Well hello!

Havn't been here for a long while. I started selling Pampered Chef and have been consumed with that. To make a long story short, I have only dropped 24 lbs since my banding in November 05. I am scheduled to go for a fill on Thursday this week and at this point I feel that the band is not working for me due to slow weight loss. I am totally embarrassed to show my face at the doc's office, because of my slow loss and I think I am going to get yelled at. Thing is, I can't eat large amounts. I eat small amounts and at least do not gain. I just don't know what to do. Any one got any input?

Thanks.

Schel

It's been said many times here - what's once more:

You need to go back to the beginning and follow the rules.

Protein first, then veggies - not potato - then carbs if you're still not satisfied. Eat until you're satisfied NOT FULL. The whole meal should be no more than a cup to two cups MAX and should be consumed within 30 minutes. Don't drink for 15 minutes before eating and then not until an hour after you've eaten. Don't drink any calories. Drink at least 64 oz of water every day. Three meals per day with 2 - 3 snacks (SNACKS not additional meals). Make good choices with regard to what your meals consist of.

Did I forget anything?

Stop eating crap. Stop overeating. Get some exercize.

What Donna said! :clap2:

I also feel that this check list is something we should all use as a plumb line. Have a peek at it and see where you stand before you go in for another fill. Since you said you can't eat much at a time, it might just mean that you already have enough restriction and just need to tweak other areas.

Adjustments

How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted

You are losing 1-2 pounds per week.

If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week:

A. You may need an eating adjustment

1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day

2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber

3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories

a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome”

b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram

(1) It’s also a stomach irritant

c. fruit juice is just sugar Water

4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of

foods?

a. Are you avoiding soft foods

b. You can’t just eat what’s easy

c. cheese is glorified fat

5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals

6. Are you eating too much junk

a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly

processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a

healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you

feel deprived.

b. Stay out of fast food places

7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily

8. Do you always eat the protein first

9. Then the vegetables or fruits

a. Five servings a day

b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable

10. Is your portion size appropriate?

a. meat or fish

(1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards

b. Vegetables

(1) ½ cup – the size of your fist

c. Starch

(1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need

much

(2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta

11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners

a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the

appetite

b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar

c. They teach you to like things too sweet

d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner

than people who don’t

12. Avoid most diet foods

a. Real food usually tastes better

b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes

c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not

that great

(1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet

margarine

(2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats

a. They may go into permanent storage

b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove

hydrolyzed fats from the body

B. You may need a behavior adjustment

1. Are you eating only when you are hungry?

a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait.

2. Are you eating three meals a day?

a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks

3. Are you sitting down to eat?

4. Are you eating consciously?

a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper

away, pay attention to your food and your companions

5. Are you eating slowly?

a. Put the fork down between bites

b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal

c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying

6. Are you taking small bites?

a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork

7. Are you chewing well?

8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals?

a. Practice water loading between meals

b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal

9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness?

a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough

b. Hard stop versus soft stop

10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing.

11. Do not eat when you are not hungry

C. You may need an activity adjustment

1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3

times a week?

a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day

b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week?

c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes?

2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your

physical activity?

a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators

b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding

c. Parking your car further away from the entrance

d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through

e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination

f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash

g. Playing with your kids

D. You may need an attitude adjustment

1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey?

2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are

eating and exercising?

a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days

3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional

issues?

a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your

eating?

b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those

emotions?

c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor?

4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings?

5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends?

6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically?

7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss

journey?

8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating?

a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts

(1) Obsess about something else

b. Perfectionism

(1) All or none, black and white thinking

c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss

9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards?

10. Have you learned how to take a compliment?

11. Are you giving up diet mentality?

a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day

b. Stop dieting

c. Stop depriving yourself

d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad”

e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food

12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?

E. You may need a band adjustment

1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate

portion sizes but getting hungry between meals?

2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large

portions.

3. You are having to struggle to lose

4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and

having a good mind set.

F. You may need your band loosened

1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down

2. You are vomiting too much

a. How much is too much?

