I know with the lap band surgery there is major lifestyle changes that will be made. Please share with me how it affected your family, things like your relationship with your spouse, eating habits, dining out, social/family gatherings,etc.......

The most dramatic effects are usually at the beginning. I immediately stopped eating out as much. In the beginning it can really just be trying to find a balance and what works for you and your band. Once things settle down mealtime is just like it is anywhere else I guess. I think the more you prepare the less disruptive it is. I have a pretty good grasp on what I can and cannot comfortably eat so I don't find the band limiting me very much in social or family interactions. It definitely took me a year or so to get this way and I've been comfortable for the last several.

Because I eat better and less, so does my family. It was difficult in the beginning right after surgery, my hubby tried to make a separate meal for me but eventually he either just made what he wanted and I picked what I could or couldn't eat or I made my own meal if ut was too late at night since I refuse to eat after 6pm. My kids see me making better choices and so do they. We were never a family who had desserts or sweets but on occasion so that wasn't a big deal...you adjust and so does the fam I guess. We don't do fast food anymore and when we go to restraunts, I basically eat off my hubby or get soup and salad. My son loves that he gets my left overs...

My Wife has been very very supportive and is actually starting the process herself but I inadvertently insulted her. Maybe not insult but its the best word I can find to describe it.

We had Breakfast together one Saturday morning and then we went about our daily activities and she at one point said as we were driving 'I'm getting kinda hungry'. Well I turned and looked at her and bluntly said 'Really? already?' Funny part is we had breakfast at 7AM and it was now a little after 1PM when she said that.

She obviously gets hungry a lot sooner than I and sometimes we both forget each others circumstances. I do not like eating out anymore. I feel it is a waste of money and I can better control the quality and portions eating at home. It is going to be nice when are on the same page. Her date is Sept 16. She is floating around this board somewhere.

Jim - those things are very important to know. I know that I want to make a conscience effort to be mindful of times like that and that's why I really wanted to know about how it affected the whole family. I read on a blog that one lady said that her husband felt a bit neglected because suddenly she was focusing on herself and what she ate and how she exercised and it became a bit obsessive for her and she didn't realize that she wasn't spending the time with her husband as she had before. One other person said that she had to really watch out for becoming the "food police" to her friends and she found that her friends would apologize for the amount of food they ate which made her uncomfortable too. So our life's decision does affect others and like I said, I really want to be mindful of those things.