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I was banded in January 2011 and am now back to my pre-banding weight. Needless to say, I am discouraged. I don't have any allergy problems or anything like that - I just can't seem to lose the weight. I am going to have my fill level checked this week and maybe that has something to do with it. I do have some vomiting from time to time - so I don't think that I have too much fill. I really sympathize with all of you who are discouraged. I have taken up walking and given up alcohol and red meat but am at a loss as to what else to do to speed up the process.

I think Libbe and E-Girl did a great job of answering your questions, but I had a couple things I thought I'd add. 3. Can I drink broth all day? Is there a difference between chicken and beef? Yes, you can drink as much broth as you want, but you need to be careful of the sodium content or you'll puff up like a toad. (Sorry.) I made broth with whatever I had on hand when I was in this stage and it agree with me a lot more. Leftover rotisserie chicken or any chicken bones, beef bones or bits, veggies. I throw bones and etc. into plastic bags in my freezer until I have enough for broth then throw it all in a big pot and make broth. I made hubby some wonderful onion Soup with beef broth I'd made when I was still on my liquid phase and I sat there and had my broth with him for dinner. It made it easier to eat together when I was on the liquid diet. 5. How do I keep the momentum going with the weight loss? I'm starting to feel hunger, but can't eat. I'm worried about going into starvation now that I'm actually feeling hungry and it working backwards for me. I'm also afraid that when I do start eating it will either stop the weight loss or go backwards because of the previous "starvation". Momentum, momentum, momentum, I want to keep it rolling. You won't keep losing as fast as you have been. You should drop to about 8-10 pounds a month and sometimes it will be less. This is better for your skin adjusting anyway. 6. I'm having a hard time watching my family eat. It grosses me out the food intake not so much with my growing boys, but especially with my husband who is going to have the surgery also. I feel like....."hey do you realize how much food you eat and I'm over here drinking broth all day long! Get control of yourself." Yikes, I know. So sorry, but it's true. This is emotional. You don't realize the emotions that you will go through in this life changing journey. You'll get your revenge when he's had the surgery!! (Insert funny, evil laugh here.) He still has all his ghrelin hormone making him hungry, so you could cut him a bit of slack. My hubby was eating things like chicken-fried steak in front of me, but he's not overweight. 9. Life evolved around cooking, eating out, social eating, etc. I've halted all of that and feel a little trapped. No one except immediate family, i.e. husband, sons, and girlfriend who went to hospital with me know that I have done this. I don't lie and would have a hard time explaining why I'm not eating, drinking alcohol, participating in the activities this early in my post surgery. So we are using our workload right now as a reason for staying home, etc. There's so much there for me right now. My husband is extremely supportive and wants me to do the same for him when he has the surgery. Sorry rambling but trying to get through the emotional/mental part of it. When you get to real food soon, you'll find that there's normally something you can eat on every restaurant's menu, although I do still avoid Italian restaurants and I'm four months (and two days) out. Smelling garlic bread makes me crazy. We went out for tapas last night and I was able to eat every dish we got (all Protein and veggies.) Main dish salads are my best friends, although I can't eat much of the lettuce. I just tell people like my 87YO mother who doesn't know I had the surgery that I'm on a diet, and she says, "Good for you dear, you're looking great." My other best choices are grilled salmon or fish and I totally love seared scallops. I also eat the middles out of sandwiches and if I get any weird looks, I just smile and say, "Dieting." If they say anything else, I tell them I've lost (fill in the blank) pounds. Works every time. 10. I'm still bloated and tend to bloat throughout the day. Is this normal or what can I do to alleviate this? Heck, I still have tons of gas at four months. I try to fart discretely. 11. I know I don't get enough liquids in as I can't drink Water. Any liquid suggestions would be great. I drink 32 oz. of Powerade Zero before breakfast and then the rest is a breeze. My favorites are the zero or low-calorie versions of Sobe, Fuze or putting Crystal Light in my water. I'm not wild about drinking plain water. 12. I can already tell that my absorption rate is super sensitive and high! Within seconds of trying something, I either feel sick, lightheaded or full or all of the above. Does this stay? When food is introduced will it be one bite at a time? This will get better. Eat teensy, tiny bites SLOWLY when you start eating regular food. Hang in there. It will get better!!! Carol

