I've been thinking long and hard about what, exactly, I expect the Band to do to help me. I keep coming up with different answers.

The problem I'm having is that my eating issues are more centered around a lack of self control. I KNOW how to eat healthily. I KNOW how to exercise. I like to do both.

However, I had a baby 8 months ago, and I've gotten so damn fat during/after that, that I'm lacking a LOT of motivation, and have gotten stuck in the mentality of "Eh, screw it. I'm already the size of a house, it won't matter if I have a burger."

I know that the Band won't do any work FOR me, but that it will make everything I eat more of a conscious choice since I won't be able to sit around and just mindlessly wolf it down like I do now. And that's what I need--I need that constant companion to remind me, "Hey chick, do you really, really want to eat that? Cuz you're gonna be miserable if you do" because it's too easy right now to tune out my OWN voice of reason.

However, I have a bad habit of eating when I'm not hungry--because I'm bored or tired, especially. And I know the Band won't do anything to help that because it's more of a mental issue and not physical. So I wondered if any of you have gone through therapy after being banded and whether it helped. What steps have you taken to change your relationship with food, and did you ever get to a point where you feel like you've conquered your issues?

Thank you Snow for your post. I too am not banded yet and I'm really just considering my options about my weight loss. I'm also a mother of a 7 mos old, so I can totally identify with the "screw it" mentality. Right now, I'm just really tired of the constant up and down with my weight, and of the all or nothing thinking about eating healthy. I'm either on and eating as healthy as I can or completely off. All of this is to say that, I'm interested in reading the responses to your post.

I've been thinking long and hard about what, exactly, I expect the Band to do to help me. I keep coming up with different answers.

The problem I'm having is that my eating issues are more centered around a lack of self control. I KNOW how to eat healthily. I KNOW how to exercise. I like to do both.

However, I had a baby 8 months ago, and I've gotten so damn fat during/after that, that I'm lacking a LOT of motivation, and have gotten stuck in the mentality of "Eh, screw it. I'm already the size of a house, it won't matter if I have a burger."

I know that the Band won't do any work FOR me, but that it will make everything I eat more of a conscious choice since I won't be able to sit around and just mindlessly wolf it down like I do now. And that's what I need--I need that constant companion to remind me, "Hey chick, do you really, really want to eat that? Cuz you're gonna be miserable if you do" because it's too easy right now to tune out my OWN voice of reason.

However, I have a bad habit of eating when I'm not hungry--because I'm bored or tired, especially. And I know the Band won't do anything to help that because it's more of a mental issue and not physical. So I wondered if any of you have gone through therapy after being banded and whether it helped. What steps have you taken to change your relationship with food, and did you ever get to a point where you feel like you've conquered your issues?

I too am very all or nothing. Either I eat great all day, or I eat like crap all day. I have other addiction issues, food just being one of them. I lost all my weight by going "cold turkey". I ate nothing high fat or high carb for about a year. I am now trying to strike a balance. I was in therapy for a while, but stopped because I thought I had everything under control. However, now I am struggling a bit to maintain. Like I said, I am very all or nothing. Once I get this last 4 pounds off , I gained about 10, (I am doing protien shakes for the past few days) I plan to eat treats in moderation- like once every 1-2 weeks, and make it a reasonable amount. I need to stop "pigging out" all day just because I ate something not on my food plan. I am thinking of going back to my therapist to help with this. Best Wishes!

I started therapy before surgery and I think it has made all the difference. In the past, I was never able to lose more than 30 lbs because I would start feeling deprived or just get bored and start eating all of the junk again. My therapist really helped me get my head on straight so I'm not constantly sabotaging myself.

I think a lot of bandsters do therapy without knowing it I've noticed that a lot of bandsters use Self-Control Therapy on themselves, which is really just a series of methods designed to make eating more mindful and conscious rather than emotional and unconscious. For example, monitoring your eating behavior through tracking/journalling is a technique used in therapy. In addition to logging every thing that goes in your mouth (including Water and vitamins-- everything), you could also name your current emotion and make a quick rating on a scale of 1-10 of how strong it is. This just keeps you mindful and accountable, and also helps you see patterns. Also, I've noticed a lot of people use stimulus control methods-- which are just like rules that you set around eating to control how and where you eat. Really, bandster rules are like this. One "easy" one is to set a rule that the only place you eat is at the kitchen table when home, or at place "x" at work. This means no eating in front of the television, grabbing a snack and eating it while you walk around the house, etc. This way, you are again taking steps to put yourself at the table and making a conscious choice to eat.

