does this get a little easier???

[Daisalana 33]

Just from the responses, you can tell everyone is different!

I have the smallest band, and the doc thought I would have restriction without a fill. I guess I had mild restriction. It's 9.75" long one, and holds 4cc. My first fill of .5cc was too much. They took it out, then I lost more weight, and they added .5cc back.. and I had perfect restriction for a while. Lost more weight, and last month I stopped feeling it. They added another .5cc, so I'm at 1cc now and I am pretty darn tight. Some people don't even feel 1cc and it's a lot for me.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Do you just keep a food diary in a spiral or something, or do you do the online diaries? I think I need to start a food diary. What do you recommend I keep track of, (besides what I eat of course)?

I think I need to invest in a food scale as well, at least till I can get a grasp on this whole portion size dilemma...

By the way, I am more than happy to give kudos where kudos are due. You have earned it. Congratulations.

I keep a little spiral note book that I got at target 3x3 -for me it's easier cuz I carry it with me in my purse - If I need to look up calories for something I just google it or use fitday.com or dailyplate.com (both are online sites where you can track your calories & exercise - alot of pple like the dailyplate site)

A food scales is great - alot of people say they don't want to do these things - but for me it works - we have a lot to re-learn as far as what a real portion size is - how many calories are in the cup of mashed potatoes that are loaded with butter.. These are learning tools for me and 9 months out I am still doing it - it's not hard and not time consuming - I also log my exercise in - and each week on my weigh in day - I note

4/17 - 4/24 - 2.5 lbs 10 miles walked 2 hrs weight trainer - total loss 88.5 lbs

Like I said - it works for me and statistically they say people who keep food diaries do better - cuz it's easy to forget little things here and there and they all add up..

Thanks again Jen - Wishing you well on this journey.

[jpb67 0]

Me too. I have been to Weight Watchers etc.,etc.,etc.!! So I try to work with the band, not completely relying on how it feels, but by eating healthy, exercising a little, and following all the common sense rules I have been listening to all my "fat life." I want to lose weight, but I also want to feel well, and I find that by having a healthy "diet" I feel very happy and very healthy. Getting out of bed in the moring is now a joy instead of a chore. Good luck to all who are enduring the struggle.

[Kat817 19]

I agree jpg---I am one who finds the best route for me is to simply try to make healthy choices. I do not count calories, I do my best to make wise choices. I have found that over time, the band makes those decisions much easier. Healthy food continues to taste good when you chew it completely----highly processed foods, the common snack items for instance, begin to taste totally different when you chew them to oblivion!!

I have learned to replace quantity with quality----and my weight responds. I make the biggest part of my meal from my Protein source, and then follow with veggies....and only occasionally do I indulge in the starchy sides. I fill up so quickly it is not hard to do.

Acknowledging that there is a much smaller space to fill, and that all our nutrients have to come from what fits in there---makes you look at your food intake differently. It is something you do have to wrap your mind around. But I found personally that eventually food just no longer occupies the space in your mind or your life that it used to. YOU are back in control, not the food------I found it to be such a relief.

Kat

[amsderb 1]

Wow you ladies are doing great....thank you for taking the time to post!

Keep it up!

[jpb67 0]

Thanks Kat. You have said it all much better and more detailed than I ever could. But your philosophy and attitude are where I want to be. Let's all keep up the good work.

[ccc0206 0]

I just had my first fill yesterday I had 3cc put in during surgery and 1cc added yeaterday. For a total of 4cc's. I too, do not feel much restriction. I feel it when I eat too fast or take too big of bites, but I can still eat large amounts and get hungry before the 4 hour mark.

My doctor said that it takes until around 7cc's in a 10 cc band to really feel the restriction. Which means I will need 3-4 fills before real restriction.....I lost weight immediately for the first few weeks after surgery, then hit a plateau...before my first fill.

I don't feel much more of a restriction after another 1cc added...

I have to wait another 4 weeks before fill number 2....

cc

[pampeterson 0]

OK so I just signed up for a class on lapband yesterday, but it's not until the 29th and reading all your information is more than confusing, what are fills? I saw that on many of the peoples posts.:thumbup:

[IndioGirl55 32]

Do you just keep a food diary in a spiral or something, or do you do the online diaries? I think I need to start a food diary. What do you recommend I keep track of, (besides what I eat of course)?

I think I need to invest in a food scale as well, at least till I can get a grasp on this whole portion size dilemma...

By the way, I am more than happy to give kudos where kudos are due. You have earned it. Congratulations.

Jen - I thought I had answered this last night - but the site was so slow I guess it didn't post..

I have little spiral note book from targer 3x3 for me it's easy - i carry it my purse and jot down what I eat and if i don't know the calories then i look it up later and insert it - alot of people like dailyplate.com - it's up to what's easies for you..

Good Luck and thanks again..

[StarbuxQueen 0]

Thanks Jen - I still have 1.5 to go.. Size of band not super sure - He told my son after surgery I had the new Cadillac band and then in the office he said large once and then small - but I know I have 5 cc in it. It never really mattered to me size or how many cc's I had (the only reason I know is cuz when I was too tight and he took some out he said I have 5 cc's) the only thing that mattered was that I had restriction and I didn't care how we got there as long as we did get there.

Secret - There really isn't one - I had major frickin surgery - I was 52 when banded - I have fewer yrs ahead of me than what's behind me and I want to extend the years I have left and I wanted to improve the quality of my life. So my head is totally in the game.

I was told over and over again here on LBT by my 50+ ladies that the band was only a tool - So I knew going in that this had to be a LIFETIME LIFESTYLE change in my life. Also, I have the experience of all my other dieting efforts - and I am able to use the information I learned in Weight Watcher in helping me eat healthy (not diet) and exercise.