1. Are full liquids eating, i.e. no drinking for 30-90 minutes after? Ask your doctor. 2. Is Jello considered eating? No, its a full liquid believe it or not. 3. Can I drink broth all day? Is there a difference between chicken and beef? Yes, and nothing. 4. I don't like artificial sugar for the sugar free diet. How can I compensate? You can't. Although you have had a sleeve. You can still get dumping as you do with gastric bypass if you eat sooo much table sugar. But you won't have the cramps...you will get diarhea...trust me. 5. How do I keep the momentum going with the weight loss? I'm starting to feel hunger, but can't eat. I'm worried about going into starvation now that I'm actually feeling hungry and it working backwards for me. I'm also afraid that when I do start eating it will either stop the weight loss or go backwards because of the previous "starvation". Momentum, momentum, momentum, I want to keep it rolling. If you wait to each until you get hungry. Make sure you are eating every 3 hours at least (3 meals - Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 Protein shakes) It the protein that is most important as it contributes to healing and more "filling". 6. I'm having a hard time watching my family eat. It grosses me out the food intake not so much with my growing boys, but especially with my husband who is going to have the surgery also. I feel like....."hey do you realize how much food you eat and I'm over here drinking broth all day long! Get control of yourself." Yikes, I know. So sorry, but it's true. This is emotional. You don't realize the emotions that you will go through in this life changing journey. Don't know if anyone told you but when you lose a lot of fat, your body will release a lot of hormones into you rsystem which give you mood swings like crazy. I felt the same way about my family but I remembered that my husband did not have the surgery and I didn't like it when someone told me that I ate too much so I usually talk more at the table or sit down at the table 10 minutes after everyone else does so that we all finish at the same time. My husband has decided to go forward with the surgery so soon he'll know what I went through. 7. TMI Warning!! I am on the Depo shot and I have been spotting ever since the surgery - 12 days. I never have a period if I do it a day or two of lite spotting. This is every time I wipe, not fresh but old if you know what I mean. Sorry again. Could something in the surgery have messed with my shot or what are your thoughts on this? I do not want to get pregnant! Again the hormone release do to the rapid release of fat can do this. Call your doctor to besure. 8. I'm starting to feel normal and that scares me a little. When I could feel the soreness and restriction (no hunger), it made it easier to not eat and be great with it. Now, it's like appetite is coming back. I'm scared of gaining. Other diets have worked opposite for me and I don't want this to also. I'm scared of any change or move! I feel like I have to starve myself to keep this going. :-( Remember this is a tool to help you adjust to a new healthy life style. If you try to eat something fried or full of sugar you will get very sick. You will only be able to get 300-500 calories in the first month or so then you will need to get 800 to keep your hair from falling out. And it will be a challege to get 800 in. I am at 3 months and I'm struggling to get 600 calories. Also measure, measure, measure your food. I can't stress this enough. Normally, leaks occur 3 weeks after surgery because patients feel better and use the sleeve to gage fullness. But remember, it take 20 minutes for your mind to get that signal that you are full so by then you would have consumed to much. Besides, if you do eat to much or too fast, you will thowup and believe me, it's no the same as throwing up before you had surgery...it's worst! Not to freak you out but it is painful and sometime lasting. You will also plateu that will sometimes last for a week. You may gain a little when drop the following day. These are all normal things. I used a calendar to write down my weight everyday and the total lost. Then at the end of the month I figure out how much weight was down for the month. One month I gained 5 pounds but had at total weight loss of 13 pounds. My husband has been very supportive. He is having his surgery in August. We have already change what we eat when we go out and what I cook for the family. Being obese is just as much of a mental battle as it is an emotional and physical battle. Everytime I was tempted to eat bad or eat fast or stuff my face or felt sad that I can't eat what everyone else was eating, I would redirect my mind to think " in 3 month I am going to look HOT!!!!" Now, I am the envy of every woman at work! I can fit in to a Small Shirt!!!! i have never fit into a small shirt!!!!!!! 9. Life evolved around cooking, eating out, social eating, etc. I've halted all of that and feel a little trapped. No one except immediate family, i.e. husband, sons, and girlfriend who went to hospital with me know that I have done this. I don't lie and would have a hard time explaining why I'm not eating, drinking alcohol, participating in the activities this early in my post surgery. So we are using our workload right now as a reason for staying home, etc. There's so much there for me right now. My husband is extremely supportive and wants me to do the same for him when he has the surgery. Sorry rambling but trying to get through the emotional/mental part of it. I like to cook too. It was a real adjustment to cook healthly things. I have discovered new foods as part of the process and that has been fun. As far as explaining why I don't eat to colleagues, I told them before the surgery. For colleagues I haven't seen in a while, I told them the truth if they ask and answered their questions. I have had only one person treat me bad but she was a big B to begin with so I was prepared to handle it. As for anyone who had past judgement on me to my face or behind my back, that just doesn't bother me because I did this for me and my family and for my health and that is all that is important. I think you will surprise how supportive people can be. Most people are just curious. And again don't get sorry about rambling because you are emotional...it's the hormones talking. 10. I'm still bloated and tend to bloat throughout the day. Is this normal or what can I do to alleviate this? Yes, this is normal. I was bloated for 5 weeks. This is because of swelling. Also there may be gas still trapped inside. Walking makes a big difference. 11. I know I don't get enough liquids in as I can't drink Water. Any liquid suggestions would be great. Frozen sugar free popsicles, warm tea, and sugar free gatorade were my friend. I also had sugar free jello and broth. 12. I can already tell that my absorption rate is super sensitive and high! Within seconds of trying something, I either feel sick, lightheaded or full or all of the above. Does this stay? When food is introduced will it be one bite at a time? You may need to eat slower. Take a bite, chew 25 times, swallow, then count for 10 before taking another bite. This does going away...sort of. You will get sick, lightheaded if you eat too fast. As far as full, you will have to figure that part out on your own but my Doctor told me to start with 4 Tbsp. (2 tbsp of a protein, 1 tbsp veg, tbsp fruit - in that order) but be prepared if you can only get 2 tbsp down. I started with 2 tbsp but now I am up to 1/4 cup. 13. I think protein shakes make me sick?? You tastes with change over time. I liked my protein shakes before the surgery. Then could not stand them for about 6 weeks after surgery but now I like them again. I would try a bunch of difference one. I like the Unjuy and nectar brands. The nectar brands taste like fruit juice with not after taste.

