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Hi all, Melissa I had one thing to tell you. Do not accept that crap about why you're trying to kill yourself with food. Not one of us is trying to do that. If anyone lays that line on you you need to remember you have an addiction center in your brain that lights up when you eat food. For others its alcohol, or risk-taking, or drugs, or rescuing others. Do we have emotional issues that contribute to our addiction? Yes. Are they the cause of it? No! We have a chemical reaction to food that other people don't have, particularly to carbs. We don't hate ourselves so much that we're trying to kill ourselves with food. Anyone trying to peddle that crap is out of date and out of touch with the latest research. What a guilt trip to lay on you. Or are you laying it on yourself? You got the lapband because you want to live. You wanted a tool to help you get a fighting chance against that addiction center in your brain. So, make use of the tool. And reject any shaming message that tells you you're trying to kill yourself with food. Jessica, glad to hear from you. Gotta go. Cheri

i had to wait 6 months post-op before i could have carbonation and alcohol... after that i had no restrictions. you just have to always remember... you should NOT eat and drink at the same time. even almost 3 years post-op that is hard for me. when i go out for work happy hour, i have to choose whether i'm going to eat or drink... and honestly, i usually choose drinking lol it might make things more difficult when you travel... but you can start drinking again about 30 minutes after you eat! i'm a believer that you can have anything in moderation... but it might cause you to lose slower.

Too funny! I'll definitely get some alcohol pads. We are being sleeved the same day, Dazy!

My surgery is the 14th! I am super nervous. I read somewhere, can't remember where, that a nurse told a sleever that when she got nauseous to sniff an alcohol pad. She said it took the nausea away instantly. So I got me some alcohol pads packed for that reason. It is worth the try at least. Also, when we get home, sucking on a lemon gets rid of nausea I hear. I am getting so nervous. Trying to read success stories. So far, everyone says it feels like you have been hit by a Mac truck. Also at first, they say, what have I done to myself. Then later nobody regrets it! So I am focusing on the later! Good luck and try the alcohol pads! You never know!

i spend most of my time on OH and there are a lot of people that have just passed up their 6 mo mark that are having the same problems. most of us have started working out and really watching what we are eating and the scale just isnt moving. one person stalled from mo 6 to 8 and then started losing again. i think our bodies have just gotten accustomed to the way that we have been eating. just stick with it and stay strong. working out can only be good for the body. just get enough protein and know that if you have patience things will start going the right direction. i struggle with having to watch what i eat so carefully in order to lose weight. i mean, i cant consume more than 3 oz of protein every 3 hours and yet still i have to worry about gaining weight. i thought that once i had the surgery those days would be behind me. it is very disheartening. and then to also live a little and have some alcohol and have to dread getting on the scale. im still trying to work through this. how much protein are you getting in? when you work out, you do need a lot of protein. when i wasnt getting enough, i had stopped lsoing weight altogether. yeah, i weigh everyday. although i dont recommend it.

I can say that the removal of my ravenous hunger, and ability to gorge myself with copious amounts of food and beverages has been the key to my success. However, this is a reply to another topic I posted a couple of days ago. This pretty much sums up my experience, and my mindset on long term success with VSG. I have been maintaining my weight loss VERY EFFORTLESSLY at the age of 34 for almost a year. I have a 5lb bounce around on the scale any given week. I can tie it to my indulgences of high sodium foods, and my "girls nights out" with copious amounts of alcohol. I do not ever get in any formal exercise and have NOT for a solid year. I've had spurts here and there of working out at home for a week to 10 days, but nothing consistent at all. I honestly I do eat anything and everything I want. Here's the kicker, I don't want to eat a lot of junk food. Why? Because my body runs best, I feel best physically when I feed my body a nutrient dense, Protein full diet, BUT I eat Cookies, chips, pretzels, rice, bread, Pasta all in moderation. Of course, about 85% of the time, I eat protein first, but sometimes all I want is some veggies. I do not count anything other than protein and calories now. I keep white carbs in moderation to some degree, but if I want mashed potatoes and gravy, guess what 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes and a little gravy didn't make me FAT, 4 cups of mashed potatoes with gravy on top of a 12oz ribeye with mac-n-cheese, 3 dinner rolls, and 3 glasses of sweet ice tea made me fat. Moderation is the key. I will add that I have zero metabolic issues, nor is my body sensitive to carbs. I do not get the "eat a carb, crave a carb" nor am I an emotional eater. Therefore, going into this, I feel I beat the curve quite a bit. I was a volume eater. The sleeve will work just like any other weight loss surgery works. RNY and DS can be considered failures as well. Not one single weight loss surgery is bullet proof. So, a tool working long term is only as successful as the person using the tool. Just like a hammer to a nail. You can choose to keep your eyes open, steady your arm, and aim with precision as you go to drive that nail in with just a couple of dings, or you can wield that hammer blindfolded, with a swagger in your swing, and you'll more than likely miss the nail, hit your finger or dent the wood. Make sense? ? ? I will add that I am eating the same amounts currently that I was eating a year ago, but that quantity is double what I could at 2-3 months. The sleeve matures over time. There is minimal stretching. When I say double amounts, I was able to eat 2oz dense protein at 2-3 months out, today I can get in about 4-5oz of dense protein with a couple bites of veggies. You can cheat any of the surgeries, and the sleeve can be eaten around. I know the tricks, I employ them on occasion. Drinking warm fluids or having a glass of wine with my meal relaxes my stomach, therefore I can fit a bit more in, a bit more = 1-2 ounces of mashed potatoes, or mac-n-cheese on top of my chicken. To this day, I can NOT eat an entire chicken breast without stretching my meal out over 40 minutes. I can barely eat 1.5-2 poached eggs. What I'm saying is that there is a max capacity to the sleeve, but the restriction you have the first 6 months will change, ENJOY that time, maximize your weight loss, and become diligent with changing your lifestyle. Any weight loss surgery success is defined by either compliancy or complacency and with some mechanical failures on the other surgery types you can find that a specific tool "didn't work properly". It's a choice you make. No one else, the surgery doesn't fail UNLESS it's not performed properly because there is nothing mechanical to fail with the sleeve like there is with the band or RNY. The other issues can be metabolic issues, or carb sensitivity, or some people lose differently. Stoma and pouches stretch, malabsorption of calories, fats and carbs stop after the adaptation process occurs in the intestines, and then RNY patients are having to rely on restriction only with a stretchy pouch, a blind stomach left behind making ghrelin at a higher level vs. Sleeve patients. With the band, the list of issues with it are long, detailed, but the reasons the band can and does fail are numerous. Pouch stretching, not being able to get a decent fill, then there's the physical issues with the band itself. I can go on and on. But, I know plenty of VSG'ers that are 2-4 years out (mainly on obesityhelp.com) that share my opinion on weight regain with VSG, their experiences are pretty similar to mine. There are several out there maintaining fairly effortlessly as well, and live a life of moderation. I've seen 20-40lb weight regain on a couple of patients that are 3-4 years out, and every time, they admit, I quit eating the proper foods, life happened and I turned to my old friend for comfort, or they just gave up and expected to eat ding dongs and hos hos without consequence. Most naturally thin women I know don't eat packages of hos hos on a regular basis. Most naturally thin women do watch what they eat, and do not shovel shitpots of craptastic food into their body without consequence. At least none of my naturally thin friends can eat like I did pre-op and not see weight gain.