That said, I do think for a lot of people having an "outside voice" who is empathetic and caring, but honest, is very very helpful.

Finally, I can say that I see myself a lot in your post and the band has helped me tremendously. Yes, I have to do a lot of work and yes, I have to make good choices. BUT, the band just makes me generally less interested in food because I'm just not that hungry when it's working at it's best. And, if I do get bored and pull out Snacks, as long as I pull out something healthy, I don't do much damage (yesterday, for instance, I had an ounce of cheddar cheese which is full of Protein to snack on and it was fine- I was still under calorie for the day).

I think most of us have emotional ties to food, too, which does make it harder....I struggle with that off and on, the band is definately not a cure -all and contrary to popular belief it is NOT the easy way out! You have to work with it and the first part of the journey was the hardest for me - first the pre op diet when I felt so tired and lethargic and just wanted to CHEW something. (I did mine back when we didn't get to EAT anything but yogurt, shakes, etc -- most folks get lean meat once a day now...that would've been HEAVENLY!)...then post op when you don't feel a darn bit of restriction after the initial swelling from the surgery subsides and you are hungry but can't just eat anything you want....you are trying to be "good" but it feels like a diet as you are still hungry between meals.

Those first 6 weeks post op are for HEALING, not losing....I think that is one of the huge misconceptions I see on the boards - folks are like "I am two weeks out and haven't lost much" and they need to understand that those first 6 weeks are to let your body heal and adjust....you HAVE to get lots of Protein and Water in - your body needs it - and not worry about weight. That is easier said than done, since you just went through this major surgery and want to be skinny as of yesterday....and most have seen folks with the gastric bypass that start dropping weight SO fast....the lapband is NOT like that at all.

After your 6 weeks most folks get their first fill --- if you are like the majority, this doesn't seem to do a whole lot for us...it depends on how much your doc puts in as they vary. But if after 4 days or so you don't feel a change I would call your doc and ask for another fill --- no sense waiting another month....you have to be patient and diligent with getting your fills - what is really hard is to know when you have hit your "sweet spot" --- this is the magical place where you are only able to eat about 1 cup of food at a sitting and feel completely satisfied with that - don't get hungry between meals - and the weight begins to drop....SLOWLY....2-4 lbs a week is probably average. Some weeks are better than others.

I think for me, with the mental part, I had to make sure I wasn't completely depriving myself of anything.....so if I craved chocolate I was able to have something sweet --- I LOVE the Herbalife shakes --- you can do soooo many things with them....but the chocolate one with skim milk, ice, and either a bit of real PB or PB2 (powdered Peanut Butter at health stores) makes a thick shake if you use lotsa ice that is TO DIE for! I would rather have this for dinner (add in some extra protein) than anything in the summertime when it is HOT and food doesn't look good....I make a tropical fruit shake every morning for Breakfast - using some OJ, ice water, and ice and a scoop of frozen yogurt and extra protein....it is YUMMY! You can do a million different things with your shakes so you don't get bored with them --- I cannot eat anything solid until 11am or so, so I always start out the day with a shake....you can add a tbsp of sugar free pudding to any shake flavor to spice it up --- they have cheesecake pudding, choc, etc....be creative and make it fun! It definately helps.

The other thing is to realize that snacking when bored will WAY sabotage your weight loss....I have trouble at work with that and have to bring things I can snack on that are healthy - yogurt, beef Jerky, peanuts....bring portioned out so you don't eat a whole bag. And drink lotsa water - add crystal light or something to it if you need to - when you are dehydrated your band is tighter, I have found...also that time of the month, when you are under stress, if you are sick with allergies or sinuses...there are a lot of things that affect the band.

Definately get into counseling prior to surgery --- and stay with it....it will help you along your journey to learn more about yourself and have someone neutral to help you in that process....sometimes just having someone to talk to, that you kow won't judge you, really helps....everyone has a "life coach" these days, it is the cool thing...ha ha

I guess I kinda rambled there...hope I answered your question some....the lapband is a tool and not a solution....but it DOES help to trick your mind into thinking you are not hungry, which is fabulous, and as long as you don't eat milkshakes and junk food for every meal you will lose weight....but there IS some work involved, too! I got my surgery when my third was 9 weeks old - so going home to a newborn after surgery was a bit difficult, but not too bad overall....and it helped me to lose the weight while I was busy with the kids and didn't have a lot of time to focus on ME...which is something we mother's struggle with! I wanted to have energy to be able to keep up with my kids - and this has definately done that for me - I feel TONS better!

Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions I didn't address!!

ps my friend that had the gastric bypass a few months before I got my lapband and I were both at around the same weight loss at our one year point -- she has lost a bit more than me now, but she had more to lose...this just goes to say that you want to look at your goals down the line...a 3-4 months out from surgery you may not feel like you have lost much....but over the long haul once you get to working the band it WILL come off!

There's a lot of stories each Bandster can discuss, revealing yet another side of our issues with food.

Habit and emotion, obsession and compulsion, etc etc plagued me for decades despite periodic forays into rational eating.

My own Band, "my little Angel of the Silicon Fist", my Symbiant, has given me opportunity to develop a whole new theory and practice of eating.

It has allowed me to more effectively eat Normo meals for Normo reasons. It has demonstrated time and again the advantages of eating when hungry, then stopping. It has markedly decreased the episodes of or even interest in the plague of Body and Spirit, of Overeating as a response to nearly any other event in my life.

It has introduced the advantages of appreciating the wonders of 'becoming hungry'. PreOp I had trained for decades to avoid any suggestion or hint of 'hunger' as excuse to seek solstice in another Bag-o-burgers or loaf of bread.

PreOp I had numerous coMorbid conditions, and was going blind. Literally. PostOp I am off insulin shots after 15 years, and off CPAP after 10.

I found it effect to identify my own Overeating Habit as being a "behavioral" issue that I could find a way to control.

"Your mileage may vary"

I started therapy before surgery and I think it has made all the difference. In the past, I was never able to lose more than 30 lbs because I would start feeling deprived or just get bored and start eating all of the junk again. My therapist really helped me get my head on straight so I'm not constantly sabotaging myself.

I agree completely.

Agree on the notion of "feeling deprived".

In finding what triggers my own binges, preOp I had learned to ignore the subtle hints that little 'innocent' tastes and 'satisfying a craving' produced.

For my own physiology, certain triggering substances --much as any other addictive substance-- would create an excuse to indulge in 'a little more'.

That bit of whipped cream (a REASONABLE amount) would lead to a predictable rise in binge eating.

One of the surprises was, that if I avoided whatever launched me into such binges, I could far easier monitor and regulate my eating behavior.

A bit of steak/seafood plain, no binge. Add a little commercial sauce that contained high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar etc, would leave me vulnerable to all forms of further overeating madness.

I don't regard not eating that kind of stuff as depriving me of anything. In high school, I was one of those that could never stand to eat breakfast. By 10AM of course, I was plenty ready to eat. And pastries were readily available.

I didn't even like donuts....but on eating one, I would have to slam down about a 1/2 dozen in a frenzy, despite "knowing better".

So absent the drive to consume such, it takes little to avoid that complication. And I slowly came to recognize, that the very foods that 'needed' such slathering of extra goo on it, I didn't really care for in the first place. Finding a balance with all that sudden insight too a long time and a lot of work.

For those with body dysfunction such as mine, you probably will recognize the affliction.

Agree on the notion of "feeling deprived".

In finding what triggers my own binges, preOp I had learned to ignore the subtle hints that little 'innocent' tastes and 'satisfying a craving' produced.

For my own physiology, certain triggering substances --much as any other addictive substance-- would create an excuse to indulge in 'a little more'.

That bit of whipped cream (a REASONABLE amount) would lead to a predictable rise in binge eating.

One of the surprises was, that if I avoided whatever launched me into such binges, I could far easier monitor and regulate my eating behavior.

A bit of steak/seafood plain, no binge. Add a little commercial sauce that contained high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar etc, would leave me vulnerable to all forms of further overeating madness.

I don't regard not eating that kind of stuff as depriving me of anything. In high school, I was one of those that could never stand to eat breakfast. By 10AM of course, I was plenty ready to eat. And pastries were readily available.

I didn't even like donuts....but on eating one, I would have to slam down about a 1/2 dozen in a frenzy, despite "knowing better".