Sorry in advance! I was sleeved on April 17. I've lost somewhere between 15-20lbs. :-) This is my week of full liquids. Wednesday I can do soft diet for 2 weeks. I'm at a turning point and have several questions. Please answer any one you can. I need all the help I can get. 1. Are full liquids eating, i.e. no drinking for 30-90 minutes after? 2. Is Jello considered eating? 3. Can I drink broth all day? Is there a difference between chicken and beef? 4. I don't like artificial sugar for the sugar free diet. How can I compensate? 5. How do I keep the momentum going with the weight loss? I'm starting to feel hunger, but can't eat. I'm worried about going into starvation now that I'm actually feeling hungry and it working backwards for me. I'm also afraid that when I do start eating it will either stop the weight loss or go backwards because of the previous "starvation". Momentum, momentum, momentum, I want to keep it rolling. 6. I'm having a hard time watching my family eat. It grosses me out the food intake not so much with my growing boys, but especially with my husband who is going to have the surgery also. I feel like....."hey do you realize how much food you eat and I'm over here drinking broth all day long! Get control of yourself." Yikes, I know. So sorry, but it's true. This is emotional. You don't realize the emotions that you will go through in this life changing journey. 7. TMI Warning!! I am on the Depo shot and I have been spotting ever since the surgery - 12 days. I never have a period if I do it a day or two of lite spotting. This is every time I wipe, not fresh but old if you know what I mean. Sorry again. Could something in the surgery have messed with my shot or what are your thoughts on this? I do not want to get pregnant! 8. I'm starting to feel normal and that scares me a little. When I could feel the soreness and restriction (no hunger), it made it easier to not eat and be great with it. Now, it's like appetite is coming back. I'm scared of gaining. Other diets have worked opposite for me and I don't want this to also. I'm scared of any change or move! I feel like I have to starve myself to keep this going. :-( 9. Life evolved around cooking, eating out, social eating, etc. I've halted all of that and feel a little trapped. No one except immediate family, i.e. husband, sons, and girlfriend who went to hospital with me know that I have done this. I don't lie and would have a hard time explaining why I'm not eating, drinking alcohol, participating in the activities this early in my post surgery. So we are using our workload right now as a reason for staying home, etc. There's so much there for me right now. My husband is extremely supportive and wants me to do the same for him when he has the surgery. Sorry rambling but trying to get through the emotional/mental part of it. 10. I'm still bloated and tend to bloat throughout the day. Is this normal or what can I do to alleviate this? 11. I know I don't get enough liquids in as I can't drink Water. Any liquid suggestions would be great. 12. I can already tell that my absorption rate is super sensitive and high! Within seconds of trying something, I either feel sick, lightheaded or full or all of the above. Does this stay? When food is introduced will it be one bite at a time? 13. I think Protein shakes make me sick?? I know I'll have more, but here's a start. Thanks for your patience. Thanks to anyone and everyone for replying. It's wonderful to have a great resource like this board to be able to utilize.

I can't really address either of your concerns, because I not experienced with either with the band. But its been my experience that good or bad for you, if there is a will, there is a way. But There is one line that you wrote that bothered me. Here's the thing, it sounds like you are self medicating. From your statement it sounds like you rely pretty heavy on these drugs to relax,sleep,work, socialize thats a very large aspect to someones life. Have you ever thought about why? Its my guess that food for you may be another "drug" to self medicate with. I would suggest that you talk to your doctor...most patients must have a pych exam before having the surgery. I think you might want to figure out to source as to why you "need" these druds in excess. You may benefit more from anti-depressants and Therapy. The lap band is not like some of the other WLS, if you want to cheat , you can. It's very much a head game. It will be what you make of it. If you choose to make bad choices wheather it be in food, alcohol or drugs, you will probably not be as sucessful as someone that committs to the life style. Good luck lemons........please consider talking to someone about your concerns/issues.

Trying not to be judgemental - you can drink alcohol with the band but you will get drinker more quickly. And alcohol is empty calories. As my focus is on losing weight, I avoid empty calories as much as possible. I don't use marijuana or other illicit drugs so I won't comment on that other than to strongly urge you to discussion use fully with your surgeon so he/she can be sharper and prepared for any possible implications with your surgery and follow up.

I am really interested in having LapBand surgery, i am quite a bit overweight and heart attacks are quite common in my family, i've lost a father and grandfather of both sides to heart attacks, i've also had a history of high cholesterol but the high cholesterol is mostly gone now. My BMI is 35, i am 20 and i am having this surgery because i want to slim down the chances of any heart disease and also to live a healthier life. I am 1m 70, weigh around 100kg and my goal is to be 75kg. I have 2 concerns i need someone to answer fully so i can make my final decision. 1) Alcohol People i have asked say that its hard to drink after having LapBand surgery, they say you can't drink to get drunk, etc. I do tend to drink mostly on weekends but i don't overall drink large ammounts. 2) Marijuana I am a regular smoker, i use it to relax and sleep, i use it creatively and it's worked for me, it's not the reason im overweight and i dont intend to quit. I have completely quit smoking tobacco, it's helped with my anxiety/depression, made me quit smoking and it's made me hugely cut down on my alcohol. I also use it for work, university and socializing. Whenever i ask around about these issues, everyone seems to not answer me directly, i want to know if i can drink and smoke. I know i will have to cut down on alcohol, which i see as a benefit, but will smoking marijuana cause anything? Before you comment on weed, know that it's not the hunger factor from weed that has made me fat, i'd gone through depression and anxiety for years and became really fat, my BMI was 39, after smoking i dropped down to about 35 and im too busy to work out as frequently and my work/university cause me to stay idle for hours. The idea of having LapBand is to control the amount of food i consume so i can reach my goal weight, basically just having it cosmetically. I am also worried about extra skin, not from the belly but from my upper area, my boobs and thighs mainly. I am not interested in having any tucks or any removal surgery afterwards but the thing is, im 20, will it leave much extra skin? This is mostly a lifestyle change, i want to be thinner and be able to run and work for longer periods without getting tired because of being fat.

We always have friends over... I mean almost every weekend. I buy either special K or Kashi crackers to dip I'm hummus or a home made dip that I know is healthy. Also we usually grill chicken or steak kabobs with veggies and fruit. As for alcohol I'll have flavored vodka with diet cranberry juice ( 5 calories) And just skip dessert;) Have fun!!!

Try to preplan what you are going to eat if you know where you are going. Avoid the bread basket. Don't wash your food down with alcohol. Eat slowly and focus on enjoying the company.

All of the above posters are right! Nixi, I'm thrilled that you "got" it! This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. We're going to eat and drink things that aren't "diet friendly" on occasion, because this is REAL LIFE. The key is to not do that constantly. Normal people indulge in sweets sometimes; they drink alcohol in moderation. We ARE normal people...we're just bigger and working our ways down to a normal size. Enjoy a little treat here and there...and 1/4 of an apple fritter is a little treat. Just remember that you had that treat and try to eat less treats for a few days. You're doing great!!

