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Im only one and a half week out of surgery. I have already had 2 horribly, painful days where the left shoulder and neck pain was so bad that my doctor suggested going to the ER. Went to the ER and they ran all kinds of tests. Said everything was normal and nothing wrong with me. When I saw the doctor the very next day he did state that the pain usually does happen from either too much gas in the stomach causing squeezing and issues where the band gets moved around a lot, or eating too much which can cause the band to be placed in stress rubbing again or hitting that nere that is extremely close to where the bad is located. The doctor checked my port and made sure that there was absolutely NO air or saline in my band. In less than 2 days after seeing the doctor I've had severe pain again today. I was at work, again when it happened. I had only had a yogurt for breakfast, half a banana about 3 hours later, and then oatmeal about 2 hours after that. I had NOT had anything to drink and the pain started an HOUR after I had eaten the oatmeal. I have been in pain all afternoon and was AFRAID to eat or drink anything. Finally I did have about a 1/2 cup of vegetable soup (pureed) and a tiny swallow of water. I am terrified of that PAIN and do NOT want it to show its ugly head again. The doctor did tell me that it should not last more than 30-45 minutes at a time (try 6 hours today!), and that it should only happen in the early stages of recovery. It should NOT be a common occurance and to let him know what was happening. I have my post-op appointment with my doctor scheduled this coming wednesday and I am going to be very proactive about this issue. For now I know that I am not eating enough, getting enough protein (maybe 30 grams a day if that) and am very concerned that if I eat or drink hardly anything at all the pain starts back up. I have no idea on what to do about this issue! Any ideas out there fellow bandsters?

MORE, MORE, MORE Americans love MORE: more of anything and everything. More food, more fun, and (for some of us) more fill in our bands. But striving for maximum fill in the effort to achieve maximum weight loss can be a terrible mistake. Fat folks become obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery because we’ve been eating more, more, more, so it’s not surprising that bandsters long for more, more, more fill. The tighter the band, the better, right? Wrong. Here’s why: tighter doesn’t automatically yield more weight loss. It can cause eating problems, side effects and complications that none of us want. It can compromise our quality of life. It can make us miserable when all we hope for from bariatric surgery is a better life. You’re not impressed by all that? You’re willing to risk everything in the pursuit of skinny? Then try this on for size. A tight band doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just the opposite: it can stall your weight loss or even make you gain weight. Do I have your full attention now? Good. Listen up and I’ll explain why tighter isn’t always better. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY Traditionally, the adjustable gastric band has been considered a “restrictive” weight loss surgery. Bandsters were taught to look for signs of restriction: the proofs that their bands were working. Instead of paying attention to her own eating behavior and lifestyle, the bandster waited impatiently for the flashing signs, ringing bells and slamming doors that would stop her from overeating. The idea was that the small upper stomach pouch would “restrict” food intake and result in weight loss. Sound familiar? That was well-intentioned thinking, but it was wrong. In the past 5 or so years, band manufacturers and bariatric surgeons have come to believe that it’s a mistake to eat and eat until you set off your band’s emergency warning system, for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, the re-education process is slow going, and in the meantime, the restriction fallacy lives on. Even now, approximately every third word out of a bandster’s mouth is “restriction”. It’s a catch-all term for the feelings that limit how much a bandster eats. Post-op band life tends to become a quest for enough fills to reach the Holy Land of Restriction. Next stop: Skinnyland. Or not. HAZARD AHEAD! THE DANGERS OF SOFT CALORIE SYNDROME Soft Calorie Syndrome is one of the least publicized dangers of a band that’s too tight. Psychologists would call it a maladaptive behavior, that is: a nonproductive behavior that prevents you from adapting to situations, or changes in yourself or your environment, in a healthy way. It can begin as an attempt to deal with or avoid an unpleasant experience but it does not solve the original problem and eventually becomes dysfunctional. You can read more about maladaptive eating behaviors by clicking here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/is-your-eating-maladaptive-r50 A bandster experiencing Soft Calorie Syndrome is responding to the unpleasant experience of eating with a band that’s too tight by eating the soft and liquid calories that slide most easily past their gatekeeper band. Instead of eating the healthy and solid foods (like dense animal protein, veggies, fruits) that provide the most satiety (both early and prolonged), that person favors easy-to-eat food that’s often junky and high in calories (for example: potato chips, ice cream, milkshakes). Even healthy foods( like yogurt, cottage cheese and, fat-free/sugar-free pudding) can fall into the soft calorie category, and they don’t provide any better satiety than the junky stuff. The net result is that you end up consuming more calories than you need because the soft stuff doesn’t provide enough early and prolonged satiety. And the result of that is a weight loss plateau, or even weight gain. I discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome for myself when I traveled to New York City to attend a trade show when I was about 8 months post-op. I had gotten a fill the day before I left, and by the time I got to New York I had realized that my band was too tight for me to tolerate. I couldn’t eat any solid food, so I spent the next 3 days eating soft, high-calorie, low-satiety foods like creamy soups, milkshakes, and ice cream. I was just trying to survive long enough to go home and get an unfill. My maladaptive eating behavior achieved a temporary goal (comfortable survival) while sabotaging my long term goal of losing weight. In fact, I gained weight during that trip and ended up feeling disappointed in myself. I promised myself no more fills on Fridays and no more fills the day before a business trip. I called my surgeon’s every time I suspected my band was too tight and found that even tiny unfills could make all the difference in my quality of life as well as my weight loss. I know I’m not the only person who’s discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome. I also know that you’re not alone in believing that more fill is better and that unfills will slow or stall your weight loss. A few months ago I talked about this with a smart and successful bandster named Denise. When her surgeon reacted to her too-tight band by suggesting an unfill of .5 cc, her dazed and frightened face made him reassure her that she could start being re-filled in a month. The month ahead scared her, but she agreed to the unfill, and discovered that rather than returning her to Bandster Hell, it had restored sanity to her eating life. She said, “I was able to eat again. Solids went down easily. Bread was on my menu. Meals lasted me several hours. I didn’t snack because I was able to eat enough to keep me satisfied.” When Denise went back to her surgeon a month later, he was delighted her hear her say that she didn’t even need a re-fill. She told him, “I can eat anything, but I’m not eating everything.” And that, my friends, is what healthy eating is all about.

