I have just had a long needed fill and I immediately felt better; stronger. I lost a few pounds, but now it's back. I'm eating low fat, low calorie, higher protein Healthy Choice dinners because my husband is away (military). I'm using my protein in my coffee rather than sugar and cream.... I need some strength from those in the know.

Microwave dinners are very high in sodium and can cause you to retain fluids. You say you lost but gained? How much and over what period?

It's good that you're making higher Protein choices. My suggestion is, to stay away from the frozen boxed foods, and make a dense protein pot of something that you can eat for a few days (if cooking for one is an issue). The frozen meals (unless they're specifically low carb....like Atkins), tend to leave you wanting more. Dense protein will quell cravings, and keep you satisfied for longer.

If the issue is head hunger, or eating out of boredom, loneliness (missing/worrying about your husband)......anything OTHER than physical hunger, then you will have to find something to take yourself out of that space. Get out of the house and go for a walk. Run errands.....even if you don't feel like it. Take a long hot bath. You have to find the thing that works for you. We can suggest how to deal with part of this, but head hunger is a whole other thing; it's the curse that haunts us and has gotten us to this point.

BeeKipp - try & focus on your journey so far. Think about all of the time and effort put into bringing you to the lower weight you are today. Do you really want to sabotage ALL of that? I know that this is the most difficult thing that many of us face every day. We can go through long periods where we're really on track, and have everything under control. Then SOMEthing shakes our foundation, and the first thing we want to run to, is food. The best suggestion I can give for sitting & wanting to eat for any other reason that true hunger, is to find something else to occupy your mind. For me, walking in a beautiful place helps, or a nice long bath.

Good luck.....you CAN do this!!!

Bee - are you counting your calories; using a program like MyFitnessPal? If your issue isn't head hunger, then maybe your calorie intake is too high, even though you're making healthier choices?

I can relate ~ my husband is Military also....I would ditch the boxed meals and track your food on something like myfitnesspal, make sure you get at least 60 gms of protein and drink a lot of water...if you aren't exercising start out by walking. But don't give up, you can do it....Best Wishes

Thank you! A lot of it is head hunger and it's at night. I want to eat when I'm stressed, unhappy, etc.. I can keep busy during the day but not at night. Can you believe that we don't have a bathtub in our home?? Three bathrooms and not one bathtub!

Can you share any of your dense Protein recipes?

It's good that you're making higher protein choices. My suggestion is, to stay away from the frozen boxed foods, and make a dense protein pot of something that you can eat for a few days (if cooking for one is an issue). The frozen meals (unless they're specifically low carb....like Atkins), tend to leave you wanting more. Dense protein will quell cravings, and keep you satisfied for longer.

If the issue is head hunger, or eating out of boredom, loneliness (missing/worrying about your husband)......anything OTHER than physical hunger, then you will have to find something to take yourself out of that space. Get out of the house and go for a walk. Run errands.....even if you don't feel like it. Take a long hot bath. You have to find the thing that works for you. We can suggest how to deal with part of this, but head hunger is a whole other thing; it's the curse that haunts us and has gotten us to this point.

BeeKipp - try & focus on your journey so far. Think about all of the time and effort put into bringing you to the lower weight you are today. Do you really want to sabotage ALL of that? I know that this is the most difficult thing that many of us face every day. We can go through long periods where we're really on track, and have everything under control. Then SOMEthing shakes our foundation, and the first thing we want to run to, is food. The best suggestion I can give for sitting & wanting to eat for any other reason that true hunger, is to find something else to occupy your mind. For me, walking in a beautiful place helps, or a nice long bath.

Good luck.....you CAN do this!!!

I will get on myfitnespal right now! Thanks everyone. I need to fight my head hunger and hopefully being more in control of counting my calories will help. Here's hoping.

Thank you! A lot of it is head hunger and it's at night. I want to eat when I'm stressed, unhappy, etc.. I can keep busy during the day but not at night. Can you believe that we don't have a bathtub in our home?? Three bathrooms and not one bathtub!

Can you share any of your dense Protein recipes?

Bee - I've ALWAYS said that if there wasn't life after dinner, I would be thin!! Night demons.......shared by SO many of us

Since being banded, I've found that anything made with ground meat is best; ground turkey, lamb, beef, etc. One of my staples (I make it at least once a week):

1 pound of ground beef or turkey - browned with a little salt, pepper & garlic powder, drained of excess fat.

I mix in one can of Rosarita traditional refried Beans, and once can of black beans (I do not drain the liquid from the black beans.....it keeps the whole thing more moist)

Mix this all together in the pot, heat through, and enjoy! This is my new comfort food, and it's high in protein, and low in fat/calories. I eat about 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup. That's all I need.

This past week I browned a pound of ground lamb (same way as above), but added chopped onion. Then I added a can of cream of mushroom Soup, mushrooms, and some cooked quinoa. It was REALLY good!

Sometimes, I'll make some Pasta sauce with a pound of ground turkey or beef, and I'll eat my usual 1/2-2/3 cup without pasta. You can be very creative with ground meat, and I've found it to be very "band friendly".

