I was banded on Oct 1, 2009. My first few weeks of banding were great no problems feeling the fullness. Knowing when to stop eating. I was on a roll with loosing weight.

I went for a check up with the diatician and the nurse on the 16th. They both were so very please with my progress. I had lost 15 lbs since surgery. Which was like almost 1 lb a day. Keep up the good work i was told. I asked if i could excercise and they said not yet. We'll see what the Dr says when you come to see him on Nov 2nd. (fill ?)

Well ever since then i have not lost a pound.:thumbup: I'm doing everything the same as i was previous. Following all the steps to moving to solids. I am allowed to eat 1 - 1 1/2 cups per meal. I don't want to eat to much in fear of getting stuck. I normally measure my meals to 1 cup. Dag on it if i'm not hungry in 2-3 hours.:huggie: So now i'm snacking. I'm eating a piece of chocolate each day. It releives my stress i like to think anyway.

I'm at a point of not knowing where to turn. I want to turn to food but thats what got me where i am now. Fat and unhappy.:thumbup: Somebody please help me.:thumbdown:

Hey sweetie, this is your hardest time. Until you start getting fills it's up to you to remain strong and only eat what you're suppose too. It's called Bandster's Hell.

Forgive yourself for eating the chocolate, get it out of your house, and stick to your good foods. You are only hurting yourself in the long run. You paid too much for all of this to let it defeat you. You can do it! Just have courage.

Now about the exercising. You can walk, walk, walk. It won't hurt you or your band. It's good for you too. The other types of exercise can wait until your doctor give the okay. So get to walking!

Please don't give up yet. You have only just begun and this is a long journey. You'll be dealing with all of this for quite awhile. You can do it. So go back to eating what you are suppose to and throw out that chocolate!

I was banded Oct 8 and hitting the same thing. I was loosing 2 pounds a day to start and then it just STOPPED. Since I started on mushy food I was turning to carbs, so that's going to stop and I'm going to refocus on protein. I fill up quick and then I'm starving before I know it though. Looking for new ideas...

Almost everyone loses easily at first and then has an ugly plateau before they begin getting fills. Just know that this is a normal and expected part of the banding experience.

You shouldn't beat yourself up over it and definitely shouldn't turn to food. Just keep following the bandster rules and it will start falling off again in no time.

I agree with getting rid of the chocolate. Using it to relieve stress is one of the bad habits that most of us have to overcome. To be successful, you have to find other ways to relieve stress. Go for a walk, get some exercise, read a good book, take a bath, etc. . . . just find an activity that you don't normally associate with food and that will help.

All you new bandsters...........calm down, enjoy what weight you've lost. This is not a rapid weight loss program no matter how much weight you've lost in the beginning. The band is a tool and your body is healing from the insertion of that tool. It does take time. After starting to eat mushies and solid food, your body needs to make another adjustment. So stick with your program, drink water, walk, and slowly the weight will come off.

In the end, it's a matter of calories in and calories expended. Don't short yourself either, you can't live on 500 calories a day. Find a balance that works for you and vary the amount of calories you eat each day. One day eat less 900 and the next eat 1000. Don't eat exactly the same thing. Eat your hard protien slowly and chew chew chew (of course you have very little restriction, but trust me, you'll appreciate already being in the habit of eating small bites and chewing a lot.)

You will get there, it just takes time and work. Good luck to all of you.

Once you get some restriction you wont feel so hungry.

I recommend that when you feel the need to cheat you change your focus by going out for a long walk. You may not be able to exercise yet but you can certainly start walking. You should walk at least an hour each day and I'll bet your weight loss starts up again.