HeatherO

What a great point, lol. It would have been a lot worse if he was bothered by how I looked in the first place but I've always been just mom. I never thought about it that way before.

Well, this one isn't rude at all but I was rather shocked about it. It seems like it is always family that gets us more than anyone else. This one goes the opposite direction . . . from the child to the mother.
Since banding I went from 225 to 144 on a 5'3 frame (big difference on a short girl) in a little over 9 months. I am pretty much at goal now for all intents and purposes (3 - 4 pounds from a "normal" BMI).
When I was about 150 or so, I asked my 16 year old son (who never said a word about weight loss and doesn't know about my band) "have you noticed that I lost a little weight this year?"
His answer, "No, you look the same to me" . . . I was shocked. What is worse, I can read my son and he wasn't yanking my chain or playing with me, he honestly never even noticed.
My feelings were really hurt at the time. I think this was because I changed everything about the way I look and for him not to not even notice this transition . . . I must be about as important as the wallpaper in the bathroom. Everyone in the world, even the teller at the bank who I see maybe 1-2 times a year since the advent of online banking, seemed to notice . . . but my own child . . . nada.
Anyways, I got over it. I have a teenager at home and I know he loves me . . . specially when he needs money or the latest xbox 360 game, lol. He is a good kid, never been a problem. It is just hard for a mom to remember being her childs whole world and later becoming her childs afterthought.
I think most teenagers worlds revolve around themselves for a few brief years and then they come back to appreciate you once they start college. At least I hope this is true . . . :0)

I wouldn't bother mentioning it at all early on because it is not really important in the early stages of a relationship. It is just one piece of your health history and you typically wouldn't discuss those kinds of things with someone casually right after you meet them. Once you get to know a person better and feel comfortable discussing this it makes more sense to share.

What a great point, lol. It would have been a lot worse if he was bothered by how I looked in the first place but I've always been just mom. I never thought about it that way before.

I think part of it might be the mind set. If you cry because of thinking about the deprivation again, it doesn't sound like you had a good experience prior to pregnancy.
Eating less and feeling full shouldn't feel like deprivation. Your band should be tight enough to have restriction yet loose enough that you can eat healthy foods that support breastfeeding while still being able to be completely hydrated. I would just focus on the positive aspects of having a little more restriction, make sure you get in plenty of hydration. Also, a fill is not the end-all of the situation. If you get a fill and it seems too tight or seems like you are milk supply is beginning to diminish, you can always get a slight unfill.
Try not to think about it in terms of feast or famine, all or none . . . it is a balance. I know that for me personally, I thought this way for years and years prior to banding and at any given point in time I was yo-yoing somewhere between overeating consistently or being on an extreme diet. Getting a little fill is just tipping the balance more in your favor. If you can continue to breastfeed successfully while slowing losing a few pounds and feeling more satisfied with your meals, it sounds like a win-win situation to me.

This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band.
The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band.
Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band.
Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.
The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:
1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.
2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.
3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.
4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.
5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.
6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.< /span>
7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.
Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater.
It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

You can remove anything from your diet and lose weight. Carbs. Fat. Calories. Whatever. All will result in weightloss.
The best weightloss is when everything is in moderation.

re: "Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” " What a GREAT quote!! Thanks!!!

