Everything about me has changed. How I eat, sleep, drink, act, work. I sometimes try a food I used to enjoy and it seems to not work. For example -- an ice cream cone melted on my hand while I was driving. The line at Arby's was 6 cars and I was hungry NOW so I went home. My last name is Devine and I have a strong faith so I call that "devine intervention". I'm far from perfect (have had some carbonated drinks and coffee), but now the fact that I wear misses 16s and 14s from womens 24s and 26s and feel tremendous pretty much drives me (no pun intended) away from bad eating.

I am also a self payer..I have lost 122 lbs with 4 lbs to go. I was banded 11/23/9. When I was banded I followed the rules to a T during the first 6 weeks (until my first fill) and then during a discussion with my dr I told him that this is not a diet to me this is a lifestyle change. I cannot be cooking two different dinners at night..one for me and one for my family...I wasn't going to eat a certain kind of foods until I reached my goal to only then start eating foods that could maybe cause me to gain weight..so I needed to eat everyday kinds of food that wouldn't do any harm to my band but were healthy for me and my family. My dr and I went back and forth with this because he was very strict and he wanted to make sure I didn't do anything that would case me to be in the ER. The thing he wanted was to slowly introduce foods to the band...I did that but somethings not as slow as he might had wanted or at first wanted. With my results he felt I had a good handle on things and did very well. Here are examples of a hamburger to me...a 1/3 of a hamburger patty cut up with ketchup and mustard served with a pickle..no bun or anything else. Spaghetti is 2 meatballs and 4 strands of spaghetti noodles with sauce. So my portions have changed considerably..they are much smaller. I do believe others do eat a full up hamburger...I just can't...nor can I eat pasta or bread. Breads fill me up and I cannot get the protein I need to have energy. I feel like I rambled on but that is my two cents worth. I wish you the very best!!

thanks for the comments...i know its gonna be a long road but i am willing to do my best to get to the end of it...

Thank you for those comments. Its interesting. Its been almost 3 weeks for me and I have lost nothing, but I gained a pound! I am starving BUT Im eating really well and exercising 5 days a week for an hour. Im shocked, to be honest, that my body isnt responding. No worries though....I guess it will all work out after my first fill. Im private pay too so I know what its like to feel like you didnt just waste thousands of dollars. Thanks for sharing!

I love to hear that some still eat "Bad" food...Because going into this I plan to eat what I always have only MUCH smaller portions...Instead of a full burger - I'll have 1/2 a kids size and a few fries...IF it agrees with me...I get banded on November 19th...I worry that I would have to eat all the healthy choices like chicken & fish ALL the time and just fruit & veggies...I didn't get the way I am by eating those choices - And I'm sure just by getting banded I won't stop eating them over night...I'm sure as the weight comes off I will begin to make better choices and throw in some exercise too...But, small changes over time & with the band it will help to cut the portions in half if not more.

I've read on this site many times that ,"Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels " and that helps motivate me . . .my band keeps my hunger in check so I am just able to say, "no". I am a rule follower by nature, so have not strayed from the straight and narrow. I feel like you, Dixie, I've put waaaay too much into this to blow it! Good luck!

I am having mine done in June 11 but I have a person i work with who had lap band and she lost 60 lbs and then slowly gained 40 back. She doesn't go in for fills or follow the rule of protein first then veggie. I have actually seen her pick things purposely to break up and go through the opening. I think if you are not mentally ready this will not work! You have to be able to have a grasp on your emotional eating issues. I have also seen statistics saying 45% of bandsters are not successful. . .

Good way of thinking, girl! I had mine done a month ago tomorrow. I was doing fantastic up until I went back to full foods....well, i should say when my hunger finally returned AND I was able to eat full foods. It took a couple of weeks for the hunger to actually come back after my surgery. i have eaten some not so good things in the past couple of weeks and gained 5 pounds back.....eek! So, back to protein shakes and sparkpeople.com it is for me :-) I can't wait for the fills! My WORST habit is being soooo hungry and grabbing something on my way home from work (since I live 45 minutes away from work). on the plus side, since i have trained myself to eat slower and take smaller bites, I don't eat the same portions as I did before. Mind over matter...mind over matter!

Thank you for those comments. Its interesting. Its been almost 3 weeks for me and I have lost nothing, but I gained a pound! I am starving BUT Im eating really well and exercising 5 days a week for an hour. Im shocked, to be honest, that my body isnt responding. No worries though....I guess it will all work out after my first fill. Im private pay too so I know what its like to feel like you didnt just waste thousands of dollars. Thanks for sharing!

hang in there you are probably loosing inches....don't give up sometimes it takes awhile

I love to hear that some still eat "Bad" food...Because going into this I plan to eat what I always have only MUCH smaller portions...Instead of a full burger - I'll have 1/2 a kids size and a few fries...IF it agrees with me...I get banded on November 19th...I worry that I would have to eat all the healthy choices like chicken & fish ALL the time and just fruit & veggies...I didn't get the way I am by eating those choices - And I'm sure just by getting banded I won't stop eating them over night...I'm sure as the weight comes off I will begin to make better choices and throw in some exercise too...But, small changes over time & with the band it will help to cut the portions in half if not more.

this worries me because eating the way you always have regardless of portion size got you in the shape you are in no offend....just my opinion...i myself know that i didn't just spend 12000 dollars of my hard earned money so i could cut my portion size....its a whole life changing experience...and yeah after having nothing but clear liquids for almost two weeks....healthy food sounds and tastes AMAZING!!!and when you get farther in the process maybe you will change your mind about it and hopefully not be tooo mad at me for just stating the obvious

I've read on this site many times that ,"Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels " and that helps motivate me . . .my band keeps my hunger in check so I am just able to say, "no". I am a rule follower by nature, so have not strayed from the straight and narrow. I feel like you, Dixie, I've put waaaay too much into this to blow it! Good luck!

i like this quote i am going to start using it...

I am having mine done in June 11 but I have a person i work with who had LAP-BAND® and she lost 60 lbs and then slowly gained 40 back. She doesn't go in for fills or follow the rule of protein first then veggie. I have actually seen her pick things purposely to break up and go through the opening. I think if you are not mentally ready this will not work! You have to be able to have a grasp on your emotional eating issues. I have also seen statistics saying 45% of bandsters are not successful. . .

this is soo true...i have a close friend that had gastric bypass and lost 115 lbs but now she is 145lbs heavier....my dr saids you can eat your way our of any surgery....and lapband is as for as losing weight is only 15% tool and the rest is your decisions on making the right choices with food and exercise....good luck on your journey

Good way of thinking, girl! I had mine done a month ago tomorrow. I was doing fantastic up until I went back to full foods....well, i should say when my hunger finally returned AND I was able to eat full foods. It took a couple of weeks for the hunger to actually come back after my surgery. i have eaten some not so good things in the past couple of weeks and gained 5 pounds back.....eek! So, back to protein shakes and sparkpeople.com it is for me :-) I can't wait for the fills! My WORST habit is being soooo hungry and grabbing something on my way home from work (since I live 45 minutes away from work). on the plus side, since i have trained myself to eat slower and take smaller bites, I don't eat the same portions as I did before. Mind over matter...mind over matter!

well you just got to keep your head up and know that it isn't easy and everyone lapses at time....i haven't gotten to full menu yet...i just got chicken and seafood added but still have to be pretty much chopped up...when i get hungry i mix protein powder in my drinks and that seems to help...good luck