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Me And Food: A Love/hate Relationship



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I have been banded for just over a year now. I have learned so much about myself and my body since that time. I have become more patient, tolerant and thankful for every victory and weight lost during this journey. I understand that each individual's experience is unique and takes different amounts of time to become accustomed to the band and learn to use this tool in the way that works for you.

food, on the other hand...well, let's just say that I am still learning. I still struggle with choosing the most nutritious and healthy food that I should put into my body. For some reason, since I have this tool, my mind thinks it's ok for me to have food that I would have never been able to "control" before my band was in place. This has given me freedom in a way, but it is not necessarily a good "freedom". I continue to lose weight consistently, but I really feel that I need to make better eating/drinking choices.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions? Anyone else having this problem?

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Try finding healthier variations of those foods that you love. For example, I make a healthy version of mac and cheese. It is made with whole grain Pasta, light laughing cow wedges and frozen broccoli and cheese. It is low in calories, fat, etc and high in nutrition. Perhaps, you won't feel like you are missing out on those favorite things and will be eating healthier. Also, are you getting in any exercise?

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Thanks for the advice! Yes, I am a fitness fanatic and exercise hard every day - sometimes twice a day, so activity does help with my "splurges."

I think a lot of the food struggle comes from years of not being able to control myself when it came to eating "bad" food, so I would just avoid it or end up bingeing on it.

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I am going on 4 years out and my experience is different. I eat what I want but just a small portion like a tablespoonful it staisfies that poor me thingy. I have become a complete grazer I look at everything and only eat what really rings my bells. I was at a pot luck last night and a friend had made this really yummy broccoli salad that looked so good and fresh and thats what I ate with a dab of a few other things . and a one inch piece of brownie that I cut off the huge brownie.

Washed down with a cold glass of wine.

It has been my experience when I say of I can't have that I get cranky . But if I permit myself to have a small portion of what looks oh so good I can handle that. Afterwards no guilt because didn't stuff myself I had a taste and in the long run it is just food it is not my friend and I have stopped making it my enemy. For me I pick what I like eat a small portion enjoy it and go on with the rest of my life.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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