I haven't been online in a while. In fact, there is a little message at the top of my screen saying I haven't posted in several weeks, asking me if I am getting shy. I guess I just haven't wanted to see everyone else's success stories.

I was banded 8-15. I have a 14cc AP band. I still dont have restriction, even after 2 fills. My 3rd fill is next Tuesday. Sometimes I will have a PB if I dont chew enough, but other than that, nothing. No food amount restrictions, no food type restrictions.

I try hard to make good food choices. Not always successful at that.

I sometimes forget not to eat and drink at the same time. Old habits are harder to break than I thought.

I go to the gym every week day. I hired a personal trainer once a week.

I am trying. And yet my scale hasn't moved in over a month.

I get so upset. It hurts when people ask how much weight I've lost. I feel like a failure. I feel like I did all this for nothing. I feel like I am the only one who isn't succeeding.

WTF else can I do? I want to lose this weight!

PS. most of my weight loss was pre-op diet on the ticker.

Edited October 16, 200817 yr by Andrea20405

Andrea

hang in there and things will get better. head hunger is the worst and i usually try to do something where i can't think about it or do anything about it. Go shopping if you can (even window shopping) i find looking at clothes that i want to wear helps keep me motivated. Give yourself a manicure. you can't eat if you are going to mess up your nails! Do you drink crystal lite? i'm not sure if that is the kind of sweetness that you're craving but it might help.

Congratulations on sticking with the gym, that is something that has always been hard on me.

Does your doctor have a support group? That also is a good way to get suggestions and keep your spirits up. I spoke to one woman at mine who said it was 5 months before she got to her "sweet spot" and even people who have been successful have said that they were starving in the beginning.

Best of luck!

Andrea,

You're not failing. I've read it takes 6 months to get the band adjusted to where it starts working right. I was banded April 8th. Just got my 4th (?) fill. I have 7cc in a 14 cc band..... don't know if I'm feeling the restriction yet(not even a day yet).. and I have NOT lost anything since surgery.

Give it some time. Make good food choices, add some exercise in (you want to be toned when that fat comes off!) and keep see your Dr.

They even told me yesterday at the office, this is normal!!

Keep up the good work!

--Heather.

Well with all this encouragement I am being good.

I signed up on livestrong.com

For breakfast I had a Lean Cuisine

For lunch, Healthy Choice Steamer

(One sip of unsweetened tea when I got back to my desk out of habit, and then almost spit it out because I had just eaten)

I am HUNGRY!

I go to the gym 5 days a week. 3 days of weights to tone up, and 2 days of cardio only. I also do cardio on the weight training days, just less of it.

My Dr. is great about getting me in for fills. I have never had an issue about getting an appt. The problem I have with the fills is that the makers of my band recommend a slow fill process and so thats what my Dr. does. I have to wait at least 2 weeks between fills. They will only do 1 cc max per fill. Frustrating. My first year of fills are free, you'd think they would save themselves some money and just top me off to start with :wink2:

Next fill is 10/21/08 Tuesday. I hope I can stay as disciplined until then!

Thanks Guys! You Rock! :laugh:

I haven't been online in a while. In fact, there is a little message at the top of my screen saying I haven't posted in several weeks, asking me if I am getting shy. I guess I just haven't wanted to see everyone else's success stories.

I was banded 8-15. I have a 14cc AP band. I still dont have restriction, even after 2 fills. My 3rd fill is next Tuesday. Sometimes I will have a PB if I dont chew enough, but other than that, nothing. No food amount restrictions, no food type restrictions.

I try hard to make good food choices. Not always successful at that.

I sometimes forget not to eat and drink at the same time. Old habits are harder to break than I thought.

I go to the gym every week day. I hired a personal trainer once a week.

I am trying. And yet my scale hasn't moved in over a month.

I get so upset. It hurts when people ask how much weight I've lost. I feel like a failure. I feel like I did all this for nothing. I feel like I am the only one who isn't succeeding.

WTF else can I do? I want to lose this weight!

PS. most of my weight loss was pre-op diet on the ticker.

although i c you have gotten alot of feedback i swear i thought i was reading something coming from me! with the exception of working out 7 days a week i have lost alot less than you and am very depressed and feel exactly the way u do about other people and not wanting to go on here it made me feel worse at the beginning. i have had 2 fills and everyone there both times has lost more weight than me what am i supposed to think?:wink2:

I guess we just come from heartier stock! :rolleyes2: If the end of the world ever came, we'll live the longest!

If I am not giving up, you shouldn't either! A few more fills and we'll beon our way, we're just taking the long route.

So... that being said...

I bombed on my dinner selection. Carne Asada Torta and tacos de pastor... any ideas on the caloric content in that? And horchata? :thumbdown:

I guess we just come from heartier stock! :rolleyes2: If the end of the world ever came, we'll live the longest!

If I am not giving up, you shouldn't either! A few more fills and we'll beon our way, we're just taking the long route.

So... that being said...

I bombed on my dinner selection. Carne Asada Torta and tacos de pastor... any ideas on the caloric content in that? And horchata? :thumbdown:

Just keep on truckin'. I chose my Band because I wanted to be able to eat anything. Therefore for me, I choose to eat anything I want, just in tiny portions. I wanted to be realistic, and choose a weight loss option that allowed me to live my life... without restrictions. And for the most part, with the Band I do. I try to make wise choices, but no food is off limits. So far, it has worked for me. I don't deal with cravings or head hunger. Cause I know I can have whatever I want... just in smaller portions.

