Hi there, I am going in for my consultation today for the lap band surgery. I am very excited to be going down this road, I actually feel like Lap Band will be a lifestyle change for me instead of one crazy diet after another. With that being said, my question is; I am a stress/boredom eater. What do you all do instead of eating in those situations? I appreciate any answers, I am trying to have as much information going into the procedure as I can!

Thanks!

I was too and after getting the Lap Band this wasn't as big a struggle as I thought it would be. And I gave up caffeine, soda, cigarettes, carbs and my bad eating habits all at once.

Once at restriction, you feel full most of the time and giving in to such eating habits can leave you wishing you hadn't. At the very least you will feel uncomfortably full at worst you could get sick or feel pain.

During weight loss phase, I eat three meals a day, Period. If there is a food that I want and it is between meals, I tell myself that if I still want it at my next meal then I can have it. Most of the time, by then the craving has passed but if not I satisfy my craving.

Watching white carbs goes a long way to keep your insulin levels even. Spikes and dips can cauase stress and cravings. So watch out for breads, pastas, rice, potatoes and sugar. These are the comfort foods we usually crave but eating them causes the spikes and dips that keep the craving cycle going. Eat healthy carbs and always with a lean protein.

Find a new release for your stress...some kind of exercise is best. The first couple weeks are the hardest. Eventually, if you stick with it, you will lose your old habits and as the weight comes off you will have a lot more incentive to stick with it.

Edited June 10, 200917 yr by Jodi_620

Some of that's an easy answer, some of it isn't. I do fine during the day at work. There's nothing much here to snack on that appeals to me. I eat a few dry roasted nuts if I get hungry mid-morning.

Once I get home, I'm hungry. Since I don't live alone, that means there is food in my house I have no business eating (crackers, cookies, etc.). So I get dinner started, change my clothes and go outside and do yard work. That's exercise from me and I'm not milling around the kitchen, waiting for my dinner to cook, grazing on whatever is in the kitchen.

The harder part is sometimes you will find youself looking for something to eat when you aren't hungry. One Saturday afternoon, I found myself standing in front of the refrigerator with the doors open, just looking. I literally had to laugh at myself, shut the fridge and walk away. Sometimes you don't pull yourself up and you do snack. I try to keep reasonably good stuff on hand for those moments, and I keep that stuff front and center in the fridge so that if I do snack, it's on stuff like low fat cottage cheese, SF pudding, etc.

Honestly...now that I have great restriction, it's easier to follow a plan. IF I eat protein dense foods like steak or baked chicken breast, I am literally full for HOURS. Truly. no physiologic hunger. I find that so liberating, that when I have a choice between something like the steak or white meat chicken, or say bean burritos, baked fish, enchiladas, chips? I pick the steak/chicken because I know it will 1. taste good and 2. fill me UP

I get tired of being hungry. Doc has been adamant about NO SNACKS and now that I have my fill to a good level I find it is easy. I literally go HOURS without even thinking about food. And let me tell you if someone even 2 months ago had told me I'd be in that place today I would've ROFLMAO. But, it's true. Hopefully something similar will happen for you!

Brush your teeth. Works wonders for me.

Take a short walk around the neighborhood.

DVR TV shows so that you can skip food commercials.

Do something that requires the use of your hands. Guitar, knitting, video game, gardening, whatever.

Drink more, water is filling too. Add some zero cal flavoring like Propel if you are craving flavor.

Don't eat if you are not hungry, even if it's dinner time. This one was hard for me. I'd sit down and eat dinner early with my family, pick a bit, then eat again 3 hours later. Just wait until later and have the one meal.

Honestly...now that I have great restriction, it's easier to follow a plan. IF I eat protein dense foods like steak or baked chicken breast, I am literally full for HOURS. Truly. no physiologic hunger. I find that so liberating, that when I have a choice between something like the steak or white meat chicken, or say bean burritos, baked fish, enchiladas, chips? I pick the steak/chicken because I know it will 1. taste good and 2. fill me UP

I get tired of being hungry. Doc has been adamant about NO SNACKS and now that I have my fill to a good level I find it is easy. I literally go HOURS without even thinking about food. And let me tell you if someone even 2 months ago had told me I'd be in that place today I would've ROFLMAO. But, it's true. Hopefully something similar will happen for you!

I'd love to hear more about how/when it all changed for you - the moment you reached that point and the difference it made to you.

Perhaps we could discuss this in pm? Or would you be prepared to say more here, or start a new thread about it? I am sure many here would benefit from the feeling of hope your story would inspire. :confused:

No great secret (although i don't ever mind PM's) just that when I FINALLY got restriction (it has been a LONG process for me) It has made a world of difference. It is just so easy to forget about food. I just realized my stomach was growling; no wonder since I ate dinner about 7 hours ago! LOL Now I'll just go to bed. I NEVER would've done that pre-restriction. It has truly been miraculous for me.