I am getting banded next thurs too! I am allowed to eat cream of wheat, yogurt, milk, juice and sf carnation inst bfast for breakfast. Lunch is soup, milk, juice, sf pudding. Dinner is the same. I have snacks of either milk or yogurt in between. After dinner I have a protein shake or carnation inst bfast. I have to be on pre op diet for 2 wks. Thats nice you get to start yours later. I have been doing ok on it, been tired and muscles ache. It gets old, but its better than drinking shakes all day. Good luck! Hopefully you will find out what your diet consists of soon. I have lost about 7 lbs since on pre op diet in 1 wk. You lose weight, but can be exhausted.

How do you like your band? Tight? Tighter? Tightest? MORE, MORE, MORE Americans love MORE: more of anything and everything. More food, more fun, and (for some of us) more fill in our bands. But striving for maximum fill in the effort to achieve maximum weight loss can be a terrible mistake. Fat folks become obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery because we’ve been eating more, more, more, so it’s not surprising that bandsters long for more, more, more fill. The tighter the band, the better, right? Wrong. Here’s why: tighter doesn’t automatically yield more weight loss. It can cause eating problems, side effects and complications that none of us want. It can compromise our quality of life. It can make us miserable when all we hope for from bariatric surgery is a better life. You’re not impressed by all that? You’re willing to risk everything in the pursuit of skinny? Then try this on for size. A tight band doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just the opposite: it can stall your weight loss or even make you gain weight. Do I have your full attention now? Good. Listen up and I’ll explain why tighter isn’t always better. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY Traditionally, the adjustable gastric band has been considered a “restrictive” weight loss surgery. Bandsters were taught to look for signs of restriction: the proofs that their bands were working. Instead of paying attention to her own eating behavior and lifestyle, the bandster waited impatiently for the flashing signs, ringing bells and slamming doors that would stop her from overeating. The idea was that the small upper stomach pouch would “restrict” food intake and result in weight loss. Sound familiar? That was well-intentioned thinking, but it was wrong. In the past 5 or so years, band manufacturers and bariatric surgeons have come to believe that it’s a mistake to eat and eat until you set off your band’s emergency warning system, for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, the re-education process is slow going, and in the meantime, the restriction fallacy lives on. Even now, approximately every third word out of a bandster’s mouth is “restriction”. It’s a catch-all term for the feelings that limit how much a bandster eats. Post-op band life tends to become a quest for enough fills to reach the Holy Land of Restriction. Next stop: Skinnyland. Or not. HAZARD AHEAD! THE DANGERS OF SOFT CALORIE SYNDROME Soft Calorie Syndrome is one of the least publicized dangers of a band that’s too tight. Psychologists would call it a maladaptive behavior, that is: a nonproductive behavior that prevents you from adapting to situations, or changes in yourself or your environment, in a healthy way. It can begin as an attempt to deal with or avoid an unpleasant experience but it does not solve the original problem and eventually becomes dysfunctional. You can read more about maladaptive eating behaviors by clicking here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/is-your-eating-maladaptive-r50 A bandster experiencing Soft Calorie Syndrome is responding to the unpleasant experience of eating with a band that’s too tight by eating the soft and liquid calories that slide most easily past their gatekeeper band. Instead of eating the healthy and solid foods (like dense animal protein, veggies, fruits) that provide the most satiety (both early and prolonged), that person favors easy-to-eat food that’s often junky and high in calories (for example: potato chips, ice cream, milkshakes). Even healthy foods( like yogurt, cottage cheese and, fat-free/sugar-free pudding) can fall into the soft calorie category, and they don’t provide any better satiety than the junky stuff. The net result is that you end up consuming more calories than you need because the soft stuff doesn’t provide enough early and prolonged satiety. And the result of that is a weight loss plateau, or even weight gain. I discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome for myself when I traveled to New York City to attend a trade show when I was about 8 months post-op. I had gotten a fill the day before I left, and by the time I got to New York I had realized that my band was too tight for me to tolerate. I couldn’t eat any solid food, so I spent the next 3 days eating soft, high-calorie, low-satiety foods like creamy soups, milkshakes, and ice cream. I was just trying to survive long enough to go home and get an unfill. My maladaptive eating behavior achieved a temporary goal (comfortable survival) while sabotaging my long term goal of losing weight. In fact, I gained weight during that trip and ended up feeling disappointed in myself. I promised myself no more fills on Fridays and no more fills the day before a business trip. I called my surgeon’s every time I suspected my band was too tight and found that even tiny unfills could make all the difference in my quality of life as well as my weight loss. I know I’m not the only person who’s discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome. I also know that you’re not alone in believing that more fill is better and that unfills will slow or stall your weight loss. A few months ago I talked about this with a smart and successful bandster named Denise. When her surgeon reacted to her too-tight band by suggesting an unfill of .5 cc, her dazed and frightened face made him reassure her that she could start being re-filled in a month. The month ahead scared her, but she agreed to the unfill, and discovered that rather than returning her to Bandster Hell, it had restored sanity to her eating life. She said, “I was able to eat again. Solids went down easily. Bread was on my menu. Meals lasted me several hours. I didn’t snack because I was able to eat enough to keep me satisfied.” When Denise went back to her surgeon a month later, he was delighted her hear her say that she didn’t even need a re-fill. She told him, “I can eat anything, but I’m not eating everything.” And that, my friends, is what healthy eating is all about.

I got dumping syndrome with almond milk when I first went on full liquids. I went back to Water in my Protein drinks and eventually I could tolerate the almond milk again (though I use a small amount now) to not overwhelm my system. Here is what I have discovered I cannot eat anymore: dairy (no yogurt or cheese) high fat or fried foods (I had a few pieces of an Indian snack-muruku-fried chickpeas) and became very ill sugar (both regular and artificial) got dumping syndrome from a few bites of a Quest bar and also with a sugar free syrup in a coffee Also, before the sleeve, I favored sweet foods and loved them. Post-sleeve, I find myself grossed out by sweets and craving savory (chips, crackers)...strange, but I'm happy to not be enslaved to sugar anymore. I just need to make sure I avoid crackers and chips now. Try to avoid dairy, high fat foods, sugars and fried foods. Focus on protein first, vegetables second, berries third. I have felt much better since and also being cleared for yoga again has cured my exercise boredom with my daily walks. I met a woman who was 1-year post-sleeve when I was getting sleeved and she was unable to eat sweets anymore and I recall her telling me it was a gift to be free from that craving-she's correct. Be grateful for dumping syndrome on foods we shouldn't eat. Record your reaction to foods and keep it in mind as you move from soft foods to regular foods. Soft foods was the worst for me because I can't tolerate dairy. I was basically on liquids still (Soups, Protein Drinks and sugar-free popsicles). All the best to you!

