Here's my lunch today. 4 pretzel thins, a dab of hummus, a piece of low fat brie, an ounce of chicken breast, 3 cherry tomatoes and a piece of liverwurst. This is a lot of food for me.
I have been thinking a lot about a post recently by LAP BAND GAL, about the journey never really ending and the realization that even after we hit goal, we still have to watch what we eat. Those of you who have seen my posts on LapBandTalk know that I subscribe to the NO DIETING rule. And I think about these two options.... a looser band + will power OR a tighter band + less willpower. I think these are the two success camps. Both yield good results, but we need to pick one. Do I want to be tight and have the band do the work? Or am I willing and able to exert some will power and have a looser band (and a more enjoyable eating experience)?
Initially, I dieted. We all did no? Made it through bandster hell using my weight watchers training. But then, sometime around month 3, I got restriction. And I continued on that scale of restriction until eating became a major chore. And that is how I broke up with food. That is how I eliminated snacking and eating junk. I simply physically could not. My willpower was not in question, my band would slap me every time I failed. I only had to throw up a Christmas cookie once to no longer want to eat them.
I have written on here that I do employ will power. I use it to get to the gym every day. And I use it to run 4 miles instead of 2. I use it to not take all of my daily calories in liquid form. But beyond that, my band kicks in and says, Don't Even Think About It!
On the "watching what I eat" front, I really don't. I have so little real estate and I focus solely on protein. I am not physically able to eat bread, pasta or rice so I don't even try anymore. I don't track, I refuse to. I don't diet, I refuse that too. I wanted to give up food - and giving up food for me also means not obsessing about it all the time. And this has worked for me. There is the other side though, the other option.... and sometimes I wonder what that would be like ;)
I don't want to diet either, I go for my second fill near week 3 next month. My band still tells me when to stop though even now. I just still get hungry again in about 3 hours after eating. That's what I'm hoping that my next fill with help with.
ReplyDeleteMmmm I love liverwurst. I should get some of that. : ) Thanks for sharing your philosophy with us.
Good luck on the fill. I also refuse to count calories,track my food etc. Been there done that. I am getting a fill tomorrow and am vacillating on how much to ask for. At times I have good restriction then some days wide open. I do pb if I eat too fast, so I have learned that for the most part. Like you, I think I will try for a tight band for a while.I had a .25 fill 6 weeks ago and am down 3 friggin pounds. We did just go to Floriday for 10 days and I did drink drink drink. And I don't mean water. I will cut back on the booze, but want a bit of tight. I am 66 down since 8/24 and really would like to lose 20 by my anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm fairly new to reading your blog but I enjoy it! I found it from LapBandTalk (my username is ErinMarie on there) and I really like your thinking! Your thought processes and realizations really help me see what decisions I will have to make down the road and I can't wait to make those decisions :)
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