Outside My Comfort Zone: Being Full and Being Filled

I have a fill scheduled for today. I have been stressing about it a little for the past couple of weeks. I haven't lost any weight in about two weeks exactly, so that is probably why. I'm sitting at 176.0 pounds as my absolute lowest weight (although I've hit it a few times, I can't break into any digits starting with 175).

I feel like I can eat okay amounts of food where I'm at right now but am hungry fairly soon after I eat and can still eat whatever I want (pasta, bread, etc.--although not super quickly or anything). Just as a reference for what I eat: I have been going back and forth--eating and not--at breakfast time (please see Catherine's interesting blog about not eating breakfast). I have a microwavable meal for lunch Monday through Thursdays (usually eat out the other three afternoons--or at the VERY least will eat out one of them). I will have a meal or two (I know!) at night consisting of different things. Last night, I had part of a sausage link (a big one) and shells and cheese then I had a big bowl of cereal later. Other nights, I'll eat leftovers or whatever is left in a doggy bag and then make something else on top of that. I have been PBing a little (about once or twice a week if that), but it is mainly because I let myself get too hungry and shovel the food down like it's going to disappear if I don't get it all down the pipes asap. (Obviously having snacks around is something I need to work on (especially at work where I am starving in the afternoons and take out my frustrations in a supper consisting of bad-for-me foods, too much food, or both--I'm not nearly as tight at night!)). So this brings me back to the fill situation...I worry about getting a fill that is so tight that I won't be able to get down protein and, instead, will replace it with milkshakes or something terrible like that. I don't want too tight of a fill, and I began thinking that maybe I shouldn't get one at all.

With that in mind, I was reading Shagg's blog today. She expressed some of the same concerns I did about the band. It seems that we both want to continue being able to eat foods that are good for us without serious issue but, at the same time, not get hungry soon after we eat. Well, on her blog, someone commented that we got this band for a reason. If it is too comfortable, then maybe it isn't serving the purpose for which it was intended. The poster wrote: "#1.. about your band.. If you are comfortable and happy with the way your band is functioning, perhaps that is the problem.. You are finding it only too easy to eat bigger portions and the wrong food.. We all got this band for one thing, and that is to help us lose the weight. So, with your band just sitting in there not really doing anything to help you, is pointless.. See about getting it tightened just a tiny bit.. Tell the new band doctor about how long you have been hovering at this weight, and you want it dealth with." That poster's suggestion was to get a tiny fill and see. With that in mind, I think I will be petitioning for a fill this afternoon. I need to get outside the comfort zone.