Waiting patiently for my appt with my PCP this coming week and hoping for a referral to a surgeon. I was wondering if now that you've been banded for a while if you enjoy eating more than you did before, the same, or not so much. I am hoping to get banded as soon as I get to see a surgeon and then jump through all the hoops. I enjoy eating. True I don't taste the food as much as I think I would after surgery. I figure that if I can only eat a small amount that I would want to eat very slowly and savor every bite. Tell me what your experience is.

I've had my band for 5 years. I would say that my eating has changed significantly. I used to be a bread junkie and now I rarely eat bread--maybe a roll on Thanksgiving. I can honestly say I haven't had a french fry in probably 4 years. IF we get a burger at a drive-thru, I get a child's size burger, no fries. It's rare that I eat pizza, and if I do it's usually less than a full slice. My portion sizes are fairly small (although with my slipped band right now, I have to be very careful, b/c I could eat just about anything I want!). I rarely eat candy or chocolate. But Cookies, now that's a different story! Lap bands love cookies! :wink_smile:

So, all in all I'd say that over the past 5 years, my portion sizes have significantly decreased, as have my cravings for bread, sweets, and fast foods.

Be well, and all the best!

I look forward to eating, but don't really enjoy it once I'm doing it. Actually the first bite or two is good, and after that it's a chore to chew thoroughly, wait between bites, be sure I'm not getting stuck. . .

However, as someone said before, nothing tastes as good as being thin. (not that I'm quite there yet!)

You have to make choices now as to what you are putting in you. Since you now hold a lot less food than you ever had the choice you make has to be a smart one in order for the band to help you lose weight. So faced with something decadent or practical, I am going for the practical.

Good thread.. thank everyone for your feedback on this question

I think I enjoy food more. The experience of eating has changed, for sure, but in many ways that is for the better. (I am not so tight that I can't enjoy food, and don't plan on ever getting to that place. I am trying to get as little restriction as necessary while still losing weight.I would rather lose slowly and still enjoy eating) For me it has been a good thing because now I am discerning in my choices of food. While I used to eat in large quantities because I was trying to fill up (choosing menu items based on how full they would get me rather than nutritional value) now I choose what I really like and what I know is going to nourish my body. Because I'm limited in how much I can eat, I find I choose healthier things and enjoy them more. The band has caused me to slow down and think about what I am eating - I never did that when I was wolfing down three slices of pizza.

I think it is safe to say I enjoy food MUCH less. Initially, my eyes still light up in anticipation, but the realization just isn't what it used to be. Even when it's something I really really really like, the logistics of it put a damper on the experience very quickly, especially if I go at the food with anywhere NEAR the gusto I used to. This sounds kindof depressing, I know, but I have come to accept the fact that the band is doing for me what a pill might do for an alcoholic....either taking away the assimilation of the alcohol rendering it like "water" (actually, I don't think there's any medication like that around...) or making you feel "queasy" when you drink and thereby negating the entire "pleasurable experience". For me this is a good thing. Yes, I am retraining myself to make better choices and doing a pretty darned good job of it, but I am also smart enough to know myself and know that I need an extra push and some negative biofeedback in order to maintain my healthy choices. This is a GOOD thing for me.

So far, I enjoy it more! My main goal before the band was to fill up. As I continued to eat, I felt guilty. Well, now I fill up in such a short time that there is no guilt. And if I am hungry later, I actually feel "entitled" to eat where before, I would feel guilty even if it was time to eat again.

I'm making healthier choices but I'm still choosing foods that I like. It feels so good to enjoy whatever I want without feeling deprived!

I can honestly say I don't like eating like did before. I WANT to enjoy it and I have always LOVED to eat (hello reason for the weight) but now it's like even if I want to I can't so eating now is just something I do because I have too. I'm only a week and 2 days in and I already had a bad experience. I was feeling good one day woke up and ate more than I should have. As you guys/gals can imagine it came up. Still sore from the surgery you guys have a good idea how that felt. So I would have to say I like eating a lot less now..

HUGZ to everyone!

I can honestly say I don't like eating like did before. I WANT to enjoy it and I have always LOVED to eat (hello reason for the weight) but now it's like even if I want to I can't so eating now is just something I do because I have too. I'm only a week and 2 days in and I already had a bad experience. I was feeling good one day woke up and ate more than I should have. As you guys/gals can imagine it came up. Still sore from the surgery you guys have a good idea how that felt. So I would have to say I like eating a lot less now..

HUGZ to everyone!

It's kind of hard to judge how you'll feel about eating nine days after surgery. You're so limited on what you can eat. I'm sure you'll feel differently when you're able to start adding real food again. I've had all of the kinds of foods I enjoyed before surgery but with modifications in how I eat them.

I haven't had any negative episodes except a couple of times when the food passed slowly. It's a learning process and I'm sure you learned your lesson! Good luck!

I actually enjoy food more now than I did before. Now I savor it. I also eat better quality food now because I taste the difference.

Thank you all. I am not banded yet but I sure hope to be by the end of this year. I appreciate all the feedback to my question. I think I would be like like chocolate snaps and savor the food. As it has been for along time I eat so fast and so much that I don't even taste it. Even my favorite....ice cream gets eaten very quickly and it's gone before I know it. I look forward to being full after a small meal instead of still hungry after a big meal. Thanks again all of you. Good luck and God Bless in your journeys. Becky

I think I appreciate what I eat more now. I am only ten days out and just started on things like mushies and very moist meats a few days ago, but everything I put in my mouth now is a sensation. My first food after liquids was tuna fish and you would have thought I was eating filet mignon. It was soooooooooooooo good! Last night I had a chicken filet with BBQ sauce on it. My taste buds were dancing! Before my band I would just shovel it in and then feel guilty afterward for eating so much. Now I savor each bite and take much more pleasure in eating. The funny thing is, that is what I thought I was doing before.

I used to love to eat and reallly looked forward to eating.

I still do look forward to eating, but once I start, I get a little upset bc I can only eat a few bites. Things have definitely changed since I got banded. I am still learning that I should 'eat to live', not 'live to eat'!

Great thread! I am 5 days post op and on clear liquids and I am really not even thinking about eating but it was great to hear everyones responses! Thank you!

i do not enjoy eating like i did before. but for me it is a blessing. i loved to eat to the point that all i wanted to do was eat and eat and eat. that is all i looked forward to doing. now that i'm banded after a few bites i'm done. who wants to deal with the pain of getting stuck. not me. so i now can explore other interests, whereas before my only interest was food.