So absent the drive to consume such, it takes little to avoid that complication. And I slowly came to recognize, that the very foods that 'needed' such slathering of extra goo on it, I didn't really care for in the first place. Finding a balance with all that sudden insight too a long time and a lot of work.

For those with body dysfunction such as mine, you probably will recognize the affliction.

I agree with you. Certain foods (like pasta) for me are very difficult to control and not trigger a binge so I don't eat them even though my band would allow me to eat them. I have also found that if my husband or son is having a dessert or snack that I really shouldn't have, I can ask for a taste (1 or two small bites) and that satisfies my need to know what it tastes like and I don't need any more...for example, I really don't want a Blizzard from DQ but if they are sitting there eating one then I start wanting one too - just a taste of my husband's satisfies that desire.

Snow, let me just start off by telling you... I know the feeling!

After I had my daughter, I was still eating for two...eating anything and everything because I felt like I deserved it due to taking care of her all day and night. I would eat in the middle of the night after feeding her and never really realized the harm I was doing to myself.

She is two now...and I still have all of my 80 pounds I gained with her and then some!

I'm telling you...the "eh screw it" feeling and mental thinking is a demon!

I am one month banded and it is the best decision I have ever made in my life.

Yes, the old habits will creep here and there, but I know I can't change all of my habits overnight.

However, with the band, a red flag goes up in your head when your brain starts telling you to drive through McDonald's.

It does help mentally (or at least I think so) because it made me more aware

of my food choices. I actually take the time to analyze my foods!

I never went to therapy before or after the band.

I wish you the best of luck and hang in there

I've been thinking long and hard about what, exactly, I expect the Band to do to help me. I keep coming up with different answers.

The problem I'm having is that my eating issues are more centered around a lack of self control. I KNOW how to eat healthily. I KNOW how to exercise. I like to do both.

However, I had a baby 8 months ago, and I've gotten so damn fat during/after that, that I'm lacking a LOT of motivation, and have gotten stuck in the mentality of "Eh, screw it. I'm already the size of a house, it won't matter if I have a burger."

I know that the Band won't do any work FOR me, but that it will make everything I eat more of a conscious choice since I won't be able to sit around and just mindlessly wolf it down like I do now. And that's what I neick, do you really, really want to eat that? Cuz you're gonna be miserable if you do" because it's too easy right now to tune out my OWN voice ed--I need that constant companion to remind me, "Hey chof reason.

However, I have a bad habit of eating when I'm not hungry--because I'm bored or tired, especially. And I know the Band won't do anything to help that because it's more of a mental issue and not physical. So I wondered if any of you have gone through therapy after being banded and whether it helped. What steps have you taken to change your relationship with food, and did you ever get to a point where you feel like you've conquered your issues?

I ABSOLUTELY feel that ongoing Counseling/Psychotherapy should be an integral part of the Lap Band experience.

While it varies from person to person, the problem of obesity comes down to a very simple equation: We eat TOO much of the WRONG stuff. And most of the time, we do that not because we are physically hungry, but because of the "head hunger" that so many of us experience. And, simply because it gives us physical pleasure to eat good tasting food.

Sure, there are segments of the Obese population that have some form of metabolic disorder, there are absorption issues, and some other elements that play a role in the path to becoming Obese. But MOST of the problem lies in the fact that we simply eat too much of the wrong food. And, of course, we don't exercise our bodies nearly enough.

The fundamental mechanism of the Lap Band is to restrict our consumption of food. Plain and Simple. If you eat too much, you're gonna suffer. If you don't chew properly, it's gonna hurt. It's a valve. It's a Spigot. It's a throttle whose job it is to keep you from eating TOO MUCH (note to those engineer-types out there: I know it's not technically a"valve"…it doesn't open/close. I know…but you get my point…lol). There are some theoretical elements of the Lap band that some people here like to toss around as fact, that relate to reduced appetite and hunger, but that does not occur in all people….it is more the exception than the rule.

The point here is that a HUGE component of the weight loss process is the MIND GAME. It is psychological in nature, and if that particular part of the puzzle is not dealt with, you will not be entirely successful in your weight loss efforts, with or WITHOUT the Lap Band. Some people get lucky and the band is all they need to lose all the weight, but they are really the exception. And, if the band stops working or needs to be removed, then you have a big problem if you have NOT dealt with the mind/emotional issues relating to obesity.

