I never told myself what I could or could not eat.I gave myself permission for McDonalds Hamburgers or anything else I wanted. I soon figured out what I could not eat, and the desire for it went away. I may still take a little bite of a hamburger, or eat a fry from one of my kids, but the want for certain foods just left me. I have now found that I like some foods that I never ate before being banded and hate other foods that I loved. I don't know when you were banded, but it just takes time. Now the chewing, that also takes time, you will figure out which foods you have to chew more than others and you may begin avoiding the foods you have to chew alot. Hope this helps some.