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Mornin' all... Whoo hoo - a non-work day, and the sun is supposed to shine AND the temp above freezing...happy days are here ! So, once the sun is up, I may get to go into the garden, and do some raking - although I suspect the ground will still be frozen, but still outside playing in the dirt!!:w00t: Until then I will post here, do some inside housework, maybe watch a movie... Beth - congrats on the NSV Heartfire - I love sugar snap peas; wish I could get some fresh ones here, but that's months away yet. Lulu - pear martini? Time to fess up - I've never had a martini in my life, and since being banded I have consumed MAYBE 6 glasses of wine (my choice of alcohol) in total - that's over 14 months. CC and Beth - Will check out 'Knowing' - you're the first people I 'know' who have seen it. Sick - I'm not a cooking snob - pm the recipe to me.

((((((justwant2lose)))))) Welcome! I'm here for you, and I totally relate to your struggles. However, you made it to onederland!! That is so fantastic! Whether or not you are still there should not make you feel any worse. Think about it like this, you could have gained more back right now. That is something I always have to remember myself. I could have gained back so much more, trust me. I know what I'm capable of - and like I mentioned many posts back, I don't even like to look back on those days... Maybe I should though. You know, I need to be reminded of where I started. What lead me to the decision to do something about losing weight in the first place. It was for a great many reasons, and one of them was to look better and feel better about myself. To gain control of my health that was spiraling out of control and I was only 31 years old! I was just miserable and I wanted to feel good about myself and feel strong and healthy! I'm so glad you are here, we all need each other - and I know it that we don't need to hear all the canned responses. We need people to identify with if we are going to make this work. Then when we finally do reach that place we had always intended, it will be that much sweeter, that much more victorious. Why? Well, I think because we fought so much harder than other might have with the band. Oh no doubt they all have struggled, but when you stall or gain weight with the band you just enter a whole other side of it. I imagine it will be the best feeling to know we have over come our tribulation! The Lean Cuisine idea is a fantastic one. In fact, I had that same idea in mind. I do the Slim Fast diet and my "sensible meal" is the Lean Cuisine or whatever else is on sale at the grocery mart. I did want to break that monotony however because the meals truly aren't as healthy as they can be. I was thinking doing the LC's Monday thru Wednesday. Thursday has always been my fun meal where I get to eat the dinner of my choice (going out), and Friday through Sunday are usually home made meals. They are healthier because they are fresh and tend to have less salt in them. I trust that would do me very well as I get back into doing what I'm supposed to. Along with my good exercise routine I should start losing again, without gaining of course! I have also told myself enough with the ice-cream and chips. Now, I don't have it really bad with the ice-cream but for some reason when I eat them it tends to lead to worse. Then the chips, I just can't seem to control my intake when it comes to those, so you know... I've just got to end that relationship. I do, it's over. It's like alcohol to me or a drug. It serves no good nutritional value and only hurts me in the long run. So I say to you, thank you for joining and I do hope to hear from you more. I believe in all of us that we can make this work.

So since my great doctor's appointment I've had really good restriction. I'm not hungry very often and when I do eat, if I don't chew well and eat small bites, I get a very painful feeling in my chest. I thought I was going to have to throw up a deli sliced piece of turkey for lunch on Monday. I waited it out and it went down. I lost another 3-4 pounds after the fill, and then after a weekend of eating some lemon bars that I made for my boyfriend (bad idea to have some left over) and drinking three marguaritas Sat night and 1 big alcoholic drink on Sunday, I was up the 3-4 pounds again. :rolleyes2: I cracked down this week and am now eating like I do when I'm serious about losing and that is coffee, yogurt, cottage cheese and a healthy dinner. Last night I had broiled fish (orange roughy) and broccoli. I've been to the gym every day so far this week and am actually headed there now. I'm down 2 of the 4 I gained back. It's scary that I can gain weight so easily. I know that my weight fluctuates with water and throughout the day so I try not to be too hard on myself, but I can't let myself get off track. I think some of it may be due to only eating liquids right after a fill and then switching to solid foods. I'm staying at 1200 calories a day, so I should continue to go down if my metabolism functions like it should. It's so easy to get addicted to sweets, so I'm outlawing them again for awhile. I really have been having trouble eating a lot of different foods, but I need to just remember to eat slow slow slow. I'm going to church with my bf on Sunday and then we're going to sunday brunch, so I'll need to really be careful about eating slowly. I've been obsessing about how bad my boobs look and I'm getting saggy skin fears. I know I'm happy about the weight I've lost and sometimes I feel that I look really good and then other times I'll catch myself in the mirror and get horrified. I know I need to concentrate on losing and working out and see what happens, but my arms look really bad. They just hang. It's not all skin, there's a lot of fat still in them, but wow they look bad. If the excess skin was gone, they would be pretty small and toned right now. Oh well, I guess you're supposed to wait until you're at goal for year to give your skin time to shrink back, so we'll see. I'm just impatient and want to look good now! Here's a new pic I just took.