For me, it's more that I can eat anything I want now. Before - on diets or off them - I would "just say NO" to may favorite foods, making the healthy choice. But then I'd spend days just craving it! And now, when I want something, I eat it. The only difference is that NOW, I can really, truly be satisfied with 3 or 4 bites of something. Bites, not FORKFULS, mind you. I could (used to, in fact) eat with toddler flatware. pizza, for example -- I eat a small salad & then drool over my 3 bites of ooey, gooey goodness & am totally satisfied the way 1/2 a pie never could've made me -- because now I don't feel greasy afterward! It's friggin' amazing!
And that, my friend, is the TOOL at work.
But it IS just a tool. I could still probably eat an entire cheesecake. And i love cheesecake -- my wedding cake was a 3-layer cheesecake. No amount of tightening would keep cheesecake OUT and still let other foods (chicken/fish) down. That's just a fact. And chocolate malts...yuuum-o! But I'm sure you get my point. It is far better to add a scoop of malt powder to a chocolate Protein shake than it is to drink down the real thing whenever the mood strikes!
The LapBand provides the "portion control" part of "moderation & exercise" -- you still control the WHAT, WHEN & HOW OFTEN elements. And the JUST DO IT attitude regarding exercise needs to come from YOU, too. (That's been my big struggle with weight-loss all along & is no different now. Except now I don't weigh 320# & don't have THAT as a excuse NOT to work-out.)
Anyhow -- salad. I do the same thing. I order a salad or fish when eating out. I chop the heck out of my salad when it arrives, but then I can eat quite a lot of it. Usually 1/2 a "meal" salad at most places. Sometimes I can finish the entire thing. I've never tried the one you mentioned, but it shouldn't be a problem if that's your thing! :crying: My fave is the grilled chk.tenderloin salad at Cracker Barrel -- they have the worlds best ranch! I limit the # of croûtons I'll eat by removing them from my plate & then chop away. Oh, my is that a good salad! I can only eat 1/2 of that one now. Salmon is a safe choice for me too - it usually isn't coated in tons of butter and it is moist, flaky & tender thus goes down well by nature without having to concentrate on chewing 40 times for every bite. (Hard to do when socializing at the table!) I can usually eat 2-3 oz of salmon & have a few bites of mashed potatoes, too.:drool: Good stuff! :biggrin2:
It's good to ask questions, but don't fret -- you'll still be able to EAT & you'll have the help I know I needed when it comes to limiting the portion size of all those foods you love!
Get ready! My LapBand is the best thing I've done for myself in a very very long time! :thumbup: You're next! Good luck!

Well, I'm posting this just to let you know why one would get an unfill. I've been 'sitting on the fence' for quite some time and have finally decided to get a bit of an unfill.

I can't eat much meat unless it's drenched in sauce or Mayonnaise, and then only very little. As a result, I feel sure I'm not getting enough Protein
90% of the food I eat is "mushy"
I'm not eating nearly enough fish, fresh veggies and fruit
I'm eating WAY too much in the way of chips and crackers
I'm starting to feel some reflux symptoms at night, but not too badly...just want to nip that in the bud!
I have had a few esophageal spasms...not pleasant at all
The list of healthy foods I cannot eat is WAY too long; I miss chicken and eggs and salads
It takes me 45 minutes to get in a cup of food
Milkshakes are a little too yummy to rely on for sustenance
I'm growing weary of fighting with my band at every meal :thumbup:
SO... we shall see. I'm hoping to feel better soon. :crying: That would be nice.

Noahsmomm
This surgery does not work for everyone - it's not a guarantee. It's a tool only.
For me it was the exact tool I needed to control my portions. How did that change my eating habits you ask.. Well for me I had major frickin surgery - I'm 53 yrs old - I want to extend my life.
While on the mushie stage I came home tired and hungry - started to make some cream/white gravy for mashed potatoes(would be considered an allowed food at that stage sorta not low fat but a mushie)- as I was frying the bacon (yep pork fat ruled in my book) I look at it and said to myself - Janet you had major surgery and you are going to eat crap like this - you aren't going to win this war - you will continue down the road of self destruction - So I threw it out - NO MORE - YOU ARE DONE.
I call my band my interior motivator - I would say for me this tool helps me use what I have learned in all my past attempts to lose the weight.
I eat healthy 98% (low fat - mostly sugar free) I exercise 3-4 days a week. I allow for treats but they are within my daily calorie budget. I don't feel deprived at all. I feel 10 yrs younger - have 110% more energy.
I didn't take having surgery as a quick fix or as a minor thing - I could have died on that operating table. For me I have had my AH HA MOMENT.
I am only 10 months out - who knows were I will be next year at this time (will I still have this motivation or will I be struggling - for me it's one day at a time). But I know that I have my little motivator planned in my stomach. I know that food was my drug of choice and I have made up my mind that it will no longer control me (for me I think the battle against food is more mental than physical and that's where the real work has to be done)
The band makes a hard job easier - but it doesn't do the work - you do.
I feel full on a smaller portion of healthy food - junk food and sweets weren't major problems for me - it was my home cooked high fat diet large portions (1st - 2nds & 3rd) and lack of exercise.
For me I think you have to want it bad enough - I think you have to prepare yourself that this is only a tool and that the majority of the changes that are needed are in your head and not your stomach..
Good Luck on your journey........

