A change in one’s diet is very difficult. It is also the key to losing weight and taking control of your health through eating well. Right now I see my diet as being similar to this time last year. The main difference is the quantity of food that I eat compared to last year. We still mostly grill or bake food. We never fry food. We eat salads and veggies every day, avoiding potatoes and rice. Meatwise, it’s mostly chicken breasts, lean pork loin chops and fish. Food wise, Brett and I generally eat healthy. I have to admit we stray on weekends and at special dinners. I do need to work on that. I hope that I can report that I have earned an “A” in 2009.

I have only had two fills on my lapband. The restriction is hardly noticeable. It does make me eat less at times and not at other times. Only in a handful of instances has food disagreed with it and made me sick and stop eating. I know that success with the lapband is more than just letting the band do its job. It’s a partnership where I need to change.

I am confused and somewhat disappointed with the band at this time. I find the weight staying steady for going on two months… no gain… no loss. I exercise more and eat less with no change. That is frustrating. Right now I am experimenting with protein intake. The bariatric dietitian recommends high daily protein intake. I had been doing that through a protein drink in the a.m. and a bar in the afternoon. After looking at these calories, I realized that I was consuming 400 extra calories every day. I removed them from my diet and I lost a few pounds. The net few weeks will tell if that is good strategy.

I guess I feel that I paid for this band and expect it to do its job. My surgeon is ultra-conservative on fills and the band compared to other surgeons. Most other people I chat with have fills much more frequently and often at their personal request. The important fact about fills is that it has to reach a “sweet spot” where it controls and limits hunger but does not make you ill. Many people reach this spot immediately after surgery or within a month. I am going on 3 months and still have not. That is disappointing. I am hoping that this month does it. My surgeon believes it will. If it doesn’t I am seriously considering a change to a surgeon with a much more aggressive fill policy that centers on the patient’s goals and wishes and works with the patient as a team. I made the mistake of not screening my surgeon with questions on how fills are handled and the number of lapband patients he sees monthly. Take note of this if you are considering a band. They are very important questions to ask.