So since my great doctor's appointment I've had really good restriction. I'm not hungry very often and when I do eat, if I don't chew well and eat small bites, I get a very painful feeling in my chest. I thought I was going to have to throw up a deli sliced piece of turkey for lunch on Monday. I waited it out and it went down. I lost another 3-4 pounds after the fill, and then after a weekend of eating some lemon bars that I made for my boyfriend (bad idea to have some left over) and drinking three marguaritas Sat night and 1 big alcoholic drink on Sunday, I was up the 3-4 pounds again. :thumbup: I cracked down this week and am now eating like I do when I'm serious about losing and that is coffee, yogurt, cottage cheese and a healthy dinner. Last night I had broiled fish (orange roughy) and broccoli. I've been to the gym every day so far this week and am actually headed there now. I'm down 2 of the 4 I gained back. It's scary that I can gain weight so easily. I know that my weight fluctuates with water and throughout the day so I try not to be too hard on myself, but I can't let myself get off track. I think some of it may be due to only eating liquids right after a fill and then switching to solid foods. I'm staying at 1200 calories a day, so I should continue to go down if my metabolism functions like it should. It's so easy to get addicted to sweets, so I'm outlawing them again for awhile. I really have been having trouble eating a lot of different foods, but I need to just remember to eat slow slow slow. I'm going to church with my bf on Sunday and then we're going to sunday brunch, so I'll need to really be careful about eating slowly. I've been obsessing about how bad my boobs look and I'm getting saggy skin fears. I know I'm happy about the weight I've lost and sometimes I feel that I look really good and then other times I'll catch myself in the mirror and get horrified. I know I need to concentrate on losing and working out and see what happens, but my arms look really bad. They just hang. It's not all skin, there's a lot of fat still in them, but wow they look bad. If the excess skin was gone, they would be pretty small and toned right now. Oh well, I guess you're supposed to wait until you're at goal for year to give your skin time to shrink back, so we'll see. I'm just impatient and want to look good now! Here's a new pic I just took.

I just need to say it... My name is Breanne, and I am a food addict. *sigh* I believe my addiction began at the age of 17. I had always been an over eater prior to age 17 but it was more emotional eating than addictive eating. I got my first car in May of 2004. I remember the freedom finally! It started out being able to go to whatever fast food place whenever I wanted. I remember always loving KFC, but my mother never let me go, so the first week I got my car I couldn't get the place out of my head! I stopped there everyday after work on my way home and got the BIGGEST popcorn chicken they had and ate it before I got home, and then hid the container. I think that when you hide food is when you become truly addicted. I met my husband the following year. We fell in love and got married just six months ago. Let me rewind......from the time I met him to the day we got married, I gained 60lbs! A lot of people ask me why, and until now I didn't know the answer. Much like alcoholics, a food addict is unaware that they have a problem! I tried to blame it on my PCOS haha. In all honesty, I was the one to blame. We ate out constanelyy, but the biggest problem was, I was eating the same amounts as a 6'3 250lb man! What was I thinking, I can totally relate to that Dierks Bently song! :cursing: "I knew there'd be hell to pay, but that crossed my mind a little too late!" I want to be open and honest about my addiction. If anyone has any questions or feels as though they may be a food addict as well, don't hesitate to contact me! I don't have all the answers, as I am just starting the journey to recovery, but I'd love to hear from some people who think they might have a similar problem! Stay Strong!:rolleyes2:

I just need to say it... My name is Breanne, and I am a food addict. *sigh* I believe my addiction began at the age of 17. I had always been an over eater prior to age 17 but it was more emotional eating than addictive eating. I got my first car in May of 2004. I remember the freedom finally! It started out being able to go to whatever fast food place whenever I wanted. I remember always loving KFC, but my mother never let me go, so the first week I got my car I couldn't get the place out of my head! I stopped there everyday after work on my way home and got the BIGGEST popcorn chicken they had and ate it before I got home, and then hid the container. I think that when you hide food is when you become truly addicted. I met my husband the following year. We fell in love and got married just six months ago. Let me rewind......from the time I met him to the day we got married, I gained 60lbs! A lot of people ask me why, and until now I didn't know the answer. Much like alcoholics, a food addict is unaware that they have a problem! I tried to blame it on my PCOS haha. In all honesty, I was the one to blame. We ate out constanelyy, but the biggest problem was, I was eating the same amounts as a 6'3 250lb man! What was I thinking, I can totally relate to that Dierks Bently song! :thumbdown: "I knew there'd be hell to pay, but that crossed my mind a little too late!" I want to be open and honest about my addiction. If anyone has any questions or feels as though they may be a food addict as well, don't hesitate to contact me! I don't have all the answers, as I am just starting the journey to recovery, but I'd love to hear from some people who think they might have a similar problem! Stay Strong!:thumbup:

Hello, I too was banded by him on Feb 13th & no complications either. He is such a sweet caring doctor. Iv'e lost 14 lbs which isn't as good as I could have so on tues when I got another fill he asked me to keep a food journal & stop drinking alcohol so frequently & wants to see me again in two weeks, also he suggested calling the Beverly Hills office to make appt for the support group. I told him I have issues in my personal life so i think he wants me to deal with things that may be interferring with my weight loss. I recommend him to anyone looking for a great lap band surgeon he actually cares about his patients unlike some places that just want your money.

Hey Band Groupie, You WON'T gain it back. Just remember where you came from and find out "who" you really are. When I was going through "Bandster's Hell" I had to give up sugar, of course. I decided then and there, that I'd give it up for good. Like I said, it's a trigger food for me. I NEVER thought I could do that...EVER. Go the rest of my life with no Dove chocolate? NO WAY! I mean life wouldn't even be worth living, right? Wrong. I just can't chance it. It's like an alcoholic taking that first drink after being sober...what's one drink? I can handle it. What's one bite? I can handle it. Hell, I could NEVER handle it, and you know what? No way, it's worth the risk. To think that everything I've worked for and have now could slip through my fingers...to know that my sanity could go away, just like that...with one little(?) bite. And on a lighter note; here's something you'll love. You know, met that cute little Kenny Chesney not once, but twice. Oh God, I was so excited! Me and two friends went back for a "meet and greet." I'm dressed to the nines. I just know that Kenny is going to take one look at my fine, sexy self and beg me to leave my husband. So, I get up there and have my picture made with him. I had to kind of lean in and down 'cause he's so short. I wanna make sure both of our faces are in the photo...that's how short he is...seriously! So, my friend takes the picture, and this was before everyone had a digital camera or a picture cell phone; you had to have the film developed; remember that? Well, I get the pictures back (24 hour developing); I take them out, and...What the HELL? See, what I didn't realize is that not only is Kenny short, he's little as well...real little...tiny...little bitty, teeny tiny, pocket sized. And there I am standing beside him and I look HUGE. No lie. I look like a man in DRAG. GIGANTIC! Everything I have is twice as big as what he has. I look like a red-necked Godzilla. I swear, it looked like I could pick him up in my big ole' hand and just pop him in my mouth...bite his head off, like in those old Godzilla horror flix. Everyone was like, "Let me see the pictures," and I was going, "Uh...they messed 'em up at Walgreens...dammit...yeah, they messed 'em up, that's it." Oh well, I like George Strait way better anyhow.

I can't blame it on anyone else. My daughter gets so mad at me. I have gas all the time and I try not to eat gassy foods plus I take Beano. She acts like I do it on purpose. If I purposely ate something with sugar alcohol in it, I might as well say I did do it on purpose. It's not stop for hours after I eat it. I'd like to find a good Protein bar without it. Atkins used to have them, but now it's in their bars too.

Yes, I have stevia that I put on my Cereal in in my herbal tea. I hope they start putting it in more things. That sugar alcohol is worthless! I can't be in the same room with anyone if it sneaks into my diet. I have to read labels of everything to make sure there is none in what I am going to eat. I wish they would just get rid of it.