Ok I have read up on "PB" and "Slime" and I get it. Up until now I have been lucky not to have experienced either and I realize it was 100% my fault. :tt1:
My 15 year old had her tonsils out the other day and I have been kinda running on lack of sleep and good judgement. (She's having a hard time) My lack of judgement yesterday evening had me eating <not chewing> and walking around the house doing "stuff" then it hit, the PAIN from hell that increased with every millisecond. I couldn't swallow, heck I wasn't sure I could breath. A wee bit of panic kicked in, I paced, rubbed my chest, my DH rubbed my back and then I had a flash back to my *Party Days* "Lord please , If I live through this I will NEVER, NEVER do it again" lol
Without notice I was Linda Blair and shot saliva out of my mouth and to the tile floor <sorry gross> Then a peace came over me "euphoria" if you will. I was in a fog of pure ecstasy and delight when I was brought back to reality with the vision of my DH cleaning the floor and asking "Are you alright now?' < bless him> Lesson learned!!! :tongue:
So ummm is that how it always is? The slime? I had pictured drool flowing from my mouth to my neck and other body parts, not shooting out a large mass of yuck! Neither here nor there I guess, I lived through it, realized my mistakes and promised myself " I will NEVER, NEVER do it again!

i am new the forum but have been watching the before and after pics for a long time as a source of inspiration quietly. i was banded last year and have lost a total of 151 lbs alone basicly....i walk 3 miles everyday now and stay on my plan for the most part and sometimes it is so very hard to do that but i do it alone basicly. also, 2 years ago i stopped smoking. i dont recognize myself in the mirror anymore and lately i have felt very lonely....like i have lost myself. like all of my accomplishments dont mean that much. these things ive done were not as important as i had once thought them to be. they havent solved any great mystery at all and no happy new secret has been revealed to me that everyone else seems to share....i am here to talk about this topic and meet people and maybe make a friend with similar issues and maybe get new perspectives on what 'being thin' and 'happiness' and 'joy' really are about. the people i know in real life just dont understand the psychological effects of being in such a new world (i have been severely obese my whole life) and i am used to being ignored and overlooked and treated very poorly and now i feel that everyone who is nice to me is a liar and if i were obese they wouldnt give me the time of day. this might be too heavy of a topic here, i dont know but i am throwing it out there....and maybe someone would know someone who typed something that sounded like this and direct me to the right place (if you dont mind that would be fabulous). i will check back in the private message section and in this thread (if i can find it again..lol) and see if anyone has heard me. i am open and honest and extremely interested in truth and choice and commited to doing well because i dont want to give up on where those things take you. and i dont want to sound depressing or angry...this just is what it is and it is truth. i am a very motivated and kind person....i just need help learning to accept these changes in a healthy way and what other people who have felt like me have done or thought to make this transition less lonely, because i do feel more alone than when i was superobese.. and physically, i feel absolutely wonderful. but mentally, i am suffering. i tried new clothes and i hate them and feel like i am trying to sell myself off as some newly packaged meat. i know i cant be alone in this feeling........i hope someone hears me. thanks.

CarolAnne, darlin this is the Rants and Raves section ... this is where you come to rant and rave over the silliest of things or the most serious of things.
The rest of the forum is safe and VERY informative sweetheart.

