Weight Loss Surgery - Need Some Input!!!

Ok So I know One of these days you all are going to get sick of all my Questions
I've found a Bad habit I thought I kicked Creeping Back in
Picking
ie When I have any food left on my plate I pick on it. It could be because I'm Stressed with Everything going on But Wednesday I was at Whole foods with MIL I got a butternut Squash Soup and she and I split a sandwhich I took the turkey from My half. BTW I know Liquid and Food bad anyway I had 4 spoons of the Soup covered it up to take it home had about a piece and a half of Turkey declared myself satiated and stopped eating. Ofcourse she wasn't done and without even conciously doing it I was putting Turkey in my Mouth. Then I put a piece of Bread in! That's when I realized What the heck I was doing Spat out the bread pushed Everything away.
My Question How do I kill this behavior? I was thinking of using a rubberband like smokers do.
My other Question:
Can Jello & Popcicles Count as Liquid? I'm having a really hard time getting 2 liters in and he wants me to be doing 3
Thanks Ladies!
Kier

Kier,
I am not sure how to kill the behavior of picking. I have the same problem & think like a smoking addiction (which I kicked 13 years ago), it is always there & needs to be controlled by your willpower. I have found that it is hard to watch others eat. I have tried things like excusing myself for a while to take a short stroll around the building (in or out), going to the bathroom, etc. If you find a better alternative, I'd like to try it too.

As for the jello & Popsicles--on the eating plan my WL Clinic has put me on for 12 months, SF popsicles & jello have always been okay (since day 1) & count as liquid.

Good Luck.

If you had covered up the food to take it home, excuse yourself to go put the leftovers in the car and then come back to visit with your friend. Or, put the leftovers in your purse or in your friend's purse. If you weren't going to take the sandwich bread home, immediately throw it away.

If I don't want to eat something, I need to get it out of my line of sight - I'm a nibbler too and will nibble long after I'm not hungry anymore just because the food is there.

Thanks Ladies! I think I'm going to try both covering up the food pushing it out of my vision and maybe the Rubberband for things like appetizers (anytime we go to my MIL's theres like 3 pre dinner snacks)
As for the Jello/Pops HOORAY!

Yes, it just goes to show you that WLS does not change our thinking / habits over night.

I deal with the same thing KO..... we just have to keep trying to break the habit.

Some people when they get their food will ask for a container /doggy bag to put it in right away, so as soon as the food comes they can portion it out and put the rest away.....right away. This is a good time to grab the left overs and bring it to the car or put it on the other side of the table, on a chair out of site.

Hang in there !!

AND - often i ask the server to take the plates away - or i get up and throw out the remainder.

but the KEY for me has been knitting. i've learned - the hard way - that i really can't be still. Either my mind has to be active, or my body has to be moving - and even jiggling my foot counts! but hauling out my knitting satisfies this 'movement' thing and lets me talk to other people at the table

BEST way to stop from picking at food you leave on your plate is to immediately ruin it! I often dump a TON of salt or sugar on it from whatever happens to be on my table at the time. I've even used water/soft drinks - a quick splash around makes the food yucky and unpickable. Then I take a used napkin and shove it on top. Drastic, but effective for me! Sounds like a waste, but I know that with my good intentions, I might WANT to ask the server to put it in a doggy bag for me, BUT I just start PICKING at it, and before I know it, its gone. If if DOES make it into a doggy bag, it never survives the car trip home. Sounds weird, but it just might work for you like it does for me (especially with the dreaded highly-tasty and highly-pickable french-fries...) As for water intake - I don't think that jello counts, but you might try Crystal-Lite to give a bit of flavor to your drinks. Best of luck!

Thanks Ladies! I love to knit! I've been doing it since I was 8 I think I will make a new project! Freia I've been doing something Similar I splat my napkin in the middle of my plate touching all food Which grosses me out!

Great strategy! Keep it up!!!!

Woohoo! Ok Small Victory I was out With my ladies tonight and I ordered a salad with small chunks of turkey and baby greens. . .Ate till I was comfy. . .didn't give in to the pick temptation. got it boxed up didn't touch the box and gave my doggie bag to my gf so nothing tempting to have at home! it's a baby step But in the Words of James Brown. . . I feel Good!
Ok gotta head to bed its after 1 and I have to drag my tired arse to the city tomorrow

kier - not only good for you, but you sure are a night owl! just like the pookster!