Experienced Bandsters, what are your tricks of the trade?

[Carlene 12]

Just a warning for newbies....the longer you are banded, the more inventive you will get at eating around the band. It is MUCH easier to follow the rules in the beginning, when you are all pumped about losing 100 pounds by next swimsuit season (good luck with that, by the way).

Those last 10 pounds are soooooooooo hard to take off. I get headed in the right direction, then promptly screw up for a couple of days and re-gain 2 or 3 pounds.

The band works, but only if you work it.

[Fauxnaif 1]

1. Deal with your emotional issues-in therapy or wherever. But if you don't, you won't ever lose weight and keep it off.

2. Just surrender to the band. You can't eat like you used to; there's no use trying.

3. Get a life. Don't obsess about weightloss. Live your life. Get some hobbies because you need something to fill your time and mind since you won't be eating so much.

4. Have patience. This is a journey of years; not months.

5. Plan your food in advance. This helps me.

6. Keep track of your food on www.fitday.com or a similar site.

[Kat817 19]

I have been banded for just over 2 months, and have finally begun not to think about food nonstop!! When I was first banded, I was not hungry in the least for the first couple of weeks, but I still thought about food, and wondered if I could eat this or that, or how I could prepare this and make it taste good, and be easy for me to eat....it was crazy!!! Finally food is not #1--but I still will crave something, or even eat things without thinking! I think the biggest help for me right now is that it is summer, and there is always something I can be doing outside! I have also started a couple of new hobbies, things that are not eating friendly. I used to read a lot, but it is way to easy to snack and read...I know I did it for many years! Now I am crocheting again, and begining to scrapbook photo albums for my new grandbabies. Both crafts require clean and free hands!

Other than that, I too eat on small plates, and am finally getting to where I am excited rather than guilty over how little I now eat. I am finding it feels better on my stomach to just eat enough not to be hungry, rather than eating until I am full. I can always eat again later if I need to, more often than not I never need more. I keep sugar free popsicles on hand...they are especially good in this weather. I have begun making some really good ones with fresh juice and Sugar free flavored syrups...I just ate a Fuzzy Navel Popsicle, it was yummy!!!

But by far the best thing I have found when I think I am hungry---I drink some Water, it more often than not is thirst. When I fail to get enough water my weight loss comes to a halt. So I try to drink all day long!

Best of luck to you, it will get easier, and easier as you see the weight coming off. You will learn the decipher the difference in tummy hunger and head hunger, and you will feel soooo good about yourself being able to over power the head hunger!! Give yourself a little time, and you will do great!!

Kat

[Maryland 0]

Yes, the psychological aspects of this are very complicated. I think part of the solution is recognizing you have a problem, and not being too hard on yourself for doing weird things. For example, I give myself permission to bring home lots of leftovers when I eat out. That way I don't feel like I'm wasting anything, or not getting my full meal -- even though I usually end up throwing most of it away!!

I also still over-buy at the supermarket. But I give myself permission to throw it away if I haven't eaten it in a week or so.

And don't feel like you can Never have certain foods again. Give yourself permission to eat one or two bites, and then give yourself permission to throw the rest away. Interestingly, it's the second part that's harder!

I am learning to give myself permission to "waste" food, if you will. It seems that was something drilled into me that I have to slowly unravel. Of course, trigger foods are another story. But even then, remember, it's like exercise: it's not doing 3 hours of treadmill on a particular day that counts, but doing one hour every day that makes a difference.

[Fauxnaif 1]

And, I felt guilty wasting so much of a perfectly good steak. I have this feeling with other foods too, and literally have to force myself away so I don't overeat and PB.

Don't feel guilty. The food is poison to us if we eat more than we need!

[Denika 2]

I just want to thank everyone who is responding to this thread. I've already learned several new things to try from it, and I've had my band almost a year!

[Jachut 487]

Re the guilt and the wasting food thing - You are not a garbage bin!! It is just as wasted if you shove it in your mouth when you dont want or need it as it is if you throw it in the bin.

You cant put it in an envelope and feed the starving children in Africa either. Its wasted whatever way you look at it.

[Maryland 0]

Dear Jacqui, that may be true (about the garbage bin stuff), but that is not how my mind works, and I suspect, not how other peoples' minds work either. This is a lot more complicated psychological issue, and while you state the obvious, it really doesn't help us here.