There is no comparison whatsoever. It is like comparing a stubbed toe to a broken foot :0). Almost no pain for me and I never did more than 1 pain pill after surgery.
Really the only pain I had was if I would cough and even then that was manageable. I suffered a little more from being tired a few days after surgery.
I did have the shoulder pain which wasn't pleasant but the incisions were a piece of cake.

My biggest piece of advice would be to learn to love exercise. I am like a broken record on this, but I swear, if I did not run every day I would not have been nearly so successful in losing weight and I certainly would not be so successful in keeping it off.
I also think you need to remember that fills are for life - maintenance must go on. If at any stage after you reach goal weight you find you're hungrier, its time for a small fill! I recently had one and even my doc questioned me, I think he thought I wanted to try to get even skinnier but truly, I was just beginning to swing a bit up and down by 2lb and I wanted to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand. It worked brilliantly, I havent lost (it was only .1ml) any weight, but I have stayed back down at the lower end of my usual weight and my weight has stopped fluctuating. You need to keep seeing a doctor regularly and you need to fill when you begin to feel you need it.
My internal dialogue was all about "well, I'm at goal weight now, it's OK if I eat a little more" but in all honestly, its NOT OK. And I was not eating a little more than the 3/4 of my sandwich I can eat at lunchtime, I was eating the 3/4 of a sandwich and then chocolate all afternoon. Its very hard to fight the I've lost weight now I dont have to worry mentality but its the most important thing in the whole battle. Just as for weight loss, maintenance takes a properly functioning band.
Good luck. With perhaps a fill and renewed commitment, you can lose that weight again.

Hi TS, and welcome back!
Yes, it is possible to have problems, rally and come back from them to begin losing weight again. I do know from experience. I had my band on 4/28/06. Like you, the first year was wonderful for me. I lost 60 pounds my first year and thought by the end of my second year I would be at goal. Then, much like you, I got overfilled. I was having financial issues and the end of my one year of free visits had come and gone. So, I let the problem persist. I finally went in for an unfill and then tried another fill two months later. I was still overfilled. Once again, I let it go on for months. I began living on things like ice cream. I gained back 20 pounds. When I finally went back to the doctor, he chastised me for not coming in, said my health was more important to him than money and refused to charge me. I had a slip in my band because I was so tight that I was pb'ing constantly. So, I had to have a complete unfill for about two months. I gained back another 10 pounds.
We learned from all of this that we need to go very slow on fills with me and a little bit makes a huge difference for me. As of April, I am finally back at my sweet spot and am losing about 2 pounds a week again. I am exercising and feeling great and back in love with my band again. So, as I have shown, it is possible to come back from problems and start losing again. I have learned to not let any band problems I am having persist for more than a day or so now, it simply isn't worth it.
I hope you have wonderful luck with your new surgeon. I would suggest having him do a fill under flouroscopy just to make sure everything is ok with your band.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Don't let one bad apple spoil the crate for you, so to speak. We really are a supportive group here and want to help one another. Even with the band, this is not an easy road and we all need help from time to time.

Tina, my heart goes out to you. I have a similar story, but the girlfriend was of FOUR years and there were others to boot. This crap went down 5-6 years ago, and when I found out, I had an affair out of revenge (I know it was wrong). We ended up in many months of counseling only to find out our marriage of 16 years at that time, had really been quite an emotional disaster. The good news is, we decided to put all of the cards on the table and got into the psychology of why affairs happen. Most men are afraid of strong women (no offense, guys). Your weight loss is a threat. Your attention to yourself takes attention away from him. Men love to be the Knight in Shining Armour, but you have been your own Knight with the decision you have made to change your life. SO, at my psych eval, all of this came out, and the counselor asked me if my husband was threatened by what I am about to do (May 23rd). He says no, but I KNOW he is. He already thinks I will leave when our daughter graduates in 2 years from high school, and to be honest, I have not yet made that decision but I am leaning toward staying right now. Our marriage is better than it ever was, but I do not NEED him anymore and he knows it. If it does not work out, I will be fine - but it took a very long time for me to come to that conclusion on my own. I stayed because of my kids, and the marriage is better than ever. I am stronger now and have a thick skin where he is concerned. I see you live in DC and I am in Richmond, VA. Maybe we could meet half way for lunch sometime. Part of what I now do in life is try to help other women make their way through crap like this and unlock their true potential...you have such a bright future and you look fantastic. Never let anyone torture you like this because no one is worth sacrificing yourself for. Live for YOU and your KIDS. If you want to give it a try, it can work, but it is now all about what you really want and what he really wants. Find out the real reason he had the affair. What was he looking for that he PERCEIVED was missing from home? Mine said he was her Knight in Shining Armour and she was not judgmental of him. Funny - when I met him he was MY Knight, but not anymore. I am my own Knight, and you will be yours. If you want to give me a call, e-mail and I will give you my number. Stay strong for yourself and your kids.

