Hi, I have only lost 26 pounds in five months :-(

I have got a 1.9cc fill as my first fill. I am exercising, but just cannot seem to control my intake.

a typical day: Big grilled chicken salad

two pieces of pizza

3 yogurts

poptarts, grits

fruit

(1600 calories)

Sounds like time for another fill to me!! No offense intended but it might also be time to clean out the kitchen of the pop tarts, and pizza, and things that tempt you so much right now---I know I had to...it seemed such a waste...but as someone pointed out to me I could eat it and it could go to waist, or toss it and it could go to waste-----!

A good level of restriction will help you control your intake, schedule another fill!!

Good Luck!!

Kat

any protein??????????????????

You might try things like cottage cheese, and very soft salads (chicken salad, egg salad etc.) and maybe push your protein for a couple of days with some shakes or something. I don't think it could hurt to try, and just see if it settles down, no sense in unfilling if you can adjust. Hope it hurries up and feels better!

Kat

I'll second the two main suggestions you have gotten, consider getting a fill and look at what you are eating. Lean protein and veggies first!

Hi Chatbutter:)

Sounds like your eatting to many calories, I have been told 1000-1200 cals a day. By the dietition and surgon.

Try reducing cals and eatting different things, pizza is a definate no no.:phanvan Don't no how you manage the base.

my diet consists of:-

breakfast

musuli bar or porrige orange juice

Lunches

pitta bread or wrap with salad and meat or fish

crisp bread with tuna or low fat cheese

Tea

steamed veg small jact potatoe, fish chicken

sweet and sour chicken

snacks

cup a soup

fruit

rice cakes

plenty of water, coffee, dilute juice etc

Hope this helps, had my op about 6 1/2 months ago lost 50lb so far

LANA X

Hi Chatbutter

Yeah, based on what you are eating, it sorta does seem right. I know, from experience. I have lost 35 pounds since my surgery - all because I didn't have restriction for the first 9 months - and because I wasn't motivated to make many changes in my eating pattern.

I don't know what size slices of pizza you have - but I am thinking MAYBE you are underestimating the calorie count, a bit.

I know that your standard restaurant slice is good for 4-500 calories, depending on how much stuff is on it. And I am assuming that large salad had croutons and dressing on it, right? Lots of hidden calories, there.

Get another fill - and try to be BRUTALLY honest about the calories.

It gets easier with better restriction - but it is still up to you to decide whether you are going to eat empty calories like pop tarts, or whether you are going to eat the same volume of food in raw vegetables or Protein.

I am not saying that losing the weight slowly is particularly WRONG - but you should just expect this level and speed of loss if you continue to eat the way you have always eaten. I know from experience. :]

Exercise is important, too. You can eat the occassional pop tart, if you are burning off those calories on the treadmill.

Even though the band is a great tool, we still have to work it. Sucks, huh?

Good Luck!

but just cannot seem to control my intake.

Your intake can be controlled if you cut out all of those carbs in the pop tarts and pizza and all of the sugar in the fruit and yogurt guaranteed! . Where is your 60 grams of Protein we bandsters are suppossed to eat on a daily basis. It is a proven fact that protein will curb your appetite and control hunger. It is also a proven fact that carbs and sugar only make you crave more carbs and sugar. Try protein for a day or two and I bet you money you will see a huge difference in your hunger. My advice to you is protein and more protein..cut out the crap food for awhile.

Wow ! I cannot imagine eating that sort of diet with the band. Protein first, then veges and fruits. There should not be much if any "room" for Pop Tarts and such ! Try to steer clear of most breads and white starchy or sugary things; they are evil ! Honestly, you will feel more satiated with healthier foods and you will lose a lot faster. That being said, EMBRACE the fact that you have taken off 25 pounds in a few short months !!! Congratulations !!!!! Think of where you may have been without your band ! If you think about next year at this time, you will probably have lost a lot more weight. BYE BYE Pop Tarts, grits and evil things like pizza and Hello lean protein, fruits and veges !!!!

Thanks guys, I know my eating habits are horrible, and I think the first step is to admit it. I just have felt this thing was so useless. I have been exercising for 30 minutes a day, and I use to be able to eat a whole box of cookies, or cereal (along with a half gallon milk) in one sitting. I am having a really difficult time staying away from temptation. Oh its awful, I need some ideas for what I can eat, that will satisfied these binge eating cycles of mine

i also force myself to eat one salad a day, when you guys say fruits and vegetables I am so disappointed that Iw ill have to choke down TWO salads a day. what do you do for variation?

Chabutter, we were banded on the same day! I know you're disappointed in your weight loss. It sounds like you need another fill, but you also need to ditch the simple carbs, which just make you crave more carbs! Instead, eat more protein! It definitely helps keep you full longer.

Don't worry about the salads. You don't need to eat salads at all. Some bandsters can't eat salads, because the lettuce gets stuck. Others avoid lettuce just because it's bulky and doesn't have a great nutritional value. I eat them, but I always make sure I get in my Protein, too. So, I might eat a cup of lettuce, 3-4 oz. of leftover chicken cut up on top, and a tablespoon or two of light or thin dressing.

Tami

I know it can be frustrating, but the best thing to do is to really take a long, hard look at both the portions and the types of foods that you are eating. For example...I used to eat a 'big grilled chicken salad' several times a week for lunch before I was banded, too. The only problem was -- the salad consisted of big croutons, cheese, oodles of dressing, and 8-10 oz of chicken -- way more than anyone needs. Once I got honest with myself and took a look at the 'real' portions involved, the salad alone was over 1000 calories. Now...add to that, the following:

(I got all of these numbers off of calorie-king.com -- one of my favorite websites for keeping me honest.)