[monymo 0]

Hi, I am a bandster of over 4 years. I continue to eat healthy and exercise. I also keep track of my weight on a weekly basis. I see my surgeon yearly or as he directs. I cheat every once in a while but I get right back on track and only eat a bite of the offending food. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Mona:biggrin1:

[Sunta 4]

I'm only 4.5 months out, but so far I've been losing about 2 pounds per week. Here's my list of do's and dont's:

1. Protein is the central focus of my meals. This greatly reduces hunger (as opposed to when I was eating 1/2 bagel for Breakfast, Pasta, etc. I was sooooo hungry!)

2. Strict adherence to avoiding drinking before/during/after meals

3. Limit food to 1 or 1.5 cup per meal.

4. Eat delicious, healthy food I desire and love so I don't feel deprived

5. NO ice cream, soft Desserts (mousse, soft pie, mushy cake) because they slide down waaay too easy. I did cheat on this one time and ended up eating an enormous square of some creamy dessert at an Italian restaurant. Need to avoid entirely as I'm unable to limit them on my own or stop eating after a small amount.

6. NO sugary drinks like fruit juice, mixed girly drinks, creamy drinks, lattes, etc.

7. Greatly limit chips, popcorn, nacho chips, ect. There is zero restriction on these foods for me. I do sometimes buy the 1/2 calories chips made with olestra.

8. Limit processed carbs (usually eat no more than 2 servings per day; a serving being 1 slice of bread or 1/2 cup rice). No limit on whole grains although I eat so much Protein I usually end up eating no more than 2 servings of any kind of carb per day.

9. Greatly limit sweets of any kind. I do have dessert once in a while but nowhere near like pre-band levels!

10. I'm trying to be more active and had been going to the gym regularly. Have to get back on track with this one! This is my biggest challenge, much bigger than eating...

[Vera 7]

I have a small soup(broth) or a cup of tea before most meals, do Protein next, which is tuna, chicken, egg salad or thin sliced meats and cheeses. In the winter it's vegis next but now it's been alot of fruit.< /p>

Most of the time it's about 5 bites of both and i'm full.

The warm liquids before the meal helps the pouch feel ready for food, otherwise I feel every bite.

[Leila 0]

I have to disagree with you Maryland about Jacqui's garbage bin comment. It may not be how your mind works, but it is how mine works, and obviously how Jacqui's works too. I suspect we can't be the only two. I remember a couple of years ago reading in a book written by a psychologist on over eating that exact statement. You don't need to clean your plate, you are not a garbage container, the food on the plate is done, you can store it in the trash, or you can store it on your body, the choice is yours. Do you want to be the garbage container? You are not 'saving' food by putting it in your body. It was a breakthrough thing for me to read. It may not have been everything I needed to lose and maintain weight loss, but you know what, there have been many many times, more than I can count, that I've gone to clean my plate, and then thought "I am not a garbage can" and pushed it away. It helped me change one of my more destructive eating behaviours, and I suspect I would be much larger today without that "I am not a garbage can" mantra. Typical cognitive-behavioral modification techniques used in therapy that are the most effective, are often the most simple. They are usually just about making a change in how you think about something thought=cognition, the changed thought, leads to a changed behaviour. When I was doing my MA in counselling psychology one of the things I took away in terms of effectiveness of therapeutic techniques, is simplicity or complexity, traditional or alternative... doesn't matter, the only thing that matter is - does it work? The bottom line is, does it help you get the job done. Everytime I face a plate of food that has more on it than I need to eat, that simple reminder "I am not a garbage can" works, for me, the majority of the time. We need all the tools we can get, and different tools work for different people, take inspiration, and make use of those tools that other people suggest that work for you, but recognize too that just because something -doesn't- work for you doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Let's all support one another as best we can, in as many areas as we can.

XO

Leila

[Constance 0]

I heard a saying once...like what Leila is saying. Unwanted food goes to WASTE or to WAIST. It sounds like something a 1950s housewife would say, but I think it works.

My husband says "either it'll be the toilet or a landfill. Either way it won't be yours for long" Haha, pretty gross, but so true!

[Irish Girl 3]

Wow...at least I am not the only one that has taken an intense interest in the food network. :confused:

[lookingout 0]

OMG, I only used to watch the food network with one of my friends and i found myself glued to it when I was recovering. I'm thinking about growing my cooking experience by cooking for others. Maybe that can be my psychological satisfaction for food.