I eat healthy 98% of the time - I allow for treats 2% of the time - but those calorie are not in addition to my daily budget of 900-1200 but included in. I exercise 3-4 days a week (2 cardio - 2 weights) - I also keep a food diary (on my 5th book) where I track my calories & pt grms.

I bought a scale that gives me all the info on whatever I am weighing - I used it alot in the being but now I know what a portion size looks and know most of the calories by heart of the foods i eat (I still pull it out when I am eating something different)

I eat off of a sandwich plate - use children's utensils - and have a little bowl that holds one cup.

I still eat out - Mexican or Chinese - but I eat 1/4 what I ate before - I eat minimum 1 cup per meal - usually 1 to 1/2 - but some nights it can be 2 cups.. I eat low fat - mostly sugar free - and I do eat carbs/starches

I always have some form of starch with my dinner - usually 1/2 cup of rice.

So if the above is a secret - it's not any longer :party::party: I am more than willing to share - as I know how it feels to be the Fat Chick - and in my head I still have her - but before long she will be replaced by the new thinner & healthier chick and I want everyone here to share the joy in meeting and exceeding your goals and to feel so much better. Heck no wonder I was so tired before I was carring around 88.5 sack of potatoes on my back.

I firmly believe that 75% of the work is mental and the band does the other 25% by providing restriction. (this is the real secret - knowing that you are going to have to work at this - that the band isn't going to do it by itself)

Good Luck and thanks for the props - I really do feel 10 yrs younger...

Very helpful. Thanks. I am eating healthy and a lot less then I was. I realize that the band is a tool. BUt I feel like the weight loss is as hard as it was before the band. It's discouraging which as we all know is dangerous!!! I was really hoping that after this fill I would not be experiencing as much hunger as I am and it is only Day 2 after my fill.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Very helpful. Thanks. I am eating healthy and a lot less then I was. I realize that the band is a tool. BUt I feel like the weight loss is as hard as it was before the band. It's discouraging which as we all know is dangerous!!! I was really hoping that after this fill I would not be experiencing as much hunger as I am and it is only Day 2 after my fill.

Dee

You have lost 26 lbs in 1 month - that's GREAT.

Here is something else that I didn't mention - HEAD HUNGER - We truly think that we are hungry and we really are not physically - We mistake head hunger for real physical hunger - and it takes time to differentiate between the two - I am 9 months out and I still fight it

I just finished dinner - my stomach is content - but I am not !!! I want more food - I want to eat still !!! We take that feeling of still wanting to eat and THINK we are still hungry - if you asked me right now are you still hungry I would say yes - cuz I am hungry - but my stomach is full.

Pre-band I would still be in the kitchen looking for something else to eat

I know that doesn't make alot of sense - but after you have finished your meal - and you think you are still hungry - sit quietly and think about your stomach - if you ate hard Protein - I bet you $100 buck your tummy feels content - but you know that you only ate 1/2 c or even 1 cup of food which is 1/10 of what you ate before. So your brain is saying oh wait that wasn't enough food - I need more to to live - heck even skinny people eat more that 1/2 c or 1 cup for a meal.. (ya they do but they aren't trying to lose weight either)

This is coming from a person (me) who has restriction and I still think I am hungry..

Given you may not have perfect restriction yet - but I bet you have some. Are you on liquids or able to eat real food - most docs do require a couple of days on liquids then move to mushies.

For me this has always been work - not as hard as it was pre-band - I think the band does make it easier - but I still have to work at it.

I am pooped right now - and being tired makes me want to eat - I could go in there and eat ice cream - make some brownie (I do have a mix in the pantry) I could feed this emotional hunger - and fighting that urge is no diff with our with out the band - They banded our tummies and not our heads - the real problems with our obesity lies in our head (most of the time - some do have medical reasons but most of us just plain over eat and don't exercise)

So ya it's work - but I can tell you I am worth the work - I am worth getting healthy and adding years and more quality to my life.

The only thing the band does - is physically stop you from eating a 16 oz steak or any food with some substance to it - but you can still eat around it with slider foods (foods that slide right thru) candy, Cookies, ice cream, cake chips.

My friends and family know I am banded and in some ways I wish I hadn't told - why you say - because I don't feel that I am getting the credit for losing 88.5 lbs in 9 months - but that the band is - the band didn't do the work - it didn't make my food choices and it didn't go to the gym and exercise - I did - I did the work and it's still alot of work even with the band it's just easier to stop eating once your brain is able to get the right signals from your stomach that you are physically full..

We have messed up that wiring so much that it's going to take a life time to fix it..

Just keep working at it - it does get eaiser as time passes - but it is work - you gotta be like that little train - I know I can I know I can.

It's not that you can't do it - it's that you think you can't...

Take Care !!!!

[BarbBee 1]

I am worth the work - I am worth getting healthy and adding years and more quality to my life.

The only thing the band does - is physically stop you from eating a 16 oz steak or any food with some substance to it - but you can still eat around it with slider foods (foods that slide right thru) candy, Cookies, ice cream, cake chips.

My friends and family know I am banded and in some ways I wish I hadn't told - why you say - because I don't feel that I am getting the credit for losing 88.5 lbs in 9 months - but that the band is - the band didn't do the work - it didn't make my food choices and it didn't go to the gym and exercise - I did - I did the work and it's still alot of work even with the band it's just easier to stop eating once your brain is able to get the right signals from your stomach that you are physically full..

We have messed up that wiring so much that it's going to take a life time to fix it..

Just keep working at it - it does get eaiser as time passes -

IndioGirl....You have found the key to making this successful!! I tell people I'm the one doing the work!! I love my band. It is helping me...but let's give credit where credit is due. WE ARE MAKING IT WORK!!

Edited May 3, 2008 by BarbBee
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