Is the ultimate goal to cut out as much foods as possible? No Pasta, no soda, no bread, no broccoli, no steak?

I'm eating one major meal a day, lunch. I'll eat about 4 oz of meat, 1/2 cup of potatos or some other starch, and maybe a vegetable and a slice of wheat bread. The other meal are light to say the least. A Protein shake usually for Breakfast, occasionally a hearty one, such as eggs, bacon , toast, hashbrowns. dinner consists of just something light, like a half a sandwich or some string cheese and some crackers.

I enjoy a soda a few times a week and a beer as well. I'm not snacking, except the few times I can't resist something yummy, but never go overboard. I'm rarely hungry between meals and continue to lose weight, not at a fast rate, but it is steady.

Now, my question is, is another fill necessary , to cut out those no-no items like soda, beer, bread and other things that can get stuck?

About the only time I have issues, is when I eat too fast and the couple of times I dared to drink something carbonated while eating. I won't do that again.

Anybody at this stage?

No, why fill and restrice ALL foods when you dont have to? If you're not happy with the rate of loss then you can choose that option, if you're prepared to make the sacrifice.

For me, the goal was to eat like a normal person, never to cut out a food group or avoid particular foods. I had no trouble losing weight and keeping it off doing this (I do have the odd sweet treat and I like a glass of wine), the only trade off I guess was that I didnt lose weight spectacularly fast, but I can promise you, from the other side of the fence, I really couldnt care!

Jachut,

You look great by the way! You and I had similar starting BMI's. I am starting @ 185 (now 180) and would like to get down to @ 125. Just 1o days banded. Just out of curiosity, using your idea of losing slowly and eating most liked foods, how long did it take you to get down to where you are now?

Jackie, thanks for the input....glad to see there are others out there besides me.

For me, there are foods I plan to never introduce back into my diet. They include things such as desserts, fried foods, fast food. I have other addiction issues, and consider food one of them. I am simply not able to do things in moderation. I am almost at goal, I hope this plan works for me in the long run. I've lost the weight before but never kept it off for long.

By ultimate goal, do you mean how do I envision myself eating for life? Or how I eat in order to lose the best early in the game?

If the former, my goal is to eat a wide variety of healthy foods, spaced evenly throughout the day, to meet my body's nutrient needs while still satisfying me emotionally---because I am not in the "eating is purely fuel" camp; I believe that it's perfectly appropriate to enjoy food, Celebrate with food, and so on.

That said, though it's not my "ultimate goal," there are foods I do avoid, and likely will not make a point of incorporating routinely at any point, because (a) I don't miss them and ( they don't contribute a ton, nutritionally, and do take up room I'd rather devote to other foods. They're the pastas, rices, breads---foods that also seem to cause some people trouble in terms of getting stuck. I really don't plan to make these a regular part of my diet, ever.

My goal is NOT to have a band so tight that I can't enjoy these things occasionally, if I'm inclined. But I do want to keep my band at a level of restriction where maintenance is not a struggle.

I would never want to be so tight that I couldn't get a soda or beer down, even though I don't intend to reincorporate these into my life. I just would prefer the ability to choose what I want, even if that means occasionally telling myself no, than to battle perpetual discomfort.