I can only speak for myself, but I am most certainly a food addict. I don't think or see why anyone would "want" to be a food addict. I think it takes a lot of guts and courage to admit any kind of addiction. In the simplest form, the reason I know that I am food addict is that here I am, I'm intelligant, I know exactly what causes me to be morbidly obese, I know exactly what ill effects this weight causes my body, intellectually I know what I can/should do to correct it (and have done it to the tune of 1,000 (yes, one thousand) pounds over 50 years (my parents took me to a diet dr. when I was 7), and yet here I am....powerless over food....and still morbidly obese. I was very beautiful, and all this weight distorted my looks and robbed my self esteem. It has caused isolation and insecurity that I cannot even describe. I am invisible to most of the world. It is no fun not to be comfortable in your very own skin. Yet, I'm am SO extremely scared to have any kind of weight loss surgery, I'm on the fence about having any at all. Close friends and relatives are scared for me have surgery, due to the inherent risks and complications. It is a HUGE decision. I am not overexagerating when I say it is the biggest decision I'll ever make and I am not making it or taking it lightly. If other types of behaviors are addictive - such as illegal and prescription drugs, alcohol, smoking, gambling, sex, just to name a few - why not food?? It doesn't surprise me one iota. I live it everyday and so do lots and lots of others. It is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It has basically ruined my life.

In my work, I find that one of the most common explanations people give for their struggle with diets and with obesity is “I’m a food addict.” When asked what this means, most people explain that their inability to maintain the weight lost from diets and the fact that most or all of the weight eventually returns is proof of their “food addiction.” Additional evidence they cite is that their eating is “all or nothing,” that they can completely avoid so-called “forbidden foods” or binge on them with regularity, but nothing in between. This kind of reasoning is called reasoning from the converse. This is where you have a conclusion or an end state and you then go backwards to explain the cause and use the existence of the end state as proof of the cause. This invariably leads to circular logic that goes nowhere. Here’s how it works: “I am a food addict which explains why I cannot moderate my intake of certain foods, and my inability to moderate my intake of certain foods proves that I am addicted to them and am therefore an addict.” But does it? There is actually another, more accurate explanation. There are three facts that must be considered: 1) 95% of people will regain most or all of the weight they have lost on a diet within five years. 2) Many, if not most diets teach avoidance of “forbidden foods,” not moderate consumption of them. 3) Very few diets or weight loss regimens are successfully maintained indefinitely. These facts are very important to our discussion because they are true for almost EVERYONE who has tried to lose a significant amount of weight. Therefore, either everyone who has failed to keep their weight off following a diet or eventually resorts to eating “forbidden foods” is a “food addict” or there are other explanations for this phenomenon. But why is it that so many of the people I meet are eager to call themselves “food addicts?” Most people are uncomfortable acknowledging that they are addicted to alcohol or illicit substances such as cocaine or heroin, so why is being a so-called “food addict” easier to acknowledge? I believe it is because the label “food addict” removes the feelings of guilt and shame that so many people experience when they regain weight after all of the work they expended in losing it. It is absolutely heartbreaking to lose the weight, have people notice that you’re thinner and then a year later you’ve regained the weight and everyone knows it. It would be very tempting to blame this on a disease called “addiction.” “It’s not my fault that I regained the weight and am obese again…I’m a food addict.” I can certainly understand the desire to be free from responsibility from your obesity or weight regain; however, it’s not necessary to fall back on the explanation that you are a “food addict.” Perhaps if we looked at the facts about weight loss, there would be no need for all of the guilt and shame and the resulting need to explain it away by calling it an addiction. Review the facts that I mentioned earlier. The overwhelming majority of people regain the weight they have lost from a diet, very few diets teach moderate eating of “forbidden foods” (so you’re left with only knowing how to eat them or not eat them), and most people find it very difficult if not impossible to stay on a regimen of controlled eating for extended periods of time. These are the problems faced by almost all human beings who try to lose weight, not just those who are “food addicts!” So what is the explanation when someone actually succeeds in losing weight and keeping it off? Great question…and the answer is not that these rare souls are not “food addicts” or that they are “recovered food addicts.” The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is an organization that keeps tracks of “successful weight losers” who have lost 30 pounds or more and have kept it off for at least one year. What should immediately catch your eye is that “success” is defined as losing 30 pounds and keeping it off for one year. So if losing 30 pounds and keeping it off for one year is considered “successful,” if you’re morbidly obese and manage to lose 100 pounds and keep that off for several years that would be incredibly successful! Extensive research has been done on these folks over the years and the most recent study has discovered 7 common habits which most of the 6,000 people studied have in common. 6,000 participants in a study is a strong number of people and one where the conclusions drawn are likely very robust. Interestingly, the researchers noted that 90% of the folks in this study who finally lost the weight and kept if off had a previous history of losing weight and putting it back on. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of people were not successful on their first try. The seven habits of successful “losers” were: 1. Engaging in 200+ minutes of exercise of moderate intensity per week, 2. Limiting TV watching to less than 10 hours per week, 3. Eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet with less than 30% of calories from fat, 4. Consistency – relatively little food variety and the same daily pattern of eating, 5. Eating breakfast, 6. Avoiding emotional eating and binging and limiting consumption of fast food to less than once weekly and, 7. Monitoring yourself such as documenting calories and/or fat. Notice that every one of the seven habits is just that…a pattern of behavior. There is no mention of the characteristics of the 6000 people. It’s not about who they are, but rather what they did and continue to do. So what do we make of this “food addiction?” Neuroscience is recognizing the difficulty human beings have in resisting certain foods that we can call “engineered foods” that are high in sugar, salt and other additives. These foods are designed by fast-food companies and food manufacturers to be irresistible because they cause certain reactions in the brain that make it hard for us to say no. But these are challenges for us all. In fact, mass consumption of these “engineered foods” is likely one of the great contributors to the obesity epidemic. They explain why we, as a society, are getting fatter. Perhaps we will discover that some individuals (for neurological or other reasons) have a more difficult time resisting these “engineered foods” enriched with sugar, salt and other additives, and that these individuals are the true “food addicts.” But what would knowing that you are one of these individuals change? What would a “food addict” do differently to lose weight and keep it off? The addiction model says that the addict should completely abstain from using the substance or drug. Should “food addicts” avoid all food (impossible) or just the ones they are “addicted” to? And how would we know which ones those would be? The most commonly cited addictive “substance” in food is sugar, but we’re not at all certain. There is also another problem. Much of the research on binge eating indicates that designating certain foods as completely “forbidden” and avoiding them results in feelings of deprivation and their becoming even more desirable which often results in binging on them when you finally give into temptation. Perhaps someday there will be treatments for true “food addicts” if “food addiction” actually exists. What is more likely however; is that these folks will simply have to work even harder than most of us to stick to the seven habits that are detailed above. In the meantime, consider giving up the label of “food addict” and instead, recognize that losing weight and keeping it off is a tremendous challenge, but an achievable one. If you’re thinking of beginning to address your own personal “battle of the bulge” either for the first time or the twentieth time, or if you’re feeling hopeless and thinking there is no point in even trying, fear not…most successful losers apparently made several unsuccessful attempts before they finally got it right. And if you are thinking of starting yet again…the seven habits detailed above are a great blueprint to follow.