Hello everyone . So I had my surgery on August 18th. Everything went ok and now I am in the purée stage . My question is has anyone ever experience not feeling full with the recommended ounces in the purée stage . For example, I am only suppose to eat 4 ounces of yogurt and I feel like I can def eat more then that . Of course I do not eat more because I do not want to jeopardize this journey . I am now allowed to eat eg whites which I did for the first time yesterday . My dietician told me that I can have two egg whites . Had them yesterday and didn't feel full at all. After reading some post in this site it seems like people are getting full quickly and I feel like I don't. I have been keeping up with my protein and I have also been keeping up with my water intake so what gives ??? Yesterday was pretty rough for me, I was up late watching movies and I started to get hungry . Usually I would grab a bag of chips or some sort of other snack before the surgery and yesterday for the first time I couldn't so that was a little hard. Any thoughts ???

Thanks for the info Kindle! I love those tips. I'm surprised you found all the cream flavors! Lol Maybe I just don't pay enough attention to that section of the soup aisle. The drinkable yogurt sounds like a great option, as well. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I had chicken broth, beef broth, Swanson's Mexican Tortilla Soup base, and Chinese hot and sour base. The last two are a little spicy so I diluted them with chicken broth. I added unjury unflavored Protein powder to all my broths to help with protein goals. I was able to do full liquids (not just clear) after 3 days and my nut highly recommended drinkable yogurt to help replace normal flora. At that point I also added every kind of cream soup I could find including asparagus, spinach, mushroom, shrimp, potato, tomato, lobster bisque, and leek. I diluted the Soups with Water or milk, strained out any lumps and added Unjury powder. I didn't worry about fat content because my calorie intake was so low anyways. Beside, we need fat in our diets for healthy cell production and Vitamin absorption. Good luck!

For now, it's a little tough. You still have swelling from the surgery which makes you tight, hard to take much in and it's maybe even harder still to continue to be satisfied by liquids since they don't stay in your pouch for long. I was on true liquids for 10 days and couldn't even have the soup or yogurt for 10 very long days. That first can of cream of mushroom soup was like getting a steak it tasted and felt so good, LOL. Just remind yourself that this is a very short term and it's just going to get better.

Your doctor really should have given you some more guidelines! My doctor's definition of mushy includes: Yogurt Cottage cheese Mashed canned salmon or tuna Mashed tofu Ricotta cheese Very soft cooked egg whites Nonfat refried Beans Hummus Mashed potatoes or yams sugar-free pudding pureed Soups Applesauce (add Protein if desired) Pureed fruit Cream of wheat type cereals (including oatmeal) Soggy dry Cereal (no nuts, seeds, dried fruit) I was advised to keep my portion sizes should be 4 oz or less, so 4 of your oz cups. I found it convenient to use those little Pyrex custard cups from the grocery store - the small ones hold 6 oz and the larger ones hold 10 oz, so I could judge my portion sizes easily. I know that I was up to 6 oz servings by the end of two weeks on mushies, but then I got to start solids and went back to smaller portions. It's hard to get enough protein (for me, 60 grams) when you're eating mushies, so I typically have a 20-30g Protein shake for a snack, also. To help with hunger, pay attention to the protein content of your mushy foods. There are yogurts with 3 g protein and yogurt with 20g protein - the latter (Fage, Oikos) will keep you feeling full longer. There are oatmeals with more protein, like Kashi. Mashed fish will have more protein than applesauce, etc. My favorite mushy is cottage cheese with chives - after days or weeks on Protein shakes I'm dying for something that's not sweet. My next favorite is baked ricotta - mix 1/4 cup (2 of your little cups) ricotta with an ounce each of eggbeaters and shredded mozzarella cheese, top with 1-2 oz of pasta/pizza sauce and sprinkle with a little parmesan. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. I hope that helps - best of luck with your journey!

I wasnt thinking about giving you a recipe for a shake .. but heres one I scoop of vanilla Protein 8oz 1% or skim milk 1/2cup or one small container of Chabani Yogurt. Blended. use the CHanbai that has a zero on it

I was also banded on 9/11- I have a hard time getting in the three protein shakes the doctor wants me to have. The doctor told me to do a half a cup of cream of wheat or grits for breakfast. 1 cup of protein shake mid morning. A half of cup of any cream soup for lunch (strained). A protein shake for the afternoon. And 4 oz of Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of protein shake mix and a teaspoon of sugar free jelly and then another protein shake in the evening. I feel like I'm constantly eating. Is this pretty similar to everybody else's menu?

At 4 months post op, I had zero appetite, zero interest in food. I ate greek yogurt, cottage cheese with pineapple, Protein drinks or bars. I also had chicken on a small salad, or a tuna salad or something like that. I could eat chicken breast or beef or whatever, but i just had a very low food drive at that time. My focus was just to be sure I got enough water/fluids and protein and just didn't worry about the rest. Like you, crackers were easy and I sometimes had them, but generally just kept them out of the house since they really don't add a lot of nutrition. Now 8 months out, I eat pretty normal healthy type food, in small quantities, still protein first, and no longer feel like food is too much of a bother type thing.

