I've been 'banded' for 18 months now...I've lost 95lbs and I have never been happier in my life. Since my banding, everything else in my life has come together...I'm working in my dream job, have confidence in myself, look and feel fantastic, the list goes on...but find myself missing things from the past.

I hate pretending I have 'stomach problems' when people offer me a beer and I can't have it. I miss eating meat, spinach salads and all the other foods I gave up after my 3rd fill because digesting them became too hard...I miss not having to worry every time I eat a meal that I may throw up or get a stomach ache...again, the list goes on.

I'd never regret being banded and every day I tell myself that the sacrifice I made was the best choice I could have made for my health and my life...I take my GERD medication and I hide my productive burping and laugh that my friends know the 'she's going to be sick' face that joins us for dinners.

Does anyone else feel this way?

I am glad you did that. You don't have to be so tight that you can't eat meat in order to keep losing. I was too tight for awhile, and believe me, this is better.

Really there have been relatively few things to change from my perspective of "normal".

The amount of food I eat has definitely changed. But I can eat meat, salads, most fruits without issue. It takes me longer, but I finish my small portion about the same time they finish their larger ones....

I have changed the types of things I drink. I do have alcoholic drinks on occasion, and even occasionally mix something with some carbonation---never beer, it is way tooooo carbonated! But it has not made me feel an outcast.

I have changed the dept. I shop in, but now I can shop with my friends as opposed to leaving them in Misses to go to Plus sizes.

Sometimes in the summer, I miss guzzling Water when I am working out....in fact this one truly irritates me sometimes!!!

It isn't always fun trying to keep in mind to eat healthy. I mean we have so much less room to get our nutrients in, that I try to keep that in mind, and I do sometimes miss the days I didn't give that a second thought. But not thinking about it, led me to be almost 300 pounds, and on multiple prescription meds----I no longer take any.

Sometimes looking in the mirror I see more wrinkles than I used to...now whether I would have seen them even with the excess weight --- who knows, I am 2 years older---I may have had them anyway!

I have never had my restriction to be super tight. I have hunger control where I am---and rely on myself for the stricter portion control---I have a fear of being too tight. It has/is working for me.

What little things I miss----got me into the shape that was killing me! Hell there are times I really miss cigarettes too---I want one! But I would NEVER start smoking again! I look at it the same way---I did what I did to save my own life and improve my health.

No regrets that matter.....I love the changes in my life, and knowing my life is likely going to be longer due to them!

Kat

Great post, Kat. I am definitely at my sweet spot. I can eat pretty much anything I want, just in very small portions. It's great!

Oh yeah, been thinking about much of whats written here this afternoon. Goey pizza, beer...maybe this time is just over.

But new times start where that which was scary and unnerving while I was obese is now an option, like taking a swimming class with my daughter.

I agree with short gal don't let your fill be too tight! You should be able to be very normal!! I have lost 50 lbs already and have never given up anything! Just eating smaller portions , thats it! Check that fill!!!