Do you feel guilty if you eat a not so healthy food, even if it keeps you in your calorie range???

Yes but more at the beginning than I do now. I am slowly realizing I have to be realistic- once in awhile I simply want a non-fat caramel mocha or small desert. As long as it's an occasional thing rather than a daily or regular thing, it's fine.

I actually allow myself one "freebie" meal a month. After I see my surgeon (and am back to normal foods if I have a fill), I allow myself a meal of anything I want. I don't count calories and I don't care how unhealthy it is, it's my one splurge meal a month. I also allow myself one desert splurge a month.

I've lost considerable weight since being banded in January, so it's obvious my monthly splurge hasn't hurt me in the least. Quite honestly, I think it's helped me both to not feel so guilty and not feel deprived.

I agree with every thing the above poster said. If you deprive yourself you may not enjoy this new healthy eating lifestyle. I'm really enjoying my new way of wasting and am learning to love food in a new healthy way. If I want a cookie, I east a cookie. But I don't eat 10! I probably follow a 90/10 healthy lifestyle.

The more I deny myself something, the more I crave it and the more likely I am to breakdown and have it in bulk! Therefore, I think it best, for me, at least, to have no banned foods on my list, but to make sure I only eat small portions and only on an occasional basis. I don't feel guilty because I haven't lost my willpower, motivation etc.

For me, trying to be perfect is just setting myself up to fail.

If there is a cake at work, and I *want* some, I will have a small piece. However, I don't have cake because it is there or to be polite. I only have it if I really want it.

If I want something crunchy and salty, I will make popcorn with real butter and eat as much as I want.

Having my band allows me to: decide if I really want a treat, stop after a reasonable portion, and to move on without feeling guilty. (And I usually stay within my calorie plan.)

Always. The difference now is it is a temporary feeling and doesn't send me into a three day feeding frenzy.

I add additional exercise for a few days and keeping moving forward. Deprevation is not my idea of living. The lapband reminds me when enough is enough.