ahoyhere

Hey, y'all. You don't know me, but I kinda feel like I know you, since I've been reading a whooooole bunch of the posts on the forum before I piped up :rolleyes2: What I'd really like to know from you all is: After the first few intense months, how much daily work is it for you to live happily with your band? How much time do you have to spend obsessing about, avoiding, or tallying up food? Is it on your mind all the time, a whole new hobby, or can you live like a "normal person" who just eats only small amounts of lean protein and veggies? (Not including exercise.) Do you find that, if you slack off, your band gives you a nice slap upside the head? Do you get physical feedback if you eat the wrong things or do something unhealthy? Is it less mental work than doing a strict diet? Does it feel more like normal (but adjusted) life? I ask because, the main problem I have with losing weight is my attention span, and the fact that the bad side effects from bad choices seem so far away that they don't "steer" me. I want to be thin, sure, but this is really about my health, and try as I might, I can't seem to bring myself to fear it sufficiently. I believe that if I had a tool -- like you guys say -- that helped me feel full easier, and caused me to feel sick if I did the wrong things, that would help a lot. As a feedback mechanism. Kind of like how I kill houseplants but wouldn't forget to feed & water an animal that made noise :thumbdown: But, if I had to exert all my mental energy every day on managing it, I don't think the band would work for me -- because I won't be able to keep that up. Weird as it may sound, I'm just not emotionally involved in my weight... and to keep on a strict diet to lose 130lbs, like I need to, you really have to be emotionally involved. I'm hoping the band will help. What do you think?

Valerieee, I've got nothing to add about the surgery - I've just started doing research, myself - but I can say one thing: Don't listen to your dad. And what he just said to you, and what he's been saying to you for a long time (it sounds like), is *wrong*. It's a parent's job to protect their kids. I had an abusive parent - I know what it's like. I found a lot of psychological relief in the book, _Toxic Parents_. I know your inclination is to defend your parents... mine too... that's because we're nice people. But that doesn't mean what they're doing is even remotely OK. I really recommend you try out that book, Toxic Parents. It might help you too.