This quesiton is for everyone. I wish I could start a poll regarding this quesiton but I don't know how? Anyway, my biggest fear about getting banded is the following: This question is for those of you who are like me and are obese because you use food to calm, comfort, stimulate, congratulation, entertain, and all done out of a lifetime habit. I am not a sit down and eat a big meal kind of person. More a grazing snacking recreactional eater who's mostly always hungry. Yes I may use food like someone who uses alcohol or drugs. I was wondering if the band is even for me if this is how I am. Of course portions are a problem and I rarely get a "full" signal until I'm almost feeling ill.

On a scale of 1 - 10 how hard was it to break your food addiction?

Oh, gosh, I dont know that I could say I absolutely have.

I still eat inappropriately at times and have periods where my diet is truly awful - no meals, constant grazing, chocolate, Cookies etc.

But I can manage to hold together a healthy eating programe MORE of the time and that's what counts. What you do MOST of the time.

Truly with all the running I do as well, it is enough. And the less I actually think about food and put pressure on myself to be "perfect" the better I do. When I accept that I will have times when I pig out (likely times of extreme busyness and stress) then they happen and I get over them and put them behind me. When I try to be perfect i just spend day after day failing at it and "starting again tomorrow" which is pretty much how I got fat.

I dont think any of us will ever totally defeat our food demons. I just accept something was broken, I had surgery to fix it and a bit of hard work achieves the rest.

I can truly say I cannot identify with that "hungry all the time" that so many people here mention. I was never hungry. I ate too often to ever get hungry. Not being hungry, was no reason not to eat. Nor was being full a reason to stop. I had the right signals, I just ignored them.

What I have learned is to recognise them and obey them. Even though I dont generally have terribly dire results from overeating a little, ensuring the future health of my band and fear of pouch dilation is enough to keep me on the straight and narrow.

If you can overcome your addiction for most of the time you will be fine, honestly. Even thin people pig out, eat badly and have some bad habits.

Dear Jac:

Thank you for the great reminder ...that it's more about what you do most of the time. So good to hear you run...good for you! My knees would give out if I ran now that's one of the reasons I need to loose alot of weight. Yes regarding hunger....I don't really feel it until I start eating and then it's like I opened up a damn. I love what you said something was broken (the eating thing) and you got something to fix it and it takes work to make it work! Thanks for keeping it simple for me it's the only way to go about it....I think. thanks agian:)

I too am a food-aholic. I've always enjoyed eating. Large portions were my down fall for sure. Since being banded a week ago, I still have my food cravings, my mouth waters like crazy when the family is eating and I'm either drinking a protien shake or eating extremely tiny amounts of yogurt. Right now, I'd say it would be a 10 for me to break my food addiction.

It's not easy by any means. food addictions are most difficult because you still have to partake of the very thing you're addicted to! So it's not a matter of breaking your addiction, it's a matter of controlling it in some way. Not an easy task.

I'm more like you....a grazer...habits developed by 30 years of trying to control my blood sugar problems. At the slightest hint of hunger I would pop something in my mouth...even though it might be fairly nutritious, it was still food. I haven't had much success in controlling my grazing, but I have controlled how often and on what foods. I push the limits of my hunger more often...which is made much easier because of the band. If you know anything, know this: your addiction to food will not be cured overnight and you will have to make an effort to change your habits. The band will make it easier but it certainly won't do the work for you.

Extrememly. Addictions are the devil. I was banded to help me with mine...you know in the Bible it says something about ... if it offends thee, cut it off... so when I learned about the band, I thought this could be it.

I haven't lost a pound in over a week, I still vomit by eating too fast. Slime all the time. I drink Mt. Dew like crazy. (1/2 and 1/2 though diet and reg mix) But at least no Pepsi, chips, doritos, etc.

Just have to kick the habit!!!!