Just wondering. The friends that I have shared this with (that I am thinking about getting a band) have asked me if I think I will miss eating. Sure, I guess I will but I think the benefits of losing weight will far outweigh my thoughts of missing food.

Absolutely - food was my everything and I mean that - I used it to Celebrate, for every emotion, when I was bored - I ate non stop - food was on my mind constantly. It was my best friend and worst enemy.

After about 15 months it no longer calls me as it once did and i've replaced probably hundreds of situations I would have used food with other things. It continues to amaze me how ingrained these behaviors are as I will always need the band to remind me. For example: I ate dinner at a friend's and wasn't even very hungry due to eating a late lunch. Before I even realized it I had filled a large size dinner plate with pre banding portions - i was astonished - I normally eat off a saucer and eat very small portions but without even thinking I had enough food for 5 people on my plate. I kept sneaking it onto my boyfriend's plate.

I still have to be very careful focusing on my meal becaue i can easily go into a 'trance state' and eat and eat and eat rather than stopping way early when satisfied.

Very little is 'automatic' - not sure how long if ever that will happen. It is a 'goal' of mine though.

In one word... YES! There are times that I wish I could just stuff my face like the old days. I realize now what a comfort food was to me and am working on other sources to fill that void.

Yes, I do miss it at times. I miss being able to eat a whole meal, ordering without thinking about if it's something that I can eat. Going to a buffet and pigging out. Eating was my entertainment as well as comfort.

I'm working on replacing it with other things, and the good news is that as I feel better physically, I find more I want and am able to do.

Just wondering. The friends that I have shared this with (that I am thinking about getting a band) have asked me if I think I will miss eating. Sure, I guess I will but I think the benefits of losing weight will far outweigh my thoughts of missing food.

This was a GREAT question. I hope more band vets respond. This forum is SO helpful!

No, not at all.

I dont feel like I miss out on anything (and I dont, there's nothing I really cant eat). I enjoy food MORE now that it has no power over me and I"m not afraid of it.

I really don't miss eating the way I use too. I feel so much better the way I eat now. It feels so good to leave the table comfortable.

I really don't. I can have whatever I want...just a much smaller portion. And I hate to say it but should the event arise that I get desperate (like I want pizza but it won't go down) I chew it up and spit it out and am thankful that I have the band to help me. Granted I don't do this even on a monthly basis but it does help.

Food is not my friend anymore.

I dislike eating with others around, I dont want to PB. The foods I miss arent good for me anyway. I still have eaten for emotion- that one is hard to break- just not the amount I used to.

I actually forget to eat now!! What a thought!!

What I miss: I miss the comfort that I used to get from stuffing my face.

What I don't miss: The bellyache that I get from stuffing my face in search of comfort.

I sometimes THINK I'm missing chowing down...until I take the first bite. Then I'm fine again and can't imagine eating a whole plate full. Food tastes better in my head than it does in my mouth. Once you're banded, though so many many things start to change. You won't miss food as much as you might think because you're so busy trying to perfect this juggle of eatting property. some days I can do it without breaking a sweat. Other days I'm counting calories, fat, carbs, protions sizes, number of chews, amount of exercise...because I have to do all the structural things on unmotived days, just to get back with it. so I guess I'm stilll new enough that I've replaced my food obsession with, er, food obsession.

My taste in food has changed soooo much. I don't miss eating until I am uncomfortable at all. I never ate fish before, or dark veggies. Now I love fish, spinach, artichokes, asparagus. My taste have become more selective. I look at it like this, I can eat about 25-30 ounces in a day. I am not going to miss one single ounce on crap. I could eat mcnuggets, but I would rather have some lunch meat with gourmet goat cheese. I have become a much better cook, my family eats better, we eat out less, and seldom have "crap" for dinner. For example last week my hubby ordered a pizza. I can't eat it so I made some grilled fish. My 5 year old had a slice of pizza and 4 oz of fish. She asked for the fish, and decided she wanted to finish the fish and passed on a second piece of pizza. We used to drink several cases of Pepsi a week, now if a case is gone in a month it's a miracle. We are all healthier, and we eat better. My formerly picky husband actually ordered spinach and artichoke dip for an appetizer last time we went out, he has always been a deep fried anything, avoid veggies at all cost kind of guy. ~Mandy

I dont miss it all. But there isnt much to miss....I pretty much eat whatever I really want, just much less of it now. I will eat a nice healthy meal and if I want ice cream afterwards I will have some. The amazing difference is that now I rarely want it, and if I do have some..... half cup is more than enough!

I just had dinner, it was a small piece of pot roast, some mashed potatos, and a few carrot slices. I ate maybe 3/4 of a cup total and I am still stuffed over an hour later. I am currently having some sugar free decaf coffee. (it's one of those international delight things) Guilt free, taste great and it really curbs the craving. Do I miss food? Nope! Am I glad I have my band? You betcha!! I had a great meal I'm what I now know as full, but more than than I am satisified. I as finished eating long before my family was, but I sat and enjoyed my families company. It's times like this that I love my band. ~Mandy

Well it took well over a year before I felt this is "normal." I feel that I eat whatever I want whenever I want. The only thing I miss is going out for dinner and having a big steak. I automatically choose safe foods now rather than feeling that I am compromising. It took this long though.

I do ok with a med well steak if I ask for it butterflied. I usually order rib-eye, they seem to be the most tender, unless they have filet. ~Mandy