I had a half an hour long break down tonight...I think mostly over the fear of the unknown. My family went out to dinner tonight and tomorrow my mom is taking my cousin out for Breakfast. Right now, I feel like I will NEVER be able to go out to eat, ever again. Restaurants cost so much and with only being able to eat 1/2c portions, it feels like it wouldn't even be worth it to go out for 1/4 of a pancake at IHOP or whatever.

When you go for your consultations, they tell you that you'll be able to enjoy most of the same food you always have...just in lesser portions. But sometimes I wonder how true that is. HUGE LONG LIST of red flag foods aside....they say you know your band is too loose if you are hungry and want to snack between meals. Which, to me implys, you will not be able to snack between meals.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to pig out all the time, but....I like going to the movies. Will I ever be able to have popcorn at a movie, again? Or enjoy a small slice of cake for my birthday? How do the occasional small pleasures like that factor into the "no snacking" thing?

Add all of these fears of the unknown on top of the fact that I pulled/irriated one of my staples today. It didn't come out, and my incision didn't open, but I did have some drainage.

It has just not been a good day for me. Are days like this common? Do they subside, eventualy?

All I can say is, it appears you are just starting out, maybe just had your surgery, any fills? You definitley sound like you are not at the Green Zone yet.

What you are doing is just another diet, based soley upon your own will power.

I don't know about you, but I Suck at dieting! That's why I needed the band!!

From the day of surgery, it took about 5-6 months before the band started to take over and really started to do what is was designed to do.

Don't beat yourself up...or go ahead, makes no difference because right now it is all up to you, not the band.

Know this, I am in the Green Zone, have been for a while now. My food cravings are all gone. I can go to any resturant, you can put any food you like in front of me, it makes no difference. The band limits what, and how much I can eat, and takes away a lot of the desire to eat.

Hang in there, if you are serious about this thing, you'll get there too eventually.

ok... so here's my 25 cents worth of advise... start living in the present and stop grieving the past.. as for food.. there are red flag foods.. but there are also so many new foods you can learn to eat.. like have you ever had a fine lobster bisque (which can be purchased at the grocery store.. my favorite brand is panera) or have you tried some new recipes.. like making grilled flake salmon over a bed of lettuce with diced mango and asparagus.. come on... you can look at all the food you CAN'T eat or you can look at all the food you CAN eat. take your pick... just before i began eating solids.. I wrote out a long long long list of all the food i could eat.. and how to combine those foods into nutritious, low cost high energy meals. I don't care if you are male or female.. you have to learn to cook and to shop.anyway.. thats my 25 cents worth.. I love this new way of eating.. i don't miss those kettle chips dipped in chocolat chip ice cream.. everything about the inside of me now is feeling healthier.. losing weight is making my joints move more smoothly, my allergy symptoms are gone and I have a new outlook about life. Please try to make life positive.... its called reframing a life event from a negative to a positive.. remember the reasons you got this procedure done , keep your goals out in front of you.. and eat hearty and well.. food takes on a new perspective... make every bite a new experience....and a healthy one.

oh.. and as for going out to eat. simple trick.. order something really healthy and reasonable.. and before it even gets to the table have the waiter box up at least half of it to go.. take it home for another meal or two....

I am at restriction and I always eat popcorn at the movies - I get a small - but I can usually eat about 1/2 of it. It's one of my occassional treats and i hope i never have to give it up. You will be able to have many of the foods you still like - sometimes they will slide through, sometimes they will get stuck and sometimes you'll decide that they just aren't worth the trouble and/or pain. It's amazing how major weight loss can help you quickly get over any mourning for food. I know it has for me. BEST OF LUCK TO US ALL ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!! :wub:

I can eat just about anything in small portions, but I have to be careful of the gluten (wheat) foods that tend to get stuck more easily. If you need to snack between meals, you aren't in the Green Zone yet, but once you get there, everything becomes easy. You enjoy your small portions immensely and then don't think about food IF you're busy with something you enjoy. If you start obsessing about those cookies in the kitchen, they don't belong in your house. As for restaurants, I either get an appetizer for my meal or eat half and box up the rest for another meal. You can probably eat a whole pancake, but your choice for healthy foods should be eggs (I love cheese omelets), and by the time you've eaten a half cup or so, you won't have room for the pancake and won't want it. As for birthday cake, try to think about a yummy mouthful instead of a slice. After a healthy meal you probably won't want more than that. It truly is a whole new experience when you get to that Green Zone.

I am at restriction and I always eat popcorn at the movies - I get a small - but I can usually eat about 1/2 of it. It's one of my occassional treats and i hope i never have to give it up. You will be able to have many of the foods you still like - sometimes they will slide through, sometimes they will get stuck and sometimes you'll decide that they just aren't worth the trouble and/or pain. It's amazing how major weight loss can help you quickly get over any mourning for food. I know it has for me. BEST OF LUCK TO US ALL ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!! :wub:

Well said. I am always amazed, how people who are considered "Morbidly Obese", to the point where they need bariatric surgery, will still hold their fascination with food.

The more and maore I have progressed and lost, the more and more less I think about food. I have to remind myself to eat at times.

But I hav found, that this is still peoples "Sacred Cow" and whenever I mention this, as I am now, it touches people's nerves and they will come out and defend themselves and attack me for bringing it up.

I no longer "Live to Eat", but now only "Eat to Live"

I think a majority of people greived for the food they would miss after the band. It is completely natural emotion. For me, it was fastfood. I was a fastfood junky. Ate there almost every meal. Now when I go there I get my unsweetened icetea and a yogert. Its been a year almost and although I would like to take a bite of a big mac, I know that it isnt possible (unless I take the bun off) but what fun would that be. lol

You will mourn the food that you have to give up, but what your getting in return in so much better. Soon you will look at food and think, how in the world am I gonna eat all that. And yiu probably wont, and thats ok. Get used to waisting food...Soon it wont rule your life anymore. You will be in charge...

I think a majority of people greived for the food they would miss after the band. It is completely natural emotion. For me, it was fastfood. I was a fastfood junky. Ate there almost every meal. Now when I go there I get my unsweetened icetea and a yogert. Its been a year almost and although I would like to take a bite of a big mac, I know that it isnt possible (unless I take the bun off) but what fun would that be. lol

You will mourn the food that you have to give up, but what your getting in return in so much better. Soon you will look at food and think, how in the world am I gonna eat all that. And yiu probably wont, and thats ok. Get used to waisting food...Soon it wont rule your life anymore. You will be in charge...

sorry, I need to stop posting from my phone, it always puts it on double. uuggg

Well said. I am always amazed, how people who are considered "Morbidly Obese", to the point where they need bariatric surgery, will still hold their fascination with food.

The more and maore I have progressed and lost, the more and more less I think about food. I have to remind myself to eat at times.

But I hav found, that this is still peoples "Sacred Cow" and whenever I mention this, as I am now, it touches people's nerves and they will come out and defend themselves and attack me for bringing it up.

I no longer "Live to Eat", but now only "Eat to Live"

I agree B-52 but will add that I still hold fascination for certain food - maybe that will never go away - and I haven't been turned off by all food entirely and still get hungry or head hungry at times. However, none of that matters - my entire focus is losing weight then maintaining it - whatever it takes to do that, including overriding my own temptations, I will do. Period. I'm not faulting people for speaking openly about fears/concerns about never having a certain food again - but I would fault them for choosing not to have surgery because of it - or constantly giving into temptations so that the band fails for them, because now that i've tasted success with the band and weight loss - I cannot understand how anyone would choose food over thin-ness (even though i used to do the same thing pre-band). But, that's just me.