3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night?

a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating

b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime

c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime

d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux:

(1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods

(2) Chocolate

(3) Caffeine

(4) Alcohol

(5) Some fruits and vegetables

a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers

(6) Peppermint

a. Baking soda toothpaste

(7) Carbonated drinks

e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals

f. If you smoke, quit smoking

g. Reduce stress

h. Exercise promotes digestion

i. Raise the head of your bed

j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist

k. Stress increases reflux

l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning

m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime

(1) Tylenol is OK

n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring

o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications

p. See your health care provider

4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if

a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest,

especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is

accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast

heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise.

c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you

also have nausea or fever

d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee

grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar

in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention

schel,

1st thing pick your self back up and get back on the horse. The band will work for you if you let it. Get your fill and tell the truth to your doc. Tell him why you think your not losing, eating cookies, eating carbs, or just eating around the band... You have to be the one who wants this band to work.... Good luck and keep us informed

Thank you so much for the "tough love" speech!! I needed it really bad! I also am going to face the music, see my doctor and start using my "tool" as I should have in the first place! I started today out with a skim milk latte with milk chocolate sugar free carnation instant breakfast. I also am having my 16 oz. of water this AM.

I am now going to my new Tony Little Gazelle for 10 minutes to start, and 10 minutes 2 more times today.

I am not mad at what everyone told me, I think I needed to have a bit of reality sent my way! So...

THANK YOU!!!!!

I will keep you informed on how my fill goes and thank you again!!!

Schel:)

Yay for you schel! I'm so happy for you that you're going to pull yourself up by your bootstraps (bandstraps?) and give yourself the success you deserve! Good for you.

Don't forget your water - seems like I do better when I get in the required amount of water.

Good job!

Well, my day was a sucess. I only put good things in my mouth and no "white" stuff. (as Oprah would say)

I have a major sugar withdrawel headache! It will be better tomorrow though.

Thank you again for your words of wisdom and tough love!

Now for Thursday.... not looking forward to that. So I'll go with my tail between my legs and raise my head high and suck it up!!!

Hopefully get another cc in my band which will put me at 8cc in my VG band.

Michelle

Hey everyone! To my surprise... I got on the scale today and am down 8 pounds. Imagine that follow the plan and it works!! DUH!..... I need to keep it up though! I have a goal, 15 lbs to go to fit into my dress for National Conference for Pampered Chef in Chicago!! I am going do it!

Schel :biggrin1:

Okay Schel how did you lose that 8 pounds? Way to go. I'm just like you, embarassed by slow weight loss. What exactly did you eat to jolt your system to give up those 8 pounds? Help.

Liquids and protein.... Protein Shakes and meat/cottege cheese protein. Fruits and veggies. "Nothing White" (carbs, bread, sugar, rice, etc...) I guess Oprah is right about the "Nothing White" thing, seems like my cravings for the naughty stuff is much less after 2-3 days without it.

Sugar Free EVERYTHING!!! In my coffee, my cream is sugar free and 1/2 skim milk, and a pkg of Carnation Instant Breakfast SF(chocolate) Makes it a low fat sugar free skim milk latte! And satisfies my sweet tooth and caffeine craving.

AND...... at least..... 64oz. of water or SF Ice tea. because, water gets old for me.

To my surprise, I did very well at the doc. today. Down 4 lbs from last weigh in on the docs scale, they (always weigh more seems like)

but at least I am going in the right direction now!

Take care, and Thank you everyone!

Schel

Schel - I applaud you! You sought advice, got it, applied it and are now seeing great results. Bravo!

Just want to let everyone know, I think I know what my "sweet spot" is finally. I have no desire to eat and if I do, I am full and satisfied after about a cup of food and not hungry for a long time.

Thanks again for the great advise to get back on track and go for my fill.

Schel

Good for you for finding your sweet spot!!! :clap2: I really hope I find mine soon. Sometimes I feel like I would like a small tweak to get there and other days my band is so tight I feel like that would make me uncomfortable. So for now I will hold out on my 2 fills (2.7 cc) and see if I can't lose more like this. I hear that there is a much higher risk of complications when your band is too tight so I am trying to avoid going there. Glad to hear that you got your WL jumpstarted again. I think I may need some advice from you on that too---my body gets stuck in plateaus and ruts.

~Liz~

banded 03/10/06

Dr.Ortiz

241/200/150

5'7''

Hi Schel. I, too was banded at Abbott - remember me? Anyway, remember that the lapband is not a fast weightloss method. It can take up to 5 yrs for us to reach our goal! Don't give up!