First of all, congratulations on the 50 pounds. You have come a long way and have positives to show for it.
Secondly, perhaps it is time to analyze some of the behaviors that cause you to turn to food and eat around the band. Seeking some counseling may be helpful and allow you to dig into the root of the behaviors so that you can make an adjustment. If you are regularly eating 1/4 gallon of ice cream, you may be sabotaging the level of success you can attain with the band.
You have already recognized the behavior and have already made steps to address it. Journaling is another means to help you uncover reasons why you make the choices you make. Distractions as previously mentioned are always helpful.
For me personally, the most effective things I do if I have a craving that won't go away works three fold.
One, if I make a decision to indulge in something I know is not healthy I make myself wait 30 minutes to see if the craving will pass. Usually it is the impulse that I have to have something nowww that allows me to make an unhealthy choice. 30 minutes is also plenty of time to get distracted if you know what I mean :0)
Secondly, if I decide to go ahead and eat whatever it is that I am craving, I eat something healthy first. I prefer whatever I eat first to not be too soft so that it helps to really fill me up. This way I am limiting on quantity but still able to indulge if I really need to do so.
Last, I don't allow myself to feel guilty about it. I made a decision, took the steps I promised myself I would take and followed through. Everyone can indulge occasionally, it is making the conscious decision to control the situation instead of allowing it to control you that makes all the difference.
Best of luck to you. We are all on this road together and dealing with the same issues. I know you can do this, 50 pounds lost is already showing that you have made a lot of great choices since banding. :0)

It really isn't as "we have it so much harder" when you compare to other addictions. Smokers can't just "avoid" triggers. Maybe by never seeing smoking friends again, avoiding access to cigarettes by never leaving the house or going to a store, gas station, etc. Never driving because someone next to you may be smoking and that could trigger something just as watching a food commercial or seeing bad items at the buffet. Never going somewhere with smokers so they'd never be tempted to ask for one... you get the idea.
Think of it as very similar situations. Both people have to face their addictions and cravings, have to find a way with it being part of daily life, and have to find in themselves the ability for behavioral change to be successful. Only smokers don't have readily available "SLS" surgeries to help them be able to say no to 8/10 cigarettes, or feel satisfied after smoking 1/10 of it. :smile2:
Did your pre-op psychologist work through any of these issues with you, or have you sought help post-op? A good therapist really can do a lot to help. (They're not all good, though, have to use much discretion.)
No one can make thoughts disappear, you will always have thoughts and there's always the possibility that one will just so happen to be about a food subject. But you can change behaviors, find out your root causes for overeating (they vary, e.g. most people are emotional eaters, but I am not, a concept emotional eaters have a hard time with and vice versa). When you know why, you can start working on fixing it. If you classify your need with food (or some sensation directly or indirectly linked to the food) as an "addiction" - and believe it's an addiction, then it's pretty obvious mental and physical balance has to come from somewhere, and if we could all take care of that ourselves, we wouldn't have any fat psychiatrists.
BTW, search for "addiction" and you'll find many others in your same boat, as well as info on the addiction vs. not addiction debate, what people have done to find success, current challenges, etc. It's a long-standing topic here.

