Restriction Rant

I have finally figured out that I am one of the (few, I think...) Bandsters who never experience "true" restriction: you know, the kind we were all hoping for when we had this done, the kind that says "you're full!" just before you PB, the kind that controls your portion size for you. Also, the Band is supposed to make it darn-near impossible to eat bready/starchy foods and even some uncooked vegetables. Nope. Not even now when I am way too tight do I have those limitations. I don't eat bread now because I don't want to, and it CAN get stuck, but it's not on the "never list".

I do have more restriction than being totally Band-less, sure - but it's not enough to get me to lose the weight. I do have a limit to how much I can eat, and will PB if I eat more than I should. Unfortunately, in order to lose, I apparently need to eat much much less than my Band will "let" me.

In search of this elusive restriction, I have gotten myself too tight. I really need to go in for an unfill. I'm sad about this, because it's been so hard to lose the weight, but I know it's the right thing to do - having stomach acid wash up through my esophagus a few times a day can't be healthy long-term.

I know, I know, "the Band is just a tool". I hear ya', and I knew that going in. But if we admit it, don't we all wish for it to be easy enough? I mean: you watch the quality of your food, and the Band watches your portions for you and then, voila! - all the weight is gone? I know the last 20 pounds are supposed to be hard, but the last 90?

I really didn't want to have the Band AND be on a strict diet, too. Especially reading some people's wonderful accounts of how easy it's been for them to lose the weight, and the Band was just that last thing they needed. I know the Band has been good for me, and it DOES really help me stay full between meals - a very critical ingredient in diet-adherance. But, I was really hoping it wouldn't be so hard - not this early in the journey anyway (weight-wise).

At least now I know - no matter how tight I am, it won't be enough to lose weight without dieting. Not the truth I wanted, but the truth nonetheless.