Ok we all know where Im going with this...old habits die hard! I can barely eat a third of what Im used to but still have the desire to load up my plate...am I alone here?

Nope, you are certainly not alone. I still have to weigh, measure, and count nearly every serving of everything. If I have it on my plate, I really want to finish it, so I try to be really diligent by making sure the amount of food on my plate isn't too much.

I've been banded close to six months now and stick to the visualization of a cup or a fist of food as my meal.

Through the lapband and other weight loss attempts I found I also had to turn off the economic food brain inside my head, telling me things like its better value for money to get the large, or the food like seafood or good lean Proteins are so much more expensive at a restaurant or supermarket than something less healthy for me.

I eat out with work and travel fairly constantly. When I do have to eat a meal out, if it comes out in a huge portion I evaluate it first, set myself a limit, sectioning parts off and committing to only eating that part. I've asked waitresses if I can take the left overs as takeaway. I was shocked I once got an extra 3 meals out of the most ridiculously sized seafood Pasta dish! And if they won't, just ask them to take it off the table ASAP.

You aren't alone. I am 2 years out and I still do it if I don't measure my food. My husband just laughs and says... How many meals is that for? Knowing full well I won't eat it all.

I still do this. I need to measure my food.

Use a smaller plate and measuring does help!

I bought a few toddler plates. Cost just a few bucks and are dishwasher safe. There's a silly part of me that wants to get a few with cartoon characters on them. Or I might find a few fine china salad plates. Anything to keep me amused and not piling food on.

6 years out I still struggle with this. I am struggling with this tonight. I do great during the day, then after dinner I want to gorge. I have started making myself wait, then if I still have the munchies I eat a piece of fruit or veggie sticks. With meals I, like others here, also measure my food out and stop eating when the food is gone--sometimes sooner.

Went to a breakfast/ brunch with family members who are unaware of my banding.....well, everything looked so good and smelled so good, that I loaded up my plate and headed back to the table.

Well, my overweight family members were choking down, going back for seconds and thirds..... I was struggling to get a few bites in.

No one noticed or said anything.... But, it was a lesson learned.

Be kind to yourself and your new little stomach. Also be kind to your " head- hunger" and think before loading up that plate.

In retrospect, I should have taken a dessert plate( yes, they actually had cannolis at the breakfast buffet!) and been much more selective in my choices....