Can't use food

[GirlBarb]

I always coped with problems by visiting my old best friend FOOD. I am not doing that anymore, as a resutl I am feeling things that I don't want to. I am in my last day of bandster hell, I get my first fill this afternoon. Will this dumpy feeling go away? Do I need to see a shrink?

[momonamission]

during my process of liquids I found out my Mom had lung cancer. It has been devasting. I struggled with food when I went back on solids. I just had my first fill 5 days ago. It has helped. I take it day by day and when I see my small victories it keeps me going. If you need someone closer to talk to ...the local hospitals usally have lapband support groups.You might want to check it out. I think you will have more will power after you start getting fills. Just keep positive.

[Kimmy in MD]

It is proven medically that EXCERSISE will help lift your mood. Get out and move some. Go for a long walk, that shouldn't be too strenuous. If you can get your pace up enough to produce the endorphins, this will definetly help a lot.

I have used my treadmill religiously for the last 14 years and I find my mind is most clear while I am on it. When I don't use it I find I am more grumpy. Besides, I use the time on the treadmill to dream of ways to change my house. I have knocked out more walls and expaneded more rooms (in my mind) while on there than I can tell you.

[Sandy]

I haven't had my surgery yet but I am trying to incorporate what it will be like. I have a lot of stress in my life which has always sent me for the food. For the past couple of weeks I have been walking it out. I just keep going until I think I have talked myself down. Sometimes I end up taking the kids with me which kind of defeats the purpose. But atleast I am not eating. When I get home I am too tired to eat. There isn't any one thing that will work for you. Just learn a bunch of new tricks to get you through one moment at a time. This forum is a great place for new ideas, things I didn't think of myself. Hang in there. What you are feeling is completely normal.

:lb4: :lb25:

[mona-camille]

Kimmy is right, walking is a great stress reliever, especially if you walk alone. Plus it really brightens your mood and makes you feel better all over!

[Kittycat]

So sorry to hear you are feeling down.

As the other girls suggested get out and exercising will help your mood and your weight loss.

Chin up sweetie!

Cathy

[jaangio]

I always coped with problems by visiting my old best friend FOOD. I am not doing that anymore, as a resutl I am feeling things that I don't want to. I am in my last day of bandster hell, I get my first fill this afternoon. Will this dumpy feeling go away? Do I need to see a shrink?

I am new to this forum and in the middle of bandster hell myself but I know what you are going thru. Whenever I ever felt down or sad, I turned to my old friend food. That is no longer possible for me, especially in the middle of only taking in full liquids. I did expect to have some sad feelings about that but it has surprised me that it has happened so quickly and so strongly. I have been trying to get out of the house more and go for walks like the others have suggested. It has helped a little but I can definitely see in the future needing to see someone or attending some support groups.

[soccermom]

ParieGirlBarb ~

I totally know how you feel. Isn't it funny how you now think about it, whenever there was a problem, go to the kitchen and grab something to put in our mouth. I am going through that now, little down about my weight, money, ect, you know all the normal things. And all I want to do is go grab something sweet. That is my biggest down fall. Grab the chocolate. But I am going to go walk right now after reading all the responses you got. This forum is wonderful. Also people say to find a hobbie. Someone on here, I think Paula is scrapping more now when she thinks about food. That is a WONDERFUL idea. Which I have thousand of dollars worth of scrap stuff and don't have the time. Either working or my daughters soccer games, which we leave right after work today for the weekend to San Ramon for a soccer tournament.

Hang in there ~ we are all here for support and to support each other!! :good3:

[MamaMichelle]

You know I was a stress eater before being banded and while it never goes away totally, the band (and a good fill) will usually stop you from doing too much damage....

For example, 2 nights ago I got some stressful news while I was out and about and after stewing on that for a while and passing an italian fast food plsace I stopped in and ordered their Chicken Parmsean dish sat down read to shovel in the food and I realized what I was doing... I still ate some of it, maybe 1/2 of one chicken breast but totally avoided the pasta and chesse... I won't lie and say it didn't make me feel a little bit better, later that night I went online and saw that the entire dish had something like 2,000 calories so where before the band I would have eaten the whole thing (oh and the 2 breadsticks that came with it, probably another 500 calories for those) the band made me more concious of what I was eating and I was able to stop myself! I even lost a pound the next day so no harm done!

[nothereanymore]

This emotional eating and dealing with it has been such a part of finding out who I am.

I did the same thing - I struggled with my emotions and realized I was having such a hard time because I couldn't "eat" my problems away. And that was such a difficult and wonderful time – because it made me address the issues and if I didn’t deal with it – there’s a good chance I would go back to being obese since this is most likely what made me obese in the first place.

I did have to find other channels, one was to talk about what was bothering me – with whoever was involved and not hold it in. And I had to do it in the right way – but I wasn’t going to be that person that people could push things on anymore. If theres something that bothers me – I let people know – in a nice way and we deal with it. I’m a much more confidant and happy person because of this. I'm aslo much better at saying no, when needed.

I also use exercise to channel my emotions – breathing exercise – I walk and contemplate… Life is much better now that I can’t eat through my emotions and have learned to deal with them – eating through them never fixed anything!

Best,

Lisa

[lynzz]

I too am still in the process of learning how to cope.

I have learned to keep anything that can do any real damage away from the house, that means all junk, including all sweets and snack items. I find that these are the things I crave during an emotional time and if there is nothing here, I tend to not want to put the extra effort to go get it.

Secondly, as the others have said, exercise helps immensly and has become my new best friend. I usually go to the gym in the afternoon and run/walk in the evenings. Evenings are when I am the most hungry, so I always try to preoccupy myself with another activity during that time. I don't know if you have access to a pool, but swimming is great!!

I believe if you take up exercising, walking, or any activity/hobby that you enjoy, you will be out of this stuper in no time, it will just take a while to adjust to your new way of life......just think, all the money you save on a shrink's fees can be put twords a wardrobe for the new you!!!! :lb4:

[GirlBarb]

Thank you guys for all the great ways to deal. I will use them as much as I can. I love to walk, but my orthotics are not working well and my heel spur is killing. I do need a hobby and will go to Michaels and see what I can come up with.

I had my first fill today, it was a little crazy, they told me they didn't have my records, they did, and they found them after making me crazy and jumping through hoops to get copies faxed to them.

Then they told me that my visit was 75 dollars more than they had told me twice on the phone.

The PA that did the fill was sweet, but not smart as I would have thought, I had to show her where the doctor recorded my band size and that there was no fill in there yet.

She put in 1.2CC and pulled out the needle before I gulped the water without restriction. Well going slow is better than too much?

She said to come back in a month, and the next fill will be better and have restriction.

On the bright side, (I think that I felt restriction) when I had my butternut squash soup for dinner, I stopped eating as soon as I was aware of any feeling. I am what is called a flat lander, I live on the dessert/prarie and the lots are 35 plus acres, it is far from most things, it is an 8 mile road without a stop sign before getting to population.

What I want you to know is that the sunset going on right now is so beautiful that a photo wouldn't do it justice.

thanks again, you guys are a God sent to me. Barb