A couple of weeks ago when I was really upset about something, I really concentrated on what I was eating.  I had a hamburger patty from Carl's Jr and took VERY small bites and chewed, chewed, chewed.  I was able to eat the entire amount, which is quite a bit.  So, the next few times I ate solid protein I really concentrated (like we are supposed to) and surprise, surprise, I was able to eat!! 

Since I have been pretty tight since May, I was concerned at first....thinking that maybe my pouch had stretched.  However, the first time I swallowed a big bite that wasn't chewed well enough I knew that my restriction was still there!  One day when I got home from work I was pretty hungry, didn't have lunch for some reason.  I scooped up a big chunk of peanut butter on a cracker and devoured it as I was trying to cook dinner.  MISTAKE.  It got stuck, and caused me very uncomfortable pain that evening.  I wasn't really able to eat dinner or drink too much.  So, being the more wise bandster I put myself on full liquids the next day.  The one time I tried to eat something solid I encountered resistance, and stayed on liquids the rest of the day.  It was then that I confirmed to myself that I have not been fair to myself this entire time! 

I had figured it out!!  I wasn't eating correctly....chewing and taking small bites.  This I half-heartedly knew.....but what I wasn't getting through my thick skull was that every time I had an incident that caused even some slight stuck feeling, I needed to stay on liquids.  I had always continued to try and eat solids.  Thinking to myself that since I didn't PB I should be okay.  Then a vicious cycle would start.  I was still a bit swollen from the stuck even a SMALL stuck episode and wasn't allowing time for that to go down, thus when I tried to eat solid foods I had trouble.   All of this time I was thinking that maybe my band was a little too tight.....but nope, I just wasn't following directions.  There I thought I was a speical case, once again.  LOL 

I am actually able to eat a nice size portion of food when I do it correctly.  I would say 1/2 to 1 full cup of food!  By taking my time and really chewing and savoring my food I am enjoying it much more.  I think part of my enjoyment is also from not being able to eat more than 3 bites of good solid protein food the past 7 months.  I knew all of this....yet, I still wasn't doing it correctly.  I think the bad episode I had at New Year's is what got me to be more careful and that has paid off!  My weight is still fluctuating.  Last Sunday I actually got down to 184, but then back up a few pounds.  I was down to 185 yesterday and the scale showed 186 this morning.  It's frustrating, but I am dealing with it fine.  I am just a slow loser.  Could be much worse....I could be gaining 5 pounds a month!  I did buy two pairs of size 12 pants this past weekend and they FIT!!!!!!!!!  Wooo Hooo!!!  I am very happy about that!!   I also took a couple of LF pictures but forgot to post them on Thursday night,. so I will try again this upcoming week.