Think like this... the next meal you have, you'll choose less, or you'll make a wiser choice. But if you choose something that is less than perfect, it is not 'bad.' It is less than the best. You just make a conscious decision to make the wisest choices possible when going forward.

Today, I went to Tim Horton's and got a pumpkin Spice Donut. I ate 1/4 and gave half to my husband. Then, I ate another 1/8 and gave an 1/8 to my dog. I don't feel like I cheated. And I don't feel like "I wish I could've eaten the whole thing." I think. "I got my taste." And 90% of the time I eat a super healthy Breakfast. I will keep making my wise choices. And I'll keep losing....

Just keep on truckin'. I chose my Band because I wanted to be able to eat anything. Therefore for me, I choose to eat anything I want, just in tiny portions. I wanted to be realistic, and choose a weight loss option that allowed me to live my life... without restrictions. And for the most part, with the Band I do. I try to make wise choices, but no food is off limits. So far, it has worked for me. I don't deal with cravings or head hunger. Cause I know I can have whatever I want... just in smaller portions.

Think like this... the next meal you have, you'll choose less, or you'll make a wiser choice. But if you choose something that is less than perfect, it is not 'bad.' It is less than the best. You just make a conscious decision to make the wisest choices possible when going forward.

Today, I went to Tim Horton's and got a Pumpkin Spice Donut. I ate 1/4 and gave half to my husband. Then, I ate another 1/8 and gave an 1/8 to my dog. I don't feel like I cheated. And I don't feel like "I wish I could've eaten the whole thing." I think. "I got my taste." And 90% of the time I eat a super healthy breakfast. I will keep making my wise choices. And I'll keep losing....

i actually tried that after i was sticking to only healthy choices and it not working. that didnt work either. that is why i am so frustrated. i met a lady who told me she ate mnms and popcorn and lost 60 lbs . meanwhile i am starving. i though it would make me want to eat less and be more able to choose more options for food but not so far.

It WILL. I promise. You've just gotta get to your sweet spot. My sweet spot made me WANT to choose wisely... but before then, not so much... Hugs!

Yay me!

To make up for my poor choice in dinner I went to the gym and rode the bike for 10 miles.

Yay me!

To make up for my poor choice in dinner I went to the gym and rode the bike for 10 miles.

Good for you, Andrea. Remember, no matter how we dress it up or use our bands, the bottom line is that we have to burn more calories than we eat to lose weight. Keep up the good work!

I think that everyone that has been successful has some tricks that they use to help them stay on track. You just need to find yours. It's great that you are working out, if you were a couch potato before, you might be gaining some muscle which is very good. Here's a few of mine:

Like your doc said. No Snacks unless there are no calories. Water, tea, coffee, sugar free popsicles, celery all have basically no calories.

I NEVER watch TV in real time. I use a DVR to record the shows I want to watch and skip over the commercials. food can be the furthest thing from my mind and I see a food commercial and suddenly I'm starving, grrr....

Brush your teeth. That taste usually kills any head hunger.

Find something to do. If you are busy you won't be thinking about eating.

Buy some clothes that are just a little bit too small, and try them on. that tightness sometimes helps me get back on track.

Never kid yourself. The only way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more. Don't count celery as zero calories if you slather Peanut Butter on it. Don't eat 10 35 calorie sugar-free creamsicles and tell yourself it was only a few calories.

Make sure you get a reasonable amount of Protein in your meals. It'll make you feel full longer.

Good luck and don't give up.

Andrea - I'm sorry you are struggling and feeling bad, but as you could read you are not alone. And you are certainly not failing, you are just normal!! First of all, you've lost almost 50 pounds! That's awesome! I've been banded for 6 months and have only lost 41. I've hit a plateau and that will happen from time to time especially around the 40-50 pound mark. I haven't lost a pound in at least 6 weeks. While it's frustrating, I know that's just how it is. I'm still working out and doing what I need to do and I can see changes in my body composition if not on the scale. Eventually it will catch up with me just like it will for you. Just think of it this way, you are already so much healthier than you were before loosing the 50 pounds.

As for getting to restriction, you just have to keep on until you get it. It was fill #3 for me that gave me pretty good restriction. Then I got sick and had to have a little removed and then had it plus a little more put back in. I'm now where I need to be for a while. I think that has been the hardest part of the whole thing, waiting for the restriction. Just do the best you can and when you do reach restriction, it'll start coming off again and you'll feel better.

Good luck to you and remember how far you have come! It's a daily journey. All we can do is take it day to day. This site is the best form of support I've found so far!!

I just wanted to note that I have been mentally preparing myself to not even really feel the band until I get enough fills and from what I am reading that can take quite awhile.

I am also managing my families expectations I think I would strangle them if I don't have constriction after the surgery and they made a comment about it not working.

That being said. I think you are doing wonderfully sticking so well to stuff when you still haven't reached your sweet spot! Hopefully third one will be the charm.

New trick I learned today...

Scotch tape over the mouth of my glass.

I have a glass of something always at my desk. Water, tea, whatever. I am in the habit of drinking all day long. (Arizona=desert=hot!) What usually happens is that I eat, then go back to my desk and without thinking, I start drinking as I work. About 20 minutes later I look down and realize what I've been doing!

Now, when I leave for lunch, I tape off the top of my cup. It prevents me from just picking it up and drinking without thinking.

it sounds like you are on the right track, coming up with strategies and i will be keeping those in the back of my mind for when it gets tough for me. Keep up the great work!!:smile2: