Hi! I've got about 5 months to go before my surgery and I am slowly changing my habits so hopefully "bandster hell" won't be so bad. What was your hardest habit to change? How do/did you deal with it? What was your process for changing your mental way of finally doing things right? I want this so bad, but like someone on the board says, there's a skinny girl screaming to get out, but I can shut her up with food. Thanks!

Alyssa

not drinking water with my food

Hardest habbit is a constant work in progress............

Sllllllllllllowwwwwwwwwwwinggggggg Down..

Hi, my name is Tracy and I'm a speed eater

Not drinking water or tea with my meals. Sometimes I still forget and take a drink. OUCH!!!

Agreed... not drinking with my meals has been kind of strange! I was a big-time sipper!

Slowing down is definitely the hardest for me. I have had quite a few PB's since my 3rd fill and it is all due to not waiting 30-60 seconds in between bites. I have to be conscious of my eating now instead of just shoveling it in.

Ive been working on slowing down taking smaller bites and not drinking while I await my approval.

And the hardest one is the drinking with meals. Can't seem to get that one yet. resorted to only keeping a 4 oz glass and taking tiny sips while eating.

I've also noticed that if I make a effort to make sure the meal isn't real dry its easier not to drink. But I'm still trying to kick that habit and its hard cause I drink allot.

My step mom when my brothers were little always made them wait till AFTER the meal to drink which always puzzled me till recently. Because now they are both in the upper 20's and still don't drink with a meal but they don't have weight problems either. Go figure.

I don't think you'll have trouble adjusting to not drinking with your meals. I was the worst for taking a big bite of something and washing it down with a gulp of diet coke. Your meals are all liquid for so long anyway I don't even miss it. I did learn the hard way however not to eat to close before I work out then the hour wait for water is not good. No worries I'm sure you'll do just fine.

The hardest thing for me is eating slower, especially if I've been stupid and missed a meal, then realize I'm really hungry - and try to wolf it down... argh.. the pain! I really forget I've got the band until this happens.

I agree with the others. Slowing down and not drinking. Though I think I've got the no drinking with meals thing now - as it typically causes pain or a PB. As far as slowing down... The first 1-2 bites are typically too fast or not chewed well enough - then I pay the price for it and the rest of the meal is nice and slow. Lol.

I THOUGHT giving up my precious diet coke would be hard, but nopw, not at all! I don't miss it at all!!

Drinking with meals, avoiding alcohol and fast foods.

I agree with what everyone said and will add this: making exercise a daily event in my life and not something that ends after 6-8 weeks or several months like it used to. I started that commitment about 6 months before my surgery and have been consistently exercising HARD for almost FOUR YEARS now!!! On days I still have to kick myself in the butt to go to the gym, but I go!

Slowing down. It hasn't bit me in the butt too hard, yet, but I'm sure with further fills it will. So I need to learn NOW before I get more fills and end up PB'ing!

I think the hardest thing for me has been to take small bites. I've gotten used to chewing really well and not drinking with my meals, but I still take huge bites and sometimes swallow too much at one time. I'm getting better at it though. I've never PB'ed but I do feel some pain occasionally if I swallow too much.

Thanks! I think that the hardest habit will be the smaller bites and not drinking with meals. I am going to start working on the drinking this month, and add a habit a month from here on out. Thanks!