I love how far I have came with my band and I am even more excited to see what I will be able to do in the future with the band but sometimes I just wish I could eat normal again. I hate that I just cant grab something to eat and go I have to make sure its going to go down. Iam also having trouble finding veggies and fruits that work with my band any suggestions on what goes down easy or good side dishes?

Seems no matter where I eat out or what I have I am guaranteed to have that scale go up the next morning. It is very frustrating because it seems even a house salad at a Chili's or something will make the scale go up. Damn Water weight kills me at times.

do you weigh yourself every day? i only weigh myself at most once a week because weight can fluctuate a lot during the week.

I'm learning to love the new "normal." I DO NOT miss big girl clothes, all the medications and looking miserable in pictures! Do I miss pizza and and cheeseburgers? Not really. There's something about feeling better and looking better that just isn't worth that pizza anymore.

do you weigh yourself every day? i only weigh myself at most once a week because weight can fluctuate a lot during the week.

Probably 5 out of the 7 days I step on the scale. I do weigh myself far to often but then I look at it this way. If I were to weigh myself only once a week and then on that particular day I do weigh in and the scale happens to be up because of Water weight I would feel a little deflated. At least weighing in every day gives me an idea of water weight fluctuation and it keeps me focused.

I don't miss bread, but I miss salads and veggies that aren't mush. Haven't been able to eat meat, poultry or seafood in over a year due to problems. Finding it almost impossible to go out to eat or even attend a fundraiser i.e., the tradtional roast beef, steamed green beans, baby potatoes and rolls leaves me cutting the food up and moving it around my plate. Chicken BBQ - unless I just eat the mac salad, the rest gets shuttled over to my husband's plate.

LOL stuck in traffic around 5pm the other day - a young couple in a car next to me was chowing down on this gorgeous thin-thin veggie pizza - if their windows had been open, I'd have grabbed a slice! Wonder if they thought my longing gaze and drooling was weird!?

Sometimes I wish I didn't have to eat so dang slow and wait a minute between each bite. Everyone around me is eating "normal" and finished well before me. I'm also afraid one day I will forget to wait and pay the price!

I am with you as to everyone else eating around you. When our family sits down to eat, I have a very small amount on my plate and everyone else's plate is very full. I am always the last to finish. It seems as if everyone is looking at me and thinking "hurry up". (No one can leave the table until everyone is finished eating)

I can eat pretty much what I want but I do miss "how" I eat. The two hardest things have been waiting between bites (I've gotten much better) and not drinking with my meal. I still have so much trouble with that. I find myself watching the clock to see when I can start drinking again!!

I've been on so called diets all my life so there isn't anything I miss. I can eat just about everything except white rice and fried rice. I do get stuck on rice so I avoid it. I can eat any kind of tossed or green salad as long as I chew it thoroughly. Icut my meatinto small bites and chew my food. I used to take two bites of a steak and gulp it down and drink with my meal. Not anymore, I take my time and never drink with my meal. I always wait after a meal and drink a beverage then.

Yeah - I got to a point where I missed being able to eat "normal." Then I learned to defeat the band and I ate whatever and as much as I wanted. I returned to my old normal. And I gained back 60 pounds. Then I desperately wanted my band to work again! I was terrified that I had either done something to harm the band or stretched my pouch out so that it wouldn't work again. I hid in that fear and my embarrassment because I didn't want to face it and I didn't want to know if I'd screwed up so badly that it couldn't be fixed.

Then I went in and faced it. I got a fill and my band is fine. I don't guess the pouch has stretched because if I follow the rules, my band stops me just like it used to.

I am soooo grateful to have another shot at this, that I no longer miss eating "normal." There are times I'm eating something really good and I really want to finish it or to have more, just because I'm enjoying it. When the band stops me, I have a momentary flash of frustration and annoyance. Dammit - I want more! Then I remember my fear that I would end up where I started.

And I smile. And stop. And go put my plate in the dishwasher.

I never want to eat normal again!!!

Shelly

Sometimes I wish I didn't have to eat so dang slow and wait a minute between each bite. Everyone around me is eating "normal" and finished well before me. I'm also afraid one day I will forget to wait and pay the price!

I don't follow the minute rule. I can't even imagine! I don't inhale my food either; just take small bites, chew well, and feel it go down. If I had to wait one minute between bites, any hot meal would have to be eaten cold (after the first few bites). Feels too much like a punishment. I think the one minute between bites is a way to get people to retrain themselves from scarfing, to dramatically slowing down. I was told to limit meals to 20 minutes. I would say that it takes just about that time to eat a cup of food; sometimes a little less, but I have that sense of "full" at about 15 minutes.