I'm about 10 weeks out, and I'm still eating lots of greek yogurt, chicken breast, and Protein bars, and a daily Protein shake. I have eaten nuts a few times but they don't seem to sit well with me. I've also tried salads, and that was a terrible mistake. I'm SO tired of the SAME things every day. I do not like any kind of fish/seafood, so chicken it is, I guess. Even though I can eat more, I'm still not getting in the required amount of protein. I'm seriously struggling and need any advice or suggestions you may have!

Breakfast (between 7 and 9) - cup of tea to open up, but can't eat anything or have cold drinks lunch (between 11 and 1) - leftovers, today I'm having half of an Emeril's chicken apple sausage, mashed potatoes, and green Beans (usually some sort of ground meat + vegetable) Snack - I get very grumpy and shaky without a snack between 3 and 4; I usually have wheat thins and cheese. Lately I've been into that Louis Kemp imitation crab (I know, I know, it's so lame), and I'll have that with sesame sticks. dinner (between 6 and 9) - either same as lunch, or my signature dish, which is one egg scrambled with onions sauteed in olive oil and goat cheese crumbles. I'll have that with wheat thins. I always need to get something crunchy in. Snack (9 or later) - don't always need another snack if I eat late enough, but I also like to have honey nut chex with vanilla yogurt instead of milk. I will NEVER drink my meals, as the idea is simply repugnant to me. I mean, a Protein shake has like 220 calories, which is about as much as an ice cream sandwich. I've never been into sweets, but I would much rather eat something that is filling and doesn't taste like aspartame flavored cardboard. Oh, and all that nonsense about Protein Drinks filling you up is complete bullshit if you ask me. You know what fills me up? food. See, don't get me started on protein drinks again. The other thing I've changed since I just got this fill of the century is that I really need to slow way down to eat. For example, I've been eating this lunch for about half an hour, and I'm not finished yet. I start every meal with hot tea, then I take my first few bites and keep drinking tea in between them to make sure everything is going down. I usually don't drink a lot with meals other than that. Oh, and soup is bullshit, too. That goes right through the band and I'm hungry ten minutes later. Ok, I'm finished cursing for the moment. I'll post more if I think of it.

I try to focus my meals around protein. For breakfast I'll make a veggie omelate with egg whites for extra protein and less fat and calories. Lunch and dinner I'll have a turkey burger with grilled onion on it and some veggies, or turkey chili with beans which provides fiber and protein, or chicken or fish with veggies. I'm not ready for raw fruits and veggies as per my nutritionist but I would eat grilled chicken salads. Since I have no fill yet I snack on yogurt which also has protein. I do eat carbs like whole wheat toast once in awhile but try to limit that. I do supplement with isopure ready to drink, half a bottle gives me an extra 20g of protein a day.

So glad to see this post!..I had my band five days ago and I guess I'm a slow healer.my stomach is still very bloated and I had lost 8 pounds post op and now have gained a few pounds??i have been in severe pain since the surgery in my stomach back and side.last night I was hurting so bad I wanted to go to the ER but I took a pain pill because my family Dr gives them to me and I paced on my street and layed on a heating pad until it went away.i had a previous stomach surgery last year that was pretty severe and my DR said I had some scar tissue I have been drinking my 2 protein shakes and water and very little yogurt and jello and couldn't understand how I gained weight?..everyone on here is so nice and helpful how long does it take til you can start working out ?

