how do i concentrate on life not my weight

[christalskm]

hello everyone i was banded on march 27th 2009 and i have done very good so far. i am following everything on that paper. i do think about food and i see now that i am a food addict i realized the only hobbie i had before was 2 eat out. cuz now i feel like i have nuthing do do with my friends or husband. but i feel myself so worried about being a failure in this jorney that i cant concentrate on anything other than weight loss. i want 2 be one of those peole with great success but i dont want 2 think about this all day. has anyone else started out like this. my husband said he is gonna hide my scale from me lol.

[nothereanymore]

I think the first thing you need to do is stop worrying. I have to hid my scale from time to time when I get in one of those moods…

Eating is a big part of America’s past time, and the truth is, this isn’t something new. It always has been. What seems to be different is the types of foods we eat and the portions.

It still is a big part of my life, but I learn how to manage it. I actually go out more now, and if that includes dinner, I get a glass of Cab for my h'ordeurves and an h'ordeurves for my dinner. (The focus is not on the food, but on your company) and I still get things I love to eat, just smaller portions, and have just as much fun as everyone else. If you have a glass of wine – the rule is you have to drink it before you eat, and nothing for an hour after. I usually stick to one, and during my weight loss only allowed myself two drinks per week.

First you do need to find some activity you love – go back in time… way back and think about what you use to do – I’m sure it wasn’t all about eating.

Here’s some that I have on my list of things I now do:

Go see live music (tonight is Jazz) So far in the last month I’ve seen Smokey Robinson, Julianne Hough with the Lost Trailers (loved those guys) and Boz Scaggs is in a week and a half.

Check our your local museums and art shows

Then find some new hobbies, you might try bird watching to get in some walking, there are lots of clubs you can join. And try dancing (I’m checking out Pammie’s pole dancing class). And I have a few of mine that I do already.

I have taken so many new classes and had so many new experiences in the 2.7 years that it boggles my mind. (From Buddhism 101 to healthy cooking, and other classes). I’m just trying to open my mind and take the focus off of eating in my life and more on living.

Just go have fun, get active and get out, don’t let your band slow you down, let it give you the freedom to do more with your life!

Best,

Lisa

[JazzyJude]

I totally agree with Lisa wholeheartedly. You have to live on and not focus on food itself. I've only been banded for 6 months (wow - time has flown by!!) and I have learned a lot just recently on my new lifestyle. The band is only a small part of us but it teaches us to live healthier and to move on and to do the things we want/use to do or discovering new avenues into our lives! Like Lisa, I've rediscovered myself of what I use to like and do. Now I am living it. It's amazing if you let yourself go and at times, I catch myself giggling! Yeah...it's way too cool! Any before you ask...I will be 54 next month and couldn't be prouder of myself.

I have the mindset, determination, and I am so driven to live the life I want. And to do that, I am motivated, positive, and committed to reach my goal. YOU can have this too, if you really want it...which is why you got the band! Like Lisa says, think way back to what you use to like, go and do, and go forward from there. I am finding I have a full calendar and I am enjoying myself immensely. It's AWESOME!

Right now I am currently doing (2) Biggest Loser challenge and it's incredible. Afterwards, I am going to do the Harry Potter challenge. I am more focus on the fitness rather than the food now. I walk between 5 to 7 miles a day. I go to kareoke once a week, as well as dancing my night away! I did a "visual collage" for me to view every day and it inspires me. I scrapbook, quilt, do quilling, read all kinds of subjects, taken Tai Chi classes, currently finishing my EMT refresher training, taking a class on geneolgy. I socialize with the others and do what Lisa says, to order appetizers and have a drink and I am having fun with my friends, not the food. It's all fun now because I chose it to be that way and I am still focusing on my wieght loss by committing myself with the portion control, taking my vitamins and supplements. Because I am having fun, people are noticing and commenting me how happy I am, the more I seem to lose weight. I thrive on when people notices that I've lost. So far, keeping busy has been the trick for me, both mentally and physically...and this is a good thing for me.

Good luck...you can do this! Jazzy!!

[nothereanymore]

We actually ended up seeing UB40 last night, what a cool show! Lots of fun and I was on my feet most of the show - I'm loven life!

[christalskm]

thank u both for your support and advice.....

[Myskinny]

thank u both for your support and advice.....

I was banded on March 20th and it is challenging for me also. I need to learn to cook, exercise, and find things to eat for breakfast. It is going to be an uphill climb but I am ready. This site helps alot and gets me motivated. I get my first fill on friday and I am excited.

[SlimColaGirl]

I've been banded since Jan 9th and am 30 lbs down. I focused almost solely on my band for two months... posting on forums, starting a blog, creating a youtube channel, and just making sure I was ok with the foods I was eating. Now I'm focusing more on living life. I'm all healed up and the weather is starting to get beautiful. I got back into cycling and love to eat out since I eat a lot less. There's much more energy to go around now. The secret is realizing that you're getting lighter and finding things to do with your new body. Ask yourself what have you always wanted to try. The go try it. You'll discover so many new things about yourself and have a lot of fun in the process. And that's the definition of living life my friend. Good luck! :-D

[Smiley]

My friends and I eat out almost every Sunday and some weeks I eat out with co-workers. I enjoy spending time with the people I am eating with and typically order a regular entree. I do this so that I have both meat and vegetables in front of me as I would be perfectly content eating only meat for the rest of my life, but that is not a wise decision.

A regular entree that used to be 1.5 or 2 meals for me now turns in to 3 or 4 meals. Even a kid's meal last weekend served as 2 full meals and with a little addition would have made a third, but I gave it to my dad instead. When my nephews are around I can usually convince one of them to split an entree with me and we still end up with leftovers.

As long as you are following the rules to a tee you will succeed. If for some reason you discover otherwise, you can address that issue when/if you get there, but don't focus on it right now. Look at your ticker, you are already successful. Every 6 pounds you have lost has taken your BMI down by 1.

[jhawkchick75]

I completely understand where you are coming from. Our habits need to change so significantly after the surgery and the head hunger for me was out of control! But I will tell you it gets easier. I don't think it ever goes away - at least for me it hasn't yet and i'm almost at 6 months banded. Eating is an addiction and once you don't have that it gives you a lot of time to think - which can be a good or bad thing!

As weird as it might sound, I went through a mourning process of sorts. Sadness that I couldn't eat like I used to, then anger that my friends most of them can eat what they want and enjoy themselves, then I finally came to the realization that although many things have changed in my life, I can still enjoy life. Yes, there are some things I cannot eat or cannot do, but to be really honest as time passes I really don't miss most of those foods anymore. Now, I don't think there will ever some a day where I don't crave or miss bread, but i'm managing and know i'm better off not having it. But what I would do to have 5 minutes alone with a bowl of rolls from O' Charleys!

Once you are feeling more comfortable with your band you will not think about it quite as much. I'm still counting calories, but that is because I realized I wasn't eating enough and it was really impacting my weight loss. But now so much of this is coming without me thinking about it. You will get there don't worry!!!!!!

[Myskinny]

You just summed up exactly how I feel. The head hunger is crazy. I made dinner last night and waited 20 minutes and still felt hungry. So I went back and it came back up. I know my full signal but my head argues. I am one month banded and will work on this as I did much better this morning. I am actually starting to like my band and know how awesome this gift is for me. Eating was huge for me, so finding other things to do is weird. Laundry is just about all caught up. I have to think like a skinny person.

Lori