In my work, I find that one of the most common explanations people give for their struggle with diets and with obesity is “I’m a food addict.” When asked what this means, most people explain that their inability to maintain the weight lost from diets and the fact that most or all of the weight eventually returns is proof of their “food addiction.” Additional evidence they cite is that their eating is “all or nothing,” that they can completely avoid so-called “forbidden foods” or binge on them with regularity, but nothing in between. This kind of reasoning is called reasoning from the converse. This is where you have a conclusion or an end state and you then go backwards to explain the cause and use the existence of the end state as proof of the cause. This invariably leads to circular logic that goes nowhere. Here’s how it works: “I am a food addict which explains why I cannot moderate my intake of certain foods, and my inability to moderate my intake of certain foods proves that I am addicted to them and am therefore an addict.” But does it? There is actually another, more accurate explanation. There are three facts that must be considered: 1) 95% of people will regain most or all of the weight they have lost on a diet within five years. 2) Many, if not most diets teach avoidance of “forbidden foods,” not moderate consumption of them. 3) Very few diets or weight loss regimens are successfully maintained indefinitely. These facts are very important to our discussion because they are true for almost EVERYONE who has tried to lose a significant amount of weight. Therefore, either everyone who has failed to keep their weight off following a diet or eventually resorts to eating “forbidden foods” is a “food addict” or there are other explanations for this phenomenon. But why is it that so many of the people I meet are eager to call themselves “food addicts?” Most people are uncomfortable acknowledging that they are addicted to alcohol or illicit substances such as cocaine or heroin, so why is being a so-called “food addict” easier to acknowledge? I believe it is because the label “food addict” removes the feelings of guilt and shame that so many people experience when they regain weight after all of the work they expended in losing it. It is absolutely heartbreaking to lose the weight, have people notice that you’re thinner and then a year later you’ve regained the weight and everyone knows it. It would be very tempting to blame this on a disease called “addiction.” “It’s not my fault that I regained the weight and am obese again…I’m a food addict.” I can certainly understand the desire to be free from responsibility from your obesity or weight regain; however, it’s not necessary to fall back on the explanation that you are a “food addict.” Perhaps if we looked at the facts about weight loss, there would be no need for all of the guilt and shame and the resulting need to explain it away by calling it an addiction. Review the facts that I mentioned earlier. The overwhelming majority of people regain the weight they have lost from a diet, very few diets teach moderate eating of “forbidden foods” (so you’re left with only knowing how to eat them or not eat them), and most people find it very difficult if not impossible to stay on a regimen of controlled eating for extended periods of time. These are the problems faced by almost all human beings who try to lose weight, not just those who are “food addicts!” So what is the explanation when someone actually succeeds in losing weight and keeping it off? Great question…and the answer is not that these rare souls are not “food addicts” or that they are “recovered food addicts.” The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is an organization that keeps tracks of “successful weight losers” who have lost 30 pounds or more and have kept it off for at least one year. What should immediately catch your eye is that “success” is defined as losing 30 pounds and keeping it off for one year. So if losing 30 pounds and keeping it off for one year is considered “successful,” if you’re morbidly obese and manage to lose 100 pounds and keep that off for several years that would be incredibly successful! Extensive research has been done on these folks over the years and the most recent study has discovered 7 common habits which most of the 6,000 people studied have in common. 6,000 participants in a study is a strong number of people and one where the conclusions drawn are likely very robust. Interestingly, the researchers noted that 90% of the folks in this study who finally lost the weight and kept if off had a previous history of losing weight and putting it back on. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of people were not successful on their first try. The seven habits of successful “losers” were: 1. Engaging in 200+ minutes of exercise of moderate intensity per week, 2. Limiting TV watching to less than 10 hours per week, 3. Eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet with less than 30% of calories from fat, 4. Consistency – relatively little food variety and the same daily pattern of eating, 5. Eating breakfast, 6. Avoiding emotional eating and binging and limiting consumption of fast food to less than once weekly and, 7. Monitoring yourself such as documenting calories and/or fat. Notice that every one of the seven habits is just that…a pattern of behavior. There is no mention of the characteristics of the 6000 people. It’s not about who they are, but rather what they did and continue to do. So what do we make of this “food addiction?” Neuroscience is recognizing the difficulty human beings have in resisting certain foods that we can call “engineered foods” that are high in sugar, salt and other additives. These foods are designed by fast-food companies and food manufacturers to be irresistible because they cause certain reactions in the brain that make it hard for us to say no. But these are challenges for us all. In fact, mass consumption of these “engineered foods” is likely one of the great contributors to the obesity epidemic. They explain why we, as a society, are getting fatter. Perhaps we will discover that some individuals (for neurological or other reasons) have a more difficult time resisting these “engineered foods” enriched with sugar, salt and other additives, and that these individuals are the true “food addicts.” But what would knowing that you are one of these individuals change? What would a “food addict” do differently to lose weight and keep it off? The addiction model says that the addict should completely abstain from using the substance or drug. Should “food addicts” avoid all food (impossible) or just the ones they are “addicted” to? And how would we know which ones those would be? The most commonly cited addictive “substance” in food is sugar, but we’re not at all certain. There is also another problem. Much of the research on binge eating indicates that designating certain foods as completely “forbidden” and avoiding them results in feelings of deprivation and their becoming even more desirable which often results in binging on them when you finally give into temptation. Perhaps someday there will be treatments for true “food addicts” if “food addiction” actually exists. What is more likely however; is that these folks will simply have to work even harder than most of us to stick to the seven habits that are detailed above. In the meantime, consider giving up the label of “food addict” and instead, recognize that losing weight and keeping it off is a tremendous challenge, but an achievable one. If you’re thinking of beginning to address your own personal “battle of the bulge” either for the first time or the twentieth time, or if you’re feeling hopeless and thinking there is no point in even trying, fear not…most successful losers apparently made several unsuccessful attempts before they finally got it right. And if you are thinking of starting yet again…the seven habits detailed above are a great blueprint to follow.