No I ain't had nothing to drink I knew that’s probably what you'd think If I dropped by this time of night Remember way back when I promised you I'd drop in At one of those meetings down at the Y Well, they started talkin bout steps you take Mistakes you make The hearts you break And the price you pay I almost walked away You could hear a pin drop When this old man Stood up and said I'm gonna' say it again Like I do every week For those who don't know me (Chorus) It's the simple things in life Like the kids at home and a loving wife That you miss the most, when you lose control And everything you love starts to disappear The devil takes your hand and says no fear Have another shot, just one more beer Yah, I've been there, that's why I'm here This ole boy stood up in the aisle Said he'd been living a life of denial And he cried as he talked about wasted years I couldn't believe what I heard It was my life word for word And all of the sudden it was clear (Repeat Chorus) That’s one of my favorite songs. It’s written and performed by Kenny Chesney, and for a long time I couldn’t hear it without crying; sometimes, I still can’t. I know it’s about alcoholism, but it’s also about me and my eating disorder. So many times, I thought, “I got this. I’m in control. I’m NOT an addict. I’m not ill.” Then there was the time when I lost 71 lbs. on Weight Watchers, and I was convinced that I was “fixed.” I was cured. I wasn’t “that” person anymore, and I was never going back; ever…but, I did. The devil definitely took my hand and I thought, “Just this once.” “Just this once” led to a downhill slide and a massive weight gain. I spent years beating myself up over that. I could not believe that after all that hard work that I blew it, like that. And then, my darkest days began. I felt as though my eating was so much bigger than me. It was something separate from me, that I couldn’t control. I hated life. Every day was a struggle of when do I eat/how much do I get to eat/when will I get to eat again/ what is there to eat? Worst of all, I knew that if I ever did get it together, that it wouldn’t stay together. And I hated everyone; but no one as much as myself...I really hated me. I think that everyone has to have their “moment of truth.” Mine came for me at 3:00 in the morning, watching a show on WLS. I remember thinking, “Life doesn’t have to be this hard.” I pretty much decided right then, that I was going to do this thing. You know, I would have NEVER thought that anything positive could have came from that 71 lb. weight gain, but I was wrong; several positive life lessons came from that. I learned that just when you think you’ve got your demon under control, and you get so high and mighty and complacent that it will rear its ugly head and kick your ass. I learned what to look out for, and what foods that I can’t handle; foods that are “triggers” for overeating. I learned that I am WAY stronger than I ever imagined. Lastly, I learned that the weight loss is secondary for me. The main thing is that I’m free. I’m free from the prison known as my eating disorder. And life is good. Life is very good.

No I ain't had nothing to drink I knew that’s probably what you'd think If I dropped by this time of night Remember way back when I promised you I'd drop in At one of those meetings down at the Y Well, they started talkin bout steps you take Mistakes you make The hearts you break And the price you pay I almost walked away You could hear a pin drop When this old man Stood up and said I'm gonna' say it again Like I do every week For those who don't know me (Chorus) It's the simple things in life Like the kids at home and a loving wife That you miss the most, when you lose control And everything you love starts to disappear The devil takes your hand and says no fear Have another shot, just one more beer Yah, I've been there, that's why I'm here This ole boy stood up in the aisle Said he'd been living a life of denial And he cried as he talked about wasted years I couldn't believe what I heard It was my life word for word And all of the sudden it was clear (Repeat Chorus) That’s one of my favorite songs. It’s written and performed by Kenny Chesney, and for a long time I couldn’t hear it without crying; sometimes, I still can’t. I know it’s about alcoholism, but it’s also about me and my eating disorder. So many times, I thought, “I got this. I’m in control. I’m NOT an addict. I’m not ill.” Then there was the time when I lost 71 lbs. on Weight Watchers, and I was convinced that I was “fixed.” I was cured. I wasn’t “that” person anymore, and I was never going back; ever…but, I did. The devil definitely took my hand and I thought, “Just this once.” “Just this once” led to a downhill slide and a massive weight gain. I spent years beating myself up over that. I could not believe that after all that hard work that I blew it, like that. And then, my darkest days began. I felt as though my eating was so much bigger than me. It was something separate from me, that I couldn’t control. I hated life. Every day was a struggle of when do I eat/how much do I get to eat/when will I get to eat again/ what is there to eat? Worst of all, I knew that if I ever did get it together, that it wouldn’t stay together. And I hated everyone; but no one as much as myself...I really hated me. I think that everyone has to have their “moment of truth.” Mine came for me at 3:00 in the morning, watching a show on WLS. I remember thinking, “Life doesn’t have to be this hard.” I pretty much decided right then, that I was going to do this thing. You know, I would have NEVER thought that anything positive could have came from that 71 lb. weight gain, but I was wrong; several positive life lessons came from that. I learned that just when you think you’ve got your demon under control, and you get so high and mighty and complacent that it will rear its ugly head and kick your ass. I learned what to look out for, and what foods that I can’t handle; foods that are “triggers” for overeating. I learned that I am WAY stronger than I ever imagined. Lastly, I learned that the weight loss is secondary for me. The main thing is that I’m free. I’m free from the prison known as my eating disorder. And life is good. Life is very good.