Best answer Living to Eat: Do You Have a Food Addiction? By Meghan Vivo Jane sneaks out of the house at midnight and drives six miles to the local 7-Eleven to get a chocolate bar. This has become a nightly ritual. She's gaining weight and feels profoundly ashamed of her lack of self-control. Though she vows to stop this behavior, she can't seem to shake the craving night after night. Jane is a food addict. In many ways, food can closely resemble a drug - caffeine and sugar offer a quick pick-me-up while carbohydrates and comfort foods can help soothe and relax the mind. Some people use food, like drugs, to feel at ease in social situations or to unwind after a long day. If you think about food constantly throughout the day, have compulsive cravings for certain types of foods, or waste more than half of your daily calories binging on unhealthy Snacks, you may be one of the 18 million Americans who suffer from food addiction. What Is Food Addiction? Food addiction, like any other addiction, is a loss of control. Food addicts are preoccupied with thoughts of food, body weight, and body image, and compulsively consume abnormally large amounts of food. Even though they understand the harm caused by their behavior, they just can't stop. Food addicts tend to crave and eat foods that are harmful to their bodies. For example, people with food allergies may crave the foods they are allergic to, while diabetics may crave and overindulge in sugar, despite the adverse effects. Food-aholics generally gorge on fat, salt, and sugar in the form of junk food and sweets. If they are feeling depressed, lonely, or disappointed, they consume large amounts of chips, chocolate, or other comfort foods for a "high." As with most addictions, the high wears off, leaving the person feeling sick, guilty, and even more depressed. Because the addict is out of control, she will repeat the same eating patterns over and over again in an effort to feel better. Compulsive overeaters often eat much more rapidly than normal and hide their shame by eating in secret. Most overeaters are moderately to severely obese, with an average binge eater being 60% overweight. Individuals with binge eating disorders often find that their eating or weight interferes with their relationships, their work, and their self-esteem. Although compulsive overeaters or binge dieters often struggle with food addiction, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are also considered types of food addictions. Addiction or Bad Habit? Unlike drug and alcohol addiction, which have been recognized by the medical profession for years, addiction specialists still question whether food can be genuinely addictive. Is the obsession with eating a true addiction, or just a bad habit? Some experts are quite skeptical of putting food in the same category as drugs or alcohol. They argue that people like junk food because it tastes good, not because they are physically incapable of controlling their behavior. Others contend that individuals who abuse substances in excess of need, despite the harm it can cause, are addicts, whether the substance is alcohol, drugs, or food. In some cases, food addicts trying to break the habit claim to experience both physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, mood changes, tremors, cramps, and depression. In an animal study at Princeton University, researchers found that after rats binged on sugar, they showed classic signs of withdrawal when the sweets were removed from their diet, which suggests foods like sugar can be addictive. Brain imaging studies conducted by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have found that food affects the brain's dopamine systems in much the same way as drugs and alcohol. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. When psychiatrist Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and her colleagues compared brain images of methamphetamine users with obese people, they found both groups had significantly fewer dopamine receptors than healthy people. Moreover, the higher the body mass index, the fewer the dopamine receptors, which may explain why it is so difficult for some people to lose weight and keep it off. Are You a Food Addict? Whether the obsession with food is a true addiction or simply a bad habit, one thing is clear: Your health is on the line. Obesity, psychological disorders, and diabetes are just a few of the health risks associated with compulsive eating. If you're worried that you may have a food addiction, FoodAddicts.org recommends that you answer the following questions: Have you ever wanted to stop eating and found you just couldn't? Do you think about food or your weight constantly? Do you find yourself attempting one diet or food plan after another, with no lasting success? Do you binge and then "get rid of the binge" through vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or other forms of purging? Do you eat differently in private than you do in front of other people? Has a doctor or family member ever approached you with concern about your eating habits or weight? Do you eat large quantities of food at one time? Is your weight problem due to your "nibbling" all day long? Do you eat to escape from your feelings? Do you eat when you're not hungry? Have you ever discarded food, only to retrieve it and eat it later? Do you eat in secret? Do you fast or severely restrict your food intake? Have you ever stolen other people's food? Have you ever hidden food to make sure you have "enough?" Do you feel driven to exercise excessively to control your weight? Do you obsessively calculate the calories you've burned against the calories you've eaten? Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed about what you've eaten? Are you waiting for your life to begin "when you lose the weight?" Do you feel hopeless about your relationship with food? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have, or be in danger of developing, a food addiction or eating disorder. Although food addiction is not nearly as intense as alcohol and drug addictions, you may need help regaining control of your life. Treating Food Addiction Change is never easy, and overcoming food addiction is no exception. It will require a combination of discipline, healthy eating habits, and exercise. In many ways, treatment of food addiction is similar to drug and alcohol addiction. The first step to recovery is recognizing and accepting the problem, and identifying which foods cause allergic symptoms and cravings. However, unlike drug and alcohol addiction, food addicts can't quit cold turkey. Everyone has to eat. Instead of taking drastic measures, make the following changes gradually, one small step at a time. Reprogram your taste buds. If you eat tons of sugar-laden foods, your taste buds get used to the flavor and you will start craving sweeter and sweeter foods. When buying foods that aren't supposed to be sweet, like Pasta sauce, bread, and crackers, make sure they don't have added sweeteners like fructose, dextrose, and corn syrup. Slowly try to limit sweet or salty foods in favor of fruits and vegetables to restore the sensitivity in your taste buds. Plan your meals. Food addicts often hide food or binge when they are alone. One way around this is to avoid hiding a stash of food in your car, desk, or nightstand. Also, plan out healthy meals in advance, portion out single servings on smaller plates, and eat scheduled meals at the dinner table. If you eat in front of the TV or while talking on the phone, you're more likely to eat large amounts of food without realizing it. Though it may take a few weeks to change your eating patterns, your brain will eventually get used to smaller portions of healthy foods and generate fewer snack-food cravings. Moderate your hunger. People with food addiction tend to take an all-or-nothing approach to dieting, bouncing from ravenous to overstuffed. A useful tool to moderate food consumption is to rate your hunger on a scale of zero to ten, zero being starving and ten being overstuffed, then try to stay between three and five. If you wait until you hit zero, you may not stop eating until you reach ten. Know your weaknesses. Everyone has a list of foods that are hard to turn down. If you can't resist a fine loaf of bread at a restaurant, ask the waiter not to bring the bread basket to your table. If you can't walk past an ice cream parlor without stopping for a scoop or two, take a different route. If you have a habit of eating Cookies or popcorn while watching TV at night, read a book or walk the dog instead. If these tricks don't work, stop buying unhealthy foods at the grocery store. If it's in your kitchen, you're probably going to eat it. Deal with the real issues. Typically a food addict will numb unpleasant feelings with food. If you stop relying on food, you can learn to tackle problems head-on and let yourself feel the sadness, anger, or boredom without using food as a crutch. Find healthy ways to cope. For food addicts, the next salt or sugar fix becomes the dominating force in their life. The best treatment is to find other ways to fill the void, like working out, hiking, going out with friends, or talking to a therapist. Exercise sparks the same pleasure centers of the brain as food, and offers a similar high without the guilt. If you're not physically hungry but you're struggling to resist a craving, brush your teeth, drink Water, leave the house for a few minutes, or choose a healthy substitute like yogurt instead of ice cream or baked chips instead of potato chips. Give yourself a break. The guilt people feel after overeating perpetuates the addiction. They're sad because they ate too much, so they turn to food for solace. Learn to forgive yourself and don't get discouraged by minor setbacks. Food addiction can be a serious problem. Just ask the people who habitually visit the drive-thru at midnight or load up on candy bars on a daily basis. To beat the addiction, sometimes all you need is motivation to change and a few lifestyle modifications. In more severe cases, you may need to seek help from a food addiction group like Overeaters Anonymous, a mental health professional, or an addiction treatment center. In either case, a shift in outlook must occur: Eat to live, don't live to eat. 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I made homemade stews and chili's. I also had the yogurts, tuna and canned chicken with some low fat cream cheese or mayo (heated). My fav was meatloaf and gravy !!!

