Hello all,

I am about 4 weeks out and am feeling my old habits start to creep back into my life. I am following the diet guide lines and eating far less than I used to. BUT I am starting to see that I grab a bite of this and a bite of that before I realize what I am doing. I didn't come this far to sabotage myself. I at least realize and am trying to not have the mind set of oh well, I 'll start over tomorrow. Rather than eating a ton of Cookies I ate two weight watcher cookies and felt kind of bad. I am still controlling my intake and calories but just keep hearing that same old voice in my head "failure" Sorry, just need some words of encouragement. I'm sure that many of you out there have been in the same boat.

I'm exercising. HOWEVER I have absolutely NO restriction (3 cc in a 14 cc band) and can (and do) eat like I did pre-band. I'd feel bad about it but, hey, the reason I GOT the band was because on "diets" (like WW, which has a great program) I'd get hungry. I STILL get hungry, and I will until I have restriction and that wonderful little "pouch". I am not dieting because that doesn't work for me. If I COULD diet (and stick w/it) I wouldn't have ever had the surgery. So...I guess what I'm saying is I DO exercise now. I TRY not to snack but I get truly hungry (yes, after 11 months of behavioral therapy, I know the emotional stuff from the true physiological stuff)...I figure once I have restriction things will click into place. That's what my doc tells me, anyway!

I am basically the same ladies. I am four weeks post-op and I have no restriction. I can eat whatever I want and I do. I try to eat right and exercise at least 3 times a week, but I am not doing so great. I haven't weighed myself. My clothes is starting to fit a little tighter now, like the way they did pre-op. I get my first fill in three more weeks.

I'm trying to not gain too much, because a friend of mine, we have the same surgeon group, had her first fill and she said he couldn't find her port after stabbing her about 5 times, then he called in another surgeon to try and find the port, no luck either. So he scheduled her to get her first fill in an x-ray lab.

So, after that horrible doctor visit, she is now waiting to heal from all the poking (she had a bunch of bruises) and then she is going in for her first fill with x-ray.

She told me the surgeon told her it is very difficult to find the port in her, because she had a lot of abdominal fat!

So, girls----I DO NOT want my first fill to be like that, I am hitting the gym and stopping the comfort food after I get home from work (that is my most difficult time with food).

I don't know if that inspired anybody, but I know it helped me typing it out...it reminded me of how not following doc's orders can cause pain and trouble later.

Good luck to us all!!!

Hi everyone, I am 6 weeks out and I feel like I never even had the surgery done. I started out really well, eating only the right foods, small portions, and little by little I can eat more. Not a whole lot more like before my surgery, but more than I am supposed to. I also have started to eat more and more like I used to. My surgeon says this is very typical and is to be expected until we start to get our fills. It is still hard though, I can't stay on a diet and this is what got me here in the first place. We just have to be patient and hope in time with the fills that our hunger is suppressed and we eat smaller portions. Good luck everyone

Hi Ladies,

I have had my band for two years and have lost aroun 50lbs. I exercise three to four times a week. Initially you will have no restriction as they want the stomach to rest before they fill and that is very important.

Try to eat really slowly and as soon as you feel full and satisfied stop, then if you really feel you want more eat it. Again eat it very slowly and you will find that you will not only feel fuller you will not like the taste of certain foods that you are eating. Good luck. x

For me, the fifth week after surgery was when I noticed my old habits whispering in my ear. I had physically recovered completely, I was hungry again, and I could eat a lot more than 1/2 cup of food and still not feel satisfied. It terrified me. I felt like I was going back down that familiar slippery slope.

Today, at six weeks, I had my first fill (4cc in a 10cc band). I just ate lunch of 1/2 cup of tomato Soup and about 4 spoonfuls of sugar-free yogurt and I'm definitely full. (That would not have been the case yesterday!)

I am so happy that my tummy feels satisfied again with a small amount of food. It reassures me that this band will work!

If you haven't had a fill yet, just be patient with yourself. Try not to overdo it, but know that you're eating more because your stomach is telling you you're hungry. When you get some restriction, it will be much easier to eat less again.

Hang in there!

I am 3 weeks post op and still have restriction. There was a box of donuts in our office yesterday and of course, I was not able to resist. The only good thing that came out of it was I was only able to take 2 bites and then felt the restriction so my co-worker finished it for me.

Ok Gang...

Here's the 411... Till you get proper restriction your band isn't going to do a whole lot for some of you - others it will.

But that being said even when you do get restriction - you will still be able to eat certain foods that we call slider foods such as ice cream - chips - Cookies & candy.

The Band is not a diet - diet's don't work as the saying goes. Once you get to a goal on a diet then we go back to eating regular - which is what got us fat in the first place.

You must take the word diet out of your vocaublary and replace it with healthy eating... You will still get hungry when you have proper restriction - so what are you going to reach for and ice cream cone or 4 oz of meat..

This is no diff than any other program out there - this is about eating healthy - this is where making a lifetime lifestyle change...

With the band if you eat that 4 oz of meat you are going to be full - if you eat that ice cream cone you aren't and then you are going to go looking for something else to eat...

I will tell you all I am a 1 yr 1/2 out and I will eat dinner and be physically full - but still feel hungry - I am not really hungry - but my head tells me I am - so I feel that I am and my stomach is saying no you aren't.

So please know that even with proper restriction there is going to be work to do on your part - You are the one who choose what you eat not the band - it's you who choose to exercise not the band.

The band makes the hard job of losing weight a little easier once you get restriction - but it's still work.

The band will make you feel full sooner on a smaller amount of food and you will stay full for 3 or 4 hrs -but you are still going to get hungry - and that candy bar is going to look better than those 4 oz of fish are - Which are you going to choose to eat

So don't make this about dieting - Make this about making a lifetime lifestyle change - by eating healthy and exercising.

I never have thought of myself as being on a diet for this last 1 yr & 1/2 - I eat healthy - I have treats now and then but I stay within my calorie budget and if I go over then I eat a little less at my next meal or go to the gym for an extra day..

So what I guess I am trying to say is - Even if you don't have restriction - try and eat healthy - try and get to the gym - try and beat back that little devil on your shoulder telling you it's ok to eat that candy bar ...

You all had major surgery - they banded our tummies not our brains and really that's where our problems lie...

Good Luck !!!!