It's going on three years since I've gotten banded. I started at 214, got down to 172, back up to 186. I am hoplessly failing the band.

My problem that I didn't consider before the band, I'm a GRAZER! I literally do what cows do, I graze. All day, every day. I wake up in the morning thinking about food. I go to bed, just having had a snack first. UGH! The lapband is amazing in that it helps with my portion size, and it keeps me from eating a bunch of carbs, but it doesn't keep me from eating two pounds of bacon throughout a day. I don't know what I'm really asking of ya'll or what I'm doing. I just don't know where to turn.

I have a friend who is banded, although I have not seen her in 2 years....did not eat 3 meals a day. But ate 5-6 very small meals a day....and she is very, very successful.

I look at it this way...it is total calories consumed versus total calories burned to loose weight. All within a 24 hr period.

There are days I graze all day, like a Saturday or Sunday watching football.....but I don't have any meals. If I'm picking at food all afternoon, then no dinner...the food I grazed, snacked on is my dinner. Plus with the band, after snacking, there is no way I could eat a meal!

The calories I consumed from grazing, would be about the same as a single meal...as long as I'm grazing on good food, fruits, veggies and nuts, and not junk.

So it all evens out.....

You caught yourself before hitting the ground. The biggest thing in my opinion is that you recognize where your problem is and you're owning it. Like B52 said, it doesn't matter how you consume your calories as long as you're making proper choices. You're not failing the band, you just need to reconnect with it. Would it be helpful if you tried to completely reset? Meaning start from the beginning with liquids and then progressing to mushies, soft and solids. There's no doubt you have it in you to turn this around, if there's anything I can do to help send me a message!!! Believe in yourself and remember why you got the band to begin with!!

Edited January 16, 201511 yr by enjoythetime

I'm not making good food choices. I don't eat many carbs, but I do eat them. I think I am going back to the beginning. Get my mindset right. Thank y'all for helping me.

Again, the most important thing is that you're owning it!! You can only change the things you're willing to recognize and you are so you are going to be just fine!! We all make less than perfect choices now and again, it's called life:-) Resetting I think does a lot not just for your band but for your mind! Again good luck and remember this site is here to support and help so use it!! Keep us posted on how you're doing!

How about easing into no grazing? How about starting with four small meals a day, focused on protein first, and NOTHING to eat until the next meal? With four meals it can be easier than going to three. Let the band do its between-meal magic where your appetite learns to stay quiet until the next mealtime. The first day or two won't feel much different, but I'd bet by the third day you'll have trained your appetite when to wake up and when to sleep. Whenever I snack, even nuts or fruit, I'm hungrier all day.

I am right there with you. Every. single. part. I was banded in Dec. 2012 and lost 50 pounds the first 6 months and that was it. I maintained my loss, but never lost any more. I eat all day. I graze constantly. I feel like a complete and total lapband failure. I thought it would be quick, like that first year I would lose 100 pounds. Only that didn't happen. So now I'm left with a band with 4cc's in it, a dietician and a doctor who want me to suceed, and here I am just eating whatever I way. Sure, I have restriction, but I find ways around it.

I'm here because I want to feel good about myself again. I want to succeed. I'm seeing a counselor who works with people who have had WLS so I'm hoping she can help me cope. Being on here helps too because I know I'm not alone.