I try and stay away from splenda, Ive heard bad things about it. anything with sugar alcohols make my ass explode!!! cannot tolerate that stuff. I knoe fiber one bars don't have sugar alcohols in it, but it does have sugar. Im going to try experimenting with stevia, its a natural sweeter that is made from a plant. it has something like 10x's the sweetness as sugar. I bought it at Trader Joes. I like it because it is not a chemical, it is a plant. good luck, amy

It's everywhere! That stuff gives me the worse gas, and I don't need any help in that department. I have gas all the time, no matter what I eat. I just looked at the SF puddings, and it said splenda on the outside of the package, but sure enough if you read the label, it said 9 grams ( or whatever it comes in) of sugar alchohol. It's in most the Protein bars and I like Protein Bars. Does anyone have any suggestions of good things that don't have the sugar alcohol in them. When Malitol is the first ingredient, I know for sure if I ate it, I would have to be home alone for the next several hours.

Same here moonbeam, I told my boss I was having girly stuff done, and same as one other chick at work. Our company are BIG Drinkers and very social, so I am going to have a tough time, especially since my alcohol tolerance will be RUBBISH after this! I think we can get away with "smaller portions" or ordering the Soup so we can at least eat most of it!! if we do it under the guise of "being healthy, trying to eat 6 portions a day, and I am saying I have a personal trainer who works me to the core every morning before work - they'll never know!! muhuhuhahahahha!!:smile2:

chazpbg, you should follow the food stages that YOUR doctor has given you, every doc is different but why chance stretching your pouch, It's not about choking it's about letting yourself heal and they don't not want your stomach to churn during this phase. Like I said every doc is different but I was told no alcohol for 6 weeks The best thing for the gas is to walk, walk, walk, some say that heating pads are useful as well, as far as the sour feeling call your doc if you experience nausea because it's important not to throw up. And as far as the reflux my doc said to take a prilosec if I had this problem, so call and ask them what is best. No scolding. It's good that you come here and ask questions, but I was banded a week before you and when I reflect back at all the months of dealing with paperwork, insurance, and doc appts the last thing I want to do is chance having to start over because I decided to jump the gun and caused damage. The stages will pass quickly and next thing we know we are on regular diet.... Good Luck!!!!!!! and congrats on the weight loss!

I'm trying to loose weight pre operatively I think I am looking at a May Surgery..... Since I've been having such a hard time I have come to realize that I think much like an alcoholic is addicted to alcoholic, we are all addicted to food. I honestly feel like it's very similar. We talk constantly about quitting, but we can't. I feel like I am constantly fighting internally to make myself stop. You should find an over eater anonymous class. People say they are great.

Hi guys, As a newly registered user I like to say hi to everyone who uses this forum. I am a newbie to this forum. I am NYK from Canada. I am glad to join your wonderful forum. Thanks NYK alcoholism treatment

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, at least 20 percent of cancer deaths are linked to a poor diet, including the consumption of alcohol. The Canadian Cancer Society says that 30 to 35 percent of all cancers could be prevented by a combination of eating well, being active, and watching our weight. “Eat your veggies and your fruits, because the antioxidants they contain may protect you,” Chernoff says, pointing to kiwi fruit, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, papaya, sweet potatoes, pink grapefruit, guava, watermelon, carrots, spinach,and oranges. Also crucial are whole grains, which are high in fibre. They’re a source of selenium, which protects cells from oxidation and helps boost the immune system. Think beyond whole wheat bread, Chernoff notes, and explore ancient grains such as spelt, quinoa, bulgur, and millet. “Skip the alcohol, or at least cut back to a few per week and not on the same day,” she adds.Leslie Beck links diet to the prevention of illness in Foods That Fight Disease: A Nutrition Guide to Staying Healthy for Life (Penguin, 2008). Along with sharing recipes, the Toronto nutritionist gives advice on Vitamins and minerals that could protect against cancer. Vitamins A and C may protect against lung cancer, for instance, and folate might guard against colon cancer. Vitamin D could reduce the risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancers,while vitamin E might help prevent prostate cancer. ------------- Unlike most supplements, these products are made from organic foods, not synthetics. Visit the Naturally Nova Scotia website for more information. ----------- mukesh11 Natural Vitamins - Natural Vitamins

