Checking in and sorting it out.

[desertpixie 76]

Hello! It has been a very long time since I came on here, i am giving myself a massive "sort it out" as i have been trying to get through everything with the knowledge I have, thinking I can do this on my own and actually, I don't think I can. So I have come back here to let you know what I have been doing in the hope someone can give me a kick up the arse or maybe share some insight or knowledge as to whether I am on the right track or not.

I had my surgery on the 4th Jan, so we're about 5 months in, I started at 97kg and am now at 88/87ish. So 10kg down - i'm pretty happy with this so far as slow and steady is good, but really I think it should be higher than this? Given I have a lapband and all? My end goal is 65, so i have about 30kg to go. Anything under 72kg and I am happy (this was the lightest I got one a previous diet).

So far I have had two fills, the first was 3cc the second 2cc. My next one on the 31st My will be 1cc. I am certainly having to watch more and more the foods I eat as I can certainly get a stuck feeling. Sometimes when I eat, it hurts if i haven't chewed enough or its something a bit tough - is this normal?

The only thing I am concerned about is the quantity of food I am eating. I always try and measure out where i can a cup full portion. If i go out for a meal and it's full size, I can usually get no more than half way through. I am assuming as the band gets tighter, this will go down and down.

My main question is, really could I do more? I am gyming a fair bit and am trying on average to get in 3-4 hours a week. The weight loss I wish could be faster, however I assume once I reach the "green zone" this will speed up. I'm trying not to get impatient! Also, one final question for those in the green zone - what does it feel like so i know what to look out for. I can go for about 4-5 hours in between meals just fine, but is it a feeling of tightness or a feeling of just not hungry at all?

Desert pixie

[2muchfun 8,928]

Yes, discomfort is normal if you don't chew enough or you eat too fast. Your stomach has a ring around it and it's just like a funnel, or picture an hourglass with sand in it. The smaller the hole/stoma becomes, the slower food will travel through. And, large chunks will take even longer. food can back up into your esophagus pressing on the sides of your esophagus which is slightly painful or uncomfortable. Like having a hacky sack stuck under your sternum?

There is no feeling for being in the green zone. It just means you can go 4-5 hours without being hungry and sounds like you're there? If you're eating like a Bandster and eating quality, nutritious and healthy foods, you should be losing 4-8 lbs a month. It's all about the math. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you lose fat. Most women consume between 900-1200 calories a day. How much for you?

[desertpixie 76]

I track everything I can and on average it's anywhere between 700 and 1100. I use myfitnesspal and a fitbit. My weight stalled for about 10 weeks and will drop a bit after a fill then plateau. I need to work harder on the quality of the food I eat as I do sometimes still eat poor choices. I try and eat as low carb as possible, eating whole foods where I can. I always thinki can do more, however my biggest concern is I am eating too much. I'm going to drop Snacks and try and eat more salads where I can. I suspect with a fill or two more the weight loss will be more consistent. I think for me that's what's missing, no consistent weight loss week after week. Even a lb a week. It's always a kilo or two after a fill, then nothing...

[2muchfun 8,928]

You might want to visit with a nutritionist familiar with Bariatrics? I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks post surgery and then nothing for the next 3.5 months. My nut pointed out how I could drop about 300 calories a day and what foods worked best with my band. By 5 months I was only down 20 lbs too so all is not lost.

Also, if you're exercising your clothes may fit looser than before. This means you're adding muscle and losing fat. The scale can't tell the difference but how your clothes fit sure can. 10 kilos of fat weighs the same as 10 kilos of muscle, but muscle is more dense than fat so muscle takes up less space. You won't see it on the scale, but you will see it if you measure inches/cm.

[enjoythetime 1,457]

This is just my opinion based on my own experience but if you're only consuming 700-900 calories per day on a regular basis, this could be cause for the scale to sloooow down, or hault, but like TMF stated it's not all about the # on the scale, typically when the scale stops moving you're losing inches!!

