I know everyone here has one or two things they just aren't willing to do or change. I understand and I'm really fighting with a few of my demons here.

I don't want to give up fast food. (out food) - I mean I say it's because of my job entertaining clients, eating out with them, traveling hours to see them etc. And a lot of people have given me suggestions on how take along food.... but honestly I just don't want too. I think there should be a way around this - like for example I can make better decision at each resturant. I don't cook nor will I ever learn. I'm not into that.

Anyway - that's my one thing. I still think I can make it work with this life style but I'm wondering what's your thing? I've heard someone say before - I didn't have this surgery to sweat and she wasn't going to exercise. I respect that. I like exercise and don't mind that but understand everyone has their thing.

What's your thing?

I'm not willing to give up all sweets, totally. I try to limit and leave it to special occasions, but life without chocolate is not a life I want to live.

Probably the number one thing I won't give up is moving to non-fat milk. I was raised by wolves and had to drink powdered non-fat milk mixed half strength. I won't drink non-fat milk.

But I modify my calories to accomidate the one cup of lowfat milk I drink.

I'm with your friend on the exercise! I refuse to do it. I just don't get the point. I love my resting heart rate. I love being able to have a conversation with someone while I am sitting in a sedentary position. I do NOT love running (Ok, walking) on a treadmill going nowhere and watching all the skinny people work ten times harder because they are terrified of looking like me someday. And I don't buy that runner's high bullshit. I just cannot fathom how one could enjoy being out of breath, tired, and sweaty...ON PURPOSE!

My other thing is diet products - skim milk, fat free yogurt, lite cheese, etc. (Why did I list all dairy?) The real stuff tastes better, and if you're only eating a bandster portion, who cares how many calories it has?

That said, before banding I thought there were some food products that I could not live without - diet coke being the main one. I can still drink it now, but with proper restriction, burping is not possible, and it has to come out the other end...not too comfortable when you're trying to hold that in while in a room full of people for hours at a time. I now only drink it when I know I will be at home alone or in a crowded noisy place. :confused:

So I guess my whole mindset toward food has changed. I don't really crave junk food anymore, because I know it goes right through my band and keeps me hungry. Now I crave cheese or meat or vegetables...very weird. Last night I was at CVS, and I couldn't resist a Cadbury cream egg, but I just had one...not one plus the Dove chocolate bar I was eyeing.

When you say fast food, do you mean McDonald's type stuff, or just eating out in restaurants? A lot of us find that with proper restriction, we just CAN'T eat hamburgers or french fries or chicken nuggets, etc. Either way, you'll work it out - I doubt you need to bring your own food to a restaurant, I'm sure you can make good choices...and if you're restricted enough, you won't really have a choice!

Yeah I try to make good choices like I do taco bell often and usually just get a soft chicken taco... or a spicy chicken burrito which is about 220 calories.

I eat some of the tortilla but not all of it. The tortilla doesn't bother me currently at 1.7 fill.... I do a lot of resturarnts like Logans, Texas Roadhouse, O'Charlies... you know the casual dining type. I get chicken mostly or sometimes Soup but it goes though the band too fast.

It's funny how some people just hate exercise. I use it as kind of away time. I'm a payroll software consultant. So customers pretty much call all the time with "My payroll is broke - Help". So when I go to the gym in the evening I get my flustration out.

I figured some people would say they wouldn't give up chocolate or something like that...

Oh yeah - i totally agree on the diet "franken" food.. it's just not right. I did diet pepsi at one time but that wasn't too bad to give up. I still would rather have real cheese, butter, milk etc... I just think real food is also healther then 'fake'... anyhow fat has gotten a bad rap...

The thing that comes to mind the quickest is coffee. PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY COFFEE......

OH MY GOD, DON'T GET ME STARTED ON SOUP....and Protein drinks for that matter.

