Do you miss food/eating?

[nikki c 16]

I am being banded on 6/27 (yaaay!) and I'm curious about how everyone who has been banded for a long time feels about food. I am ABSOULUTELY addicted and use food for comfort for all of me feelings. I'm working on that, bvut i'm wondering if anyone misses eating? does it just become natural to eat a few bites and be satisfied? and i'm not talking physically sated, but in your head, do you feel like you didn't eat enough or you need more?

thx

[melzie_99 22]

I am being banded on 6/27 (yaaay!) and I'm curious about how everyone who has been banded for a long time feels about food. I am ABSOULUTELY addicted and use food for comfort for all of me feelings. I'm working on that, bvut i'm wondering if anyone misses eating? does it just become natural to eat a few bites and be satisfied? and i'm not talking physically sated, but in your head, do you feel like you didn't eat enough or you need more?

thx

Hi Nikki,

I had/have the same problem: yes, I DO miss eating. I used to a textbook emotional eater: I ate when I was sad, angry, happy, bored, anything was an excuse to eat. It wasn't so bad in the beginning because I literally had to FORCE myself to eat when I first got banded because I was never hungry. As my body adjusted, however, those old feelings came back. I'm actually dealing with that now; tears have been shed! I began seeing a therapist to deal with the emotional issues I knew would arise from not having food as my comforter...if you can I would recommend it. I told my therapist it's almost like losing a part of myself; I don't enjoy eating anymore, and because so much of my life used to revolve around it, there's a void that needs to be filled. I would definitely recommend starting new hobbies or activities to keep you busy; the adjustment is the hardest when I get bored. At the end of the day, however, it DOES get better. I don't live to eat anymore.Yeah, sometimes it sucks when I'm trying to eat something I like and can only eat 1/3-1/2c of it as opposed to a plateful like before, but seeing my new body is more than worth it. Hang tough, and know there are people here going through the same thing that support you!

[Rachel412 116]

Yep I miss it. DH and I were on a cruise last week and I tried to be good, but by the end of the week I was eating foods I knew I shouldn't (like chicken fingers and fries) and drinking with my meals, and Desserts after lunch and dinner. It was hard to come back home Friday and have to remember oh yeah, I'm not supposed to do xyz. I KNOW I wasn't hungry, but that didn't stop me from eating!

[Julia_N 2]

I am being banded on 6/27 (yaaay!) and I'm curious about how everyone who has been banded for a long time feels about food. I am ABSOULUTELY addicted and use food for comfort for all of me feelings. I'm working on that, bvut i'm wondering if anyone misses eating? does it just become natural to eat a few bites and be satisfied? and i'm not talking physically sated, but in your head, do you feel like you didn't eat enough or you need more?

thx

Sometimes I miss eating a big meal, but I've gotten to the point where I know what will come right back up, so it isn't as appealing to me anymore. I miss biting into a big juicy cheeseburger, but knowing it wouldn't stay down makes it less appealing. It still feels a little weird to be satisfied with so little food. You'll eventually get used to it. Good luck on your surgery!

[Cindy C 150]

I was in the local gas station/pizza joint today and they had supreme slices in the case. I thought, "Boy, I can remember when I would have eaten the whole darn pizza. Now the sight of it makes me nauseous!" So I guess my answer is NO. I don't miss it!

[vickyd 24]

I don't really miss the bad foods but if my husband or sons are eating something that is tempting but not something I should be eating then I ask for a taste...that satisfies my curiosity and I don't feel like I have to eat more than that. It has actually turned into sort of a family joke with everyone offering tastes of their food whenever they have something I don't normally eat.

[asksdf 5]

Before I got banded, and I'm sure a lot of you did this too, I would look forward to meals with how much I was going to eat....always fast food of course. Now when I get hungry, I don't really think about it. I know that I'll just eat a little bit of my healthy food and I'll be set for the next several hours.

Here's something a coworker said a couple years back, and I've never forgotten it, "Think of eating like filling your car with gas. Food is fuel for your body. You don't get excited about gassing up your car, do you?" Makes a lot of sense.