I would talk with your doctor and ask them what your target caloric intake should be. I know when I first started I was only eating around 800-900 calories a day and while I was still losing my Dr. got onto me and said that if I didn't start trying to get approx. 1200 cal per day then I was going to hit a huge plateau, because my body would go into starvation mode.

Play with it a little, increase slowly and talk with a NUT but I think anything less than 900 calories per day is way too little.

Edited May 21, 2014 by enjoythetime

[Bandista 7,466]

To me the green zone feels like the chatter about food has stopped, or at least slowed a great deal, and the appetite monster is off my back. I can resist temptation and I'm not feeling like I'm dieting or being restrictive with myself. I have to eat slowly and really pay attention -- not going for full but satisfied. And the green zone means I need to be able to eat firm Protein well-chewed but no baulking from the band, which would mean red zone. I'm still trying to figure out whether I may be a squinch too tight but this recent fill is very new and I know it needs to settle in some. If I find myself going for sliders like shakes, etc., then that will be a signal that I may have overshot and require a tiny unfill. We are all different and I'm very new at this, but that's my take for my body and what I'm looking for right now. I've been at the same weight for a while now but I know it will shift if I just keep doing what I'm doing, including walking for at least an hour every day. Sometimes I think my body wants to know I'm serious so I try positive self-talk -- I'm getting leaner each day -- that sort of thing. Hope this helps!

[enjoythetime 1,457]

To me the green zone feels like the chatter about food has stopped, or at least slowed a great deal, and the appetite monster is off my back. I can resist temptation and I'm not feeling like I'm dieting or being restrictive with myself. I have to eat slowly and really pay attention -- not going for full but satisfied. And the green zone means I need to be able to eat firm Protein well-chewed but no baulking from the band, which would mean red zone. I'm still trying to figure out whether I may be a squinch too tight but this recent fill is very new and I know it needs to settle in some. If I find myself going for sliders like shakes, etc., then that will be a signal that I may have overshot and require a tiny unfill. We are all different and I'm very new at this, but that's my take for my body and what I'm looking for right now. I've been at the same weight for a while now but I know it will shift if I just keep doing what I'm doing, including walking for at least an hour every day. Sometimes I think my body wants to know I'm serious so I try positive self-talk -- I'm getting leaner each day -- that sort of thing. Hope this helps!

Great attitude Bandista!!! Way to stay the course girl!!

[Wendydarling19 310]

My green zone is that I don't think about food anymore until I have to either remind myself that "hey it's been quite awhile since you have eaten" or just the fact that I can get satiety with very little food, I eat a small deli turkey roll up with cheese and that's it for about 1/2 the day

[desertpixie 76]

I have a feeling I am getting close to green zone. I think a fill or two more and I'm there. I can go a long while without food but when I do eat I can still eat about a small plate of food. Hopefully not too long now then the fun can begin am on holiday in porthleven, Cornwall back at home and it's been nice getting compliments from people I haven't seen in a long time. Can't wait until they see me at the end of the year when hopefully more is off! Xx

[SandyM 1,956]

I have a feeling I am getting close to green zone. I think a fill or two more and I'm there. I can go a long while without food but when I do eat I can still eat about a small plate of food. Hopefully not too long now then the fun can begin am on holiday in porthleven, Cornwall back at home and it's been nice getting compliments from people I haven't seen in a long time. Can't wait until they see me at the end of the year when hopefully more is off! Xx

How long is a long while without food?

[desertpixie 76]

Sorry for the hugely late reply, I've just come back from seeing family at home in the uk. I would say about 3 hours ish at the moment, if I a, use at work, like most people I can forget about it and before you know it half the day is gone. The only thing I would say that has changed recently, as in the last week, is that more us getting stuck. Today, I had some chicken and it got completely blocked so was sick and had to bring it up. It wasn't heavy vomiting it just all came out, but I wondered if traveling and flying affects the band. Perhaps the changes in pressure due to the cabin?