If your drinking is causing problems--and from your post it is--perhaps you should give AA a try. It is free and they are all dealing with addiction. You didn't mention anything about getting drunk, but you are relying on alcohol in an unhealthy way and that is a drinking problem. Anyone who has beaten addiction to anything (food included) will tell you that relapse is a place you usually go through on the path to recovery/health. There is no shame in having a problem.....as long as you don't let it steal anymore years from you. Best of luck.

You can do both...I am! I eat whatever I want, just very small portions. I have been to dozens of restaurants since my surgery and have never went without...and still lose weight. I have even had alcohol, not much but I have. I fortunately am not much of a carb/sweets person so I may have a bit of an advantage but it can be done! Never say never, shouldnt even been in the vocabulary. Best of luck to you, it does work and you will do great!

I'm going to throw this out here just for the sake of proving the point. Cycling carbs and calories while exercising sufficiently is a very effective strategy to strip body fat. Men lose fat more easily than women. Why? Because a man's body consists of more lean muscle tissue than a woman's. And a man's hormonal makeup is more geared toward anabolism. I like to eat. I don't like to feel deprived - and I like ice cream... No... I LOVE ice cream. I want to eat as much food as I can, while still losing body fat. Here is an example of my last 8 day period. For the first 5 days I ate relatively good foods and stayed in the 2000 calorie a day range - which is a deficit for me. I kept simple carbs to a minimum while making certain I was eating sufficient grams of Protein to protect my lean muscle mass. Then I let myself up off the mat and in the last two days I ATE... and I ATE A LOT... In the last 2 days alone I ate a combined 3000 calories plus of JUST ice cream. That does't include the mexican food at Bandidos or the alcoholic beverages or any of the other intake. I no doubt consumed somewhere around 4000 calories each day. But now I will settle back into a deficit for 5 more days, limiting those simple carbs but still keeping my protein intake sufficient enough to protect my lean muscle mass. This is certainly too extreme of a swing for most people here, but the general principle still applies. The high calorie days and sufficient exercise keep your metabolism white-hot, yet the lower calorie days keep your lean muscle tissue protected. The end result is a reduction in body fat, while not feeling weak and sluggish or depriving yourself. I have used this principle for quite awhile and have more and more muscle definition as each month passes. If you don't believe me check out my gallery. My abs are becoming more and more defined as body fat continues to strip away. It's a slow but steady process but it is very effective. When I first started I had to dig through fat to find my port. Now the damn thing sticks out like a tumor because there's so little fat over it.... I have struggled with low fat / low carb / low calorie diets and sedentary lifestyles just like everyone else. I did Atkins and so many other fads... They don't work long term... You must have a permanent lifestyle change to be successful - band or not. The proof is in the pudding as they say... Search LBT and you'll be bombarded with threads and posts about people eating 800 calories a day and not losing weight... There's a new group of them that comes along every few weeks... So many just end up throwing in the towel and declaring the band didn't work for them... This isn't stuff that my surgeon or nutritionist gave me. It's research and trial and error I did on my own to get results. Save yourselves the headaches and struggles and learn from the mistakes of those who've gone down this road before you. My advice for women trying this technique would be to do sufficient cardio 5 days a week at 40 minutes a session, working all 3 target heart rate zones. Add in two strength/resistance training sessions a week. Continually challenge yourself and increase intensity of your workouts as they become easier. Everyone's activity levels are different, but for the sake of argument I'd increase calories by 100 every 5 days until you achieve about 1200. Then every 5-7 days take 2 days and run that number up to 1800-2000 and then slam back down to 1200 for another 5-7 days. Repeat this cycle and you will strip body fat... and you will have so much more energy and not feel like you are dieting so much.

why cant you go out for dinner ? have a salad before you leave the house and then have an appetizer for your dinner. skip the alcoholic drink , or just have 1 and sip water or seltzer the rest of the evening. you can still live your life you just may have to make adjustments. Also, Applebees does a weight watchers menu and most resturants have a "lighter menu" too. You're going to need your friends so dont give up everything just to loose weight. good luck !

You betcha!!!!! From what I understand, when we had this surgery, not only were our tummies removed but some hormones and other "stuff" we may not know we needed. It makes sense to me, however, when some of these hormones are removed, people do stuff they never used to. . .turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, get more emotional, get angry, etc. . . I did that too. . never was a drinker, but recently I could easily become an alcoholic. . .thank goodness I have control not to do that. . .but it's definately there, that and wanting to go crazy on carbs. . . at 3 years out this is not a good thing (no wonder some people fail with this surgery after a while). . . I had posted a post about my hubbie hurting my feelings by telling me I had gained weight, well after having had a pity party with myself and LOTS of self talk, I told him thank you cause even though I did not gain weight (according to my scale) it made me realize that maybe I'm doing bizzare things which i didn't do before. . . and then I realized that yes I'm snacking like an idiot on carbs and between meals and yes I was drinking alcohol A LOT!!! Sooooo, i stopped that dead in its tracks. . . think head hunger is murder? Try stopping every thing cold turkey! If i wasn't crazy before, I will be now! hahaha. . . but it's only temporary cause once my body gets back on track, I will be ok. . . . PS: For you stats folks, I don't have proof of my findings, only observation. . . .