Good Evening Gang Hugs & Prayers for Julie !!! One on my #7 is having her band removed too - partial erosion.. Melissa - Hugs on fight w/DH - but good that you did talk about it- I know that w/my own DH - - on needing a fill - if you eat 4 oz of hard Protein are you physically full... That's the test IMHO.. I think we all eat to a degree softer foods so that we can consume more food - not just junk but veggie too. Take tiny bites chew well and eat slowly and then sit and thing about your stomach - does your pouch feel full.. This doesn't mean you aren't still going to be hungry but your stomach is actually full.. Try it and let me know - OMG my post was really bad spelling ;0) I was too tired to spell ck LOL - I think you have to find out the reason you are killing yourself before you can get better - what's inside you making you eat things you know you shouldn't - I am praying that this shrink will be able to help you get to the bottom of your issues.. Hugs Hugs Hugs.. Cheri - Co-dependency - I truly applied it to our relationships w/an alcoholic or drug person - but I see where it can affect other areas of our lives - I can't say I am a pple pleaser - Yes I like to make pple feel good - but not to the point of putting myself 2nd.. I have taken care of so many pple in my life that IMHO it's my time.. I'm done raising kids putting myself 2nd having controlling pple in my life and boyfriends who were addicted to drugs - hell my xdh was a rescuer - but the problem was I didn't need rescuing - he might have thought I did but - I sure in the hell wasn't helpless and I think this is why the marriage didn't last Like Melissa I truly believe that my eating was my control - it's what I did for me after doing for everyone else - Only other pple who have this issue understand - I know my trainer would say - why when you know it's killing you - I think we just put our heads in the sand - and after a while it's just to hard to think about losing the weight - ie this is where the band comes in play to help - but it's not the magic cure all - it's only a tool to help us - as I alway say the real work is up to us.. Food is our drug of choice and a non food addict really just doesn't understand this.. It's what I controlled when I had no control over all that was going on in my life.. Lori - I am glad you are standing up for you... I love the pic on fb of your GM holding her GGDGD great great darling grand daughter lo)... Apples said she could see the diff in my face - I can a pit - but pictures don't really show the diff that much imho yep enabling and codependency go hand in hand.. Charlene - botox can take a week to come to it's full effect - the filler is immediate - but the swelling last for a bit too.. The only problem with doing this - is you are going to want more and after a few months - it wears off -I can even see where my filler could use a touch up - each person is diff on how their body reacts to this stuff - botox really only lasted me 3 months - I am going to call an get appointment for my eyes - they are what bug me the most - still saggy - I really can't afford a full face lift - and don't want the 2 week down time - so next month I am going to call and get price.. Well dogs want to be fed - Idol tonite :0) Thanks for the props on looking like a hottie ;0) it was nice for my handsome young boss to give me that complement and wore another dress that I got when I met Peaches in LV 3 yrs ago - got told why don't you wear that dress more often... cbl

Okay so I confronted my husband last night needless to say we talked slashed argued. I used the examples everyone gave me like bringing booze home to an alcoholic. He said he has put up with my dieting since we were dating so for over 10 years and I guess he is over it. I said if you bring the candy home put it in another place than in his desk where I can get it. I explained sugar and carbs are my drugs of choice. He asked why was I trying to kill myself ? I could not give him an answer except I said I can't control alot of things in my life right now except what I put in my mouth. Which is so stupid cause what I eat make me feel worse. I don't smoke I have a drink sometimes but eating is my drug like so many of us. When I was getting my tattoos the pain hurt but made me felt better like I deserved it. So when I could not use my birthday money to get more work done on my tattoo I was upset and ate. I want to be one of those people who use exercise instead of food to make myself feel better, but even though I live close to work my husband does not like the idea of me walking to work. I am so tired of being told what to do by him. He really is not horrible person I know it sounds like he is but you have to meet him to know how much he gives of himself to his family and friends. I told he yesterday to lay off about my job I like it, I know we have to pay cobra but stop stress over it we can't change it; however in the mean time I have contacted someone I used to work with at my old job who left that company and went somewhere else. I gave him my resume and he said to expect a call in a couple of days because he really liked my work ethic when we worked together and he thought them letting me go was a bad thing they did to me. Okay so I c my shrink on Tuesday can't wait. Right now as I am typing this I want more than anything to be back to the way I was exercising, taking care of myself. I have the tools I need but my dam head gets in the way okay the carb monster. I bring good stuff to eat for lunch at work I eat that but still have room for a snack. Vending machine crap. Does this mean I need a fill or is that just head stuff getting in the way. I only ask cause I am supposed to go c my LB Dr on Monday and don't know if I should push my appt back talk to the shrink get my head back in order give myself a chance to use my tools before spending the $100 I really don't have. Even though he might give me a fill. Opinions about the LB Dr anyone? I hope this answer alot of questions everyone had. I Love you all and you are all such wonderful friends. Maybe the next big adventure could be you all come to Ga and we can meet. I would so Love that.

Complications are possible but not probable. A vast majority of sleevers have no problems or very few. Just like an surgical procedure things can and have gone horribly wrong. I know someone who practically died from complications after a simple bunion surgery. I've heard of another that DID die from complications after wisdom tooth extraction. The risk for complications is small although real. That being said the risk of complications of remaining obese are practically 100%. High blood pressure, diabetes, hip / knew / back pain and etc. Stay fat and you WILL have problems. In actuality unless you develop an intolerance for a food, YES you CAN eat anything. However in order to lose weight you need to cut calories. To KEEP it off you need to manage calories. There is also the fact that we now have a physical restriction to the AMOUNT we can eat, filling up with non Protein foods can effect your muscle mass, non protein foods are typically higher in calories too. Post op you should always CHOOSE protein first, then carbs. Alcohol consumption is up to you, it is high in calories and should be avoided at first and LIMITED after a few months. Because the stomach usually dilutes booze and we have very little stomach left, you may get drunk faster or MORE drunk. It is a matter of your metabolism too so there is no simple answer. This varies by hospital and surgeon and insurance allowance. It varies from NONE to 3 days with perhaps 2 days the norm. Mine was ONE night in the hospital and 2 nights in a recovery house.

Cheryl Ann, A failure is someone who gives up completely and stops trying. You were just taking a vacation. You've taken the first step back in the right direction by making an appointment with your doctor. If it has slipped, it's my understanding that it can be repaired. Some people have had the band just readjusted and stitched back into position with a complete unfill. Others have had their band out and were required to have a 'rest' period. Whether this is just another of the different quirks of each surgeon or whether there's a reason I don't know. I wouldn't stress about it because, at this point, it is what it is. Some people are successful at cutting back on their sweets or carbs. I'm not one of them. Most likely due to my diabetes, I'm extremely sensitive to carbs and, like an alcoholic, have to avoid them completely. You'll have to decide whether it's something you can control or must avoid. Good luck.

