Hey Everyone!

So, I think I'm close to a comforable fill level and would appreciate your feedback about the quantity of food I ate today to see if when I felt full is typical or if I should feel full sooner. WHAT I ate today is not necessarily typical, but the quantity is about right. Thanks!!

Morning: 3 pieces of bacon, coffee (wasn't full just stopped)

Lunch: (restaurant) 3 ribs, 1.5 small chicken strips, about 5 steak fries and about 1/3 of my dinner salad. (stopped when full)

Dinner: 1 leftover chicken strip, coffee (wasn't full-chicken got stuck so stopped!)

It's different for everyone! Some people eat a lot, some eat very very little. I eat typically a cup to two cups of food per meal. You are looking to be able to go 4 or 5 hours without hunger. It's not really about how much you eat.

Mainly it's just important to watch your calories keep it at 900-1200 a day.. I can certainly tell you chicken strips, ribs, french fries and bacon are not part of a healthy diet... It's important to get nutritious things in when you eat so little.

According to my doctor it IS how much we eat also.......so hoping to get feedback on how much others CAN EAT before feeling full vs. what they eat and calories--2 different things. My doc says "6 bites and then you feel full for some people up to 4-5 hours"--. Well, I can eat more than 6 bites no matter what the food is, prob like you at 1-2 cups, so I wonder what amount of food is typical for the average bandster to make them satisfied

Everyone and every day is different according to how the band is acting that particular day. Some days I cant eat til dinner and just do shakes some days Im okay with breakfast, lunch and dinner usually a cup or two depending on how my band is acting. But I agree bacon and chicken strips are not a good choice of food. If you want bacon eat turkey bacon and stay away from the fried foods.

i eat a cup of food, sometimes a bit more in a sitting and I'm full for a good 3-4 hours, if not longer, but I prefer to eat every 3-4 hours before I start to get overly hungry, because then I ravage my food like a starving dog. Learned my lesson from that yesterday LOL!

Also, hope you enjoyed your chicken strips and fries. There's nothing wrong with them All foods are healthy in my book. Fit them within your caloric needs and enjoy. Your body doesn't know a calorie from an apple opposed to a calorie from a french fry.

Mattie: it tends to take much more food for me to feel full than what I tend to see on here. Honestly I don't really understand the whole 1 cup type measure system. There are a whole bunch of foods it seems awkward to measure in terms of cups. I can easily eat for ex: 4 oz chicken breast. A heap of brocc/caulif. And yogurt mixed w/ fiber one for dessert. I've played around w my fill level and if I go tighter than I am now (6.5cc in 10 cc) it's too tight for me and I experience pain w lots of foods. Because I usually require more quantity to feel satisfied, I really try to stick to lower cal nutrient dense food......well, for the most part..., those damned peeps are getting the best of me

I've finally achieved restriction after a slow, slow year of conservative fills and it has made HUGE difference in what and how much I can eat.

Depending on the time of day and what the food is, I eat between 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cups of food at a meal.

This morning, I'm trying to eat some light ricotta cheese with thinly diced fresh apple and I'm having a hard time. I've taken about 3 or 4 tiny bites and I'm uncomfortable. This often happens in the morning.

I try to start the day with something warm to drink, like coffee or tea and then wait 30 minutes to an hour. Doing that usually helps me to be able to eat something in the morning.

A really cool thing has happened. I can't eat the late night snack I often crave. I get stuck every time. Bonus! The band is my behavior modifier! Oh my gosh, it just occurred to me that it's like a shock collar on a dog. awesome

oh and something I've read several times in this forum .. you don't want to eat to get full, you want to eat to be satisfied. Great advice!

I'm an advocate of the "eat for satiety" as my whole preOp life of 'eat till full' demonstrates the failure of that goal being meaningful in terms of weight control. Typically 1/2-1.5 cups of solid is plenty for me to achieve both most of the time. Often just a bite or two is enough to no longer have 'hunger', yet I have fallen into eating my more-or-less measured portion, as I have found later in the day if I don't eat a certain amount I do get less intake/food choice control if I skip too much. It matters 'what' the food is too, as some is far more dense. Smoked grilled brisket tips, for instance, is less dense than sliced brisket chops. This week, it took 3 meals to eat most of just one order of brisket w/o the other fixings as example. Long sliced strips of what allegedly is the same cut of meat demonstrated the difference in 'how' something is prepared affecting Band friendliness. While I like the flavor, the sauce they gooped over it was just too sweet for me and I scraped it off, and still ended throwing out nearly 2 full strips because I just couldn't eat it fast enough and was going on the road. I have learned I no longer even LIKE to be "full".....who would have guessed???

According to my doctor it IS how much we eat also.......so hoping to get feedback on how much others CAN EAT before feeling full vs. what they eat and calories--2 different things. My doc says "6 bites and then you feel full for some people up to 4-5 hours"--. Well, I can eat more than 6 bites no matter what the food is, prob like you at 1-2 cups, so I wonder what amount of food is typical for the average bandster to make them satisfied

I don't know how the 6 bites should fill you up. Our bites are to be the size of a pencil eraser. I eat about 1500-1700 calories a day. I am maintaining now. It is about what I ate through the weight loss phase as well.

I try to concentrate on eating protein first.

A typical amount of food for me (it can depend on the day, as bands are sometimes fickle):

half a cheese enchilada with some beans and rice

Outback Steakhouse French Onion Soup with a couple slices of their bread if band tolerates it

3"-6" of a Subway sub. I use the bread as a handle and tear it away to eat the meat and veggies, eat a bit of bread if band tolerates it.

