Do you have to "diet" to lose?

[lacasst 1]

Just a question for those of you at a good restriction level feel like you have to actively "diet" to lose weight?? For example are you fighting off hunger,having to stop yourself from eating too much,fighting cravings for sweets?? or is it much easier than that for you?? I'm just curious......

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Well, I don't crave sweets, really, but I do sometimes miss carbs, LOL. I don't eat very many carbs anymore and sometimes silly stuff like croutons or crackers look very tasty, indeed! I won't say I "DIET" but there are those days when sitting down to the "right" meal isn't very appealing. Back in the old days, I sometimes had a bag of popcorn for supper because it was late, I was tired, etc. Now I do feel that I have to prepare something appropriate. I don't ever really get hungry now unless it's been about 6 hours since I ate -- and that is perfectly normal. I eat my meal and I'm satisfied.

I do occasionally eat a bit of something sweet. Yesterday, some evil person brought 2 dozen hot Krispy Kreme donuts in to the office and I ate a bite of one (way less than half). And I usually have a very small slice of the monthly birthday cake. I enjoy the heck out of those little treats. This isn't about being punished on a daily basis. It's about living with healthy moderation. I only recently got to my sweet spot and it's actually pleasant to not obssess over what I'm going to eat and when. I have to make those right choices but it's not the hard work that it was only a few weeks ago.

[tonya66 13]

Just a question for those of you at a good restriction level feel like you have to actively "diet" to lose weight?? For example are you fighting off hunger,having to stop yourself from eating too much,fighting cravings for sweets?? or is it much easier than that for you?? I'm just curious......

The band is a tool, so you have to use it that way. You need to make good choices, like not eating ice cream for dinner, etc.

Now, with that being said, I have found that I do have to diet - or make healthy choices for me to lose weight, I know a lot of people have mentioned they didn't change thier diet, they just ate less and lost. For me, everything about me had to change.

I DO NOT fight hunger, however, I still have problems with "head hunger", I don't think I will ever be able to tackle that demon.

The thing I've come to realize is there is no set rules for the band, what works for one, might not work for another. One might be able to chicken, the next might not. For me, I can eat anything pretty much. Just not much of it. I've had 14 fills - 3 unfills and finally at a pretty good spot.

I still worry about the long term effects and maybe some day I might be able to switch to the sleeve, but for now, I'm working the band as best as I can.

I'm close to goal, but not quite there.

With all this being said, I would do the band again in a heart beat - unless my insurance paid for the sleeve, then I would get that because you have less to deal with (no fills, etc)

[lacasst 1]

Well, I don't crave sweets, really, but I do sometimes miss carbs, LOL. I don't eat very many carbs anymore and sometimes silly stuff like croutons or crackers look very tasty, indeed! I won't say I "DIET" but there are those days when sitting down to the "right" meal isn't very appealing. Back in the old days, I sometimes had a bag of popcorn for supper because it was late, I was tired, etc. Now I do feel that I have to prepare something appropriate. I don't ever really get hungry now unless it's been about 6 hours since I ate -- and that is perfectly normal. I eat my meal and I'm satisfied.

I do occasionally eat a bit of something sweet. Yesterday, some evil person brought 2 dozen hot Krispy Kreme donuts in to the office and I ate a bite of one (way less than half). And I usually have a very small slice of the monthly birthday cake. I enjoy the heck out of those little treats. This isn't about being punished on a daily basis. It's about living with healthy moderation. I only recently got to my sweet spot and it's actually pleasant to not obssess over what I'm going to eat and when. I have to make those right choices but it's not the hard work that it was only a few weeks ago.

Cathy,thanks for the response that was very helpful.I think my problem is I'm not yet to my sweet spot because I get hungry way sooner than 4 to 6 hrs,I'm looking for Snacks and my sweet tooth is bad! Thanks for all th info!! What is your fill level if you dont mind me asking??

[Jachut 487]

I believe an emphatic NO.

But I think it depends on how you ate beforehand. I had a fairly healthy base diet, my meals were always good. I didnt eat McDonalds and KFC, i would never have DREAMED of getting my Breakfast from a drive through and I found greasy foods like pizza pretty disgusting.

BUT - I ate big meals and I ate a lot of other rubbish in between meals. I ate way too many Cookies, cakes, muffins, cappucinos, I had a couple of glasses of wine at night, I was always in for an ice cream or a block of chocolate in front of the telly after dinner. I easily got through 3000 calories a day.

Since being banded, my basic meals are exactly as they were before, just about half the size (but that's because I ate healthy meals and new how to cook for and keep my family healthy). And I dont eat the rubbish in between. I might have a glass of wine at night 2 or 3 times a week and we'd get chocolate or ice cream after dinner maybe once a month instead of 3 times a week.

So I dont feel as if I'm dieting.

I also dont indulge in dieting behaviour such as calorie counting, food journalling, Protein obsessing or anything like that. I dont report in to a nutritionist, my surgeon doesnt act like the diet police, none of it.

But to someone else, what I eat in a day and what routines I follow might be a "diet". Particularly since I cook, dont use convenience foods, buy organic etc.

However, that said, I think I would have lost weight, but not as much as I have if I hadnt also taken up running. Running for up to an hour a day is a MAJOR part of my success.

That's all in your perception too. To me, its an enjoyable part of my life, I love love love my running. To someone else it would be a daily hour of torturous pain.

