Can Any Of You Relate To That? The Mind Body Struggle Is So Great. How Does One Conquer That? Especially Those Of Us Who Suffer From Extreme Pms. I Feel As If All The Junk Food In The World Is Constantly Calling Out To Me...."hey, You've Had A Rough Day, You Deserve This Huge Piece Of Cake". Does Anyone Have Any Tips Or Suggestions?

I Need To Turn This Part Of My Brain Off Or Im Afraid Im Destined To Fail!!

You know this is a good but hard question to answer. I have wondered the same thing myself.

I think alot of times in my life I have used food for emotional reasons/bordom/ entertainment and comfort. I worry about this same thing.

What really will help you through those times when food seemed to make things better?

What I have found that works for me is this. I have to really think about why I am eating. I ask myself what is this filling besides my tummy. If I can't get an answer to that question then I don't eat. Well I try not to eat. SOmetimes my brain beats me up too bad. It's pretty tough. So you have to trick it. Drink Water when you are full but want something. Or keep healthy Snacks in the house instead of trigger foods. I call those the foods that can trigger my brain to go haywire. Mine are cheetos and anything chocolate.

It is a battle everyday to keep the brain from overpowering our progress. Keep it up and you will succeed. I truly believe that.

That was a very good question, I've been trying to put the same question into words, hungry is not good. I thought that was a sure sign a fill was needed or the sweet spot was missed. I've been at the same weight about a month, now that suks.

Thanks Penny,

Good Advice To Start My Day To!!! I Will Try What You Suggested!!

Rita:}

WE MUST SLAY THE DRAGON....!!!!!!

...for myself I view the noisome condition you describe not food calling out, but "the Dragon Within Riding ME"....instead of the other way around....

Penni's reply gets a thumbs up! The Water trick is something I have to do often.

Michelle (La Madam) has suggested many times for us to wait until our tummy starts growling before we eat again. I use her idea to share with you because Ive actually had to do this, MANY times... basically because "my belly is full, but my brain is still hungry".

Doing this allows you to KNOW you are really hungry... that its not just head hunger.

Another thing - is when you rid your body of those bad carbs, Jack's dragon isnt as strong!

All of those suggestions are great. They're all things I've used in my dieting past, and definitely work when you work them.

What has worked for me is plain old negative reinforcement: behavioral therapy. That is, MY BAND. When I eat too much it just plain hurts, and a few episodes of that really help to make me think twice about overdoing it again. It takes time, but really and truly now when I hear that voice in my head telling me I want something to eat, there is just as loud a voice shouting it down, saying OF COURSE NOT, there simply isn't room.

And that's the end of it. So in addition to all of the tips listed above, have some faith in the effect of being banded long-term. It's really helped to tame the munchie monster inside me.

Great tips y'all!

One I use is that I look at the clock and see what time it is. If it is close to lunch I tell myself it is almost time, so don't eat anything now or you won't be able to eat your lunch, or if it is close to bedtime, I think, you know you can't eat that now, or it will lay in your pouch and maybe come back as a pb! It actually works for me! If that doesn't work, then I grab another big cold glass of Water.

I just had my first proper fill at the begining of February - I was banded over a year by then, and the shock of first time restriction has really hit! I have PB'd twice, ON SALAD which I think is hilarious....but emotionally, I am finding it really hard! I have found the past three weekends really depressing without my food treats - I had been dieting during the week for the past 14 months, and then joyfully, going out for pizza/chinese/indian over the weekends (which is why I have "plateaued" for so long!) - now the weekends seem meaningless - I know that's pathetic - I have a great husband, wonderful kids, and tons of fun things I COULD be doing but after sitting in pizza hut without pizza, and in a movie without popcorn, I was fed up and sad! I don't smoke, drink (rarely), or have any worthwhile hobbies - I have just realised over the past few weeks how intrinsic food is to my life - for treats, for rewards, for relaxing etc - I feel "hungry" in my head, and miss actually putting stuff in my mouth (easy, Lulu....!)!!!! I feel disfunctional...so much so, that to my husbands amusement, I have reverted to sucking my thumb at night when I'm asleep!!! Not nearly as much fun as when I was 6 and didn't have fake nails!!!! It is classic oral fixation (see Freud!!) and I feel like a sick freak, standing over the toilet, chewing stuff and spitting it out...

Sigh.........any thoughts on this?

I get so annoyed when I'm starving and take that first bite and don't chew enough or it goes down too fast and then that's it until that hung piece either slimes its way up or down. Just curious how much you've lost since the perfect/proper fill. Definately a fine line between restricted and unable to eat and still hungry.

Pat - I am not totally restricted by any means - I had just gotten used to having little or no restriction - for example, I could eat a whole Pizza Hut pizza (for one) - now I can only eat a slice and the dough kind of hurts anyway! I can eat a reasonably healthy amount just can't really tolerate breads etc - I have lost 15lbs since my fill at the begining of feb

Hey, you are not alone by any means..... I cried when I went through this post it hit me right where I am... I have found that if I say It out loud, I say to my Husband, All I think about is food... And I have for many years not really noticing it. Expecially around PMS time, I can eat sooooo much and it's never enough!!! Sometimes, I say out loud this is not what healthy people eat.. Actually, I say that A LOT!! I'm still crying, It hurts... I knew this wasn't going to be easy but sometimes I just feel alone, and reading this has lifted me in ways that you will never know.. Thank you for putting your feelings out there for us!!! This is why this site is so vital for me..

Tara

PMS....For me that = OUT OF CONTROL!!!! My insatiable need for chocolate rules my brain!

For you long term bandsters : Does this brain hunger ever get better? I've been banded since Feb 10th and I deal with brain hunger every day. I know it's going to be a long journey, but does it ever ease up? It's awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It controls me.