Sorry not to answer you sooner @Sajijoma - I've been swamped with work lately, and a family event too. So today I knew I had a lunch meeting, so I previewed the menu and called to ask how much meat was on the steak salad (3oz) so I started logging with that, and then added foods to get to my targets. - Breakfast I had 1/3 of an ounce of "Just Strawberries" (crunchy dried ones with no junk added, and 1/3 ounce is quite a bit really) and a "peppermint mocha" version of my Protein drink; 1 scoop Isopure low carb chocolate flavor made hot with a cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk and two shots of espresso and peppermint extract . - Morning snack was 4 ounces lean Board's Head sliced deli chicken and 3/4 of an ounce of home-roasted cashews I make (less fat/salt/sugar) and half an ounce of aged Gouda. - Lunch at the restaurant was lettuce, a few grape tomatoes, a few toasted pecans and the rare steak - and light on the dressing! - Afternoon snack is 3 ounces non-fat Fage yogurt mixed with another scoop of isopure Protein powder (Combat is good too!), 1/3 ounce dried Just Peaches, and a Mediterranean chicken breast skewer from costco. Also 2 tablespoons cream in my iced coffee with some stevia - yum! - dinner will be 4 ounces scrambled egg-whites , one slice of bacon, 3 more ounces of nonfat Fage yogurt topped with a bit of SF Torani vanilla syrup and 2 ounces of frozen blueberries. - My evening snack (which I finally realized helps me avoid late night foraging!) is half a chocolate chunk Quest bar with half a tablespoon of Justin's Peanut Butter on it. This is fairly typical, though I don't usually have that much fruit. a couple times a week I get my carbs from mug cakes or other things like Halo Top ice cream, maybe skim milk in a small Cappuccino, or Combat protein powder has 5 carbs to a scoop, but 25 grams of protein! My Isopure I get at the Vitamin Shoppe has no carbs or fat, but also 25 grams of protein. It's a LOT of food, and not right for everyone, but after a terminally long stall I finally accepted that it could be my body was needing me to eat more and be really stable in my intakes so it could stabilize enough to begin losing again. I lift weights at the gym four days a week (two upper body days, two lower body) for about 25 minutes including stretching, and do some form of cardio on three of those days for about 20 minutes -- HIIT on the treadmill usually or by swimming laps the same way. Some days I use the torture machine (i.e. stairclimber!) but only rarely. I've consistently lost 2 pounds per week, this week 2.5 (yay!) and I can finally say I'm never hungry or deprived feeling. I have bread or a treat if I want to factor it in, and if it's REALLY good, but decided there's no point in eating mediocre stuff. Hope this is helpful. I aim for 60 ounces of Water each day too. Kate Wow - sorry for such a long answer just now!

