Friends, I need help. No judgments, please; just help. I am 7 months post op, have had 3 or 4 fills, but have only lost about 20 pounds (and that was in the first 2 months, so I have lost no weight in like 5 months!) I do believe my band is working , because I can feel food get stuck if I don't chew we'll enough. And I definitely eat less at each sitting than I used to. But I don't eat like a toddler, which I wish I did. It takes 4-5 slices of pizza or a whole sandwich to fill me up. I think the problem is that I'm still making poor food choices most of the time: junk food, processed food, high sugar, high fat. I get it, get it, get it that the band won't change your habits but I guess I was just hoping and thinking that it would help me eat less of EVERYTHING and that would enable me to lose weight, even if it was more slowly than some people lost.

Since my banding I have been determined to lose the excess weight. I set a calorie limit for myself, and I write down everything I eat...everything. I rarely go over my limit but if I do, I forgive myself and keep going. At my height (5ft) I knew that it wouldn't be difficult to consume more calories than I could burn in a day. On one of my early visits to the surgeon I asked him if I should be worried about not eating enough. As long as I am taking the vitamins and calcium that I need, I needn't be concerned. Having been overweight by roughly 100 lbs., I have fat stored aplenty. I liked that idea. I am turning the fat into energy, and as I use it, my weight goes down. If you're hungry all the time, I've found that chicken or fish, a dense protein, stays with me longer. You have to give up the junk food. I know that you know this, but you have to just do it. I know you can do it.

I'm sorry you're struggling.

From reading your post, I think you may have two issues in your way. First, your food choices. If you're not making healthy food choices then you really have nowhere to even start. I know it's hard in the beginning but in order to be successful with the band healthy food choices are crucial.

The second thing is over-eating. You wrote "It takes 4-5 slices of pizza or a whole sandwich to fill me up". If you're eating until you're full then you're eating too much. With the band, you should be eating until you're satisfied not full. This is one of the many reasons it's important to stick to band sized portions.

Here is a really great link. Have a look, I think it will help you considerably to have a better understanding of the band: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

In the end, losing weight comes down to basic math. When you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. Do you track your calories? If not, you should because it's the easiest way to assure you're not eating too many calories.

Best wishes.

I would suggest a visit to your nutritionist to help you select better food choices. Are you tracking your calories? Exercising? Also, try not to focus on feeling full, but rather feeling satisfied on smaller portions. If you are able to eat 4 or 5 pieces of pizza, you may not be properly adjusted. Utilize your bariatric team, they are there to help you. Best wishes.

Learning is the hardest part of this journey. Learn from our mistakes.... You have received excellent advice from others. Better food choices combined with sufficient exercise and you will get the ball rolling. You should not be able to eat that much at one time so the band as a tool is not yet afforded you sufficient restriction... Do something like the pouch test just prior to another fill and then buckle down and continue with fills until you reach the restriction sweet spot. It takes some longer than others to get to...

Brad

We all have the same struggle or wouldn't have had WLS in the first place. I really really really want the band to do my work and just physically cut me off so I can't possibly eat anymore. In the beginning, I think that happened. But not now. Here are the absolute essentials for me:

• Absolutely, under no circumstances, can I drink anything with my meal or have any type of liquid that will let the food slide through (gravy, sauce, etc). If I do, I can eat as much as I want (and that's a lot).
  
• I must - and trust me I hate this part - exercise. I hate to do it, but if I don't exercise I will not lose weight. Not only does it burn really stubborn fat, but it actually helps me make better food choices, too. If I spend 30 minutes dying on the elliptical at 5:30 in the morning, I'll be damned if I'll eat those 300 calories back in 30 seconds with a freakin' Almond Joy!
  
• I have to track my food and exercise to make myself face the reality of how much I am consuming/burning. I am really really good at avoiding. If I make myself be brutally honest, it's much easier to stop when I should. Something about having to 'fess up to My Fitness Pal works for me. Plus, it's super easy to think that it's ok to eat 3 Fiber One brownies throughout the day because they are small and only have 90 calories each. But guess what - if I do, I might as well have just had the Almond Joy and been done with it. (...guess what I've been craving lately...)
  

So those are my absolutes. I must force myself to do those things. Oh - and when I do really go crazy and just blow it - I must look at the scale and face it. But there is a fine balance between facing it and punishing myself. The scale is a demon. I must look, but I must not look too much. Recently, I've been doing well and the scale hasn't budged. That just makes me mad and when I get pissy like that I want to just say "Screw it, then - I'll do what I want if it doesn't make a difference anyway." So for now I'm not allowed to look at the scale until the end of the month unless I think I may have gained weight.

I really wanted the band to be my bouncer who would throw me out of the bar when I've had too much. That way, I wouldn't have to think about it and I wouldn't have to be the one to say "enough." (Because quite frankly - I seldom feel like it's "enough.") But it's still all on me. Ugh! I do feel your pain!

Shelly

Everyone is different but I was pretty much in your boat. I didn't lose anything for the first 6months and felt like a failure but I kept going to the Doctors and got fills and I have had many. Once I was adjusted properly I can't even think of eating pizza (my fav food from my old life). All I want now is fish and Tofu (crazy for me) and I am not really trying to eat healthly it is just those foods are what my band likes so bonus. Then you start on the path of losing and you are into it even more. Don't give up I was in bandster hell for a long time but keep going to your doctor you'll get there.

Pebbagirl- It looks like you are getting some great advice. The only thing I can add is it sounds like you need to start over with the low cal/low sugar/low fat/protein shakes diet. I am 8 days post op, do low/no sugar, low fat, low cal and I can't imagine eating pizza. I love pizza. I LOVED pizza. I can't imagine putting that into my body now as I would get incredibly sick because my body is not used to it anymore. You need to detox again, re-set your body back to a clean way of eating. We are all like drug addicts. We get our bodies detoxed and then if we go back and get a little hit of the high fat/high carb/high sugar stuff it is so hard to stop. You have done this once before and you can do it again! Someone else suggested the 5 day pouch test, which I think would be a great idea for you. You have the tools, now you need to get your head straight!

If you are on MyFitnessPal (or might sign up) I am happy to be an accountability partner (and always need more for myself) - I'm avivasrobinson on there.

Separately - what is a pouch test?

If you are on MyFitnessPal (or might sign up) I am happy to be an accountability partner (and always need more for myself) - I'm avivasrobinson on there.

Separately - what is a pouch test?

Someone else posted this so I can't take credit for this link, I just can't remember the original poster

http://www.5daypouchtest.com/

Thank You all so much! I'm serious! Thanks to each and every one of you. There was at least one gem of help in each post, which is exactly what I was looking for. I feel so encouraged now. I will read about the Pouch test and try it. I will figure out what my absolutes are. I will remember that I am not the Only one who has not lost much weight in the first six months. And I will keep coming back here and keep working on this weight loss journey for as long as it takes. You guys are awesome!

Pebbagirl,

I find that support is hugely important (as you can see from this thread alone). If you want to feel motivated to eat well, exercise, lose weight, post in these forums often, because there are good people here who can help you along.

And for what it's worth, I agree with Bambam, I cannot possibly eat 5 slices of pizza so I do think you need to go back to your dr and talk about further fills. Aftercare is so important with the band. You should be able to eat a small amount and have it keep you satisfied for hours. That generally will help with your cravings a lot of the time too.