I had a rough day today. I am a week post op and starving. I love diet DP and haven't had one in a week. For the last week I have just felt like food surrounds my world!!! I didn't realize how attached I was to eating. This is tougher than I thought, it's like a am a true addict!!!

I’m going into my 7^th year of being banded and have talked about this here several times but I think it’s worth repeating for new bandsters.

Try and take it one day at a time. Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t go into this journey saying “I’ll never be able to eat this or that ever again.” I can eat ANYTHING except rice and apple skins and no carbonated beverages. Follow the guidelines given to you by your doctor. Remember… take tiny bites (the size of your pinky fingernail) and remember to finish what you have in your mouth before you take your next bite.

When I was losing weight I checked in every month with my family doctor to get weighed and measured. (I don’t own scales) I also attended two coffee groups for people that were banded. These things really kept me motivated and on track. I still check in every month with my family doctor to get weighed-in and I host two coffee groups. For me support from fellow bandsters plays a big part in this journey.

Back when I was banded my family doctor came up with something called the “Egg Timer Distraction”. It’s kind of difficult to explain here but I’d be happy to email you the .pdf document. It REALLY helped me with “head hunger”. I can’t tell you the number of people in my lapband coffee groups over the years that have said how helpful this “trick” has been in dealing with their head hunger.

Also, I’m not really a “diet” book type person but I recommend you pick up two books.

Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle – by Dr. Michelle May

I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. May speak at a conference when she came to Toronto and her book and guidelines really work well with the lapband journey.

The second book is:

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite – by David L. Kessler

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions and also if you would like a copy of the “Egg Timer Distraction Document”. --- tomander@bell.net

Tom, Toronto

Banded July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 156 lbs

tomander@bell.net

You're not alone, sweetie. I cried and felt so depressed when I wasn't able to consume real food. I hated the post op liquid diet. I was a mess! Please feel better. This was the hardest part. Hugs!

I am one year banded. When I realized, about 6 weeks post - op, that I couldn't consume food like I did pre band, it was a shock.

Intellectually, I understood. But the smell and sights of food were overwhelming.

I had to step back, review the band eating/ living rules, and move on.

I have come to see food as small portions, really quality food and it has been an enjoyable journey.

Not to say there are those days when I mourn the loss of being able to stroll into a fast food place and grab a huge burger, fries and soda........ But then I look at my reflection in the window and feel happy and satisfied!

Being banded is life changing in many ways.

I too learned alot about myself during "liquids". I was on them for 2 weeks pre-op and 2 weeks post op. It was brutal....but everyday was a step "away" from my emotional attachment to food.

Sending good/positive thoughts your way!

Someone in the past on here (sorry can't remember name to give them props) suggested that you can get the Soda Stream flavorings and add it to water, so you could probably find Diet Dr. Pepper in their flavoring and still get the flavor, without the carbonation. I saw they sell the flavorings at Wal-Mart now, or Bed, Bath and Beyond always have them.

_{It is very hard in the beginning I lived on creamed soups and as often as I needed to eat figured it was a healing time not a losing time but I did loss durning that time...It took 3 fill for me get get into the green and now it is a great place to be...its all so worth it just hang in there a while longer.}

I was feeling the same way. Its not east I am putting together some healthier alternatives. I was craving fries last nighr. So I baked eggplant fries for the first time. Rhey were absolutely delicious. I am just taking one day at a time. Hang in there.

Welcome to the Journey. One of the things the band did for me was to suppress my physical hunger so that I was more aware of the head/emotional hungers that actually caused me to be fat. My word, no wonder I was 300 pounds!

Take your journey one day, one step at a time. It does get easier, but it will still be hard work. But believe me, the journey is worth it. Read the forum, help others who are newer on the path than you, keep positive.

This entire journey is such a roller coaster ride. Hang in there.

Realize this stage is not the norm, it's temporary. Transition slowly, no matter how brutal as to give your port ample time to settle in and for inflammation to subside. Trust me, when you get to solids you'll just be so relieved that anything will taste good/satisfying. Double that with how full you'll feel off of such small portions. These feelings will soon overtake any negative feelings you are currently having