Misinformation about Weight Loss Surgery If you have ever who has discussed weight loss surgery with uninformed individuals, you know that the initial reaction is likely to be negative and backed by false information or no information at all. Many people who have not investigated weight loss surgery believe that the surgery is a quick fix for lazy people. They may think that you can walk in off the street and leave from bariatric surgery a couple hundred pounds lighter; that you chose to ignore your weight for years; and that all bariatric surgery is the same;. Wrong, wrong and wrong. These misperceptions contribute to the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. People may look down on surgery as the “easy way out” for “lazy people,” instead of as a tool for hard-working people to have the opportunity to lead the healthy lives that everyone should have the chance to lead. You already know that you’re not lazy and that bariatric surgery is not a magic bullet; the next time you run across an uninformed, disparaging individual, you can patiently explain to them the steps of the process and the hard work you and every other successful weight loss surgery patient puts in. Not Everyone is Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery You can’t just “go get bariatric surgery,” and this is an important fact to understand to reduce the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. Each weight loss center has strict eligibility requirements that you have to meet before you can become a candidate. In general, patients must be morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40, or have a BMI over 35 and have health complications related to being overweight; for example, you might be eligible if you have a BMI of 35 and already have type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol levels. Most clinics have additional eligibility criteria that you need to meet before being considered as a potential bariatric surgery candidate. You need to have been overweight for several years, usually over five years. You also need to show that you have tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight multiple times through diet alone. You cannot be a smoker or be an abuser of alcohol or drugs because the additional health risks from surgery will be too great. Pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant soon should not have bariatric surgery because pregnancy is only safe after your weight is constant. The decision to have surgery requires significant consideration and planning. Bariatric Surgery Requires Preparation Bariatric surgery itself does not guarantee permanent weight loss success, and much of the responsibility for losing weight will be up to you. Even after going through the screening process and learning that your clinic agrees that some form of bariatric surgery is right for you, several steps remain before you can undergo the procedure. The steps are in place to ensure that you are likely to succeed with the surgery and are not signing up on a whim. You will meet your bariatric team members, including your surgeon, dietitian and psychologist or psychiatrist. In most cases, you will undergo a psychological interview or series of tests to make sure that you are capable of sticking to the required diet. You may be asked to follow a specific diet for weeks before your scheduled surgery to demonstrate your commitment and ability to succeed after the operation. This step may also be required by your health insurance company for your bariatric procedure to be covered. There are Risks People need to understand that you can’t take bariatric surgery lightly. Each type of surgery has risks, although different processes are riskier than others. The lap band is relatively low-risk, with minor concerns of the band slipping out of place or infections at the incision site. Roux-n-Y gastric bypass carries a higher rate of complications, including ulcers, spleen injuries, leakage through staples and deficiencies of micronutrients, such as vitamin B-12 and iron. Nobody would choose to have a bariatric procedure if they weren’t convinced that they had tried all of their other options to get healthy. It’s a Long Process Bariatric surgery is a crucial milestone, but it is early in your weight loss journey and bariatric care plan. After surgery, you will continue to have follow-up appointments with your surgeon as dictated by your health and type of weight loss surgery. You will also meet with your dietitian regularly to stay on track with your diet. Most clinics have optional or mandatory support groups to motivate you and provide opportunities to ask your surgeon and fellow patients questions in a group setting. The surgery does not take off any weight. It’s a tool to make it easier for the patient to follow the proper diet for the long term. Contrary to what some people may believe, you do not lose any weight during the surgery. All of the weight that you lose is because of changes to your diet. The surgical procedures help you eat less by limiting the size of your stomach and making you feel full faster. Even if you lose 100 pounds in your first year, which is a standard benchmark for success, you may still have more weight to lose. Once you reach your goal weight, you still need to watch your diet and exercise regularly to keep the weight off. In Conclusion You’re already familiar with the intensive efforts required for weight loss surgery, but unfortunately, most people are not. This often leads to negative reactions when you tell them about your procedure. An important step you can take in reducing the stigma is to explain that the procedure is a component of an overall program to improve your health through lifestyle modifications.

