I Really Want 2 B Able To Eat Anything

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Well put, Thinknhealthy! That pretty much sums up how I feel, and what I hope to achieve with my new band! Thanks for phrasing it so succinctly!

[snowbird 2]

My doctor told me I should avoid fibrous foods, like broccoli or asparagus spears, and to avoid white carbs like Pasta, potato, and bread, since they were nutritionally valueless and also likely to get stuck. We do all react differently to this tool; my husband has never pb'd, but he has also not had the restriction to lose as much as he feels he should have over the past 11 months.

[lapbandbarb 0]

Well, restless, good luck with it. Some of the most successful oldtimers on here agree that the band works as negative conditioning, teaching us painfully that we cannot eat as we did pre-operatively. While I can eat small amounts of almost anything at this stage, a couple pounds from goal, if I were still in losing mode that just wouldn't work.

I still have enough trouble with some foods that I no longer want them. So I guess I could say I eat what I want, because the band has taught me I don't want them anymore.

What do you expect will force you to eat less and eat only healthy food when you could not do that before?

This totally makes sense to me. I have to stay away from the foods that I used to binge on (ie. potatoe chips) because I feel like if I eat even a little of it, I am setting myself up to start thinking the way I used to about them. Getting the band has made me think differently about food. It is hard, but you have no choice. The band is a big part of the work that we have to put in to lose weight and change our relationship with food but it is not the whole answer. The thing that I have the most trouble with are Bagels and I am doing fine without them. Protein first!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I suppose the bottom line is, why we were overate (ie what our eating patterns were) will have some bearing on how best we use the band to achieve health. After 10 months of behavioral therapy for my overeating, I have learned a great deal about how, when, and why I overeat. We are all different; and our issues are different. Fortunately I think the band is versatile enough that it can provide some needed aid to each of us. In other words, we can kind of "personalize" it to work for us. If I were prone to binge on chips, I'd avoid them. I don't, fortunately. I won't be having a milkshake each day, because that's just insane. I probably won't have a milkshake for a year or more but then I don't have them often anyway. I'm glad we can all find what we need in that little medical device; but we all need to remember that our way isn't the only way. What works for me won't necessarily work for the next person. I plan to follow my doc's advice to start, and since he is the one who said "eventually you will be able to eat anything", I'll stick with that. Eventually, I will.

[AliNSanDiego 1]

I can eat anything I want, just smaller portions. Saying that, I have to watch everything I choose or I will gain every pound I have lost, back!

I'm only at 3cc's in my 10cc band so things may change when I get more fills.

[tunasalad 0]

I can eat anything just not as much. I have lost 40 pounds since january. Now maybe if I cut out things and went low carb like a lot of bandsters that 40 would have been 80 but im happy with the 40 and besides I did low carb for 2 years pre band and I know that it isn't a lifelong commitment I can make but reducing portion sizes is a lifelong commitment I can do!

[Fanny Adams 7]

I can eat just about anything in limited quantities. For example, my Breakfast this morning was a poached egg, 1/4 cup baked Beans, 1/4 cup tinned mushrooms. My mid morning snack (just finished!) was a small banana and a mandarin. I had steak, corn, broccoli and a baby potato for dinner last night. The quantities ARE very limited (2oz steak, not a whole pound, 1" baby potato, not a whopper).

Because these small amounts keep me feeling full and satisfied, I have the will power left over to resist eating junk. I stick mostly to fatfree/sugar free but I'm not strict about it. I don't get the urge to snack, I rarely have refined white carbs but I don't cut them out of my diet completely. I will occasionally indulge in Pasta with a creamy sauce, but usually it's a Tomato based sauce and never more than 1/4 - 1/2 a cup at a time, with other fresh veges as filler.

The one thing I have given up completely for the band is carbonated drinks - they just fill me up with gas and give me instant heartburn. I still drink alcohol but have switched to the occasional scotch and Water, instead of coke, and I don't miss coke one bit!

Yes, the trade off is that you do have to work with a looser restriction to eat like this but it is a MUCH healthier and much more satisfying way to live.

[snowbird 2]

I suppose the bottom line is, why we were overate (ie what our eating patterns were) will have some bearing on how best we use the band to achieve health. After 10 months of behavioral therapy for my overeating, I have learned a great deal about how, when, and why I overeat. We are all different; and our issues are different. Fortunately I think the band is versatile enough that it can provide some needed aid to each of us. In other words, we can kind of "personalize" it to work for us.

That is absolutely true. The successful bandster is one who is able to do some self-examination and find ways to make the band work. For me, that means no junk food in the house, no bread, no flour, no Pasta, no potatoes, no Cookies, no ice cream. I can treat myself and go out for an ice cream cone, but buy no more than one serving at a time.

