On Soft Foods - Starting to Stray - Any Advice??

[Melissa.GreenHands 0]

I had surgery March 31 and have been on mashed/soft foods for about 4 days - I am having NO trouble sticking to my meal plan but an finding myself hungry in and afternoon. I have been taking a bite here and there of a "forbidden" food. Like tonight before dinner (is was too late and I was way to hungry) I had a 1x1 inch piece of bar - no good!!! I felt SO guilty that I went for a second walk!!! Here and there I am slipping up with a bite or two of this or that (almost about once a day.) I cant get a full until May 5th - any advice? How do you stay away from the bad foods? Will I not feel hungry anymore after my fill? I am doing so great that I dont want to head back in the wrong direction by giving in to sugar!!! Thank you!!

[BetsyB 9]

Not to be harsh, but you contradict yourself. You say you have no problem sticking with your plan--and then go on to describe how you're deviating from it. Believe me, I understand how hard it is---post-banding is a very hungry period!

What is driving you to eat foods that are not on your plan? Why are they even an option? (I don't mean that snarkily--I am wondering whether, for example, you're preparing foods for your family, and find it tempting during those times.) Is it possible to clear your house/environment of foods that pose a "threat" to you?

Until you reach restriction, you really do need to rely on willpower. Lots of people will say that it's not a time for weight loss, but I disagree. You can lose weight --- even at the same rate you will when you have restriction. But you have to commit yourself to sticking to the plan, knowing that, as with every other diet you've done in your life, you won't always be satisfied and will be hungry. (The good news is that this time around, it's time-limited!)

If you are genuinely hungry, there may be ways to tweak what you're eating, within the plan your doctor provided, to provide more satiety. What are you eating on a typical day? If you post a couple of days' menus, we can offer feedback.

If you find that, even by changing things up a little, you're still starving, I'd give the doctor or nutritionist a call to see if there's anything they recommend to get you through this difficult period.

It IS a very difficult time---but know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

In answer to your other question, some people experience reduced hunger after the first fill. Most require several fills. I've had three. For the first week or so after the third, I had significant restriction. During the second week, it eased (as swelling reduced)---and the hunger returned. But not at full force. I do feel LOTS less hungry than I did when I had no fill and after the first two---so I'm pretty sure I'm getting close. Fill #4 may take me there.

My point is that it's probably realistic for you to expect that you're in this for the long haul---my story isn't much different from that of bazillions of others (who will no doubt chime in. It's likely that it will take a while for you to reach the point where hunger is no longer an issue.

Between now and then, just do the best you can with the guidelines you've been given. It's all anyone can ask of you.

[Melissa.GreenHands 0]

Betsy -

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post (as this was my first ever.) I am totally a bundle of contradictions right now and really needed to hear the "tough love" of get a grip and deal so thank you!!!

What I have been eating is this:

B - 1/2c yogurt and 1/4 soft fruit

coffee mid morning (no sugar no cream)

L- 1/2 c tuna with ff mayo and 1/4c soft fruit

mid afternoon milk with sugar free carnation

**4-6 is the time when i have been really struggling and reaching for a snack it has been a few bites of lunch meat and a v8 juice - another day is was a 1x1 inch piece of brownie - another day it was a laughing cow low fat cheese wedge)

dinner - (typicaly late as I get home arround 7) has been fish - 2oz. baked or grilled and 1/4 - 1/3 c. fruit or steamed veggies.

**evening Milk 8:30 - 9

I also have been drinking about 5 bottles of h2o daily.

Today was my weigh in day and I have not lost a pound since Saturday - which I know will happen but it seems crazy - I feel like I am eating so little and I am walking two times a day - still not losing still hungry :cool: As for the cause of my "cheating" I work as a nanny and have for 14 years - I have 2 type 1 diabetic kids and unfortunatly and arround food and "bad for you sancks" all day!! I am trying to chew more gum and stay away - but at that hungry time of day I am slipping!!

[guitarmama54 1]

Wow, having been banded on the 29th of March, I amazed that you got a brownie down! I'm on mushies since 1 and 3/4 weeks out simply because I needed some chewing/mushy food instead of all the sweet tasting SF stuff, so my nurse said go for it. But too afraid to try something way off course that could cause lots of digestion action and ruin my band setting up. While I have had no physical hunger, I do understand the 'head hunger' and am making sure I have lots of things that appeal to me. Large variety of lowfat cream soups/strained, frozen mashed potato buds that I mix with Protein Powder and some pureed canned chicken, FF cottage cheese w/soft fruit purees, etc. Even Underwood canned deviled chicken is pretty low fat and low carb and you only need about 1/2 can and it's easy to keep at desk or pop open for a satisfying Protein snack. Add a few bites of canned green Beans or carrots w/butter spray and bites of applesauce for dinner. I let myself go twice too long w/o eating and simply felt crappy and knew I needed to eat, though not physically hungry. How about a thermos of Soup on your way home from work to warm your pouch and fill you up a bit? Just sharing what is working for me...I was out of town to see my surgeon and snuck a few bites of lowfat mac and cheese w/my cup of soup at a restaurant and I realized that I too have to be careful till a few fills and will power is still the name of the game. HANG TOUGH.. we're all in it together! Good Luck!