Aren't we told from Day 1 to avoid liquid calories? How the hell is a bowl of chicken noodle different from a cherry coke? It doesn't fill you up any more than a cup of tea. I swear to god, the next time someone tells me to eat soup, I'm going to pour it on him.

I have been banded a yr and have done my best to improve my food choices. I have cut down the Take Away to once a month or so. I have converted to Light and low fat everything. One thing I just cant give up is choccy. I have to have some choccy every couple of days. I think with all the improvements I have made it my life and how far I have come that a bit of chocolate here and there is godd for me, after all it is full of antioxidents :confused:

After thinking about this, I think the only thing I do not want to give up is my weekly bottle of wine. It took many years to transition from "Anne Green Springs" to the real good stuff!!!!

I don't want to give up my Carbwatch ice cream from Braums (made with splenda). Think there is a chance I can keep that? PPPPLLLLEEEEAAAASSSSEEEE!

Uhm, no, I'm not kidding. Liquid calories make no sense to me in any form. And I'm not seeing how my comment was off topic.

Just my lifestyle in general. I like to go out to eat, I do it regularly with friends. I buy lunch out lots of days, becuase I'm rarely at home. I like a drink occasionally. I could never give up coffee. I am not willing to risk discomforts and PB's in order to lose faster. Sometimes I wonder why I had the band if I'm not willing to see it all the way through but I'm just not. I am not prepared to limit the variety of what I can eat, my long term health is important to me and I'm not willing to go on some crackpot low carb diet either. I like bread, cereals and Pasta and I believe they're a necessary part of a healthy diet. The thought of relying on Protein shakes for Breakfast makes me ill, those arent food, they're a chemical cocktail. Ditto low fat or artificially sweetened products. I insist that I get to live on a satisfying, enjoyable, varied diet.

I thought I'd include fast food in that but the truth is I am finding that sort of thing really hard to stomach. The last few times we've had takeaway, which isnt often, I've been unable to eat it.

Luckily I love exercise and am willing to do more than average to allow me to live the lifestyle I want.

And I don't buy that runner's high bullshit. I just cannot fathom how one could enjoy being out of breath, tired, and sweaty...ON PURPOSE!

It definite exists. Its addictive. I love it. Its not a chore but one of the benefits of being lighter, that I can run again.

Everyone's answers though just prove that really its all down to calories in versus calories out. We've all got different attitudes yet it works pretty much for everyone to one degree or another.

Soup has a lot of nutrients in it, while cherry coke has no nutritional value what so ever. However, they both are liquid calories that go right through the band. So, if you have 200 calories to waste & these are your choices......DEFINATELY choose the soup.

However, if you're feeling a little lose & want to just let go - definately go with the Cherry Coke!! OH, they taste so good!!! I haven't had one in a very long time!!!! :confused:

Thank you, Diane. My point was that both are wasted calories for me. I might as well just inject the fat directly into my arm since I am not getting any sense of satisfaction either way.

Obviously soup (certain kinds) has nutritional value. But if we're talking about vegetables, I'd rather eat whole ones that will stay with me longer. I maintain that soup is for the freshly post-op and the infirm.

Oh, well then I take back my bitchy response. Sorry!

This is so true.

I don't want to give up fast food. (out food) - I mean I say it's because of my job entertaining clients, eating out with them, traveling hours to see them etc.

I eat almost all my meals out - I'm single/no kids, travel a bunch so eating out is easiest for me.

And a lot of people have given me suggestions on how take along food.... but honestly I just don't want too. I think there should be a way around this - like for example I can make better decision at each resturant?

I just go with an appetizer (or half appetizer) or a kids' portion. I ate at home mostly only during the liquids phase and once I was on mushies - I hit the soup menus and went on my way. :hungry:

The one thing I didn't want to give up: my glass of wine with dinner...Makes me feel civilized and I told my surgeon before LapBanding. His feeling is as long as I compensate for the carbs elsewhere, then a glass of wine isn't detrimental.

Happy Band Journeys to All