The only danger I see in your thinking is creating expectations before you have the experience of how the band works for you. Just be willing to make adaptations if it isn't exactly how you expect it to be. Some bandsters have foods that they can never get down easily. Eventually your mind is conditioned to not want those foods, as I said before.

By the way, I had kielbasa and corn on the cob for dinner tonight--a couple of inches of kielbasa and a small 1/2 ear of corn.

[speck 1]

Fortunately I'm being successful eating pretty much anything I want. Yesterday we had family over and had sandwich stuff for everyone. I was the first in line and fixed myself half a ham&swiss sandwich and 4-5 cucumber slices and sat down at the table to eat. After all 10 had helped themselves and finished their big sandwiches and had already moved on to the next activity, I was finally finishing my last satisfying bite. You should be able to eat anything, just smaller portions, chew well, and take it slow. Remember how to enjoy your food again as it should be enjoyed. Don't deprive yourself. Try to find ways for the band to fit into your lifestyle. That's how you will be most successful.

God Bless!

This is absolutely where I want to be.

Thanks- I hope I can do the same thing. :tt2:

[aubrie 6]

I can and do eat everything. BUT I'm much more careful with certain things, and really listen to what my body says. Some things just give me more problems if I'm not careful, and I tend to avoid them, but do eat them if I REALLY want it. My doctor said that they whole point of this is to enjoy life and have quality of life. Quality of life includes being normal and joinging in the family celebrations, and traditional foods for our cultures etc. It doesn't mean we can do that every day, but we can be active members of an extended family. That is important to me. I did this for quality of life for myself. I am achieving it, and I'm happy with my choice. My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past weekend. While I probably ingested more calories than usual, I particpated in the celebration along with everyone else. This included the cake and traditional foods I grew up with. These are the times that make life worth living. I won't trade that. But that's just me. I can go back to low carb, or liquids or exercise more if I need to tomorrow.

[luluc 6]

i think quality of life is a big deal, at least to me. and with that, i had a candid talk w/my dr before banding about my eating habits and how was i going to change for the better, that included me not giving up my glass of wine here or there. he was fine w/that; i was not one to live on junk food - my problem was with the fork, and not knowing when to put it down, volume eater.

i've had 2 unfills because i couldn't get whole grain bread / chicken / some veggies down. they are part of my "diet" and to be so stuck, i can't enjoy the foods i like - i rather my weight loss take extra time, eat hot meals "hot".

as the weight dropped off, and i picked up my exercise - i'm more inclined to make better food choices / my body craves them. that's not to say, that a good bottle of wine @ diner & a bite creme brule' doesn't happen...that's not living.., for me:tongue:

[MissCT234 0]

I can usually eat whatever I want as long as I eat slowly and carefully. I CANNOT eat fast food for the most part at all. I get sick if I eat McDonald's hamburgers or things...but occassionally when we are on the road I might get a 4 piece chicken nugget and I can et 2 or 3 and be full... bread is something I struggle with usually. I can eat it occassionally and it is much better if it is toasted..but not much. I cannot eat more than one slice and that is a lot.

I do eat sweets sometimes. A bite of cake at a party or a cookie. ANd I have had a few break downs when I did eat too many Cookies. Unfortunately for me...crackers and Cookies and ice cream can go down fine..but meat can be an issue at times.

What I have finally realized...and I am still new at this..is that if I DO NOT eat in between meals..I can eat what my family eats in a small amount and very slowly ancd carefully. And that is neat. It is fun to go to a BBQ and only eat one small rib while everyone is feasting on a quarter of a rack. ANd I am perfectly happy with that!

I struggled this summer for a while. I was vomiting a lot. I realized I was doing three things wrong...stress was abundant in my life. And I seem to have PB issues and vomiting issues when I am stressed. I was eating in between meals because I was throwing up and so then I would munch on crackers. ANd when I felt like I was stuck I would drink with the food and that only made it worse. I also was not losing very well DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now school is back in session. I am eating better and not eating in between..though I may have a mid afternoon snack if I am eating a late dinner which is normalk at our house. And I am losing again.

I am disappopinted in myself..or I was actually. ANd I felt like a failure cause I hadn't lost as much as I "SHOULD" have. But I am not going to "SHOULD" on myself and I changed my attitude last week. The results? I finally got past a weight that I always struggle to get by whenever I diet and I had bounced around it for almost a month. YIPPEE>

I have only lost 43 pounds since May but I can live with that. Shoot..it is 43 more than I lost last year all year.,. and I am happy.

Keep up the good work everyone. I resoect those who can be very regimented. Biut I am one who will binge or act out if I am deprived totally of something..so I am happy to take it slow..and live as normal as possible..in reasonable quantities. Who caould ask for anything more?

Cindi:drool: