Hi All,

I have found that I am definately an emotional eater:mad2: My daughter (19years old) left last night for Afghanistan and I am crushed!! I got home from the airport and found I went into the refrigerator 4 times:cursing: I know it will get better in time but what an awakening!

that's heavy. while my two sons are stateside and both in college, I have two close friends who have children in Afgahnistan and Iraq. It weighs so heavy on them. I'm so sorry that you have to have that worry. You and your daughter will be in my thoughts. As for the emotional eating, that's a tough one. Especially since your eating is so emotionally charged. You will have to dig deep within and find things that can take it's place. For example. When you start to fret and know the voice from the fridge is going to start calling you, turn on the stereo to your favorite happy music and dance around the living room. I've done this a few times and it really seems to help. Find LOW CALORIE snacks, like sugar free popsicles. Leave the house if possible and go do something else. Shop? Exercise? visit a friend? go for a walk? Take your dog for a walk? OR find a project and work on it for a while. Something you enjoy doing. Write your daughter a long letter. Make something for her that you can send over. Get on line and talk to us... Just come up with a list of substitutions. I know it's hard. It's hard for all of us. Hang in there.

Thanks for the response and the well wishes. It just helps to talk

Hi just want you to know as a mom I have been in your shoes. I will also be in your shoes again the end of the year. :ohmy: My daughter her first deployment stateside at 19. She turned 21 second deployment in the desert. And went back a second time 3 months later. I am already dreading her next deployment to Iraq, the first time mourned her like death. I was"nt banded at the time. And as always food was a comfort at the time eating that breif moment. So I gained weight with my emotional eating. But I have been banded since september. I am slow have lost 30lbs. But had some trouble with my incision so didnt get my first fill until December. I have lost 30 lbs this is including preop. I am trying to prepare myself for this deployment. Eating will not do my daughter any good while she is away. My husband is a great support of my weight loss. I had to pay for this my self and am doing this for my health. So with lots of prayers and support of people like you and me being here for each other we are going to make it. If you ever need to talk please do. I will keep you in my prayers and your daughter. They make us proud. My daughter took all the dance and color guard things growing up. Never dreamed she would be a soldier.

proud mother of a soldier

Renea:Angel_anim:

Hi just want you to know as a mom I have been in your shoes. I will also be in your shoes again the end of the year. :ohmy: My daughter her first deployment stateside at 19. She turned 21 second deployment in the desert. And went back a second time 3 months later. I am already dreading her next deployment to Iraq, the first time mourned her like death. I was"nt banded at the time. And as always food was a comfort at the time eating that breif moment. So I gained weight with my emotional eating. But I have been banded since september. I am slow have lost 30lbs. But had some trouble with my incision so didnt get my first fill until December. I have lost 30 lbs this is including preop. I am trying to prepare myself for this deployment. Eating will not do my daughter any good while she is away. My husband is a great support of my weight loss. I had to pay for this my self and am doing this for my health. So with lots of prayers and support of people like you and me being here for each other we are going to make it. If you ever need to talk please do. I will keep you in my prayers and your daughter. They make us proud. My daughter took all the dance and color guard things growing up. Never dreamed she would be a soldier.

proud mother of a soldier

Renea:Angel_anim:

I have a supportive husband as well and that works wonders!! Thank you for your story and kind words. I wish you and your daughter well also. It is so hrad isnt it??? What does your daughter do?? My daughter is a police officer. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:w00t:

From Dec 2003 to Feb 2005, my husband and my son were both in Iraq at the same time. I wasn't banded and I was just at a huge loss about how I would handle this as I am an emotional/bored eater, too... I made a decision to take this deployment time to wage my own war on my weight problem... Things went very well for me and I lost a bunch of weight.... My war was successful.... I lost the battle, though, after they came home again and I got back in my comfortable eating zone.. Wish I had been banded then, maybe I wouldn't have gained most of the weight back and I'd be way closer to my goal than I am now.... ANYWAY, my point is that you can use this deployment in one of two ways....negatively, by eating and gaining and hurting yourself and your soldier in the process, or positively, by working your band and being a big success so your soldier will be amazed when she gets home again at what a brave person her mother is...... I vote that you choose the positive way!!!!! I'm so glad to have my soldiers home and out of harm's way.. I pray for all soldiers everyday and wish you all the best... Julie

From Dec 2003 to Feb 2005, my husband and my son were both in Iraq at the same time. I wasn't banded and I was just at a huge loss about how I would handle this as I am an emotional/bored eater, too... I made a decision to take this deployment time to wage my own war on my weight problem... Things went very well for me and I lost a bunch of weight.... My war was successful.... I lost the battle, though, after they came home again and I got back in my comfortable eating zone.. Wish I had been banded then, maybe I wouldn't have gained most of the weight back and I'd be way closer to my goal than I am now.... ANYWAY, my point is that you can use this deployment in one of two ways....negatively, by eating and gaining and hurting yourself and your soldier in the process, or positively, by working your band and being a big success so your soldier will be amazed when she gets home again at what a brave person her mother is...... I vote that you choose the positive way!!!!! I'm so glad to have my soldiers home and out of harm's way.. I pray for all soldiers everyday and wish you all the best... Julie

Thank you so much for your response. I know I am not the only one who is going through this and it is just nice to know that people out there still care!! I went to The Daytona 500 this weekend and was just balling all the way through the national anthem. Thanks again and yes I am going to choose the Positive way!!!:tongue2: