Hi everyone!

I just got back from Nashville and restriction saved me again! I actually weighed in 1.4 less than 3 days ago when I left! Not too shabby and I passed right by that 40 pound mark! I'm a happy camper today. My next goal is just 3.5 pounds so I can get into the 230s! I wonder if I can do that before next week when I go to get my next fill?

Speaking of my next fill, at this point I don't think I'm going to have him give me one. I seem to actually have really good restriction right now. We'll see what the week brings, but I do know that I would not want to be any tighter than I am right now. It's hard to imagine I might actually be at my sweet spot with only two fills, but it seems I might be at this point... even if it's only temporary.

Here's an example of my restriction kicking in from my trip to Nashville...

Ordered a turkey/bacon "club" omelet at Perkins. The omelet is basically small bits of turkey and bacon inside the egg with hollandaise sauce on top. I asked for the sauce on the side. Usually this comes with potatoes so I asked for fruit instead. I also ordered a mammoth muffin (to take home to my DH). In the past I have eaten this with the muffin, the potatoes and still have wanted more...not to mention I'd have guzzled at least three glasses of diet coke. Well, yesterday I ate just the meats from the omelet, one bite of the egg itself and most of the hollandaise as my dipping sauce. This process took me an entire half hour to accomplish.

another example was a trip to Ruby Tuesdays where I ordered Quiche and salad Bar combo. I went to the salad bar and made a lettuce-less salad (I have trouble with lettuce) consisting of peas, edemame, ham, bacon, cheese, egg and then used honey mustard salad dressing. I also got a 1/2 cup serving of the pea/ham Pasta salad that I love and 4 grapes.

I sat down to eat it and focused on eating just the Proteins first and then I was going to eat the veggies and fruit and if I had room then some of the pasta. I never made it past the proteins. My Quiche comes out and I take a tiny nibble and call it a day. I get a to-go box and take it back to the hotel with me to eat later. After we left I felt like I had eaten Thanksgiving dinner... I was so stuffed. I doubt it was a cup of food. BTW... when I ate the Quiche later that night, I had to pull out all of the chunks of chicken and just nibble on the egg. I didn't eat any of the crust and only about 1/2 of the Quiche itself. The rest went into the trash.

It's still shocking to me when these things happen. This is only two examples, but it happens every time I eat out anymore unless I order a Soup. Now, there are foods I know I can eat more of. Mostly soft things and liquids. I still struggle with feeling as if I've not had enough to eat because my mind hasn't caught up with the fact that I can survive on small portions.

The other thing for me is that I don't feel "full" per say while eating, what I feel is more like a dull pain (discomfort) in my chest/back and when I feel that I know that if I eat another bite before that pain goes away I will end up stuck and in much more agony. I have gotten this "pain" while drinking my Protein shake or even my Water. I was sorta expecting to just feel full... but that comes after the discomfort goes away.

Anyway, I hope this post helps those of you just starting the journey. I'm trying to write about things that I wish I had known so that I could have been a bit more prepared.

P.S. I haven't lost 40 pounds since surgery, just 40 pounds since starting pre-op. I've lost 26.2 pounds since having surgery on December 18!

WOW! you are doing SUPER great! You should be so proud of what you've accomplished! NICE! If you don't need a fill, don't get one. You have the right attitude!!! As you lose weight, you may need one in a bit, but it sounds like you are losing VERY quickly!!! That is killer. CONGRATS.

Thanks so much for your post! I haven't been banded yet (am still in my 6 month visits with my PCP). In reading the post of people who have already been banded it seemed all they can comsume is shakes and maybe a Protein bar! I didn't think I could live the rest of my life without ever eating real food again. I'm ready to cut way back on my food intake but not give it up entirely.

I in Mt. Juliet, which is right outside Nashville. Dr. Morton will be doing my surgery if I'm approved. Who did your surgery and where do you live?

Again thanks so much for your post!

Barbara

WOW! you are doing SUPER great! You should be so proud of what you've accomplished! NICE! If you don't need a fill, don't get one. You have the right attitude!!! As you lose weight, you may need one in a bit, but it sounds like you are losing VERY quickly!!! That is killer. CONGRATS.

Thank you! I actually feel as if I'm losing super slowly. LOL. I just figured it out... since starting this process I've lost about 8 pounds a month. If I average just my weightloss since surgery I'm at about 8.75 pounds a month. So I am right about where I wanted to be losing at a rate of about an average 2 pounds a week. I'll take it! LOL

Thanks so much for your post! I haven't been banded yet (am still in my 6 month visits with my PCP). In reading the post of people who have already been banded it seemed all they can comsume is shakes and maybe a Protein bar! I didn't think I could live the rest of my life without ever eating real food again. I'm ready to cut way back on my food intake but not give it up entirely.

I in Mt. Juliet, which is right outside Nashville. Dr. Morton will be doing my surgery if I'm approved. Who did your surgery and where do you live?

Again thanks so much for your post!

Barbara

Hi Barbara,

I enjoyed my time in Nashville. My daughter was considering going to Belmont University and got accepted there so we thought we should go for a visit. It was my first trip to Nashville and we spent lots of time doing our favorite thing... shopping. We visited Coolsprings Galleria twice and spent the day at Opry Mills. Great place to walk!

As for eating after banding, as long as you don't keep your fills too tight you will be able to eat. You will just not be able to eat in large quantities. Some people keep their fills way too tight and that scares me because I like to eat. :-)

Good luck to you!

Congratulations, you are doing fabulous! It definitely sounds like you are at your sweet spot. If you don't feel you need a fill right now, no reason to push it and risk being overfilled.

You are doing great. What a good steady rate of weight loss. 26 lbs since December is fabulous. Keep of the good work. Congrats on the restriction!

Congratulations, you are doing fabulous! It definitely sounds like you are at your sweet spot. If you don't feel you need a fill right now, no reason to push it and risk being overfilled.

That's what my thought is also... I definitely don't want to be over filled!

You are doing great. What a good steady rate of weight loss. 26 lbs since December is fabulous. Keep of the good work. Congrats on the restriction!

Thank you! I just hope it stays around for a while!

congrats! i can't wait to start getting fills...banded march 4th...first fill in a couple weeks!

Congratulations you are doing fantastic!!

I know how the not needing a fill feels, I am thrilled that I have been able to lose so well without a fill. It is nice to know that I am not the only one out there who does not have a fill yet!!

Keep up the great job you are doing, it is paying off!!