I am IN! Thanks for starting this Molly, I'm actually excited. I was banded 2/10 and have lost about 12 lbs, a bit bummed as I've been really following instructions until this week. I'm in the last week of the mushy food but I went out with friends and spent a day drinking tequila sunrises and a few chips and bean dip. Then the last couple of days my work brought in chicken nuggets, fajitas, guacamole & chips and I have partaken but in small amounts also out with co-workers at night throwing back a few glasses of red wine. Is it true that alcohol slows the process of weightloss? I guess I'm bummed because I haven't eaten the mass quantity of bad foods I normally would, in fact they've been in very small portions. I guess with what i've eaten since banded I expected more of a weight loss even though my choices over this past week were NOT on plan. Am I just being ignorant? Anyway, I'm glad for this because I'm putting my guilt aside and going back to my Protein shakes and to the instructions provided by my doctor. I'm looking forward to this spreadsheet being a great weight loss tool for me.

I found the best way to get rid of the cravings was just to accept that, at least for me, certain carbs are like alcohol to an alcoholic. Once I limited my carbs to the low carb vegies and stopped using anything that had sugar, wheat or gluten in it, my cravings actually stopped. .

I can answer these questions with my experience. I just passed the 21 months out point. I'll be completely brutally honest with you and anyone that asks me. I have been maintaining my weight loss VERY EFFORTLESSLY at the age of 34 for almost a year. I have a 5lb bounce around on the scale any given week. I can tie it to my indulgences of high sodium foods, and my "girls nights out" with copious amounts of alcohol. I do not ever get in any formal exercise and have NOT for a solid year. I've had spurts here and there of working out at home for a week to 10 days, but nothing consistent at all. I honestly I do eat anything and everything I want. Here's the kicker, I don't want to eat a lot of junk food. Why? Because my body runs best, I feel best physically when I feed my body a nutrient dense, Protein full diet, BUT I eat Cookies, chips, pretzels, rice, bread, Pasta all in moderation. Of course, about 85% of the time, I eat protein first, but sometimes all I want is some veggies. I do not count anything other than protein and calories now. I keep white carbs in moderation to some degree, but if I want mashed potatoes and gravy, guess what 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes and a little gravy didn't make me FAT, 4 cups of mashed potatoes with gravy on top of a 12oz ribeye with mac-n-cheese, 3 dinner rolls, and 3 glasses of sweet ice tea made me fat. Moderation is the key. I will add that I have zero metabolic issues, nor is my body sensitive to carbs. I do not get the "eat a carb, crave a carb" nor am I an emotional eater. Therefore, going into this, I feel I beat the curve quite a bit. I was a volume eater. The sleeve will work just like any other weight loss surgery works. RNY and DS can be considered failures as well. Not one single weight loss surgery is bullet proof. So, a tool working long term is only as successful as the person using the tool. Just like a hammer to a nail. You can choose to keep your eyes open, steady your arm, and aim with precision as you go to drive that nail in with just a couple of dings, or you can wield that hammer blindfolded, with a swagger in your swing, and you'll more than likely miss the nail, hit your finger or dent the wood. Make sense? ? ? I will add that I am eating the same amounts currently that I was eating a year ago, but that quantity is double what I could at 2-3 months. The sleeve matures over time. There is minimal stretching. When I say double amounts, I was able to eat 2oz dense protein at 2-3 months out, today I can get in about 4-5oz of dense protein with a couple bites of veggies. You can cheat any of the surgeries, and the sleeve can be eaten around. I know the tricks, I employ them on occasion. Drinking warm fluids or having a glass of wine with my meal relaxes my stomach, therefore I can fit a bit more in, a bit more = 1-2 ounces of mashed potatoes, or mac-n-cheese on top of my chicken. To this day, I can NOT eat an entire chicken breast without stretching my meal out over 40 minutes. I can barely eat 1.5-2 poached eggs. What I'm saying is that there is a max capacity to the sleeve, but the restriction you have the first 6 months will change, ENJOY that time, maximize your weight loss, and become diligent with changing your lifestyle. Any weight loss surgery success is defined by either compliancy or complacency and with some mechanical failures on the other surgery types you can find that a specific tool "didn't work properly". It's a choice you make. No one else, the surgery doesn't fail UNLESS it's not performed properly because there is nothing mechanical to fail with the sleeve like there is with the band or RNY. The other issues can be metabolic issues, or carb sensitivity, or some people lose differently. Stoma and pouches stretch, malabsorption of calories, fats and carbs stop after the adaptation process occurs in the intestines, and then RNY patients are having to rely on restriction only with a stretchy pouch, a blind stomach left behind making ghrelin at a higher level vs. Sleeve patients. With the band, the list of issues with it are long, detailed, but the reasons the band can and does fail are numerous. Pouch stretching, not being able to get a decent fill, then there's the physical issues with the band itself. I can go on and on. But, I know plenty of VSG'ers that are 2-4 years out (mainly on obesityhelp.com) that share my opinion on weight regain with VSG, their experiences are pretty similar to mine. There are several out there maintaining fairly effortlessly as well, and live a life of moderation. I've seen 20-40lb weight regain on a couple of patients that are 3-4 years out, and every time, they admit, I quit eating the proper foods, life happened and I turned to my old friend for comfort, or they just gave up and expected to eat ding dongs and hos hos without consequence. Most naturally thin women I know don't eat packages of hos hos on a regular basis. Most naturally thin women do watch what they eat, and do not shovel shitpots of craptastic food into their body without consequence. At least none of my naturally thin friends can eat like I did pre-op and not see weight gain. If you have any other specific questions, please feel free to contact me. I'm extremely open and honest.

