So I had a fill scheduled for later in the month and moved it up 2 weeks because I'm tired of gaining and losing the same 3 pounds for the last 2 weeks.

I can see from my food log I'm eating less, from my exercise log I'm exercising more, and my pant sizes are getting smaller but the scale which I've always been able to accept fluctuations on before is driving me nuts.

Am I jumping the gun? Expecting too much change too quickly? I still get stuck occasionally but I'm not feeling as full as I did during the first month after surgery.

Full as in 'I'm so full I can't eat another bite'. Or full as in 'I'm comfortable and satisfied with the amount I just finished'... Are you still hungry an hour after a meal? From your posts I think you're pretty focused on what you can eat and the amounts and I'm sure you're getting enough protein? If you're still hungry I would think you're in need of another fill.

another way of knowing you need a fill is when you find that you are able to eat things that you normally wouldnt be able to eat.

You need a fill if you're hunger isn't well controlled. If you can go at least 4 hours on a cup or less of food without hunger, you don't need a fill likely. If you can't then you probably do.

Just remember plateaus are normal and that adding Fluid to band won't make you lose weight. The weight loss comes from burning more calories than you consume. The band is there to control your hunger.

Best wishes

Frederic,

Since it sounds like you keep good accountability of your food and exercise log, what's is your avg daily deficit compared to your BMR? This is what will or won't determine weight loss.

As far as whether you need a fill or not...for me, my experience was I needed/wanted a fill if I wasn't satisfied on what was supposed to be a band sized amount of food. (I needed/wanted more) And/or felt HUNGRY shortly after eating a small amount.

Keep in mind, you mention you already occasionally get stuck. Getting a fill MIGHT make that more noticable, unless you're willing to really slow down eating and really chew. You can read on here every day about people getting a fill, then "needing" an unfill. Do they really need the unfill, or do they need to adjust to the new restriction level? I don't know, but I needed to adjust my eating habits.

I would suggest that getting a fill shouldn't be based on a two week weight "plateau", but rather more on your HUNGER level. The band now controls that hunger level, for me.

I agree with Catfish. If you are noticing your clothes are looser, you are doing great and probably gaining muscle. I eat about 1 and a half cups of food for my meal and a snack in the afternoon. One fill only. Everyone is different. Don't get too tight. It is a slow process. Hang in there and keep doing what you are doing. Dont rush it.

I usually maintain a 500 to 1000 calorie deficit depending on how much exercise I get in.

A month ago I would feel satisfied on 1/3 cup of food now I don't feel satisfied until closer to 2 or 3 cups and feel hungry more frequently. A month ago I wouldn't feel like eating anything until 2 or 3pm now I'm needing a high Protein snack around 10 or 11am and feeling hungry again about 3 hrs later.

As for getting stuck when it happened a month ago it would ruin my appetite for the rest of the meal and I'd realize I was satisfied but now I'm hungry again once the stuck feeling passes.

Unless I'm misinterpreting everyone's input I believe I'll request a small fill.

I usually maintain a 500 to 1000 calorie deficit depending on how much exercise I get in.

A month ago I would feel satisfied on 1/3 cup of food now I don't feel satisfied until closer to 2 or 3 cups and feel hungry more frequently. A month ago I wouldn't feel like eating anything until 2 or 3pm now I'm needing a high Protein snack around 10 or 11am and feeling hungry again about 3 hrs later.

As for getting stuck when it happened a month ago it would ruin my appetite for the rest of the meal and I'd realize I was satisfied but now I'm hungry again once the stuck feeling passes.

Unless I'm misinterpreting everyone's input I believe I'll request a small fill.

I agree, it sounds like you need one.

How did you know it was time for another fill?

Mr Dr. had the Yellow-Green-Red chart on the wall....and after weighing me in and looking at the weight lost/gained over the last 30 days, and asking a few questions, he would refer to the chart and ask me where I felt I was with my band, on that chart....The HE would make the decision whether I needed a fill or not, and how much....

He made it very plain from the start, that the "Green Zone" was where he wanted me to be in order to get the full benefit of the band....

Took 3 fills one month apart, but he got me there....but then it was up to me to adjust and learn to live with it...which I did...that was 2 years ago and I have been in the Green ever since...

So bottom line, it is up to your Dr.'s protocol and treatment plan.....

I usually maintain a 500 to 1000 calorie deficit depending on how much exercise I get in.

A month ago I would feel satisfied on 1/3 cup of food now I don't feel satisfied until closer to 2 or 3 cups and feel hungry more frequently. A month ago I wouldn't feel like eating anything until 2 or 3pm now I'm needing a high Protein snack around 10 or 11am and feeling hungry again about 3 hrs later.

As for getting stuck when it happened a month ago it would ruin my appetite for the rest of the meal and I'd realize I was satisfied but now I'm hungry again once the stuck feeling passes.

Unless I'm misinterpreting everyone's input I believe I'll request a small fill.

That sounds normal. If you are only having a snack in the mid morning and not eating for 3 hours, that is great! Are you eating dense protein or soft protein? I eat about 1 to 1 1/2 c for my meals and am good for 4-5 hours. Don't get me wrong, I snack! But that keeps me from worry about overeating at one time and I keep my calorie count down. I have never been stuck. If you are having stuck episodes, NO FILL!

That sounds normal. If you are only having a snack in the mid morning and not eating for 3 hours' date=' that is great! Are you eating dense Protein or soft protein? I eat about 1 to 1 1/2 c for my meals and am good for 4-5 hours. Don't get me wrong, I snack! But that keeps me from worry about overeating at one time and I keep my calorie count down. I have never been stuck. If you are having stuck episodes, NO FILL![/quote']

How do you define dense versus soft? I'm usually having a protien bar (slendesta or Kellogg) as my first food of the day (I don't know if that makes it Breakfast or a snack).

Other examples of Snacks I'll have are a 1oz. Chunk of cheese (100 calories), pack of deli sliced lunch meat (90 calories), or maybe some nuts (preferably almonds but occasionally peanuts or cashews). Would those be dense or soft protien?

I think what you are doing is great. I don't eat Protein bars or drinks. It really depends on what your nut wants you to do. Mine always says don't worry about counting Proteins if you are eating healthy. I eat hard cheese over cottage cheese. I just buy Cabot 50 or 75% reduced fat cheddar. I also wrapped my lunch meat around a slice of cheese and a pickle (for some crunch). I didn't eat bread for the first 8 months. Now I eat the Arnold half round flat bread as my nut says you need good fiber/carbs. I make my sandwich with 1/2 a slice. Lots of chicken and fish and even pulled pork. Ground turkey in everything instead of ground beef (meatloaf, spaghetti sauce and tacos). I also did not eat salad for the first 8 months. I considered that a filler food that doesn't stay with you. I also tried to burn as many or close to the amount I was eating. I have lost 158 pounds since 1/30/12. I am trying to maintain now, but still losing a little. Hard to let up on the exercise as I exercise everyday 1 to 1/2 hours.

Keep up the good work! Find what dense proteins you like and that stick to your ribs and keep doing it. Stay away from things that can slide through (yogurt). Just because it may be high in protein doesn't mean it will stick to your ribs. In the early stages these are good to get it all in while you are healing, but after a couple months you need to transition to real food. That is how you will eat the rest of your life, not yogurt and drinks. I even eat sweet potato French fries! They are high in Vit A.

Don't forget you are still battling head hunger too! That is a bear. Stick to your 1 c of food and when done wait at least 20 minutes to see how you feel. It takes your brain that long to realize you don't need anymore!