500 for 2 slices of pizza (that is a conservative estimate -- if it was a frozen cheese pizza -- no toppings, no extra crust)

300 - 500 for the 3 lowfat yogurts

210 per pop tart

150 per cup of grits

...and a few hundred for your fruit...and you're looking at more like 2200 calories with most of that being carbs.

I know for me, when I am brutally honest with myself, that I can start to figure out why I don't lose sometimes. I am currently 4 months out, but have not had my first fill. I was losing really well until about a week ago. I have an appointment in a few weeks and will have my first fill and hope that will help to get things moving again. In the meantime, though, I am going to take a long, hard look at the facts, myself -- good ol' calorie-king.com here I come -- and I suspect that I will start losing again just by paying closer attention to what I am putting into my mouth...especially once I finally get that fill!

Best wishes...you CAN do this!

i also force myself to eat one salad a day, when you guys say fruits and vegetables I am so disappointed that Iw ill have to choke down TWO salads a day. what do you do for variation?

If you don't like salads, don't eat them. I almost never do, because then I want dressing and cheese and all that stuff that makes them high-calorie and kind of defeats the purpose.

For veggies - I like steamed brocolli, brussel sprouts, cooked or raw carrots, actually pretty much any steamed veggie with a little salt and butter, or those Butter Buds that are in the spice aisle.

I also love sauteed mushrooms - I cook some minced garlic in a little olive oil and basalmic vineger, then add some sliced mushrooms and cook them. Makes a nice little side dish.

I will not lose weight if I do not hit my Protein values. There aren't many things in ly life that are "sure", but that's one of them.

Work on hard Proteins. By "hard" I mean proteins you have to chew, with bulk, that will fill your pouch and not run through. Having food sitting in your pouch is what makes you feel full, so the longer the protein is there, the better. Example - fish over a Protein shake, or a Protein Bar over cottage cheese... heck, even large curd over small curd cottage cheese. String cheese over yogurt. Eat your proteins first.

If you want a vegetable, don't automatically think "salad". Most lettuce is nothing more than crunchy Water. Nutritionally that does you no good. If you want a salad, make sure you focus on the darker leafy greens, such as the outer leaves from a head of romaine, or spinach. They at least have some nutrition. If you're eating iceberg, you may as well be dunking ice chips in dressing.

Better than salads - some raw or steamed veggies. Beans are good for you and have protein. Yes, there are carbs in beans, but they're "good" carbs (as opposed to something like a candy bar or orange juice). I enjoy some cold sliced Jicama, and it keeps me full. Or look at veggies that will supplement your Fiber intake.

I think you're well aware that your food choices aren't good ones. I honestly will not buy things like pop-tarts because if they're in the house, I can eat them. I do buy snack foods, but I make them band friendly. Here's one of my favorites:

Buy a pack of Turkey pepperoni. Hormel makes it and it's usually kept with the regular pepperoni. Looks like the same little package only it has "Turkey" in a green box, or something like that. Very high in protein, very low in fat and calories. Put them single layer on a paper plate or about 6 paper towels, and microwave until they stop popping, about 1.5 mins, but watch to make sure they don't burn. As soon as you take them out, press them with a wad of paper towels to absorb the excess grease from the top, and push the bottoms into the paper plate or towels. This will also "dry" them and make them crunchy. I eat them plain, or with a little cream cheese (particularly tasty with the garden veggie kind), or even use them as scoops for my cottage cheese. If I'm going to the movies, or travelling, I will bring a bag of them with me for snacking. And they can make a pretty good meal substitute in a pinch. I always have a bag of them in the fridge at work, ready to go if I need them.

Nuts make a good snack, particularly almonds (which, go figure, I don't like). The key is to buy raw ones whenver possible. A lot of extra oils and saturated fats are added during some of the processing, so always opt for plain old "shelled" when you can.

1.9cc fill in what size band? Why haven't you gotten another fill?

Yup. veggie does not equal salad. Here are some ideas that I make frequently:

Bruschetta - saute a large minced garlic clove, a half tsp of thyme, 3 or 4 sliced shallots and a small can of sliced button mushrooms until the shallots are sweated and the mushrooms are done popping. Sprinkling them with Kosher salt when you add them will help pull out the moisture. (I watch too much Alton Brown). When the sautee is done, add a large can of chopped tomatoes, drained. Cook until the tomatoes start to dry down a little, then top the pan off with chicken broth and reduce, repeat until you've added & reduced the whole carton. Slice a baguette in very thin slices. Top with a sized piece of provolone. When the tomato mixture is done cooking (e.g. all broth is reduced out and tomatoes are "gooey"), place on top of the "croutons", and top with another piece of provolone. Bake until the cheese is brown & bubbly.

Veggie kabobs - one of the greatest ways to eat them. I use mushrooms, onions, hubby adds a few others. Just mist with evoo and grill.

Wrapped asparagus - wash a bundle or two of asaparagus and dry. Coat a cutting board with evoo and roll the asparagus in it (like with your hand on top of them, moving back and forth... like how you roll playdoh into a "worm"... whatever, you'll figure it out! ) Sprinkle with garlic powder. Gather into bundles of 5 or 6 stalkes and wrap either a piece of bacon around them, or a piece of proscuitto. Fasten with toothpick, and grill until done.

These are just a few, tons more out there. Don't let veggies be limited to "salad"!