Well guys I started a challenge with my sister last week. It includes no weighing (I was weighing 3-4 times a day and the scale was having a big negative impact on my behavior:mad:); counting (& writing down) calories:tongue_smilie:; exercise 4-5 times a week :w00t:(Love & Julie - you'll be so proud of me - went to the gym twice and used the treadmill and eliptical. I sweated real sweat!! I'm going again today); and no alcohol until the weekend (Is Friday night a week night or the weekend???:confused: That being said, I don't know what my weight is -- and I'm not going to weigh until my next fill on April 16. One other thing -- I did try on some of my old "thin" clothes this a.m. I'd given most of them away years ago because I believed I'd never get into them again. Anyway, I was able to get into a couple size 18's. No more 2X's for me:lol:.

I start with a nice clean wallet or purse and after 2 days none of my credit cards are in the wallet they are loose in my purse. I get carded for alcohol and it takes 2 minutes to find it... I am a mess with stuff like that. I guess it's a good thing I don't pay the bills. Lulu.... I am jealous it's 38 degrees and rainy here.

I don't believe that driving drunk is a largely accepted social crime. I don't need or want to drink to be social, and I have no sympathy for anyone who gets a DWI. My own adult son got one once and I hoped they would throw the book at him! Don't get me wrong, I love him with all my heart, but how do you correct a wrong behavior? With discipline. Alcohol consumers have no business getting behind a wheel, and that goes for pot smokers as well. Anytime you are impaired mentally or emotionally (like right after the news of the death of a loved one, or a fight or intense argument with someone, after drug use, etc.)you should walk, not drive.

I recently attended a LB support group. I listened as I heard stories of how many still have just a shake for breakfast/lunch. I got out of that habit some time ago. I then questioned those that did this if they were the cooks or the caretakers in their households. Well the ones that were shakes only with one meal per day were all single. Those of us that tired of the shakes eventually had mouths to feed, groceries to buy, sandwiches to cut.... etc. Frankly, IT IS MORE difficult no matter what anyone sez. I'm not using it as an excuse, but I would love some kind of support group or help. I mean if an alcoholic had to touch, handle liquor all day long... would he be able to stay sober? In my dream world, I would wake up, have a shake, do my day, have a proti-Protein Soup for lunch. Throw in a healthy snack or two, go to the gym, and make a healthy dinner, and go to bed. My friend, a father of 5, leaves all of the above to his lovely wife. He agrees that if he had to touch, shop for, cook, taste, etc, ... food all day he'd not have gone quite so far. NOT an EXCUSE... but @%#! :wink:... man I'd love a break from all this food handling. LOVE my dh and kids and wouldn't change my life for all the pounds in the world, but really would like a clue... any ideas ? Gotta go make the lunches. <sigh> Anyone else go through this?

You got that right! I grew up with an alcoholic and it was horrible!

Paul Simon’s, aptly names anthology of solo hits is called “Negotiations and Love Songs.” He does a great job of capturing the often bizarre and illogical discussions and negotiations we have with ourselves. I think he has done a better job than most in capturing the 5 Stages of the Mourning (Denial, Sadness, Anger, Bargaining, and Acceptance). Well…last night I found myself locked in a mortal battle of wills with Denial. Obviously, I have spent years denying that I had a real problem and that I could overcome it with “will power” or the other great line “…I’ll just stop eating…” I have a friend, that is a recovered alcoholic, and he always said giving up booze was easier than food. Because, you CAN just stop drinking, stopping food eventually kills you… he always said that recovery rate would be zero, if every AA member had to take three shots a day, but was still required to stop all other drinking. So how did Denial sink it’s claws into me? I have been doing much better than I thought I would with the liquid diet, and the Queen of Denial was whispering to me last night…If you have done this good so far, just keep it up, skip the surgery and save the money…maybe your will power will hold out this time…ARRRRGGHHH. Denial is one seductive bitch! So how do you combat Denial? I use the mirror test. I taped a picture of me from high school/college times (about 190LBS), and one of a friend of mine who has the look I want when I get to the other side, then I stand naked in front of the mirror and ask myself do I look like the picture? Obviously the answer is No. Denial, I abjure you, I reject you and I will overcome you. The sweet siren song of Denial will not lead me to the rocky shores to find myself, again wrecked and wondering how it all went wrong. I know the Lapband is only a tool, but, it is also a weapon in a lifelong battle that I will win this time.