Wrap your Band Around your Head!

What does this mean??? One phrase I hear all too often is "I wish I had a band to wrap around my head." It is possible that the band can be properly adjusted and you feel satisfaction after a small amount of food, but for some reason you continue to eat. Unfortunately, you are physically capable of eating small amounts throughout the day and the band won't stop you. This is called grazing.

To get the most benefit out of the band, try to stick with three solid, protein rich meals spread 4-5 hours throughout the day. Remember not to drink 15 minutes before meals and 2 hours after. If you have a long stretch between meals, you can PLAN on a healthy, mid meal snack. See our website for snack ideas. Try not to nibble unconsciously between meals. This is sometimes just a habit that needs to be broken. A great way to break this habit and identify unconscious eating is to keep food records for a few days. Sometimes you don't even realize the amount of food you can eat unconsciously. Focus on using food as meals to be eaten while sitting down at a table.

Once you reach your "sweet spot" which is the amount of saline in the band that gives you satisfaction after eating a small amount of food, you will know it. It can be a wonderfully enlightening experience for a patient to reach the point where they are satisfied on such small amounts of food. Be patient. Until you are there, you may experience some weight plateaus and possible weight gain at some point during your journey. This is because we tell you to eat until you are satisfied. If you restricted your own portions you would be dieting and we would not know how to adjust the band. By eating to the point of satisfaction we can figure out if you need an adjustment or not based on your weight gain or loss.

The biggest question is "what does satisfaction mean?" This is something that is very difficult to describe, but once you are there you will know. This is when you figure out how to "wrap your band around your head." This sounds quirky, but some people even get little signs like the hiccups or a small pain in their shoulder. I know- sounds weird, but that is what I have heard from patients. Give the band time. Don't expect too much, too fast. You are much better off losing at a slower rate. Remember a 40-50# weight loss in a year is fantastic!

A couple side notes:

1. Our Village Fair Walpole walk/run is scheduled for June 9th. The walk/run starts at 9am, but be there by 8:20 to complete registration. Ifyou have not registered and would like to do so please e-mail me at janesylvestre@massweightloss.com

2. Also, Gail, Rose Marie and I are working on a cook book. If you have any recipes you would like to contribute, please send them my way via e-mail. Include nutrition information if you have it and the source of your favorite healthy, band friendly recipe if available. We will compile all the recipes over the summer and have the cookbook available in the fall.

I hope you all enjoy these beautiful, warm summer days. Warmly, Jane