I had my LAP-BAND®® in 2006 I lost around 30kg in 2 years. In 2009 I went back to work (all desk work) started gaining weight also I started eating more chocolates specially at night!! Knowing that this is wrong & doesnt work with the band, now I have gained around 10kg and Iam trying to loose them again I dont have any kind of support even from my doctor or friends. I dont eat a lot of food, sometimes I eat medium meal in the afternoon. My chocolate eating start at night. I am addicted to it since a long time even before my LAP-BAND®®, I try each time not to eat even not to buy them but i keep doing the same, i feel so bad about my self, I need help I tried to find help in my country but unfortuantely its not available here. I was wondering will I find the help here online? on this website? I just pray to God to send me someone who can pick me out of this situation i put myself in.I need to live a healthy life, and be happy.

I am hearing and seeing people with lap-band slippage and now I am totally frightened that this might happen to me anytime, and sometimes I think to remove the band!! :smile2:

Please I need someone to help me if possible please. :w00t:

Hello Marmour;

The answer has to come from within you. This is not a lap-band issue. I would be happy to be your email buddy and try to encourage you as much as possible, but only you can control your chocolate habit.

There must be some sort of addiction support group near you. Here we have overeaters annonomus(sp?), AA, and others. Check them out.

My best to you and I will specifically pray for you.:smile2:

Regards

Hal

Good morning, Marmour,

I know how difficult it is to overcome a food addiction. Hal is right in the fact that the conviction to overcome it has to come from within.

I'm pretty new to this game, but I would suggest that eating one meal a day is probably not the best plan...that has got to be setting you up for the wide swings in blood sugar that are influencing your cravings. The guidance from my nutritionist says that, once on regular foods, three portion-controlled meals a day are necessary, with an emphasis on Protein. You may want to consult with a nutritionist who has experience with Lap Band patients to get yourself back on track.

I understand about your love for chocolate- I'm a dark chocolate girl myself! Let me suggest that you take a look out on the Bariatric Eating website, where you'll find a lot of options that will satisfy your chocolate needs, while still supporting your protein requirements and not overload you with unneeded calories- I'm pretty sure they ship worldwide. Also, the Vermont Country Store website offers sugar-free hard candies that are really good- one of their mixes includes chocolate ones, but the others are yummy as well.

You are not alone in your journey- we're here to help.

Sending lots of positive energy your way!

Christine

Have you considered making a deal with yourself? I like to have a glass of wine in the evening. If I did what I was suppose to during the day, I get to have a glass of wine. So, I have a set amount of calories, exercise, and nutrients for the day. If I did everything I was suppose to I can have a 5 oz of wine, if not sorry. You could package your chocolates into daily portions (100-150 calories or so) and if you follow your plan then you get a chocolate reward, if not you do without.

Are you journaling your food? Like on a computer program that tallies your calories and nutrients automatically?

Do you have chocolate viactiv? Maybe sub two of those at night to help your calcium intake while getting a tiny amount of chocolate?

Wow hun, I know chocolate has this way with people, myself included... my lil trick is when I crave chocolate, wich for me is every day lol... I have a Chocolate Shakeology shake. I have one every day anyway, cos it's good for me :smile2:

Hope that Helps.

you don't say where you live so it is hard to know what foods are available.

When I have a chocolate craving I eat something like a Nestle diet chocolate mousse. Low cal and it satisfies the craving. Once in a while I will have real chocolate but not every day like I used to preband.

This is something where you have to depend on your willpower(or won't power) as the band doesn't stop you eating chocolate!

Increase your Protein intake. Often our bodies will exhibit cravings for sweets when what they really need is more protein.

Replace sweets and sugar with fruits. The sugars in fruits are digested differently than the empty calories of white sugar that are in most candy and processed foods. The Fiber in fruit also slows the absorption of the sugars so you don't get as high a sugar rush (and as low a crash)

Go for Quality instead of quantity. Meaning don't deprive yourself of a small peice of dark chocolate once and awhile. It will satisfy you so you don't have to go on a chocolate binge.

Eat more whole grains, healthy fats and lean meats, all of which make you feel full and satisfied.

Have small, frequent meals to help keep your blood sugar level stable and eliminate your body's need for a quick sugar fix. Avoid skipping meals (especially breakfast).

Take a daily Multivitamin. Some nutrients help keep blood sugar stable, so ensure you get those by supplementing your diet appropriately.

And if you are an artificial sweetner user or chew alot of gum or drink soda.. stay away from them because it's been proven that they cause cravings for sweets.

I hope this helps a little but everyone is correct. It has to come from within. Don't let food control you, you have to control the food. Find your strength and you can do it. You have already made the first step but realizing you have a problem and seeking help.

I would be happy to be your email buddy if you need some support.

Worried about slippage & stretching also...

I used to be addicted to McDonald's. Finally, I had to tell myself that I cannot do it anymore. I'm also a crazy chocolate and coca cola addict. All of this comes within and the lap band can't help you in that area. What about joining Overeaters Anonymous? I'm not sure if you have one in your country (since you used kg instead of pounds, I assume you don't live in the US). Support groups are awesome. Try checking one out. :smile2:

I quit smoking 10 years ago. I had "tried to quit" several times before...couldn't understand why I just couldn't do it. Then one day I said to myself.... I am no longer going to TRY to quit, I AM GOING TO QUIT!! Made all the difference in the world. It truly is mind over matter.

My mantra was "I am a non-smoker and non-smokers don't smoke" and would repeat that over and over until the urge would lesson.

