I'm 6 mo out from lap band surgery and I'm finally in a comfortable green zone. I do have some fairly significant restriction from the time I wake up until dinner time. I have to follow the band rules carefully regarding slowly eating small bites, and chewing well, or else I'll be stuck. I've only had this level of restriction for about 6 weeks, so I'm still getting used to it (I'm getting better at it, but I'm trying to re-work decades of old habits).

I was explaining the lap band to one of my close friends, and telling her about the requirement for eating carefully. She then asked a question that took me off guard - she asked if I enjoyed my food more now I was taking my time and eating slowly. It took me off guard (surprisingly!) because the first reaction in my head was no! I'm slightly paranoid when I eat, and when I chew I'm intently focused on the texture of the food in my mouth to make sure it is okay to swallow. Then I'm carefully paying attention to how it feels in my esophagus. Is it passing through the band? Is it building up? Can I take another bite? I told a white lie, and said I was enjoying food more, since it hadn't occurred to me that eating was a task to be completed carefully, not a leisurely experience.

I'm suspecting that this is due to the fact that I'm still getting used to the band at this level of tightness. Hopefully as these new habits start to become second nature, I'll be able to focus more on the pleasure of the experience. It was an interesting wake-up call too, so that I can start paying attention to the enjoyment of eating, not just the mechanical process.

I'm wondering if anyone else went through this transition.

Thanks!

With luck this will change. Many find, I certainly do, that we start to appreciate quality and taste. Pre-band, we shovelled food in and hardly tasted it. Eating slowly and choosing carefully because we know the quantity will be small can really enhance eating,

I feel the same way... I'm so focused on taking small bites, chewing and trying to decided if it is ok to swallow. I'm so paranoid about getting stuck. I've only had good restriction since this past Friday when I got my second fill but I really hope this becomes second nature to me because eating is not a pleasurable experience right now.

I don't enjoy food as much as before and that's OK with me. I still get stuck several times a week. Mostly right after the first two bites. I've always had a problem jumping on food real fast and haven't beat the habit yet. It took me a good year to figure out how to eat slow and small and chew big. It's all OK with me. Being healthy is so much more important than food now.

When at perfect restriction, I enjoyed food much more than prior to being banded, because it no longer triggered compulsive overeating or cravings. It was very freeing to know I was satisfied with a small portion of my band-compliant foods.

When too restricted, I did NOT enjoy eating at all. My stoma was far too small to allow for even hot liquids to pass, making eating a dreaded (and painful) event. I would have to loosen my bra, hunch my shoulders inward, take a small amount of tea or Water, and suffer while it passed through the banded area. I once spent 1.5 hours trying to get down two tablespoons of tuna mixed with mayo.

You are still in the learning curve and it is normal you are mindful of bite and portion size. You will always be mindful of this because if you aren't, and you take a too-big bite, your band will remind you of its presence. But your mind will shift from being worried about what you are eating, to naturally taking small bites and chewing well. It won't be such a chore, because you will modify your eating behavior in response to your band's presence.

Once you are at your sweet spot, you should really enjoy your meals and the freedom from the diet mentality. Perfectly filled, the band will allow you to eat like a naturally-thin person: small portions which leave you full(ish), and no compulsion to keep on eating.

Thanks all for the responses and support. It's nice to hear from others who are having similar journeys. I'll work on goal #1 first which is to permanently change my eating habits so that they become second nature. Then I'll work on goal #2 which is to sit back and enjoy the experience.