I've just had a weekend of fun. And where there's fun, there's usually food. Why is that?
At a party this weekend, an acquaintance mentioned casually to me as we were going 'round the potluck table full of food filling our plates, "Do you sometimes feel that you are missing out?" She knows about my band and I guess that she noticed that my plate wasn't as full as all of the other party guests (or her own, to be specific).
Would someone make a similar comment to a Weight Watcher member or someone following the Atkins program or even Jenny Craig? Hmmm.
Was I missing out by only enjoying a few of the food choices? This got me thinking.
I did a quick google search and there's a lot out on the interwebs about a "Fear of Missing Out" or "FOMO."
At a party this weekend, an acquaintance mentioned casually to me as we were going 'round the potluck table full of food filling our plates, "Do you sometimes feel that you are missing out?" She knows about my band and I guess that she noticed that my plate wasn't as full as all of the other party guests (or her own, to be specific).
Would someone make a similar comment to a Weight Watcher member or someone following the Atkins program or even Jenny Craig? Hmmm.
Was I missing out by only enjoying a few of the food choices? This got me thinking.
I did a quick google search and there's a lot out on the interwebs about a "Fear of Missing Out" or "FOMO."
Honestly, I very rarely feel like I am "missing out." That's the beauty of the band, I can eat everything and usually a small taste is all I need.
If I felt like I was missing out on food opportunities, it would have made losing 115+ lbs a lot harder and it would make maintenance even more difficult.
I can think of plenty of examples from this weekend where people may think that I am "missing out", here are just two:
- Happy hour with my girlfriends where I had about three sips of a margarita and half a flauta. Everyone else enjoyed full plates of tacos, beans, cheese, rice, guacamole, etc.
- A trip to the movies where the old me would have had a large Coke and an entire package of Red Vines licorice? Nope, water was just fine and a few bites of popcorn.
But seriously, what am I really missing out on?
- An opportunity to fit back into my size 24W jeans? No way.
- Going back to having borlderline high cholesterol? Nope.
- Barely being able to fit into an airplane seat? No thanks.
What a fabulous post! I do not know this woman but I would think she is quite possibly the kind of person who would rather eat more than anything else, who also associates food with happiness.
ReplyDeleteLaughing here cause we have all been her. I am sure you felt fine with your choices and I am glad you make them each every day. You show us all how to live in maintenance which can be a fearful place I am sure.
Love you
I do not feel like I am missing out at all! Mainly because I can have almost anything I want I just don't eat and eat and eat!
ReplyDeleteWhat I do miss on the occasion is a sub sandwich or a hamburger. Although I could probably TRY and eat those things it would take me a good 2 hours. So I will eat something else!
I do find that I often skip eating out nowadays..mainly because I don't want to be miserable through the meal. NOT because I am jealous but because I am worried about eating to quickly which I tend to do when I am hungry.
But the funny thing is I rarely get stuck when I am out. Mainly at home!
While I had the RNY and not the band, I still don't feel like I'm "missing out" on anything food wise. I do make better choices to what I want to try (in other words, I don't take a lot of EVERYTHING ;) )I take a few tastes of what appeals the most. I don't miss out, I just enjoy things besides the food more now.
ReplyDeleteThere is only one food related event that the Hubs and I have had to give up since lap band and that is an All You Can Eat Sushi Extravaganza that our favorite sushi bar has every New Year's Eve. Sometimes I do wish I could still go there and stuff my face full of their awesome sushi. Plus, for many years that event was a tradition that we held with many of our friends-- all overweight also. But that is the only thing that even comes close to something I miss about food.
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate to the pic about ordering everything on the menu because I feared missing out......I totally used to do that.
I haven't even had my fist fill yet so my experience is limited... I feel the benefit of the lap band unlike a life of continued yo yo dieting is the fact that I don't have to miss out I just have to eat less.
ReplyDeleteNo way! I feel I am finally living......not missing out!
ReplyDeleteHow can I be missing out when i'm FINALLY joining in! Who knew that life was to be actively lived INSTEAD of eating my way through it?
ReplyDeleteEven just 1 month in it I would say I am absolutely not missing out. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI love the way I live now. I honestly feel like the world is there for me. I can have a small amount of anything I want. I don't feel I'm missing anything. Especially my back pain, my shortness of breath or the size 24 pants!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this! It's really brought things into perspective for me now. I get banded next month (29th November) and I'm feeling a little nervous about it. BUT - I don't want to be living the way I am anymore. SO THANK YOU THANK YOU for posting this up!
ReplyDeleteI am not missing out at all. I eat closer to the way skinny people eat (at least most of them)- I eat smaller portions. Most skinny people cannot eat a sausage, a burger and a hot dog at a BBQ! They eat less, they have a couple of fries, not a plate of fries. My band is loose, so I probably still eat more than most bandsters, but this is all part of the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm not missing out on anything ~ just went to a wedding over the weekend and had a small sampling of the insane buffet~ so nice not to feel like a bloated tick at the end of an event! I too feel like I am finally living ~ rather than being chained to food! Great post LBG!
ReplyDeleteI was missing out BEFORE, not now!! Before it would have been all about the food, now I can enjoy the company of the people I am with and the conversation, instead of gorging on the food, and obsessing about how big I was in comparison to others and putting them down in my mind, because I was so insecure and afraid of social situations
ReplyDeleteWow, I didnt mean to be so honest!!