[Cocoabean 430]

Hi Melissa,

Welcome to Lap-Band Talk!!

You are two weeks post-op and you are eating grilled fish and steamed veggies? Is that on your food plan or have you been returned to solids now?

That isn't really mushies/soft foods. Fish is a food that gets stuck easily for many of us. Mushies is mashed potatoes, refried fat-free Beans, cottage cheese, yogurt, creamed Soups, things like that.

If you aren't really clear what your food plan is, call your surgeon's office and ask.

I understand that starving feeling post-op, but you really do need to let your stomach heal and not let it grind like crazy to get those foods to go down. You want the stitches of the stomach around the band to truly heal so you don't get a slip later on.

I was told by my surgeon not to chew gum, it causes a person to swallow a lot of air, and if you swallow the piece of gum, it will get stuck and be a nasty retrieval. So he said. Your surgeon might have said different. :thumbup:

Best wishes to you in your recovery!

[LooLooMac 3]

Don't be too hard on yourself for a bit here and there -- it could be a lot worse. Let's face it, most of us wouldn't be here if we had no issues with food! For me, "forbidden foods" are a huge trigger. I cheated on my post-op diet too, not that I'm proud of that or advocating it.

Being hungry is clearly a trigger for you, so it's good that you recognize that and now you can prevent future slips with that knowledge. I found certain Soups to be very filling: Imagine brand organic 'Creamy chicken Soup' was really good: low fat, non-dairy, not too high in carbs, and had Protein because it was chicken. Try for soft foods that have Protein, and even some fat, to make you feel more full. Warm/hot drinks make me feel fuller, and so does a glass of Water before a meal.

Good luck!

[kfstinson 0]

I too have only been banded since March 29. I passed my 2 weeks this past Monday and am now on puree food. It was a wonderful change! I too am hungry right between school (I teach) and dinner. I added some yogurt about 3:00 and that seemed to help some. I am SO glad that I am NOT the only one feeling the hunger and this is natural for this stage. I told my surgeon and she also believes that my struggles are 'mental' as well. I'm breaking that love for food so the need to eat is stronger. She doesn't doubt that I'm hungry but added the mental component to it.

[Melissa.GreenHands 0]

Thank you for ALL the advice!!! Today was a MUCH better - I have been on soft food since Sunday as per my meal plan from my doc. Foods on my acceptable list are : eggs, chicken, baked fish, crab, melon, pear, banana, yogurt, steamed veggies. (I had to be on pureed foods for 3 days before that and "full" liquid for 3 before that - and clear liquid for three before that. I have been VERY blessed to have very few complications and only felt that I have had "too much" restriction once when I didnt chew well enough before I swollowed.

I was feeling hungry because I have reactive hypoglicemia because of my p.c.o.s. -but today I took Betsy's advice - and toughened up!!! I moved my meal times back later in the day and stuck with a skim milk with sugar free carnation this afternoon and NO cheating!!! Yeah!!! One good day down and many more to come. (My morning weigh in was a huge wake up call - only lost 3 ounces since Sunday!!) THANK YOU SOOO much to my new lap band friends - this has been a HUGE help and encouragement and look forwaed to many more pounds lost together!!!:thumbup:

[Cocoabean 430]

Hi Melissa,

Glad to hear it is going better for you, and to see those foods were on your list! All surgeons are different in their post-op instructions. But when you said mushies and grilled fish in the same sentence, I got worried for you. :thumbup:

Betsy always has good advice! She's tops!

Just go easy and do your best to stick to your plan. Chewing well is very important. It is what gets me into trouble the most at this point, over two years out. So keep chewing!

Also, take little bites!

Keep up the good work!

[Melissa.GreenHands 0]

Thank you so much cocoabean!! I appreciatethe support SO much! I did have one problem when I didnt chew the bite enough (I was too rushed) but quickly larned thats no good! I am eating my meals very slowly and in fact using bby silverware!! Whatever works rght! :thumbup: I feeling like Iam moving forward again and really ramping up my excerise which is good too. Hope you are having a great day and feeling good!!