I am frustrated yet confused...........

I am currently 3 1/2 weeks post-op and I have no restriction so I have been eating things I probably shouldn't be eationg. Today I had a bagel and cream cheese for Breakfast. Lunch-baked salmon and grilled aspargus. 3 pm-A Cookie and some milk!!!!!!! I feel like a child because I will crave something and then I will make an excuse just to eat it.

I understand that I haven't had a fill yet but it's still frustrating. :rolleyes2:

Were you able yo eat a whole bagel? If so was it a small frozen bagel or a larger fresh bagel? I'm just curious as I'm only 2 weeks post-op and on liquids..I just want to know what to expect once I move onto solid foods. Hang in there. From what I read on this board it does get better. Just think of how great you have been doing so far and stick with it. easier said than done I know...But hard work really does pay off in the long run. Good luck and I hope you find the will power to refrain until you get filled to restriction.

Also...Your lunch sounded very healthy...and yummy...Have more meals like that...Satisfying and good for you.

I am five and half weeks out and I have NOO restriction at all. From what I have read this is normal. I am trying to eat healthy filling food with lots of fiber and protein to fill me up. It is working most of the time. I still have a couple of weeks till my first fill. Just take it one day at a time.

Thanks for all your replys! I have not been able to get to a computer for a couple of days! Yes, I was able to eat a whole bagel and today I one of my DD (developmentally disabled client) out to lunch so I got a cheeseburger and parfait. Ugh why I am doing this???? I think it is becuase I have no restriction so I feel I can eat whatever (too a point of course) This is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I just don't know what to cook anymore becuase I am so used to cooking the way I did before or coming home and just popping something in the microwave.

Hey Megmarie,

You sound so much like me. I am just about three weeks out and I feel like I can eat the house. The only restriction i have is to the amount of food I can swallow at a time! I am feeling depressed right now because I feel like I'm going to disappoint my friends at the doctor's office when I go for my next weigh-in. It seems like its normal though,so I feel just a tad better. My husband is alarmed and thinks I should go back to the dr immediately. LOL

I was banded on 01/10/08 and also have no restriction.

When I was on liquids, I seemed to have been doing better than on solid foods. Now they want me to eat something like 3 oz of chicken, 2 oz of a carb and 2 oz of a vegetable for lunch/dinner.

Well, at times during the day I seem to have to fight hunger, but I'm trying.

Yesterday I had a Protein bar for breakfast, a Protein shake for a snack, a low cal/fat turkey pita sandwich for lunch (I don't know what it weighed but it was 185 calories & 1.5 grams of fat). dinner time I cheated a bit with about 4 oz of chicken breast, 4 oz of macaroni salad, and about 3 oz of steamed vegetables. I had a evening snack of about 1/2 cup of dry roasted soybean.

It's more than I was told to eat, but it's dramatically less than I used to and it's about the best I can do until I get a fill.

Oh my gosh you guys can eat way more than I can and I'm 6 weeks Post-op. I have a 6oz. protein shake for breakfast Unjury since I'm more tight. Lunch is a South Beach wrap kit or even home made food 1 cup or less (chili, split pea soup, or meat ball w/sauce) one snack which is an once or two of hummus a few tiny pretzels or pudding cup/4oz yogurt. Dinner is about 2-3 oz protein and 2-3 oz carb. before bed herbal tea or sugar free hot cocoa. I could never ever eat a bagel or some of the other items you have listed... I have never had a PB was stuck once for a slight momment over eating three baked bagel chips after 5 weeks Post-op. I have the AP 10cc band and I get full or satisfied very early into my meals. Most of the food you list also is really not plan by my doctors rules..... Be careful not to over do it or start out of the gate eating unhealthy higher carb foods. Best to all in our journey of weigh loss!!!

the best advice I can give is follow weight watchers type diet while you have no restriction. Of course, we've all had a hard time staying on diets and that's why we got banded, but most of us can diet for four to six weeks. At least you'll hold off the weight gain until you get good restriction.

Track your Protein and be sure you get at least 60 gms. a day. Give up white carbs, like white bread and potatoes. If you must eat bread, change to low carb, whole wheat or whole wheat pitas. Substitute the bagel and cream cheese for a cup of Kashi go lean Cereal with 1/2 cup of skim milk. or try the Special K low carb cereal or how about the low sugar instant oatmeal.

Milk should only be skim, yogurt non fat and if you're looking for easy to cook/microwave meals...lean cuisine and weight watchers are good choices. Look for the lowest calorie, highest fiber choice of any food that you are eating. A couple hundred calories a day really adds up.

Restriction could take several fills, so you want to do the best you can during this time, so you don't get frustrated. And making the above changes will help you later down the road when you do get restricted and even later when you're in maintenance, as you'll have replaced a lot of the old bad habits.

At 3 1/2 weeks post op, I hope you're following your Dr's post op diet instructions.

All this is getting me hungry. I'm gonna have a protein shake (hey, it beats going down the block for a slice - or two - of NY pizza). :rolleyes2:

Pizzaman, you're making me laugh and you're making me want pizza!

I am just over two months post op and have yet to have (but of course crave) pizza! If I don't get restriction soon, I'm afraid I'll cave in.

Sorry Shortgal. FWIW, I sitting here drinking a protein shake and not chowing down. :rolleyes2:

Hey guys,

I had pizza last saturday and my poor hubby got so alarmed when he saw that I ate 3 out of the 8 slices lol.(don't worry,it was just an 8 inch one) Before the band I could have eaten two of those quite easily, so I guess it's still offering some restriction. I go in for a fill on Friday and then I will go back on liquids for awhile again.

Exactly. Restriction doesnt have to mean you can barely eat anything. If you eat like that, and its less than what you've previously eaten, you'll lose weight. When you stop losing, you need a bit more restriction.

But I can eat a sandwich! Do I have restriction? Well, yes, because I've lost over 100% of my excess weight. Yes becuase that sandwich fills me to VERY satisfied (in fact overfull if I eat the entire thing) and I have that great satisfied feeling right through till dinner which is NOT how I was preband!. If I eat less, like a few crackers and cheese, I will be hungry again. So easy - the answer is not more fill, its choose foods that work well to fill you and keep you satisfied.

Really, why would you ever want more restriction than you need at any one point in time to keep you losing? How much food that is is really irrelevant.

That is what I want! To eat a reasonable meal, but feel full for hours. The full feeling is the part I am missing.

I don't want to be so tight that I can't eat at all. Of course, I'll lose weight that way. It's the feeling of being satisfied that I am looking for.

Next fill tomorrow!