Good Evening Gang It's already 8 and I haven't eaten and I'm Hungry - Had boot camp tonite - so this is going to be a run on and in no order post Eva LOL on the turn my closet into a bedroom LOL I would but too many clothest LOL... Yep I have never had company for a week ;0) - I made up a spreadsheet of food and what we will or might do - and they are laughing at me - Well I like to be prepared that's all - I make up spreadsheets when I am going on a trip on what to pack - or I get all confused and mixed up - so I make list ;0).. Fills - Band - Eating - IMHO I think that some pple rely too much on fills and not what they are eating - and the fact that we are only suppose to eat like 1 cup food - then we think - omg how can I survive on 1 cup food - I'm full yes - but I only ate 1 cup of food - hell normal skinny pple eat more than that.. I know I myself have a problem with that - Also finding sweet spot for some w/the band is almost impossible - that's one of the pitfalls of the band vs other WLS.. I think regardless on how tight we are or aren't we do know how to eat around it and most of us have at one time or another.. It's all about eating healthy Melissa - Glad you are going to the shrink - I think you really do need to talk to someone in person - what I am the most concerned about is your diabites and your sugar intake - not your weight issues - your medical conditions are very serious and they are going to kill you - there was an artical in the paper the other day - diabetic have 10 yrs less life span than non-diabetics.. I don't want you dieing.... Ok gang - i was going to say more - but it's now almost 8:30 - I gotta put food in my tummy haven't eaten since lunch and that was chicken soup.. Meredith good luck at the doctors tomorrow - do they know iff your band went back in place.. Hugs I bet you are starving.. Oh I know pple who arent catholic and give up stuff for lent - I thought that was funny - but I'm Catholic - and I have never followed that give up something - I am going to curb my shopping though - it's out of hand.. What is codependency? What's the definition? There are many definitions used to talk about codependency today. The original concept of codependency was developed to acknowledge the responses and behaviors people develop from living with an <A href="http://www.allaboutcounseling.com/dir/alcoholism-self-help/" target=_self>alcoholic or substance abuser. A number of attributes can be developed as a result of those conditions. However, over the years, codependency has expanded into a definition which describes a dysfunctional pattern of living and problem solving developed during childhood by family rules. One of many definitions of codependency is: a set of *maladaptive, *compulsive behaviors learned by family members in order to survive in a family which is experiencing *great emotional pain and stress. *maladaptive - inability for a person to develop behaviors which get needs met. *compulsive - psychological state where a person acts against their own will or conscious desires in which to behave. *sources of great emotional pain and stress - chemical dependency; chronic mental illness; chronic physical illness; physical abuse; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; divorce; hypercritical or non-loving environment. As adults, codependent people have a greater tendency to get involved in "toxic relationships", in other words with people who are perhaps unreliable, emotionally unavailable, or needy. And the codependent person tries to provide and control everything within the relationship without addressing their own needs or desires; setting themselves up for continued unfulfillment. Even when a codependent person encounters someone with healthy boundaries, the codependent person still operates in their own system; they're not likely to get too involved with people who have healthy boundaries. This of course creates problems that continue to recycle; if codependent people can't get involved with people who have healthy behaviors and coping skills, then the problems continue into each new relationship. back

Thanks for all of the advice gals. Because I have a partial slip still, my band is different than it was before. The acid is INTENSE! I mean really bad, it woke me up in the night time 2x and I threw up only acid both times. It was horrible. Then, today I threw up my iced tea. That isn't right. There is no way in hell I could even think about eating any type of solid food at this moment. It's bad, and I don't want it to get worse. I don't know if I should even take the chance of waiting it out. I was at a good restriction after I did the 5DPT, so I think I should be ok getting th Fluid out. We will see how I do tonight. Cheri~ The best "over the counter" product that I have found for frizzy hair is made by Suave. It is in an orange bottle and says "Compare to Matrix Sleek Look" on it. Use the whole system, Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave in smoothing mask. There are other professional products available (that I use on clients daily), but they are far more pricey than the "OTC" types. Also, make sure you get your hair trimmed very frequently. I'm talking every 4-6 weeks. This way, you are keeping split ends away which will keep your hair in all around better shape. Another suggestion is to point the nozzle of your hair dryer from root to ends while you are drying. This will keep the cuticle closed and smooth on the hair shaft. At the end of your blow dry, use the "COOL" button for several minutes to lock in your style. Stay away from hairsprays and products with alcohol in them. This can cause damage as well. But, the BEST product I have ever used, by far, is called Redken Glass. It is a silicone based product that you put on after the blowdry and style. It is quite pricey to some, but just a drop goes a very long way, so the container lasts forever. I could go on and on. Try these things and see if it helps. Let me know. Lori~ Oh girl! The shopping has begun over here too!!! Before I went to see baby, I bought a sliver bracelet for mommy with a white gold and aquamarine charm (birthstone of march!), a short set for baby, and University of Michigan booties for him as well (those from uncle andrew)! It is soooo fun! How far away from you is the Carters outlet? I think we have one here about an hour and a half away. Also, I need some clothes too, so if you are feeling very generous feel free to shop for me too! LOL!!!! Love it! I just cannot tell you how very happy I am for you. It has got to be the best feeling in the whole wide world! Ok, going to get ready for bed in a little bit. "Snore" is over here laying on the couch next to me. Night! Meredith

CRS. Don't be offended if I don't respond to everyone. Arlene-happy B-day. My year to turn 60 also. Dec. 30. Great--baby will be fine. Joyce--like everyone else, had no idea you broke your elbow. You and my dad. I have a screw in mine. Apples--hugs, with that much snow why aren't you still in Arizona? Can't farm! Melissa--I have a feeling you won't stop eating till you deal with some of your codependency issues. Don't be offended, we're all codependents in various stages of recovery. Standing up to your husband--but also giving him consistent messages will help. Ask him if he would wave a bottle of booze under the nose of an alcoholic. I also think he's placing enormous pressure on you to carry the burden of working full time and providing insurance in a time and economy where that's almost impossible. The reality is, you're not going to find a full-time job with insurance unless you go back to school and upgrade your skills. Or are you the one putting that pressure on yourself to provide that? Instead, you're so stressed out you're ending up costing a lot of out-of-pocket money on your medical needs. Maybe your DH needs to take an extra job to cover insurance. However, someone posted that ultimately you are responsible for your own health and what you put in your mouth. Are you sure you aren't rebelling against all the expectations on you by putting your own health at risk? Take control of your life and of your food. Easier said than done. But ultimately, it's the only way. Sorry if I'm being too up front with you. I'm just especially aware of how fleeting life is. Don't waste it. Meredith, I'd like to know what to put in my increasingly curly frizzy hard to manage hair. Don't think a bush whacking will take care of it. I'm talking over the counter. Also will be posting the funniest post my daughter's best friend put on her page in response to my request for jokes. Cheri

Wonderful! You recognize that your craving was just an emotional pacifier! That's good! Once we know *why* we eat, we can begin to create new, better, habits. Don't give in to that craving! All it does is load the bad (sugar) carbs back into your system...which will create more cravings for sugar. All I can do is tell you what I do and perhaps there's something here you can use or will give you ideas for other strategies... These emotional cravings for sweets are not just necessarily emotional. I know when my adrenalin gets going from stress, it affects my blood sugar levels...which in turn cause a *physical* craving for carbs due to excess insulin being kicked out. My doctor told me to eat Protein because it will help raise my blood sugar but slowly...unlike something sugary which will do the same thing but then drop you even farther right after. I usually eat 1-2 oz of cheese...and then just white knuckle it until my blood sugar levels stabilize. I usually feel much better within 15-20 minutes and am able to resist that craving. I'll drink decaf tea, coffee or chicken broth...or just warm Water. It's soothing in the belly. I talk myself down from that food precipice. I sit comfortably, close my eyes and then deliberately focus on relaxing every part of my body. Then I start talking to myself...perhaps just chanting a mantra such as "I am in control. For this moment I can do this. Food does not rule my life."...whatever works for you, but the focus being on deliberately taking control and choosing to not let emotions dictate my life. Like the alcoholic, I've learned to take it one moment at a time. All I need to do is get through this moment. You can do this Fran! .

