I did not get fat (obese) because I would occasionally enjoy a slice of pie or chocolate cake....I got fat because I would finish off the entire cake myself......

Leftovers in the fridge did not have a chance when I was around....

The same holds true for everything I ate...it was not WHAT I ate, per say, it was HOW much I ate....

I still get Chinese take out, once a week....the portion they give is large enough for 4 people! I used to eat the entire thing myself!

Pizza!...no exaggeration, I would eat an entire large pie at one sitting.....

When I try to add up what I used to eat within any 24 hour period...it boggles my mind! How can ANYBODY possibly eat that much? And that was my problem...I ATE TOO MUCH!...EXTREMELY ABNORMAL to the point only surgery could correct it!

Thinking about my favorite buffet restaurant....the # of trips - courses I would eat for one dinner.....5-6 plate fulls (trips) starting with the salad bar to appetizers, en tree's then Desserts....how can anyone????

Sure, wise food choices lead to good health....but still......

And that is what the band has done for me....not a diet, not calorie counting, but because of the restriction and being in the Green Zone, I now HAVE to eat like a NORMAL person is supposed to eat....portion sizes are now automatic and natural, and my hunger - craving for non stop eating has been completely taken away.....nothing complicated about it....eventually I stopped thinking about it altogether....

So I simply eat like a normal person, exercise and stay active as a normal person should, and eventually my body adjusted and returned to normal size and weight....as it should....like it is supposed to be....

It's really quite simple....all I need to do is make wise food choices...more for health than anything (who doesn't want to be healthy). I still can enjoy the little pleasures, just not the gluttonous way I used to....

That's all there is too it...in a nutshell.....no reason to try to over think it....

BTW, I belong to a few custom car forums, and noticed today the majority of posts where from people seeking advice about their cars, where to get parts and "how to" do things...so it is no surprise the majority here is the same thing...people seeking advice or stating problems....

I also value your posts and reading them keeps me on track when I need to be when I slip out of the greenzone and when I do and my head hunger returns I start to doubt myself thinking I'm just being weak but I've learnt to recognize that's when I need a small top up to get back into greenzone. Once I'm back I have like an ah ha moment and realise yep this band takes away all my interest in food and my head hunger when I am truly in the greenzone and I don't get hungry, don't think of food and turn my nose up at every bit of food I see, it makes it hard to shop unless I have a grocery list now. There are days I can go without food all day because I truly am not feeling any hunger at all because my band is working as it should but I make myself eat otherwise health wise I will make myself sick and I take my Vitamins religiously.

When it comes to my normal friends they do eat more than me ( being in greenzone) but they certainly eat healthier than I used to.

I hate dieting and counting the calorie content of every morsel that goes into my mouth, I always failed at that and having this band I don't need to do it, my band at the moment is perfectly fine tuned, it does a lot if the work for me and when I do eat because its such small amounts I make the best choices to get my Protein in. I no longer crave chocolate or the things I used to crave but I did when my band wasn't where it should be.

Just last night I spent hours making rum balls and a wicked chocolate cake for our family lunch today ( Good Friday at my mums) in all that time I didn't even think to put a bit of chocolate in my mouth, my wonderful band at work!!!

I know personally I had this band to stop my yoyo dieting and having to calorie count and to take away my hunger and interest in food, it also does limit my food intake, I can still eat everything provided I take small bites and chew properly, even bread, I have the perfect amount of restriction and my band is doing its job per its description of what it's supposed to do.

I also know that as I loose weight my band does require tiny top ups to keep me where I am and I've learnt to read the changes when that happens and to not question myself.

Wish I had of done this years ago.

Also my aftercare team is brilliant and so helpful and based on all my responses at every appointment if I am in that frame of mind iof doubting myself with what I'm feeling they know the answers to get me back on track. So very crucial to be totally open an honest with them so they can give the care they are trained to give.

Now there are some things you post I don't agree with but that's perfectly fine, it's your journey, your experience with the band and that's what you write about. We all have what works for us individually and that's fine also, we are not all from the same seed but in saying that I take away what is relevant to me and ignore the rest on the forums.

You're probably correct...it is frustrating....really don't have much in common with 80% of the members here' date='.....that is why everyone moves on.....

But I did get many PM's asking me to stick around, people want to hear different perspectives form those who are Happy and Successful with life AFTER the band....

The majority of talk here is from people who are struggling, frustrated, always talking of failure and complications.....and this is all supported by others who are in the same boat, who don't realize themselves there is a flipside to all this......

No one can or should ever tell someone else what they should or should not do....nor tell anyone else they are right or wrong....what people do with their lives is their business....

All anyone can do is speak about themselves, their personal experiences, and be an example...an exhibit...for others to see and guage for themselves what this surgery can and has done for other people......

There is a lot of people doing that all the time, but only setting up negative examples for all to see.....and people believe that is the only alternative.....

I tell my story, show how this WLS has changed my life....and yet people won't accept it...but it does not make it any less true.....

It really is quite funny how people can get upset at others success???? (I'm not going to touch that one)

There are many roads one can follow.to get to the same destination......if it is not the road you like, you cannot deny the other roads still exist...yet people would love to.....(there's a term for that but people would not get it)[/quote']

Dear B52, I appreciate your posts. I love your frankness. You don't sugar coat and you tell it like it is. That is what I need. I don't want to be pacified. I need to heard the truth.

I'm gonna have to agree, I always look forward to your posts. I'm not banded yet but when it's done I know I can count on you to be frank with me and tell it how it is, trust me I will NEED it. so don't go nowhere!

Thanks