I'm pretty good about putting all of my food into MyFitnessPal. It's amazing how quickly daily calories add up, and the program keeps me on track; not only with calories, but with my daily protein intake. I keep that to a minimum of 60 grams, up to about 85 (sometimes more, depending on the day).

A suggestion for evenings.... My doctor is completely against eating anything at night. I understand why, but it's not realistic for me. I'm going to eat a snack at night, whether I'm hungry or not. It's just not something I'm going to give up......like a baby that needs that last bottle before bedtime

My suggestion is, when logging your calories for the day, make sure to leave a little bit for night time. Allow yourself that one thing, but don't eat it too early after dinner. Make yourself wait, so when you're done, you're not that far from bedtime. For me, that can be some Greek yogurt or an Atkins bar (one of the 130 calorie ones......tastes just like a Snickers). Some small, under 180 calorie snack. That way I don't feel deprived, and that need for my "last bottle" has been satisfied - LOL! I've been able to alter SO many things since being banded, but the evening snack isn't one of them. And I'm okay with it, even though it's against "doctor's orders". My calories are in check, and so am I

Another idea - though I haven't done it yet, is to make ground meat meals in muffin tins. My friend is hooked on them, and I've read some on here as well. Another way to make a few measured meals at one time, that lasts a few days.

THANK YOU!!! I will try this. Although I feel great about my last fill I think I will need one more. I also need to remember not to drink while I eat. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Water and I drink a lot of it.

Wow, I have forgotten my basic rules; I have really fallen off the wagon. Light has just dawned on marble head!! I haven't been portioning out my meals; chewing slowly and completely; stopping when I felt full or comfortable....

I'm a full-time student and when classes were in full swing and finals approached I lost focus on my weight loss. I stopped coming here.... I'm so thankful that I posted today.

Bee - I've ALWAYS said that if there wasn't life after dinner, I would be thin!! Night demons.......shared by SO many of us

Since being banded, I've found that anything made with ground meat is best; ground turkey, lamb, beef, etc. One of my staples (I make it at least once a week):

1 pound of ground beef or turkey - browned with a little salt, pepper & garlic powder, drained of excess fat.

I mix in one can of Rosarita traditional refried Beans, and once can of black beans (I do not drain the liquid from the black beans.....it keeps the whole thing more moist)

Mix this all together in the pot, heat through, and enjoy! This is my new comfort food, and it's high in Protein, and low in fat/calories. I eat about 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup. That's all I need.

This past week I browned a pound of ground lamb (same way as above), but added chopped onion. Then I added a can of cream of mushroom soup, mushrooms, and some cooked quinoa. It was REALLY good!

Sometimes, I'll make some Pasta sauce with a pound of ground turkey or beef, and I'll eat my usual 1/2-2/3 cup without pasta. You can be very creative with ground meat, and I've found it to be very "band friendly".

I'm pretty good about putting all of my food into MyFitnessPal. It's amazing how quickly daily calories add up, and the program keeps me on track; not only with calories, but with my daily protein intake. I keep that to a minimum of 60 grams, up to about 85 (sometimes more, depending on the day).

A suggestion for evenings.... My doctor is completely against eating anything at night. I understand why, but it's not realistic for me. I'm going to eat a snack at night, whether I'm hungry or not. It's just not something I'm going to give up......like a baby that needs that last bottle before bedtime

My suggestion is, when logging your calories for the day, make sure to leave a little bit for night time. Allow yourself that one thing, but don't eat it too early after dinner. Make yourself wait, so when you're done, you're not that far from bedtime. For me, that can be some Greek yogurt or an Atkins bar (one of the 130 calorie ones......tastes just like a Snickers). Some small, under 180 calorie snack. That way I don't feel deprived, and that need for my "last bottle" has been satisfied - LOL! I've been able to alter SO many things since being banded, but the evening snack isn't one of them. And I'm okay with it, even though it's against "doctor's orders". My calories are in check, and so am I

Another idea - though I haven't done it yet, is to make ground meat meals in muffin tins. My friend is hooked on them, and I've read some on here as well. Another way to make a few measured meals at one time, that lasts a few days.

Be your own motivation. Want to lose! Yes, I too recommend My Fitness Pal, and I would also suggest an evening hobby. Sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, anything to keep the hands busy! Good luck. You can beat head hunger.

You got this Beekipp!!

Question- the frozen meals, are they high in sodium? If so that can prevent you from losing weight. I try to eat as fresh as possible now and I also stay away from agave because it stabilizes weight too

I never really thought about that because I drink SO much Water every day (at least a gallon; I fill my 32oz bottle over and over...) and I don't use salt on anything. I'm going to try MRSINTO's recipe and cut out the boxed and see if that makes a difference. Tonight? I'm have a Greek yogurt for snack time!!!

Question- the frozen meals, are they high in sodium? If so that can prevent you from losing weight. I try to eat as fresh as possible now and I also stay away from agave because it stabilizes weight too

I would encourage you to take a page from your husband's military training and focus on building habits.

Record your food no matter what even if you don't get the calories exactly right, you can always get better at counting calories but if you don't record what you ate in the first place it isn't going to happen.

Second of all start adding in time for exercise. Even if it starts out as taking a 1 minute walk around the house. Once taking that walk is a habit it'll be much easier to turn it into a full blown workout just make it a minute longer every few weeks.