Now, my mantra is " I am not trying to change, I have changed and I deserve to be thin" I also now believe it in my head.

My life began anew the day of my surgery..it is my beginning for ME.

I too have a chocolate addiction. Even since being banded, since I know it slides right down I have had a few binges on the delightful stuff. When I do realize I am doing it, and when I am ready, I usually try to break the dependency, even for the time being, as I know I will be there again and again for the rest of my life, by doing the 5 day pouch test. It really helps me kick the simple carb cravings. I don't know how it does, but it does. It also resets my relationship with my band and we understand each other better after the pouch test. It usually jump starts my weight loss again as well. The pouch test also gives me time to revisit what is really fueling my binging.

I am a food addict for life, and I fall off the wagon now and then. The important thing for me to remember about myself is that I now have the mental tools (and physical tools) to recognize it and deal with it when I slip up.

Hang in there. It's a lifelong struggle, I know. It's hard. But its worth it. And I know that if I can finally control my eating/weight I can do anything!

I too have a late night chocolate addiction!!!

I too "make deals" with myself to get through. If I exercise for 90 minutes, drink all my Water, and get my full Protein intake, I allow myself a little treat.

However, I can ONLY have it before 6:00pm AND I only buy the little "trick or treat" sized packages, and allow myself only one. This kicks my craving and gets me motivated to do everything else during the day I need to. Hope it helps!

Astrasmom gave some very good advice. My Protein intake is around 150gm a day and I really think that's why I have no hunger or cravings. Most of that comes from my morning and mid-meal shakes.

Our motivation to do this has to come from within. As so many have already said, you don't have to give up your chocolates, just eat them in moderation. I'm not much of a sweet eater, but I've found that having a 'treat' to look forward to in the evening helps me get through all the little temptations of the day. Sometimes my treat is one piece of Dove chocolate. Last night I actually splurged on 1/2 cup of a gorgeous wine. Probably won't do that one too often as I forgot that I wake up in the morning *starving* and with a serious case of the munchies.

Get your protein in, drink your Water, eat healthy/nutritious meals and save your treats (and make them small ones) for the evening as a reward.

.

Sigh, you're not alone with this. I've returned to full time work this year after a 15 year hiatus and not only that, its an entirely new career as a teacher. My kids have been used to life with a stay at home mum and make the same demands only now I have an 8 hour day to contend with as well.

Well.... stupid busy is how you would describe my life at the moment. I found the same as you, slipping into the bad eating trap,in fact some days of late I've had nothing but sugar and alcohol. I was very fast developing a bad habit of several wines at night, followed by drambuie or baileys!

I havent gained anything probably because my appetite for regular meals has disappeared, I've not been eating Breakfast and am too damn busy for dinner, with all the running round to kids sports etc.

So! Disaster! The saving grace is I havent let my exercise slip and I've replaced meals with the bad food, so calorie wise, I've actually been eating less and have even lost a little. But its still FAR from healthy.

The last 2 weeks I've FORCED myself to eat breakfast, by taking Cereal to work, I've had a regular lunch and my main challenge is dinner - and not eating before dinner. Its just a willpower thing, really, you just have to force it on yourself and you also have to use your willpower to shop and prepare so that good food is there ready. I have to cook on the weekends and freeze or there'll be nothign for dinner as I just dont have time to cook. but I do find eating properly during the day really helps me.

First, my apologies to everyone in being late in my reply I was so busy at work.

Thanks everyone for your supporting talk you know it made me cry, I felt that I am not alone in this matter. Also you made me realize that the fix is within me myself.

I live in the Kingdom of Jordan it’s in the Middle East. Here we have excellent medical doctors and nutritionists too, the last 2 years I was seeing a dietician she is the best one here in our country even she is an active member in The American Dietetic Association, she tried all her best with me I was following a great life style of eating but my only problem was the chocolates, she tried to help me in all manners, at the end she said you can see a psychiatrist, but I was too afraid to go and see one, in our country we still are not used to those visits (although I have a Bachelor degree in Psychology) but this didn’t help me since I never worked in my field.

Now we are fasting (Lent fasting) for Easter only Vegetarian food is allowed till April 3rd, I started since Feb 15 so I haven’t had the chocolates since Feb 15th. But I had other very few sweets which are not like chocolates and lower in calories. I don’t even binge for chocolates!! Imagine this usually every year when I fast I don’t have any problem with chocolates if I don’t eat them, I even bought dark chocolate no sugar, but I don’t like eating it so much.

I am thinking to change again my eating habits; I know that breakfast is the most important meal for us, if we have good breakfast meal and early dinner fruits in the middle maybe this will help not to binge or seek chocolates. Sometimes I leave work hungry while I am on my way to home I stop and buy chocolates, my dietician told me to be careful of this too and I should take some small meal to office instead of going home hungry and end up buying lots of chocolates to eat at night.

Also sleeping early, I have this problem I don’t sleep early. I noticed when I decide to sleep earlier I don’t eat.

Your messages made me realize that the solution is within me, I have to pull myself together again and do the healthy life I was taught. I know it’s not easy for me to get back on the track again but I will try my best starting tomorrow (coz today I already messed up at work by eating what is called Manakeesh (Yummy) it’s a pastry with olive oil and thyme above cooked in oven and also I had bag of chips )

You are all angels here really you touched me a lot and I am glad to have buddies here to support each other, I thank you again and I will surely be posting my progress in this.

ps. Imagine that I am a good advicer to others in healthy food and nutritions but not to myslef :thumbup: