Hello all;

It's been a long time since I have posted here. I got a band three years ago and had a lot of restriction. However, I had most of the fill removed early this year so I could eat almost normally again. Still can't eat too much bread. I can eat a full meal now however.

Why? you might ask. I realized that I was still addicted to food. I was eating the wrong foods- sliders- and my diet was worse than it has ever been. Eating good food was very difficult for me. I realized what a severe problem I had with addiction and the band could not help me there.

I still was using food for comfort- I still had constant cravings and I still was constantly thinking about what i was going to eat, when I was going to eat, why was I eating so badly.... etc.

So I had 80% of my fill taken out to see how I would do with eating after 3 years of being restricted. And actually I did pretty well- I think the band made me realize how disordered my eating was and made me face some hard truths about myself.

Also fortunately I read "Eating Less" by Gillian Riley (on Amazon) and it all hit home for me. I have been practicing her techniques and I am much better. I am on a regular diet now and losing weight slowly but still losing- I have 40- 50 pounds to go.

I am writing this in case anyone else needs to hear about my journey.

I sincerely believe that I would not have come to this place without having had the band surgery- it was necessary for me to face myself. a bit extreme but it worked.

I feel comfortable with food for the first time in my life and have lost 95% of the anxiety I had about it. I do not have cravings (yet anyway!) and eat like a regular person. I am still in shock about it but happy.

My point is that you can get to a comfortable place many ways and if you are struggling with the band like I was maybe it will be just a step in the journey. it's been 5 months and I am feeling more confident that this change is permanent.

"Eating Less" is all about changing your brain and it's automatic reaction to food stimuli. It may help some of you. I think it has been revoluntionary for me.

Best of luck to all of you- I know how hard it is....

Sadie

Sadie, thank you for sharing with us. I want to get that book - heading to Barnes and Nobles tonight.

I had my band surgery in March 2008 and lost 80 lbs but have put 20 back on. My goal is too lose 100 lbs. It seems when the band is tight, I lose but cannot eat healthly. So I take some fill out and I can eat more foods but put weight back on. I am really struggling with this because a part of me wants to keep it tight because I don't want to keep putting weight on and I want to lose more.

It's all in your mind. I am so addicted to food and I need to get a handle on it. Hopefully, this book will help. thanks again and best wishes everyone.

Dolores

Geenen Roth never worked for me either- I read her years ago and it was a radical idea back then.

Gillian Riley teachs you to re-train your brain to not automatically respond food cues. Stimulus -response to food is really strong with me and she helped me decrease that response and consider my goals first and then whether I wanted that food. Radical!

I am a retired psychologist and always thought all the diets were missing some criticall element --otherwise everyone would be successful right?

The element is re-training your brain. and it works for me.

Good luck to all- I hope this helps you a bit.

And I got tired of not being able to eat oranges and fruits too!

Sadie

thank you so much for your post!

I was banded in 2007 lost 80 and has started to gain back a few pounds. I am in the middle of reading Roth but I don't but I know there are just some foods that trigger a response in me...when I avoid them I dont overeat. Of course these foods are healthy either.

I will be ordering that book right away to work on training my brain.