The band stays in unless you have complications. One such complication is where the band moves from the position it was placed in and now is preventing you from swallowing food or liquids. Yes it stays in place once you hit your goal weight. Otherwise you would be able to eat larger meals and would regain all the weight you had lost. Alcohol is a hot topic on this site. Run a search. Most doctors say not to drink carbonated drinks as it can lead to stretching the pouch of stomach above the band. In general alcohol has lots of calories so drinking it will have negative affects on your weight loss efforts.

I have the hardest time making blog posts. So bear with me. I am undecided about having this surgery. On the one hand, this is a MAJOR surgery. It means cutting away a big part of one of my major organs and altering everything I do. Not only the way I eat and drink, but my activity level, my hobbies (as in getting new ones that aren't eating related), my lifestyle as a whole. On the other hand it means everything will be perfect, right. My dad will finally love me, I'll finally get that promotion I've been wanting... Ha. Kidding. I know those things won't happen just from losing weight. My dad will always be an asshole. I know I can look forward to more energy, more confidence, being able to do my job with less pain, no more size or weight restrictions on the things I want to do. Those things. Being able to fit on rides, for example; the potential for my back and feet not to hurt at work, to be able to play with my nephew who's on the way, or even play with my own kids if I ever have them; to be able to sit on the floor and not be in pain, then to be able to get up after without a surface to help me up and a bit of straining... I think that would be worth it. But the thought of major surgery is still effin (normally I would swear, but I don't know about that on here) scary. I know losing weight won't make my dad love me, my sister accept my lifestyle (she's religious, I'm not), get me the promotion I'm hoping for (hopefully I'll get it within the next few weeks anyway), magically make me better at my job so I can make the big bucks (gotta take classes and a different workplace for that). Even though I know weight loss won't cause these things to magically happen, I still hope from time to time. I do however, feel that losing weight will open opportunities that are either closed or that I think are closed to me. For example, becoming more confident will allow me to feel able to get another job. I know this process won't be easy. Drinking 64 oz (I'm good on 32) of water a day, only eating 2 oz of mostly protein per meal. Timing when I can drink, taking vitamins, all this stuff is not easy. Not being able to drink coke ever again. Or those frozen caramel coffee drinks from Panera that I love so much. (I hate Starbucks and am not a coffee drinker except for my bimonthly frozen caramels). Or Thai Iced Tea. OMG, if you haven't had one, they are amazing. Very high in caffeine though. You have been warned. So the real question is... Can I live without these things? Probably. I can live without the can's of Thai iced tea form the Asian market down the street. The best ones are made an hour away from me anyway at the best Thai place in the bay area; so lack of access helps. Coke? Well, I haven't had a more than a couple sips in at least a week if not longer. The entire month of August 2010 was soda free for me except for 3 Icees which my bf says count as sodas, but I say they don't. Sweet coffee drinks? Yes. I don't like coffee to begin with unless it's in sweet blended high calorie form. I do have a free frozen caramel at Panera from being a card member, so I'll have that, but I've been very good about not going crazy. Slurpees? My Slurpee and Icee consumption has gone down considerably. I don't get the Icees from the corner store anymore because they taste bad to me. Like they're made with tap water (I don't like our tap water), or like they don't clean the nozzles daily like they should. (BTW, this is why soda at some gas station marts doesn't taste good. They're supposed to clean the nozzles daily. BF worked at a gas station for a little while.) Sweet things? I am convinced that the occasional sweet thing won't hurt my weight loss. (I'm fat because I eat too much, not because I eat nothing but sweets. But they don't help things, obviously.) Sobe? Oh I love those. But I also don't have them very often. Maybe 3x a month. More if I'm on a kick, less if I'm not. Milk? I don't care what they say, I'm going to drink milk if I want to drink milk. I don't drink it every day. Soft serve? Most likely. There have been so many times I've wanted it lately but not gotten it and the cravings have been less and less and easier and easier to deal with. I don't want to never eat soft serve again in my life. I just want to get to the point where I can have a little bit, be satisfied, and move on with my life. I feel like I'm jabbering on and on. I have noticed that my tastes have changed a little. I can't finish a whole can of coke anymore. As I said, Icee's taste bad to me now, or at least the ones at the corner store do. The last slurpee I had was a little underwhelming. I haven't mentioned alcohol. I don't drink. My biggest fear right now, besides not wanting to die from surgery, is that I won't be able to eat anymore. What I mean, is really eat. Eat large portions of food. Eat whatever I want. Being satisfied that I've eaten too much, but it was so good. Isn't that the whole point of having surgery? To not be able to eat crap? YES. But this just seems scary to me. Like, oh no, what will I do now. And that's what I mean by needing to get new hobbies. Which brings me to exercise. You know, I actually used to like going to the gym. It's like, even though I know things, they don't compute in my brain now. Somewhere between beauty school, my first bf, and my current bf, I had lost like 50 to 70 pounds (IDK my highest weight back then, so this is my best guess based on what pant size I wore). I lost weight because of my DDR obsession, then I lost more weight from being dumped, then I met my current bf and put the weight back on and then some. And so did he. If you don't know what DDR is, you don't know what you're missing. Wait, you mean being good at DDR doesn't make you cool? Aw *frownie face*. DDR is Dance Dance Revolution. If you still don't know what it is, Google it. Being good at DDR is like this secret fantasy of mine. I feel like being good at DDR is so cool and make me cool. Not in real life, but I will be so cool in my own head. And that makes me happy. I used to be so much better at it than I am now. I could do a couple standard songs. I haven't played in a while, but the last time I did it was like, "I used to be able to do this." The first guy I ever dated introduced me to DDR. For about 2 years after that I became obsessed. There's this website that has DDR machine locations and I would go to places just to play. I think that's why I lost weight. I didn't think of it as exercise. After my first bf (different guy) dumped me I became very anxious. I had a hard time eating, but I still managed to eat crap. But I think even though I was eating badly, I was eating less? Maybe. I can't remember. Anyway, me and my mom started going to the gym regularly. We'd go at night when there was hardly anyone there. I got my routine down to doing 40 minutes or 400 calories burned (according to the display) on the elliptical, whichever came first, but it ended up being about the same. Then I would do weights. Usually arms more than legs. I was up to 50lbs on most of the arm machines. Now I can barely do 20. I want to get back to that. I got down to about 209/215. A size 20 is skinny for me. When bf and I got together I stopped going to the gym, started eating badly, and now 7 years later I'm up about 64lbs. I ended up being a bad influence on him as well b/c he had just lost weight on weight watchers and was drinking diet soda, and I thought diet soda was gross so he switched to regular and ate badly along with me. I want to get back into going to the gym again. But it's just so hard. Somebody call the wambulance! I know the more I go the better it will get and it will get easier as I lose weight, but right now that isn't connecting in my head. Like right now we're training for Bay to Breakers. We're behind on training due to the rain and general laziness. I walk very slow. I mean 30 minute mile slow. Right now I can't imagine walking faster. Of course this will change if/when the weight comes off, but right now it feels hopeless. It's hard for me to imagine myself smaller. In the past I didn't feel any different when I lost weight. I just felt like me. My clothes would just magically expand or shrink. So I'm having a hard time seeing myself loosing weight. I mean, so far I've lost about... 