So many Lap Band patients see the Band as some magical device that is stuffed in their stomach and Voila! ….they're not hungry any more. Nothing could be further from the truth, for MOST Lap Band recipients. It takes discipline, self control, patience, and a strong personal commitment to the process to make it work properly.

And THAT is why regular Psychological Counseling is SO important in this process.

Personally, I feel very strongly that regular sessions with a Psychotherapist that specializes in bariatric issues (and I mean SPECIALIZES, not just as part of the practice) should be a requirement of getting a Lap Band, not just a single session before the surgery. This should be an ongoing process, designed to support you in your weight loss efforts, and help you identify and manage the issues that have driven you to overeat in the first place.

Now, on the other side of this, I do think that SOME of the Pre-operative Psych consultations are a joke. The insurance industry really needs to do some "housecleaning" with regard to how they handle these evaluations. Some of it really is "going through the motions", and that, honestly, doesn't help anyone at all. But that doesn't keep the PATIENT from taking a proactive stance and seeking out quality behavioral therapy to assist them in this process. As a Lap Band patient you should absolutely NOT be rejecting the idea of psychological intervention in your Quest for better health,,,,you SHOULD be wholeheartedly EMBRACING the idea that your problem with obesity is multi-faceted, and needs help from multiple resources, and NOT just a noose around your stomach.

As I stated earlier, I feel that counseling and ongoing therapy should be a REQUIREMENT for anyone who undergoes Weight Loss Surgery of any kind, and I am kind of surprised that insurance companies do not make this a KEY part of the process, other than the initial Psych consultation. I believe that it is a CRUCIAL component of success in this area.

It is known that a certain percentage of Gastric Bypass patients will put the weight back on within a few years of losing it. This is not a result of any deficiency in the surgical mechanism, but it is a direct result of the "mind component" of weight loss not being addressed properly, or even addressed at ALL in so many cases. It is also known that in the case of the Lap Band, a very large percentage of Patients never reach their intended goal, and, again, it is because (in many cases) the psychological and emotional issues that brought the patient to the point of needing surgery have never been addressed. So, yes…you ABSOLUTELY need to make Pyschotherapy an integral part of your Weight Loss Surgery experience.

With Regard to Therapists who specialize in Weight Issues, yes, there ARE those who maintain a Specialty Practice in that field. You need to hunt for them a bit, and I should warn you that MOST Psychotherapists will say that they deal with weight issues, but the fact is that most of them do not deal with it as a SPECIALTY. And, you really do want someone who is a specialist in this, someone who has been doing it for a number of years as a primary practice.

Sometimes you will see them in the yellow pages, but as is most often the case, the BEST practitioners do NOT have to advertise. It is very possible that you can get a referral from your Surgeon's office; they very often have good links to Professionals in this field. Also, if you contact your local chapter of Overeaters Anonymous, they often can refer you to Professionals as well. Again, I have to emphasize the importance of finding someone who is very well experienced and trained in Bariatric Psychology as a SPECIALTY, and not merely an incidental part of their practice. I think if you ask most Psychotherapists if they treat people with Obesity issues, they will all say yes. But, the vast majority of them will only have a couple of patients for whom it is a defining issue, and their experience in treating this problem is not very deep. So, take the time to find someone who really IS an expert in this….you will be well-served by having this kind of professional on your Team.

S.

I think most of us have emotional ties to food, too, which does make it harder....I struggle with that off and on, the band is definately not a cure -all and contrary to popular belief it is NOT the easy way out! You have to work with it and the first part of the journey was the hardest for me - first the pre op diet when I felt so tired and lethargic and just wanted to CHEW something. (I did mine back when we didn't get to EAT anything but yogurt, shakes, etc -- most folks get lean meat once a day now...that would've been HEAVENLY!)...then post op when you don't feel a darn bit of restriction after the initial swelling from the surgery subsides and you are hungry but can't just eat anything you want....you are trying to be "good" but it feels like a diet as you are still hungry between meals.

Those first 6 weeks post op are for HEALING, not losing....I think that is one of the huge misconceptions I see on the boards - folks are like "I am two weeks out and haven't lost much" and they need to understand that those first 6 weeks are to let your body heal and adjust....you HAVE to get lots of Protein and Water in - your body needs it - and not worry about weight. That is easier said than done, since you just went through this major surgery and want to be skinny as of yesterday....and most have seen folks with the gastric bypass that start dropping weight SO fast....the lapband is NOT like that at all.

