The First Month

Well, it has been a month since my surgery, and what an interesting month it has been.

I have really had to learn a new way of eating, and having tasted the "green zone", I am really keen to get back into it.

The first week was bliss. I could really feel the band doing its stuff. I could feel the sensation known as satiety - the opposite of hunger (no interest in food). After only a small amount of food, I felt the the sensation of satiation (feeling satisfaction after a small amount of food). I found it very difficult to handle any lumps in my food at all. I thought the liquid diet was going to be hard, but I found it quite easy. The amazing thing was I felt freed from my preoccupation with food. I was able to actually enjoy my TV without being distracted by a constant battle with the part of me wanting junk food - that "demon" was blissfully silent. I felt so free.

However, by the initial weekend, I was wanting to try eating some solids. I made the mistake of trying some McDonalds. I only managed to get through half of it before giving up, because I threw up three times. This was due to an extremely uncomfortable (verging on painful) sensation in my stomach that would not subside. Vomitting seemed to be the only way to relieve it.

I got quite a bit of a telling off on Facebook because of it LOL

I experienced some more throwing up, as I experimented with some more foods.

Over the last couple of weeks, however, I have no doubt that I am in the "yellow zone". The "demons" are back, and binging just like I did before the surgery.

I have started Tony Ferguson as my core diet, and I believe that has stopped me from gaining weight as a result of my binging. I am looking forward to it really working, and doing away with these annoying urges.

Here is a quick explanation of the zones:

• Green Zone
  
  • this is where the surgeons want us to be - it's where the band is working properly
  • experiences satiety and early satiation
  • weight loss is steady and good
• Yellow Zone
  
  • this is where the band is not tight enough
    
  • old eating patterns and urges return
  • eat larger meals
    
  • start hunting for food between meals
    
  • weight loss is slowed or reversed


• Red Zone
  
  • this is where the band is too tight
    
  • may experience any of the following:
    
    • difficulty swallowing
      
    • reflux
      
    • night coughs
      
    • heart burn
      
  • weight loss slowed or reversed due to reverting to "slippery" foods (e.g. icecream, chocolate, etc)

I am very much looking forward to tomorrow's adjustment. This is where the surgeon injects some saline through the port attached to the abdominal wall to tighten the band.

I am really looking forward to getting back into the green zone.