I am really struggling and I am so disappointed in myself. I was banded in September and have not even lost 30 pounds yet. I have actually gained a few recently and have really only lost around 20 pounds. I am an emotional eater, I knew this before I was banded but had been in therapy almost 2 years and thought I could do it. Well, I was wrong. I have figured out ways to eat around the band and that's exactly what I'm doing. Is anyone else struggling with this? It's an addiction.....I just can't stop myself from the chips, dip, chocolate, cheese, anything fattening or starchy that I can get down. I finally got restriction with my last fill but wound up vomiting several times daily and still, I would eat whenever and whatever I could get down. Now, it's loosened up again and I can eat more even though I haven't lost any weight. I was exercising but have slacked off. However, even when I was exercising (and I was busting my butt in the gym) I still wasn't losing because I can't get control over my eating. I am so embarrassed and ashamed, I know people are thinking "she had weight loss surgery and she's barely lost any weight at all". I'm so humiliated. I'm still in therapy and it's helping me emotionally but I just can't seem to get over my addiction to food. Any suggestions besides "just stop"? I've tried, believe me.

NanaRenan,

My orignal Swanns man retired and I'm glad because he would stop by every week to see if I wanted anything and of course I'd say just a minute and look at my brochure and pick out a flavor. Hardest ice cream in the world! Now the new younger Swanns man isn't into that type of service so in a way it's good, I didn't even have to leave the house to get me some ice cream and that was not good!

Has anyone been watching "I Can Make You Thin" on TLC? I have recorded them all on the DVR and just watched the first one tonight. The things he says really make sense and I'm looking forward to watching the next 2 which are how to deal w/ emotional eating and how to deal w/ cravings. Those are my 2 biggest struggles.

I think the shows are great- the one about emotional eating really does work- its a hard pattern to break- most of us who eat to numb our emotions have done it for so long- its a hard habit to break and it can feel scary without that food support! I've been emotional eating a bunch over the past month but have been insane with my exercise to balance. I've started implementing the techniques from the I can make you thin show and it is helping

hang in there everyone who is an emotional eater! Eating to drown emotions is a habit and can be broken. It won't break us first!

Mandi 78

I've been watching that "I Can Make You Thin" Last night the how to deal with cravings was on and I had to miss it. Something about the thumb and middle finger together ....? After you see it, would you let me know how to do it?

Cravings, HAH mine is sure not just one like chocolate or jelly beans, it's FOOD tacos, hamburgers, sweets like bakery stuff (sure glad there's no krispy creme here), peanut butter and jelly, forget the bread it's fatning. I'm getting hungry, better go eat.

Thanks

Pam

BrandyII,

I sure hope I get the hang of this soon. I think I've been trying to fit this to ME instead of to the Lap Band rules and diet! While fitting this to ME, I've throwing up a lot -- 4 times. Now I'm really scared that I've made my Lap Band slip.

There are a lot of things that I can eat with no problems, ie. cottage cheese, Soup, soft stuff. But then along came Easter dinner, then came the frozen beef patties I bought. One is just WAAAAY to much for me. I'm not sure whether it was the frying, or just meat, but today I bought some KFC drumsticks & removed the skin, same thing, uurrrp! My chihuahua is lovin' my left-overs. I didn't cut the meat in small pieces, I was hungry and wolfed it down, then all of a sudden I just knew I'd crossed that line and I'd be sick again.

Could this have made my band slip? I've GOT to get a handle on this! Sometimes I can't tell if I'm really full or what, then there are those other times that I know the second I swallow that last bite, I KNOW.

I'm still depressed and SO ashamed of myself. I know everybody is looking at me and saying (to themselves of course) still only lost 40lbs?

Well thanks for letting me rant.

Thanks

Pam

Montana PamDon't be ashamed of yourself, there is no reason you need to do that. You feel bad enough without putting more on you!! We're basically taught as fat people that we're bad, and it's our fault that we're fat and we're the last group of people out there that people can still make fun of or shame or whatever and it's not right. We've taken it way too long and it's time that we stop, think about it and say I'm better than that and go on with our lives.

Sorry for being so preachy but it does make me mad that we're taught to hate ourselves because we're fat. The trick with the band, if it's not too tight, is that you have to slow down your eating. I came from a big Catholic family with a lot of boys and when the food was put down on the table it was devoured pretty quickly! Anyway I really did realize that when I was home I did eat too fast, when I'm out in public or at someone's house I tend to eat slower becasue it's more lady like, lol. Anyway you really have to slow it down and chew it for a while, even though you're not used to eating that way and eventually you'll see that it does work. Tonight I ate some hamburger and cottage cheese with some ketchup and I really chewed that hamburger very well before swollowing.

