Like many overweight/obese people I have a LOVE affair with food. Mostly the "bad" stuff. How hard is it REALLY to change your habits and your love for food? Does it come naturally because of the restriction or is it something you really have to work hard at like other diets as far as willpower? That is why I failed so many diets I didn't have the willpower to stick with them. I am ready to change my life and eating habits, I guess I'm just afraid that I fail at this too.

Secondly, my mom's best friend had the band placed late 2006. She has lost maybe 30 lbs. But she may have gained some back. How is this possible? Because I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want to have this surgery for nothing!

When you have physical pain and the most uncomfortable feeling that lasts for a long time because of something you shouldn't have eaten! (even if it was one bite) That's one way you learn. Then there's the thought of band slippage which means more surgery to fix the problem. I learned this weekend by eating a few bites of watermelon, which caused unbelievable pain in my side for 2 straight days. THen i had literally one bite of chicken salad and i am still on a full liquid diet and i thought i was going to have to go the emergency room from the pain. I guess you will try it and learn, too. I have always had huge cravings all my life and a voracious appetite. I have to say 7 days post-op i haven't been hungry even with the full liquids. I drink a protein shake and it lasts hours. You literally feel full for hours even with liquids. That's been my experience so far. As far as your mom's friend, has she been getting fills? If so, is she eating the right foods? I mean like does she sit and eat ice cream for a meal or ... I know i've read stories on this site about people that had their band placed years ago and the band was too small. I'm not sure if they had so many choices of different sized bands years ago, but maybe that's one thing that could hender her weight loss. For example, if she has a 4cc band and it is filled to max and she still has a good size pouch. Also drinking carbonated drinks and consistently overeating will stretch the pouch and the band. Don't let other people's experiences frighten you. Find a good doc and good luck! Better to try and fail than never have tried! I know i am!

I know longer eat unhealthy. Because you eat so little (1/2 cup) with good restriction you have to eat a lot of protein first. I don't think about food at all. I eat to live now. Your relationship with food will definitely change. The key with the band is to get good restriction. That can take several fills however. I know what you mean about your friend. If you don't meet with your doctor regularly for encouragement and fills you will not lose, plain and simple. You have to work with the band. It is quite different than RYN. Julie

Carly this may be hard to believe but for some reason since I was banded I don't crave sweets at all anymore. I think it may be because I am so focused on eating protein and that fills you. If during that time of month when I would eat cookies, candy etc. I still need a sweet I have a square of dark chocolate and that's it and I can't believe I am typing this but it satisfies me.

I love sugar free fat free puddings as an in between meal snack if necessary or some watermelon. Of course having some restriction helps because as lafrogura says eating something you shouldn't makes you a quick student of the band!

You will surprise yourself if you decide to go with the band. Good luck on your journey!

As long as I get my proteins in, my cravings stay down. I am so full, I can't even think of adding a bite of anything in my mouth.

I made a chocolate cake yesterday for my family and my fiance offered me half of a bite. I took a taste with my tongue, and maybe it was all in my mind, but I just couldn't do it. It is not bad to indulge a little every now and then, as long as it doesn't turn in to a habit.

And as with any diet, you have to include a regular exercise program. It is tough to lose weight and the band is only a tool to help cut your intake.

Don't let another persons experience keep you from getting the band or help you decide to get it. You have to decide that you are truly ready. It took me three years to make my decision. I just had enough of yo-yo dieting and was finally ready to make a committment to become a healthier me. The success of this kind of weight loss is just as much mental as it is physical. You have to be ready for it.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Stephanie I know what you are saying I went back and forth over should I or shouldn't I get the band for about 5 years when someone I knew got one of the early ones. It is a life changing choice and it takes commitment but facing 50 and wanting to live my life not sitting on the side lines any longer and feeling like I had wasted the last 15 years being over weight helped me make the choice. (an illness and meds caused the gain 15yrs earlier) Now I can't wait to see what 50 will be!

Like many or most of us I am a stress eater. I am not banded yet...two weeks!!! But I am seeing a counselor to work on ways to deal with stress other than eating......

I´m still in my early days of being banded and I can tell you that I seriously don´t crave for anything sweet (or I haven´t yet). We were at some friends on the week-end and they had bought some custard slices, one of these was put in front of me. I looked at it, took the tinest bite and gave it to my husband. It was so sweet it was vile. Even if I could´ve eaten it, I wouldn´t have, but I had to tell my friends about the surgery at this point.

I have been banded 1 year and 3 months....I am below my goad weight and I love my life. I agree with Julie Geraci...my relationship with food has totally changed. You have to stay current with your fills and stay on top of it...request another fill if you don't have restriction. It took me 4-5 times and I love the retriction I have now....I can only eat 1/2 cup of food at a time....and am very limited as to what I can eat....I don't even think about eating now....I eat to live as Julie posted....not live to eat. What a difference that is for me.....I was angry the first 2-3 months because I loved food....and when I all of the sudden couldn't eat what I was used to....my relationship with food changed....I had to work on acceptance and I knew this is what I wanted in my life....I wanted a new relationship with food and that's what ended up happening after getting good restriction whether I liked it or not...then habit happends and you get used to it....it is wonderful....good luck

Like many overweight/obese people I have a LOVE affair with food. Mostly the "bad" stuff. How hard is it REALLY to change your habits and your love for food? Does it come naturally because of the restriction or is it something you really have to work hard at like other diets as far as willpower? ......Secondly, my mom's best friend had the band placed late 2006. She has lost maybe 30 lbs. But she may have gained some back. How is this possible? Because I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want to have this surgery for nothing!

Cobrien, you have asked some great questions. Personally, and this will vary with each individual, I think that it will take some work to change my habits and my love of food, because I tend to graze on junk. Yesterday was one such day. I made the mistake of buying a box of those 100 calorie snack cookies. Well, before i knew it I had eaten 4 of those packs. I won't be buying those anymore. I did the same thing with popsicles. So now to treat the kids I buy things I don't like. Much easier to control my grazing that way.

Restriction does help quite a bit. Once you get the proper restriction--it may take a few months and several fills to get there--you actually eat much less and feel full longer. It is important to drink lots between meals (remember no drinking with your meal nor one hour after--it may vary with your dr.). I found that often times when I think I need to snack, what I really need is to drink something. I have put my crystal lite in the freezer to make it slushy and just love it that way! The more you drink the less you eat. Making sure you are hydrated also keeps those awful 'PBs' away. if you are properly hydrated it just seems to help the food go down easier.

Remember the band is a tool. It is there to help you control your appetite. It will not do the work for you. The best thing about the band is that when you make mistakes, like i did yesterday, I just start brand new today. It's easy when you think of it that way.

I met someone that also gained much of her weight back. It is possible because she began eating those foods that just slide right through the band--candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream, potatoes, puddings, etc--and she stopped concentrating on eating her lean protein first, veggies second, and then a few bites of starch and if there was room, a bite of sweet last. She also stopped being active (this is what I struggle with). But if you keep communicating online with people and with support groups, you will receive lots of encouragement and good advice from people with lots of experience. They can be a very motivating factor in your day to day life with the band. I know that they are for me. Good luck!