I'm getting my band this month and the fear that I will miss eating is kicking in. Obviously my eating habits are what have led to the need for the band, but reading about PBing and other issues people have are making me realize how permanent this lifestyle change is going to be. Has anyone dealt with this? Will eating ever feel normal again?

Jennifer, eating is very good for me. I can consume everything just less of it. My obsession with food is gone. I no longer crave bad foods because I eat so much less and I need good nutrition. The one thing I miss is eating a nice big Subway sandwich! I can only have a couple bites now. Good luck.

Not at all. When I think of how I used to eat, I am truly truly embarassed. AND I am the ONLY one who knows the real truth about it. I miss nothing about it. Food is no longer life, I have a good life now!

I'm getting my band this month and the fear that I will miss eating is kicking in. Obviously my eating habits are what have led to the need for the band, but reading about PBing and other issues people have are making me realize how permanent this lifestyle change is going to be. Has anyone dealt with this? Will eating ever feel normal again?

Jennifer

Please define "Normal Eating".. As a fat person we don't eat normal that's why we are fat.

This is no diff than any other program out there this is a LIFETIME LIFESTYLE change in our eating if we are to be succeessful in the long run. The band isn't the cure to our issues with food..

What happens when you quit dieting and go back to eating "normal" You gain all your weight back and then some..

Yes I eat normal - just like a skinny person does... I eat 1000-1200 calories a day - I can eat mostly everything - I have 1/2 cup rice with dinner nightly - but I really do try and stay away from too many high carb foods.

I truely follow a Weight Watcher eating plan I don't count points or exchanges (i do keep a food diary and count calories & Protein grams) I just eat the correct portion of meat or fish which is 4 ozs - i eat veggie - and 1/2cup rice for dinner - I will still have a fried taco occaissionally or an enchillda - but I have gotten away from high fat high sugar foods. I exercise 4 to 5 days a week - walking on the treadmill 3 to 4 miles each day.

I did not gain one pound during the holidays - I did have some xmas Cookies & tamales - but because I allowed myself a treat - I increased my exercise and decrease my calories the next day after the treat - this is what skinny people do - they don't eat eat eat and never exercise.

I only pb'd when I have eaten too fast or not chewed well enought

The band is only a tool to help you control your portions - 75%of the work is up to you by making healthy food choices & exercising and the band will do the other 25% once you received proper restriction

Do I miss eating like I use to? - Yes every now and then - but not much - I am almost 60 lbs pounds lighter than I was 5 months ago and I feel 100% better have tons more energy..

Even with the band I could continue to eat a batch of brownies (the bad stuff goes right thru the band - cookies candy cakes ice cream are easy to eat with the band) but if I continued to eat that way I would still weight 250 lbs having the band or not.

Having the band is not guarantee that you are going to lose weight and keep it off - the only person who can guarantee that is you by making healthy food choices and exercising.

Good Luck on your journey..

Everytime I miss my old eating habits, I watch my husband eat. That just reminds my of how I got this way. I am down 28 lbs. and 2 pants sizes. If I find that something that I just have to have, I have a taste. For the holidays I eat what ever I wanted and gain no wt. This worked because I only tasted things for the memories of holidays past. However I do miss pizza!

I don't miss my eating habits, it is the reason I got to be 250 lbs... I now enjoy food more I think, as I am savoring each small bite. and I too look around at what people are eating and I am like, WOW how can they eat sooooo much food .....

....I miss the old eating habits in the same way I miss Leprosy, TB and Small Pox sitting next to me in the cafeteria....

*snort* LMAO! I agree.

I don't miss my old eating habits one bit. I eat whatever I want, just very limited quantities of it. If I want cake, I have a little cake. If I want chocolate, I have a little chocolate. If I want steak, I have a little steak. And I still lose weight because I'm not absolutely stuffing myself like I used to. In fact, I've lost several pounds over the holiday season. The band isn't about deprivation, it's about learning to eat like a normal, skinny person does. Normal people indulge themselves occasionally, too. And in 6 months of being banded, I've never PBed.

Not even on a good day do I miss that lifestyle. I equate my old eating habits with pain, swelling, inability to walk, and a deep emotional place of isolation.

I think I was just having a few days of fear and have gotten so used to living the unhealthy, uncomfortable life of a fat person that I now realize that I am once again and for good ready to be thin again :-) Congrats all to your success with the band. Meeting tomorrow with the surgeon to hopefully schedule it for the end of the month. I am sooooooooo ready!!!!

Jennifer... let us know when you have surgery scheduled so we can send good thoughts to you.

Sometimes I do, because food was my comfort. Those episodes are becoming fewer and farther between though as I lose more weight.

I love the way I eat now, but sometimes I do miss being able to eat a hamburger or a calzone. Its funny cuz I never really liked hamburgers that much!

I don't miss it really. Although last summer, one day I wished like heck that I could eat a whole hamburger, bun and all. I ate my small meal, part of a hamburger patty with all the condiments and after about 5 minutes I forgot my yearning.

Then I put on my size 11 capris and felt AWESOME....I haven't had another episode of "I wish" since. Thank goodness.

Thanks for sharing everyone. I too have wondered what it will be like post surgery. Those in the know about my surgery keep asking if I'm going to indulge "one last time" in some bad foods but I'm not really that concerned. I don't want it to seem like I'm going to prison or something and having one last hoorah. I feel like I've had enough of the bad stuff to last me a lifetime!

I actually DO miss my old eating habits. I know they were unhealthy, but I start thinking about deep dish pizza and a rack of ribs and fajitas and sometime REALLY wish I had never done this.

Then I look at old photos and remember what happened to me when I fell into those habits. I look at my parents who are only 20 years older and wheelchair-bound, and realize that I was headed right there.

I can live with these limits.