I have been "heavy" my entire life, but I started getting morbidly obese about 15 yeas ago after a back injury. I had two back surgeries, first one 8/2007, second one in 11/2009. I also broke my left ankle (for the 5th time) in 10/2010. After a major foot surgery in 3/2011, I decided to go for the sleeve. About a month out from surgery, I got pregnant and abandoned my WLS plans for the time being. I had the baby (best thing ever!!) and got back on track for surgery in October of 2013. I then caught the NORO virus from my kid and spend two days sitting on the toilet and vomiting into the waste basket. That freaked me out so much that I backed off from the surgery. My back and foot pain was getting worse (one of the five screws in my foot/ankle had broken and wow, the pain has been intense!) and all the doctors were telling me it would never get better until I lost about 100 lbs. at least. At the time, I was about 330. The doctor for my foot told me that he would have to take out all the pins, put in thicker ones, and reinforce the area with steal plates. This did not sound like it was going to help get me out of pain. So, back to the bariatric surgeon. I started with this again in February of 2015. My doc put me on a diet pill to help with appetite suppression, and I lost almost 50 lbs. from March 2015 - June 2015. It took a while to get all of the insurance requirements met, but it was finally approved, and my surgery was on July1. I am 23 days out of surgery, just started my 4th week post-op, and while it has not been easy, I would not go back. I had the sleeve because I did not want to have as many issues with malnutrition as I have heard can happen with bypass. I know that I will eventually get to eat real food again, just not nearly as much, and I am so happy with the weight loss. The biggest issue I am having is getting my Protein. I am a vegetarian and the idea of drinking milk repulses me. I am not a vegan, will eat cheese and yogurt, it is just milk that grosses me out. Soy milk was not something I wanted to try, but I find the light vanilla and light chocolate is palatable. I am still experimenting with different protein supplements, but I feel confident I will eventually find one that I can get down. I have found a few suggestion on this forum that give me hope. :-) I hope this info has helped. Good luck!

My instructions were 5 to 7 days of liquids and Protein Shakes. Next I can add any of these 5 items: (1 ounce at a time, 2 to 3 hours apart) refried Beans, sugar-free pudding, low-fat yogurt, egg beaters, low-fat cottage cheese. Next I go on soft foods but don't know what they are. I have to go to a soft foods class next week. I am suppose to get 65 grams of Protein per day. Lots of Water. I drink a bottle of Isopure, which is 30 grams. I mix whey powder in skim milk and blend it in the Magic Bullet. Taste like a chocolate shake. Whey has 23 grams of protein in one scoop. I use 1 1/2 scoops. I have not been hungry. I ate an ounce of refried beans this evening and it filled me up.

Brown Cow non fat Greek Yogurt has 23 grams of protein per serving and it is so creamy fantastic, I drizzle a little honey and tap some cinnamon and mmmm-mm! Good stuff.

B - plain greek yogurt with 1 scoop vanilla Protein powder L - 2 oz tuna in Water with 1 tbspn mayo D - 2 poached eggs and steamed mushrooms S - Vitamins - tea with cream and 2 sugar - coffee decaf with creamer still working on the water so far 36 oz down. . . .

Bfast: coffee with cream, Protein bar Lunch: piece of quesadilla, green salad Snack: yogurt, cookie Snack: another piece of quesadilla Dinner: birthday debauchery at a place called CHOCOHOLIC BUFFET. Yup, promises to be interesting. Doubt I'll eat too much, though - if I eat too many sweets these days, it just makes me feel gross, so I'm bringing some tupperware to see if I can haul some of the loot back home. Workout: day off, but I did join this impromptu 20-min yoga session at lunch.