Kim, this post is so informative! Thank you for posting your story...I'm at the 6-week mark and I thought I was being punk'd or something because I have no restriction and I'm hungry ALL THE TIME!!! I'm going for my first fill next Thursday and I'm hoping that it does something to help me get back on track.

Whenever I feel like I'm about to lose my mind I come here and read the posts from the advanced bandsters and I feel hopeful

Thanks again for your post!

Great thread here Bandsters!

I know the 'just a taste' NOW is a far better (ie healthier) choice than ever preOp. I _can_ take just a taste which satisfies that curiosity....

It took a lot of work to recognize for ME that difference was to assign "hungry" and "not hungry" eating modes to my food behavior.

Now it's almost a habit (FINALLY!!!) to have the little belly beasts no longer in conflict with my Brain controlling what my mouth does.

re: "we do that not because we are physically hungry, but because of the "head hunger" that so many of us experience. And, simply because it gives us physical pleasure to eat good tasting food."

Agree, and add that much of that 'head hunger' is some form of psychoemotional need long unmet. Non-physiological hunger can not be satisfied by physical food. I don't consider that quite the same as 'head hunger' yet certainly as powerful a drive as any other of which we must find ways to establish control.

re "MOST of the problem lies in the fact that we simply eat too much of the wrong food. And, of course, we don't exercise our bodies nearly enough." For sure.

And it's far too easy to increase the desirability of SportEating by applying sauces and goo to enhance the taste buds in the absence of actual hunger.

Re: "The fundamental mechanism of the Lap Band is to restrict our consumption of food. Plain and Simple. If you eat too much, you're gonna suffer. If you don't chew properly, it's gonna hurt. It's a valve. It's a Spigot. It's a throttle whose job it is to keep you from eating TOO MUCH (note to those engineer-types out there: I know it's not technically a"valve"…it doesn't open/close. I know…but you get my point…lol)."

agree/ I view the Band as an artificial knot hole. We fling food against the fence and some goes in while some doesn't make it thru. Whatever hormonal mechanisms yet not clearly defined affecting the hunger drive, some people seem to respond to the mechanic model of 'full tank-empty tank' sensors in the upper stomach area.

In the investigation phase of my own decision making process, I talked personally with one of the surgeons at OHMSU Portland about his observations. He was at that time (2003-4) researching surgical variations to the then-standard RNY. His team had seen a then-inexplainable phenomena, where a willing research patient, would undergo what appeared to be the then new laproscopic Lap Band procedure. Unknown to a considerable portion, no Band was installed, rather he said the external aspect of the stomach itself would simply be stroked a number of times via surgeon's gloved fingers, from lower to upper esophageal area. Nearly ALL of those patients would report vastly decreased hunger and lose weight dramatically. I don't know what the extended follow up might have showed....but I believe this particular project was instrument in locating and identifying ghrelin and another unknown hormone, of which I have forgotten the name.

In any case, the appears to be multiple models regarding the 'why' we become obese, along with multiple theories explaining why the Band works well for some and not for others.

I see of course I left out an entire series of comments regarding the 'knot hole' model. A limited amount of food, no longer washed down by gulping unchewed food and large amounts of fluids, into the folds and hidden warehouse complex of my bowels, now has time to affect the blood sugar as measured by the ventromedial hypothalamus...a form of "appestat" or rpm-governor --which throttles down the eating drive.

I personally preOp was unable to conjure up memory of being "satiated" in the sense "I was not hungry" rather than "I am too full to eat more".

The full/not hungry and not full/hungry model was how I grew up....and of course dysfunctional.

Normos eat when hungry, then stop.

We of the Tribe of the Morbidly Obese, eat whether hungry or not, then eat some more.

Whatever the drive, which has as many varieties of potential explanation as any other aspect of Bandster Life, must be changed.

It is very easy to also fall into the trap when you have young children of giving everything to them and neglecting yourself. This is how my weight got so out of control, so not only do you eat for comfort/boredom you eat easy unhealthy food and you eat the kids left overs. I wish i had my band when my kids where young, not only to help with my eating but also because it is something that is just yours, to look after you. It is all about you. And very little is when you have young kids. Having my band now makes me realize how little i have looked after my self over the years. And it makes me feel good to be doing something for me, and that makes it easier to fight those urges to eat when not hungry. I am a happier person.