7 or 8 lbs, but my clothing doesn't fit any different yet, so it hasn't sunk in that this effort of eating better is working. A couple nights ago I made tacos (I'm not the cook, he is, and this is one of the few things I make). I fixed 2 for myself and a ramekin of re-fried beans with cheese. I could only eat one taco and half the beans. I did put some effort toward eating more beans and seriously considered trying to eat my other taco but I knew I couldn't. I literally could not have stuffed it down if I wanted to. And then something clicked. This is what you're supposed to do. You eat, you get full, you stop. Like some magical realization. Like, this is how it's going to be. This is how it works. Since then I've been making an honest effort to follow plan and write down what I eat. I have gone off plan a few times, and over eaten about 3 times, but I feel different about it now. I am having a problem though. When I follow plan I feel empty inside. Like I know I'm full but I still feel empty. I thought it was a physical emptiness, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was an emotional emptiness. And I've been having this weird pain in my chest/throat. I think it may be heartburn. It's like an uncomfortable feeling. Heartburn is the only way I can think to describe it. Oh, the water. So the plan I'm following calls for 64oz of water/fluid to be drunk per day. This includes crystal light, decaf teas, dunno if non fat milk counts (we drink whole in this house). 64 ounces is just too much for me. I'm good on 32 to maybe 50ish. 2 to 3 water bottles. When I try to drink all 64, and I'm rarely able to drink that much, I feel like I'm peeing all the time. And I'll wake up and have to pee anywhere from 2 to 5 times in the night. So for me personally, 64oz is too much. Plus my sister in law once told me that her doctor told her that she should not be drinking that much because some people don't need that much. I'm not saying that I know more than a doctor does, I'm saying I know certain aspects of my body better because it's me. Besides the fact that my job doesn't allow me to drink that much. I love what I do. I like where I do it, I have great coworkers, but it's becoming time to move on. As stated in my profile, I am a hair stylist. I have been at my current salon almost 6.5 years. I work in a select service salon. I know I am bordering on becoming stuck there. I want to move on and branch out to full service, or maybe even makeup and/or nails. I know I have more potential, I just haven't harnessed it yet. And part of that is I feel my weight is holding me back. I have 3 herniated disks in my back (not weight caused, but the weight isn't helping), so doing shampoos and bending isn't something I would be able to do on a regular basis. So I'm really hoping that I can lose the weight, gain confidence, and then move on. And in losing weight I hope to gain strength in my back and over all so I will be able to work. I actually found out about the surgery from a former coworker who got it done (she had r&y), lost weight, then moved on. I'd like to be able to do that as well. I'm almost 28. Ideally I want to be pregnant with our first child by 30. So I kinda feel like if I'm going to do this, I need to do it now and stop dragging my feet. I don't want to be fat and pregnant. I have this fear that if I were to get pregnant now (among a whole slew of other issues) that people wouldn't be able to tell and they'd just think I'm fat. Another fear is that what if I got pregnant and didn't know and couldn't tell b/c I'm fat and then suddenly had a baby. How embarrassing would that be. I'd just die. I know this probably isn't very realistic, but who ever said fears were rational? I have major daddy issues, which I may or may not get into in another entry. Basically he made my life a living hell growing up. Very emotionally abusive. Needless to say, I don't want to tell him if I get it done. Believe me, I want a relationship with him so badly, I really wish I had a dad, but he's an unmediated bipolar; it's not happening. It makes me so sad. And it makes me mad that I still love him even though I hate him so much. And it hurts so much knowing losing the weight won't make him love me. ;_; I don't feel comfortable telling my sister. She's the good one, the favorite. I love her dearly, but we just don't have an open relationship and I am very afraid of being judged. Plus given the comments she makes about fat people, being fat is probably the worst thing a person can be, to her. I wouldn't be comfortable with my grandma knowing. My dad has fed her lies about me, she's never approved of my weight, telling my parents to do something about it instead of being a grandma. And she doesn't approve of my living situation (unmarried & living together; I think if it bothers her that much she should pay for my wedding). As far as work and clients go, the girls at work would know, and clients don't need to know anything other than I'm following a meal plan, making lifestyle chances, exercising, ect. It's none of their business anyway. My bf supports me whatever I do. Whether I don't lose another pound or I get surgery and lose 100+. At first he was against it, but I think he knows what it means to me, so he's supportive. I told my mom. That was hard. But she was ok. I know she's not a fan of the idea, but she wouldn't give me a straight answer why. My sister in law doesn't want me to die. She's actually the only one who said that I'm fine the way I am. Idk if my brother knows. Idk if my nephew knows, or if he'd have much of an opinion since he's 16. My in-laws: mom is against it because she knows 2 people who had it done, one is gaining the weight back and the other almost died. She feels that I should stay the same or lose weight non surgically. Haven't gotten an opinion from dad yet. (Yes, I do call my bfs parents mom and dad, just not to their faces.) I have one aunt and uncle who I can see being supportive. My cousins I'm iffy about. One of my best friends hasn't said any opinion either way (so I think she'd be supportive either way, we've been friends for over 20 years), and my other best friend seems against it. I know I need therapy or something when it comes to food and all the feelings I have associated with it and my family, but I don't know where to get it. I can't afford a private therapist, and Kaiser sucks in that department. Ok. So now that you think I'm crazy.... On to what I'm sure you're probably more interested in: Highest weight: 281 Kaiser's starting weight for me: 278 Current weight (as of last weigh in): 273 Goal weight: 255 I'm 5'5.5", pear shaped, so if you saw a head shot, you'd probably think I'm much smaller than I am. Assuming I do get surgery, it will be at Kaiser Richmond. Right now I'm in the process of re-enrolling in the program. I should get a call from Robin in 7 to 10 days from Friday. Not sure if those are business days or not. From there I'll have to take a class or two. Past that I assume the process resumes as it was before with reaching goal, appointments, tests, and then surgery... to simplify it. Even if I don't get surgery, I feel that this group is the right place for me to be right now as far as my weight loss goes. Back in 2008 I got like 3lbs from goal then I gained all the weight I lost back plus 3lbs (I think I just wasn't ready). I stopped going, then I decided to go again after talking to a client who had it done. Now I'm down about 5lbs from my starting weight, and 8lbs from my highest (starting over) weight. I need to loose 18 more pounds. My personal goal is to loose 23 more. Once I meet that, I will begin saving for and planning a trip to Disneyland (that will be the weight I was the last time I went so I'll know for sure that I'll be able to fit on the rides). At first I wanted the LapBand. It still sounds like the best choice for me, but with all my concerns, ultimately, I feel that the sleeve is a better choice. In group (the support group at Kaiser Richmond) they said that if you set a goal for when you want to have surgery, it helps you get to goal and a lot of people who did this have had their surgery near the date they picked. I would prefer to have it done in the Spring, maybe Summer (with my luck it'd be a 100+ degree summer =/ ). Just not Winter. I know myself; I won't want to get up and walk if it's cold outside. So I think May through September would be good. I don't want to get it done right before the holidays because I just don't see it ending well. Either way, my first holidays post op should be with my in-laws. I think Valentines Day would be a really cool day to have it, but when I really think about it, it's still too cold then. I feel like May is too soon, as in I doubt I'll be at goal and have all the other things taken care of by then, plus Idk if I'll be mentally ready by then. But I don't want to wait till next Spring either. My current goal is to reach my goal weight by summer. So basically that means before September. My work doesn't want me to take December off, but I'm so tempted to... assuming that it worked out that way. This has been a slow process for me. As far as the meal plan goes, I started cutting back on soda, for example. Then I was loosely following the meal plan. And now I have about 1 meal a day that's plan, and the others are plan-ish, but not dead on. I have to work up to it. I can't just jump right in. And that's ok. Because I want to be sure. I want to be sure I can do this.