[CarrieRN2006 1]

There are a lot of times when i hate eating now, but there are also times when i miss the things I loved the most so I am frustrated. When you first get banded, it seems like no one is hungry. when I was in the hospital and they gave me clears for the first time, the nurse was like eat and i was like I am trying! haha...but eventually the swelling will go down and you will want to eat again. then you start filling and its the same process over again. I think for the most part though, everyone will agree that you will feel that the weight and your body are more important and pleasing than what foods you are missing. just dont get into the habit of drinking while eating, its a TOUGH habit to break-I am struggling. when you are throwing up what you eat, it does take away from eating it. one of my favorites before surgery was a hoagie, now I cant eat them because the bread and everything is too much-one bite doesnt even make it down. If you are truly going to be happier with less weight and a healthier body, then the sacrifice is worth it. good luck on your journey, know that we are all here for support.

[nikki c 16]

Thanks for all the advice. I know being thinner will definitely be worth not eating, just wondering about my emotional attachment to food. I am like another poster said they were - i think about a food situation (bbq, etc) and get excited about how much and what i'm going to eat. hoping that goes away with time )

[Thee-O 15]

I think everyone who has the lap band goes through their own journey of finding the difference between physical hunger and head hunger. I have been banded 3 1/2 weeks now and I still find myself over ordering. Even when I think I am getting a small meal in my head. It takes time to get used to. I do miss certain foods, but I found love for other new foods that are healthier for me. You will find that food, that satisfies you, and also is good for you. For me it is Sashimi. It is something I love, something I know is good for me and something that I can have on a regular basis and not feel bad about.

I used to love bread and rice but for some reason (and maybe because I don't want to get stuck), I just have no craving for it. Knowing that I can only get a limited amount of food in makes me want to make sure I am getting what my body needs as opposed to what my head wants.

Good luck on your journey.

[Beida 2]

Hi Nikki, Thanks for this thread. I will be banded a day after you... the 28th, and I was also wondering about food and cravings, etc. I love this site, there are so many helpful banders here

Good Luck with your banding.

Brenda

[Cocoabean 430]

For me, I had a hard time getting my head around eating a smaller amount. While my brain said I was satisfied, my "mouth" still wanted more sensation. It took a long time to reconcile that. Taking smaller bites helps, because it draws out the eating process.

When you are used to eating an entire enchilada and suddenly you are full on half that...it is an odd sensation.

[Jess55 97]

Do I miss food, sometimes. The thing is I don't truly deprive myself. If I want something I usually have it. Like at work there is a normal vending machine downstairs and those 25 cent ones up front. I like m&ms but I don't want to have to many, so I go to the 25 cent machine and just get a small handful and only do that once. So I just get a little instead of getting a whole bag. I have been craving a chicken quesadilla from taco bell, but when I look at the calories, I don't feel it is worth it. I probably will have one eventually but not right now

[asksdf 5]

Do I miss food, sometimes. The thing is I don't truly deprive myself. If I want something I usually have it. Like at work there is a normal vending machine downstairs and those 25 cent ones up front. I like m&ms but I don't want to have to many, so I go to the 25 cent machine and just get a small handful and only do that once. So I just get a little instead of getting a whole bag. I have been craving a chicken quesadilla from taco bell, but when I look at the calories, I don't feel it is worth it. I probably will have one eventually but not right now

Are you reading my mind? That used to be, and hell probably still would be one of my favorites. But that's a big part of how I conquered it, I just go online to all the fast food websites and look at the nutrition info. It's ridiculous. When you see the numbers, it really helps you open your eyes.

[andrea0121 28]

For me, I had a hard time getting my head around eating a smaller amount. While my brain said I was satisfied, my "mouth" still wanted more sensation. It took a long time to reconcile that. Taking smaller bites helps, because it draws out the eating process.

When you are used to eating an entire enchilada and suddenly you are full on half that...it is an odd sensation.

This this this.

I can pretty much eat whatever I want - how much I want is a different story. Maybe that's why I'm a slow loser, 6 months out and down 44lbs, but I don't feel deprived and I don't feel like I'm on a forever diet. I just have smaller portions. I rather like it this way actually.

Good luck!!