Also white meat poultry and something like pork or roast beef are more tricky so it depends on the person but if you moisten it and chew it very well it should go down, if not then stay away from it for a while. If nothing else works than maybe your band is too tight and you need some taken out.

I'm the last person to be an expert at this but I know what works for me even if I've gained in the past because I didn't want to deal with the Protein because like you I was throwing it up. Also warm foods do better than cold. chicken thighs to me were easier than the rest of the chicken because they hold more moisture.

Anyway keep trying, I know it's hard, I still get embarassed because I spent $30,000 on surgery and have nothing to show for it yet after 8 months but I'm still trying and haven't completely thrown in the towel yet! Good luck to you and don't punish yourself like we all tend to do, is it worth it in the end? I mean what if we didn't lose the weight, does it mean we're not worthwhile human beings? No it doesn't!! Love yourself first that's what matters most in life!!! Good luck to you, brandyII.

Edited April 2, 200818 yr by brandyII

Thank you for the link to the make you thin series. They even had a spot

where they can they can email a reminded for you.

I am definitely going to set it to record the series.

Hang in there Mandi, day by day. Each day is a new day just start over, it will come pretty soon you will have 2 days in a row that you do good, and slowly it will be 3,4, and so on. You can do it, I know you can.

Your friend,

Lisa

I have a serious emotional eating/food addiction too. I'm not yet banded, but I worry about being able to control my food addiction after I am banded. I've tried everything, all kinds of programs, therapy, self help books and the only program that has come close is called The Solution by Laurel Mellin. My problem is the catch 22 in that it's hard to deal with the emotional side of eating while still eating, because I eat so much that I'm emotionally numb and disconnected, and it's hard to give up "eating" (meaning eating in a way that I'm using food as my drug), so that I can gain the emotional skills to not use food. Does that make sense?

So I'm hoping that the band will give me the extra help I need to cut back on my eating enough so that I can start doing the emotional/internal work and complete the solution program.

I wish everyone the best with their struggle.

PS

princess_sophie,

I usually don't speak to cats, jk, anyway I wish I knew "really" why some do really well and some don't. I see my surgeon in a couple weeks to see what my next step is in my lap band journey, more fill, stay the same or what.

I wish you luck and never assume you won't do well on the band because some have not. I've read many people who seem to go through this whole thing swimmingly so hopefully you will too. Good luck brandyII>

You are not alone! I eat around the band too. It is so hard to give up those old habits. I try to just keep the junk food out of the house. I know if its there, I will eat it. I have realized with the band it is so much up to us. It's not as easy as it seems, but obviously lots of people make it work. We just have to keep trying!

Mandi - nobody on this site should judge you, period! If it was easy none of us would have gotten the band in the first place. Somebody might say "just stop eating that food" or "work out more", but they aren't you and we all have our own struggles we are working through to make this band work for us.

There is nothing I can really say to inspire you, other than, there comes a moment of clarity for all of us that we just say "this is it, I'm gonna do it" and we do it. I think it comes at different stages for all of us. shoot, who knows where I'll be in 6 months. I might fall off the bandwagon and be eating carbs all the time and mcdonalds Breakfast sandwhiches again. So I'm the last person that will preach to you. But I will pray that you find that one moment of clarity, that moment where you say "ok, i'm doing it now".

And the last thing I wanted to say to you is though you don't think your 27 pounds is a lot, that's almost 5 pounds a month which is more than a pound a week! That is a healthy amount to lose.

Perhaps a fill can also help if you haven't gotten one in a while. I wish you all the best.

Big hugs!:biggrin:

I love this post and agree with it 110 percent

Here's a tip from my doctor's office on dealing with craving sweets: If you like pudding as a snack, buy the instant sugar-free, fat-free kind and add a scoop or two of protein powder (surely I'm not the only one with lots of this in my house now...) to the milk before mixing in the pudding. You can have this with some Cool Whip Lite, and it's not only a great way to satisfy that sweet-tooth need, but since you're getting protein in too, it helps you in a big way! :bolt:

When my emotions start to overrule my senses, I plan out my meals in advance. I am not sure why, but this helps. I choose 6 small high protein meals and eat every 3 hours or so, it helps keep cravings at bay and I don't have to make quick decisions about what to eat under emotional pressure.

I had to stop and pause when I saw Coos Bay, Oregon. Hello from Ky, I was born and raised in Coos Bay/ Eastside Oregon, Graduated from Marshfield High. I had been thinking of home for a while now. It's awsome to meet you. Pidge Kk