Best answer Living to Eat: Do You Have a Food Addiction? By Meghan Vivo Jane sneaks out of the house at midnight and drives six miles to the local 7-Eleven to get a chocolate bar. This has become a nightly ritual. She's gaining weight and feels profoundly ashamed of her lack of self-control. Though she vows to stop this behavior, she can't seem to shake the craving night after night. Jane is a food addict. In many ways, food can closely resemble a drug - caffeine and sugar offer a quick pick-me-up while carbohydrates and comfort foods can help soothe and relax the mind. Some people use food, like drugs, to feel at ease in social situations or to unwind after a long day. If you think about food constantly throughout the day, have compulsive cravings for certain types of foods, or waste more than half of your daily calories binging on unhealthy Snacks, you may be one of the 18 million Americans who suffer from food addiction. What Is Food Addiction? Food addiction, like any other addiction, is a loss of control. Food addicts are preoccupied with thoughts of food, body weight, and body image, and compulsively consume abnormally large amounts of food. Even though they understand the harm caused by their behavior, they just can't stop. Food addicts tend to crave and eat foods that are harmful to their bodies. For example, people with food allergies may crave the foods they are allergic to, while diabetics may crave and overindulge in sugar, despite the adverse effects. Food-aholics generally gorge on fat, salt, and sugar in the form of junk food and sweets. If they are feeling depressed, lonely, or disappointed, they consume large amounts of chips, chocolate, or other comfort foods for a "high." As with most addictions, the high wears off, leaving the person feeling sick, guilty, and even more depressed. Because the addict is out of control, she will repeat the same eating patterns over and over again in an effort to feel better. Compulsive overeaters often eat much more rapidly than normal and hide their shame by eating in secret. Most overeaters are moderately to severely obese, with an average binge eater being 60% overweight. Individuals with binge eating disorders often find that their eating or weight interferes with their relationships, their work, and their self-esteem. Although compulsive overeaters or binge dieters often struggle with food addiction, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are also considered types of food addictions. Addiction or Bad Habit? Unlike drug and alcohol addiction, which have been recognized by the medical profession for years, addiction specialists still question whether food can be genuinely addictive. Is the obsession with eating a true addiction, or just a bad habit? Some experts are quite skeptical of putting food in the same category as drugs or alcohol. They argue that people like junk food because it tastes good, not because they are physically incapable of controlling their behavior. Others contend that individuals who abuse substances in excess of need, despite the harm it can cause, are addicts, whether the substance is alcohol, drugs, or food. In some cases, food addicts trying to break the habit claim to experience both physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, mood changes, tremors, cramps, and depression. In an animal study at Princeton University, researchers found that after rats binged on sugar, they showed classic signs of withdrawal when the sweets were removed from their diet, which suggests foods like sugar can be addictive. Brain imaging studies conducted by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have found that food affects the brain's dopamine systems in much the same way as drugs and alcohol. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. When psychiatrist Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and her colleagues compared brain images of methamphetamine users with obese people, they found both groups had significantly fewer dopamine receptors than healthy people. Moreover, the higher the body mass index, the fewer the dopamine receptors, which may explain why it is so difficult for some people to lose weight and keep it off. Are You a Food Addict? Whether the obsession with food is a true addiction or simply a bad habit, one thing is clear: Your health is on the line. Obesity, psychological disorders, and diabetes are just a few of the health risks associated with compulsive eating. If you're worried that you may have a food addiction, FoodAddicts.org recommends that you answer the following questions: Have you ever wanted to stop eating and found you just couldn't? Do you think about food or your weight constantly? Do you find yourself attempting one diet or food plan after another, with no lasting success? Do you binge and then "get rid of the binge" through vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or other forms of purging? Do you eat differently in private than you do in front of other people? Has a doctor or family member ever approached you with concern about your eating habits or weight? Do you eat large quantities of food at one time? Is your weight problem due to your "nibbling" all day long? Do you eat to escape from your feelings? Do you eat when you're not hungry? Have you ever discarded food, only to retrieve it and eat it later? Do you eat in secret? Do you fast or severely restrict your food intake? Have you ever stolen other people's food? Have you ever hidden food to make sure you have "enough?" Do you feel driven to exercise excessively to control your weight? Do you obsessively calculate the calories you've burned against the calories you've eaten? Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed about what you've eaten? Are you waiting for your life to begin "when you lose the weight?" Do you feel hopeless about your relationship with food? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have, or be in danger of developing, a food addiction or eating disorder. Although food addiction is not nearly as intense as alcohol and drug addictions, you may need help regaining control of your life. Treating Food Addiction Change is never easy, and overcoming food addiction is no exception. It will require a combination of discipline, healthy eating habits, and exercise. In many ways, treatment of food addiction is similar to drug and alcohol addiction. The first step to recovery is recognizing and accepting the problem, and identifying which foods cause allergic symptoms and cravings. However, unlike drug and alcohol addiction, food addicts can't quit cold turkey. Everyone has to eat. Instead of taking drastic measures, make the following changes gradually, one small step at a time. Reprogram your taste buds. If you eat tons of sugar-laden foods, your taste buds get used to the flavor and you will start craving sweeter and sweeter foods. When buying foods that aren't supposed to be sweet, like Pasta sauce, bread, and crackers, make sure they don't have added sweeteners like fructose, dextrose, and corn syrup. Slowly try to limit sweet or salty foods in favor of fruits and vegetables to restore the sensitivity in your taste buds. Plan your meals. Food addicts often hide food or binge when they are alone. One way around this is to avoid hiding a stash of food in your car, desk, or nightstand. Also, plan out healthy meals in advance, portion out single servings on smaller plates, and eat scheduled meals at the dinner table. If you eat in front of the TV or while talking on the phone, you're more likely to eat large amounts of food without realizing it. Though it may take a few weeks to change your eating patterns, your brain will eventually get used to smaller portions of healthy foods and generate fewer snack-food cravings. Moderate your hunger. People with food addiction tend to take an all-or-nothing approach to dieting, bouncing from ravenous to overstuffed. A useful tool to moderate food consumption is to rate your hunger on a scale of zero to ten, zero being starving and ten being overstuffed, then try to stay between three and five. If you wait until you hit zero, you may not stop eating until you reach ten. Know your weaknesses. Everyone has a list of foods that are hard to turn down. If you can't resist a fine loaf of bread at a restaurant, ask the waiter not to bring the bread basket to your table. If you can't walk past an ice cream parlor without stopping for a scoop or two, take a different route. If you have a habit of eating Cookies or popcorn while watching TV at night, read a book or walk the dog instead. If these tricks don't work, stop buying unhealthy foods at the grocery store. If it's in your kitchen, you're probably going to eat it. Deal with the real issues. Typically a food addict will numb unpleasant feelings with food. If you stop relying on food, you can learn to tackle problems head-on and let yourself feel the sadness, anger, or boredom without using food as a crutch. Find healthy ways to cope. For food addicts, the next salt or sugar fix becomes the dominating force in their life. The best treatment is to find other ways to fill the void, like working out, hiking, going out with friends, or talking to a therapist. Exercise sparks the same pleasure centers of the brain as food, and offers a similar high without the guilt. If you're not physically hungry but you're struggling to resist a craving, brush your teeth, drink Water, leave the house for a few minutes, or choose a healthy substitute like yogurt instead of ice cream or baked chips instead of potato chips. Give yourself a break. The guilt people feel after overeating perpetuates the addiction. They're sad because they ate too much, so they turn to food for solace. Learn to forgive yourself and don't get discouraged by minor setbacks. Food addiction can be a serious problem. Just ask the people who habitually visit the drive-thru at midnight or load up on candy bars on a daily basis. To beat the addiction, sometimes all you need is motivation to change and a few lifestyle modifications. In more severe cases, you may need to seek help from a food addiction group like Overeaters Anonymous, a mental health professional, or an addiction treatment center. In either case, a shift in outlook must occur: Eat to live, don't live to eat. Other resources and articles:

My dear friend, don't fret . . . I had a really bad 6 months and because of that gained 21 lbs or so, very heartbreaking and very embarrassing to discuss, but in order to help a problem, one must admit to the problem. . . so i just pulled myself together last wednesday and said NO MORE!!!! I was given this thing to HELP me it's not going to do the losing for me. . . so i went back to basics, very high Protein and very low carbs . . . now Breakfast is usually 2 poached eggs; lunch is 2-4 oz of a meat (not processed) but rather tuna, hamburger meat, chicken, turkey (homemade not store bought) ; dinner is more meat and a piece of cheese . . . before bed is cheese ( a good hunk of it) . . . no snacking at all. . . if the head hunger strikes I found my self-soothing food is tea with creamer. . . that is where my carbs come from. . . since wednesday I've lost 5lbs . . . i will keep it up and don't give up. . . i do alot of self talk, if i'm feeling hungry, I ask myself "are you really hungry?" i stop and LISTEN to my tummy, most times it's a big no, then i'll have something to drink or have tea. . . I've stopped drinking alcohol as well as that was getting in the way and as we know alcohol has lots of calories. . . i'll always have issues that will try to sabatoge my work and i'll always have stress at my job, but it's how i handle the situation that will either make me or break me. . . i've come too far to regain my weight, and spent way too much money (I was self pay). . .I hope all goes well for you, make sure the doctor checks your Vitamin D levels, it's amazing how this vitamin affects weight. . . good luck and care about you!!

I drink when I get my cravings. However, I don't mean alcohol! I drink lots of diet Snapple teas, Crystal Light and other low calorie drinks. If that isn't working I'll have black decaf coffee or tea because sometimes I need the warmth to feel "full". If none of those work, then I have to leave and do something. I go window shopping, walk the dog, clean the house, do laundry--whatever will help me to get past the moment. If all else fails, I set aside 3 whatevers (usually cookies) and eat them slowly. The times that I haven't followed my own advice, it has let to a binge. I now recognize the warning signs and try to control the moment.

I have lost 61lbs since surgery Sept 28th,2010. I'm happy with that. What I'm not happy about is I have been 219 since Feb 19th. I went to very high Protein and very low carbs even good carbs(Beans ect) for a week and still nothing. I think to be honest the last 5 months have spoiled me. I have honestly lost 61lbs without trying to hard. I have also had a lot more happy hours in the month of Feb so I'm thinking alcohol might be contributing to my stall. I know I need to start an exercise program, I always have an excuse being a single mom commuting 60 miles one way to work at a job I am losing next month. I love reading these posts they are helping me to motivate mysefl, so thank you. Wish me luck!!

Well...when life throws you lemons...make a double shot absolut vodka lemonade out of it. Before I get ANY lectures about transfer addiction, I haven't had a single drop of alcohol in almost a year...but today put me over the edge. So I came home and told Lee that I was going to drink my supper tonight. He asked me how that was different from any other night thinking he was funny. I wasn't amused!!! Now I think it is kind of funny...though I think anything is funny right now. So I still haven't heard anything from insurance. I was really hoping some miracle would happen, but I just keep waiting. Well considering that it has taken me a while to type this I think I should probably go. I'll check in when I can feel my tongue! Karri

Thinoneday I found it....I hope you don't mind me posting it for Chilo1 From: THINONEDAY I can so relate to what your saying and it's not fun. . .unfortunately we are given this sleeve as a tool only, what we do with it is our decision. . . since last october i've fallen off the wagon pretty badly and gained quite a bit of weight (not tons but enough to shock me) and i had to think about what it was that i had been doing wrong. . . i found that i've come under A LOT of stress both at home and at work. . . so being a emotional eater, guess what????? I was eating all the time not realizing what I was doing. . . it didn't seem like much at those times, heck a small bag of pretzels here and small bag of licorice there. . . pork rinds EVERYDAY up to 2 bags of them, lots of alcohol, going out to eat more often. . . you get the picture. . . well i would weigh myself and couldn't understand why the heck was i not moving off the same weight i was on for the past few months so I stopped weighing myself as well. . .(oh and to mention I stopped exercising too) well then here at the end of february I got up onto the scale after not being weighed for a few weeks and oh my god I thought i was going to die, have a stroke, or both but I had gained soooooooooo much weight (25lbs, no the scale was not wrong). . . but how was that possible? Well it is and it will happen to all of us if we don't get a handle onto it. . . the sleeve is only a tool it's not a miracle thing that will make us loose weight we are the ones who have to work with it in order to loose the weight. . . well i got back to basics (and let me tell you it's extremely hard now) but since i have i've lost 4 lbs in 3 days, i will continue to eat Proteins first and ONLY 3 meals a day without Snacks like it was recommended by my nut back in the beginning. . . This is a big set back for me, I was soooooo close to my goal and now have to work 2x as hard to get there but i will get there. . . I didn't spend $15,000.00 of my hard earned money to regain my weight! So I hope that this story helps you out a bit, maybe scares you a bit, but it's true and very real. . I'm living through it now and was really embarrassed to talk about it, but the best therapy is to realize what is happening and get it out into the open . . . so here I am telling you to be really careful. . . don't sabatoge yourself. . it's a lot harder if you do. . . good luck to you and to EVERYONE here. . . .