weight has always been about calories consumed versus calories burned......

I have friends who have never been fat in their life.....real health nuts....I pace myself when I am with them...these people NEVER want to eat....and they sure as heck don't count calories!

But they are ALL into something physically....one of them is a Professional Cyclist....competing all over the country....

This is a bit of an exaggeration...but i sometimes have images of P.O.W.'s, and how thin and sickly they looked in those pictures....can count every bone in their body....now imagine those same poor men, and how they would look if they had all the protein, water, and Vitamins they wanted?

In a way, that's how I feel....I have all the protein, water and vitamins I need.....and eating does not interest me, and is certainly not an obsession....