Misinformation about Weight Loss Surgery If you have ever who has discussed weight loss surgery with uninformed individuals, you know that the initial reaction is likely to be negative and backed by false information or no information at all. Many people who have not investigated weight loss surgery believe that the surgery is a quick fix for lazy people. They may think that you can walk in off the street and leave from bariatric surgery a couple hundred pounds lighter; that you chose to ignore your weight for years; and that all bariatric surgery is the same;. Wrong, wrong and wrong. These misperceptions contribute to the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. People may look down on surgery as the “easy way out” for “lazy people,” instead of as a tool for hard-working people to have the opportunity to lead the healthy lives that everyone should have the chance to lead. You already know that you’re not lazy and that bariatric surgery is not a magic bullet; the next time you run across an uninformed, disparaging individual, you can patiently explain to them the steps of the process and the hard work you and every other successful weight loss surgery patient puts in. Not Everyone is Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery You can’t just “go get bariatric surgery,” and this is an important fact to understand to reduce the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. Each weight loss center has strict eligibility requirements that you have to meet before you can become a candidate. In general, patients must be morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40, or have a BMI over 35 and have health complications related to being overweight; for example, you might be eligible if you have a BMI of 35 and already have type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol levels. Most clinics have additional eligibility criteria that you need to meet before being considered as a potential bariatric surgery candidate. You need to have been overweight for several years, usually over five years. You also need to show that you have tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight multiple times through diet alone. You cannot be a smoker or be an abuser of alcohol or drugs because the additional health risks from surgery will be too great. Pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant soon should not have bariatric surgery because pregnancy is only safe after your weight is constant. The decision to have surgery requires significant consideration and planning. Bariatric Surgery Requires Preparation Bariatric surgery itself does not guarantee permanent weight loss success, and much of the responsibility for losing weight will be up to you. Even after going through the screening process and learning that your clinic agrees that some form of bariatric surgery is right for you, several steps remain before you can undergo the procedure. The steps are in place to ensure that you are likely to succeed with the surgery and are not signing up on a whim. You will meet your bariatric team members, including your surgeon, dietitian and psychologist or psychiatrist. In most cases, you will undergo a psychological interview or series of tests to make sure that you are capable of sticking to the required diet. You may be asked to follow a specific diet for weeks before your scheduled surgery to demonstrate your commitment and ability to succeed after the operation. This step may also be required by your health insurance company for your bariatric procedure to be covered. There are Risks People need to understand that you can’t take bariatric surgery lightly. Each type of surgery has risks, although different processes are riskier than others. The lap band is relatively low-risk, with minor concerns of the band slipping out of place or infections at the incision site. Roux-n-Y gastric bypass carries a higher rate of complications, including ulcers, spleen injuries, leakage through staples and deficiencies of micronutrients, such as vitamin B-12 and iron. Nobody would choose to have a bariatric procedure if they weren’t convinced that they had tried all of their other options to get healthy. It’s a Long Process Bariatric surgery is a crucial milestone, but it is early in your weight loss journey and bariatric care plan. After surgery, you will continue to have follow-up appointments with your surgeon as dictated by your health and type of weight loss surgery. You will also meet with your dietitian regularly to stay on track with your diet. Most clinics have optional or mandatory support groups to motivate you and provide opportunities to ask your surgeon and fellow patients questions in a group setting. The surgery does not take off any weight. It’s a tool to make it easier for the patient to follow the proper diet for the long term. Contrary to what some people may believe, you do not lose any weight during the surgery. All of the weight that you lose is because of changes to your diet. The surgical procedures help you eat less by limiting the size of your stomach and making you feel full faster. Even if you lose 100 pounds in your first year, which is a standard benchmark for success, you may still have more weight to lose. Once you reach your goal weight, you still need to watch your diet and exercise regularly to keep the weight off. In Conclusion You’re already familiar with the intensive efforts required for weight loss surgery, but unfortunately, most people are not. This often leads to negative reactions when you tell them about your procedure. An important step you can take in reducing the stigma is to explain that the procedure is a component of an overall program to improve your health through lifestyle modifications.

I'm surprised how emotional I've been. I cried a couple of times during the last 3 days of recovery "for no reason" that I could put my finger on. This is a big deal. I think there is a lot of emotion that will come up. But I would have a talk with your husband about how he can better support you. For the short term, I'd consider asking him not to talk about food in front of you. It sounds like it's a hot button issue for you, and he will hopefully help make things easier, not harder, if you tell him what's going on inside your head... For me, it was alcohol... I made my DH put everything in storage and asked that we keep a dry house for a few months... We usually had a scotch or two (or some other drink) before bed every night, and I knew I'd feel really left out if he were drinking when I couldn't...

I am going to compare this to another time in my life where I had to make a big change. I did cry then, I had such a hard time coming to terms with the fact- not drinking alcohol ever again. As time went on I stopped looking at my whole life but one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. this is a big change you are making. it is a change that you are making, not your family. Everyone eats and you will be smelling food forever more! start to think about the changes you are going to experience once your body changes. It will be a bigger high than the smells of the family breakfast, really it will be much better!! I try not to think only of weight loss. I have experienced a great loss of inches since I started this life. I also can exercise & walk so well now. I don't get winded, I don't feel the same aches and pains. Is all of this worth it??

Amanda, we are so in the same boat. I did the 3 month insurance required diet and lost, but the whole time I just kept telling myself I was making better choices and choosing to eat smaller portions - I never really had a hard time with it and didn't have that "I'm STARVING" feeling, like I do on most diets. I had my pre-op on Wednesday and my pre-op diet consists of 3 or 4 replacement/protein shakes and a small Lean Cuisine type dinner. I tried to do some of it on Wed night, but didn't go so well. So on Thursday and Friday I tried to follow it, and now I feel like I'm STARVING! When I was on the 3 month diet I hardly ever felt hungry, went hours between my morning shake and lunch shake without a problem, and now I can barely go 15 minutes without thinking of something I can have, or feeling the need to eat. My stomach is rumbling and I'm grouchy and I feel like I did on every diet before. :-( My doctor wants me to lose 10 pounds in 7 days - I thought it would be easy, but since I lost over 20 pounds already that quick weight loss isn't happening now. Hopefully it will be fine no matter what - the nurse said since I've already lost a lot and I'm not that big anyways (one of the ONLY times I've ever heard that for many years!!!!) that even just a few pounds should be fine. Oh, and adding to the stress of a starvation diet I now have PMS, and I can't take anything but Tylenol. Or alcohol. I feel bad for my family having to live with me for the past couple of days. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one having a hard time with this. Yesterday I ate about 1-2 cups of pistachios....definitely NOT on my pre-op diet. ~Kelly <3

Post your username and you'll have 20 friends in an hour. If you're using it on your phone, go to summary and it will show you your friends' status updates, including their exercise..which motivates me the most! I keep my diary public. For any public diary, your friends can go in it and see what you're eating, drinking, and exercising on a daily basis. I find that this keeps me honest. You'll see that I have eaten sweets and carbs on occasion...and even that I've had alcohol. I figure I should post everything so that I can see trends later (if needed) and to keep it honest for those who are following me. I'm Lissa912 on there. Feel free to add me, just note that you're from VST if you use a different username there than here.

Rachael, i think they refer to alcohol as "empy calories." Not good to drink alot. I know its ok to have a little now and then, but overdueing, like food - isn't great. Remember, smaller portions and moderation kathy sorry for the interruption,/crash but...... Lissa, i see you have been creeping "down" in weight to losing 91 lb - how terrific is that? congrats kathy