I took your advice, Googled some rather dry (though interesting) reading, and your answer makes perfect sense, Jack. Thank you for the explanation in layman's terms. Seems dear ol' Dad's bit of wisdom was right all along- It is better out than in. :scared2:
Perhaps you are right regarding our "sadly misguided, cultural aversion to body odors", but a couple shots of strategically placed Right Guard on a warm August day does much to enhance the chiropractic doctor / patient relationship, and the close personal space they may share.
Just having a bit of fun with you, Jack. Thanks for the answer.

Ugh, I feel your pain, I was in ketosis state like 3 days out of surgery with the nasty smelling pee, the white tongue and funky mouth taste. ICK. Hopefully going to mushies will help it. Cuz ewwwie.
*hug* hang in there girlie.

I could not help but post. I have not even checked in for months. I too have come to a blah spot, its not my first. I doubt it will be my last. We are bound to have seasons with our emotions as well as seasons with our motivations. I have found that there is a rhythm to both and when I hit a low spot on both of those rhythms at the same time, I stall. I has lasted a couple of months once, and lately, a few weeks. This time, I stalled because I needed a slight unfill, due to a bout with pneumonia, and I needed to take some serious antibiotics. I am all better, lungs clear, but I have not had a fill again. I have enjoyed eating things I have not eaten in a long time. I have my fill scheduled, and I am sure I have gained a few pounds, I also celebrated a Th wedding anniversary cruise that was combined with a large family reunion (60) of us! I am not freaking out, I have long since let go of the eleventh commandment that I used to carry over my head, Thou shalt not should on thyself. (say that out loud very carefully, or it could be misunderstood). I will begin losing again, I am looking forward to it, I must stop the sugar stuff, it drains my energy and I know it short circuits weight loss, even if the calories are low. It has something to do with gluten in the muscles and storing or burning fat.
I have lost 120 lbs, I was within 8 lbs of my goal when I took a u turn. Funny huh? Well, I reevaluated my goal and I believe I should really lose about an additional 15 lbs to get my BMI to 26 or 25. That is for optimal health, I am sure my skin will revolt. So I took a little respite, and will begin again, that is the beauty of having a tool like the band that works for you and with you. It is the most kind thing I have ever done for myself. Don't sweat the seasons, be confident that you will kick your own butt in the right time and enjoy your journey. It would be boring if you always had the same ol, same ol. At least you are aware of where you are mentally, and physically, and you are not in oblivion somewhere drowning in glutton-ville. So, thats what I think anyway! (no charge for my silly two cents)!

I have to say that I'm overcome with the blahs about this whole process. I thought it was the winter, then I thought it was resting on my laurals, I thought so many things...
What it's coming down to is that this is a change that is LIFE long. And lives have cycles. I just hope my "kick my own butt into high gear" cycle starts again soon.
Newbies, I'd never imagine me writing like this a year ago. But the fact of the matter is, though I'm not gaining, and I'm losing ever so slowly, (3 pounds a month, maybe) I've lost my mojo.
And if I want to make excuses, I started grad school in January and it's hard...I dunno, if you have some kind words to motivate me share...
I work out regularly, not every day, but most days. I eat food in the appropriate order, Protein, veg and carb most times but there are heavier carb days. There are also high sugar days.
I want this to feel like it did when it was new. Don't people say that about romance too???

Ohiobluegal, put down the ice cream!
50lbs is excellent weight loss! You can do it and take off the rest!
Of course the band will only help you so far. You have to put in the other effort.
I understand where you're coming from. I love ice cream and I eat it every day still. But the difference is that I only buy pre-portioned ice cream.
My first action would be not to buy that stuff at all. OR only by pre-sized small cups of ice cream (2 at a time) so that if you do have to have some, you can, but you can only eat what you have. There are a couple weight watcher brand ice creams that are good, plus they are pre-portioned.
The second (or maybe this should be first?) thing is that you should figure out WHY you are turning to food at night? What's really bothering you and you should direct your emotion at the person/situation or deal with it in another way beside turning to food.
Good luck!