I just choose to look upon healthy habits as something I want to do for myself, and as something that's part of my life, not as a "diet and exercise regime".

[jillrenee15 0]

For me, it is a yes. I do have to diet. Not as strictly as I thought I would though. I try hardest to stay away from crunchy carbs, which I can eat loads of. I do a lot of smartones frozen dinners for lunch at work, I do a lot of salads with veggies and chicken breast, and I eat a lot of cottage cheese. I still eat pretty much anything I want, but breads get stuck. I have to be very very careful. I can eat a half a sandwich, or half a cheesburger, or almost 2 small slices of pizza. Fries make me throw up every time. A six piece nugget satisfies me. I don't need the whole bigmac combo anymore, and couldn't eat it if I wanted to. I do my best to make better choices. I don't do Protein Shakes. Why drink your calories??? But my weakness is the crunchy stuff. Crackers and Cookies. I eat popcorn when I want though, it is a whole grain and full of Fiber. I don't see anything wrong with a bag of popcorn for lunch. A whole bag has 300calories, and I'm done before the bag is empty. I've seen a lot of Protein this and protein that. I get enough just eating normally. A little snack size cottage cheese has 11 g. A yougurt and a serving of kashi golean crunch mixed in is a great Breakfast and has fiber, Calcium and protein. A smartones dinner can have 26gr. You just have to choose the right ones and read the labels. I'm looking forward to more veggies from my garden. So after all that, the answer is yes. I have to diet a little.

[jillrenee15 0]

For me, it is a yes. I do have to diet. Not as strictly as I thought I would though. I try hardest to stay away from crunchy carbs, which I can eat loads of. I do a lot of smartones frozen dinners for lunch at work, I do a lot of salads with veggies and chicken breast, and I eat a lot of cottage cheese. I still eat pretty much anything I want, but breads get stuck. I have to be very very careful. I can eat a half a sandwich, or half a cheesburger, or almost 2 small slices of pizza. Fries make me throw up every time. A six piece nugget satisfies me. I don't need the whole bigmac combo anymore, and couldn't eat it if I wanted to. I do my best to make better choices. I don't do Protein Shakes. Why drink your calories??? But my weakness is the crunchy stuff. Crackers and Cookies. I eat popcorn when I want though, it is a whole grain and full of fiber. I don't see anything wrong with a bag of popcorn for lunch. A whole bag has 300calories, and I'm done before the bag is empty. I've seen a lot of Protein this and protein that. I get enough just eating normally. A little snack size cottage cheese has 11 g. A yougurt and a serving of kashi golean crunch mixed in is a great breakfast and has fiber, Calcium and protein. A smartones dinner can have 26gr. You just have to choose the right ones and read the labels. I'm looking forward to more veggies from my garden. So after all that, the answer is yes. I have to diet a little.

[Libbyjane1976 1]

I don't "diet". When you "diet" you set yourself up for failure. I had to learn to eat 3 meals a day and I make sure I eat alot of fruits and vegetables. Now if I want a piece of cake or Cookies I have a small piece of cake and 2 or 3 Cookies. Not a large piece of cake and half the bag! Lately I find if i'm craving something sweet if I have some fruit salad it satisfies my craving.

I was a major chocoholic to the point where I had it pretty much everyday. I don't crave chocolate anymore.

[Melody2006 1]

I have found that I do have to diet - or make healthy choices for me to lose weight

I have to calorie count. I log every single bite that passes my lips in an online food journal. I believe it's the single key to my success and why I have not had any plateaus and have lost the weight.

I wish I could eat with out thinking, but that's what got me fat in the first place. That, and I couldn't stop after a small amount. I know feeling full won't stop me either. The minute I could get more of the "bad" foods down, I'd go back for more. So why even have it in the house?

I'm not perfect, and I've had several "bad" days in the last 10 months being banded. But I've always left the house to have those and I never brought it home with me. I refuse to let myself live like that ever again. Don't need garbage in my house, and no one else in it NEEDS it either!

[elcee 3,343]

BUT - I ate big meals and I ate a lot of other rubbish in between meals. I ate way too many Cookies, cakes, muffins, cappucinos, I had a couple of glasses of wine at night, I was always in for an ice cream or a block of chocolate in front of the telly after dinner.

This sounds incredibly like my preop diet. Hopefully I can do as well as you afterwards

Edited June 7, 2009 by elcee
trying to fix quote marks

[Jaffa 5]

If your using the word "diet" to mean that you have to choose certain foods to eat, and choose not to eat bad ones, then absolutely yes, you have to diet.

If you mean you by "diet" do you have to use a lot of self control to stop eating so much, then no, you don't have to "diet".

That is all it really does for you, and it really only works if you choose foods that don't slide through the band.

[bevanfranks 0]

Jachut- you mentioned that you love running now and it's an important part of your success. I do believe that-- right now I'm on a low exercise- walking only plan until I reach my 8th week post op. (I had surg on May 12). I belong to Curves and it works well for me, but I'd like to try other things to get more activity on my own.

Do you run outside, or treadmill, both?

How did you feel about running BEFORE being banded? Just curious? Did you always kinda like it, but just not do it as much, or never liked it before?

Thanks,

Lisa

[Jachut 487]

I do both - but mainly outside.

Before banding I didnt run regularly, because I was too heavy to do it. But I did do it sometimes, to the best of my ability. But I always DID like exercise and fairly hard cardio. I've never been totally non active.