1-2 beef ribs with some broccoli on the side...maybe 1/3 cup.

1 pork chop with a little mashed potatoes and a veggie side dish.

1 chicken thigh with same sides as above. Sometimes I can add in a little bit more dark meat.

According to my doctor it IS how much we eat also.......so hoping to get feedback on how much others CAN EAT before feeling full vs. what they eat and calories--2 different things. My doc says "6 bites and then you feel full for some people up to 4-5 hours"--. Well, I can eat more than 6 bites no matter what the food is, prob like you at 1-2 cups, so I wonder what amount of food is typical for the average bandster to make them satisfied

For me, my mind isn't satisfied with 6 bites of food... Also I can't see how we would be getting proper nutrition from 6 bites of food you know? I probably could eat much much less and still not be hungry though. But it about calories to some degree, if you are eating 300-400 calorie meals, high in protein every 4 or 5 hours you shouldn't be hungry. But if you can eat a lot, you need something lower calorie that is larger to satisfy your appetite. If I ate 6 bites of anything but like pure protein, I'd be hungry in less than 5 hours.

Mattie: it tends to take much more food for me to feel full than what I tend to see on here. Honestly I don't really understand the whole 1 cup type measure system. There are a whole bunch of foods it seems awkward to measure in terms of cups. I can easily eat for ex: 4 oz chicken breast. A heap of brocc/caulif. And yogurt mixed w/ fiber one for dessert. I've played around w my fill level and if I go tighter than I am now (6.5cc in 10 cc) it's too tight for me and I experience pain w lots of foods. Because I usually require more quantity to feel satisfied, I really try to stick to lower cal nutrient dense food......well, for the most part..., those damned peeps are getting the best of me

Yea me too. I'm thinking this whole process must be insanely different for each person. Or everyone reacts differently to it.

Thanks everyone, your comments have been very helpful!

Since my last fill I noticed I have to chew more carefully, but not necessarily sure if that means I will need another fill-- My doctor will ask me if I need an adjustment when I go back, and I honestly just don't know yet, still learning about this thing I guess!

The portion size I ate at my restaurant meal yesterday seemed about right to me for maintaining, but not sure it was small enough for the weight loss phase. Does that make sense?

(BTW that was a Saturday TREAT/CHEAT day for those of you who advised me on the food choice-I don't believe in depriving of any foods in moderation as that leads to failure in the long run.)

Don't worry about the people trying to tell you what food choices to make. We all know what's healthy for us. I understood you when you said "What I ate today is not typical"...btw my meals on the weekends is 10x worse than yours LOL! To answer your question...when you get full I think depends upon your fill level, brain receptors, and maybe the type of food you are eating. I am sure some other things may determine when you feel full. I really don't get full anymore like I use to. I just stop eating when I am satisfied. If I am eating chicken strips it's usually 2 of those and about 10 regular fries but if it's steak fries about 5 or 6.

Hey Everyone!

So, I think I'm close to a comforable fill level and would appreciate your feedback about the quantity of food I ate today to see if when I felt full is typical or if I should feel full sooner. WHAT I ate today is not necessarily typical, but the quantity is about right. Thanks!!

Morning: 3 pieces of bacon, coffee (wasn't full just stopped)

Lunch: (restaurant) 3 ribs, 1.5 small chicken strips, about 5 steak fries and about 1/3 of my dinner salad. (stopped when full)

Dinner: 1 leftover chicken strip, coffee (wasn't full-chicken got stuck so stopped!)

Your Breakfast sounds like mine....LOL. I typically eat an ounce of cheddar cheese, or four slices of ready bacon for breakfast (70 calories for anyone wondering about the bacon) and sounds like you are eating the way you should be. I agree that everything in moderation...I wish I could eat ribs or fries...but I get stuck EVERY time. Eat till satiated and then if you are hungry later (before you think you should be) eat a small snack (preferably Protein or salad) everyone is dfferent. Some people eat three times a day, some six. I gravitate towards six....but it works for me. All our bands/tolerance is different! You go girl!

K

Hey Everyone!

So, I think I'm close to a comforable fill level and would appreciate your feedback about the quantity of food I ate today to see if when I felt full is typical or if I should feel full sooner. WHAT I ate today is not necessarily typical, but the quantity is about right. Thanks!!

Morning: 3 pieces of bacon, coffee (wasn't full just stopped)

Lunch: (restaurant) 3 ribs, 1.5 small chicken strips, about 5 steak fries and about 1/3 of my dinner salad. (stopped when full)

Dinner: 1 leftover chicken strip, coffee (wasn't full-chicken got stuck so stopped!)

Don't worry about the people trying to tell you what food choices to make. We all know what's healthy for us. I understood you when you said "What I ate today is not typical"...btw my meals on the weekends is 10x worse than yours LOL! To answer your question...when you get full I think depends upon your fill level, brain receptors, and maybe the type of food you are eating. I am sure some other things may determine when you feel full. I really don't get full anymore like I use to. I just stop eating when I am satisfied. If I am eating chicken strips it's usually 2 of those and about 10 regular fries but if it's steak fries about 5 or 6.

I agree notturningback.....I am someone who can't/doesn't eat that much..I don't have much hunger anymore and I eat more out of knowing I have to eat something. And I have days...(probably more than I should...and I do know what I *should* stuff into my mouth...) where I don't eat the most nutritious. For example, I had one meatball and a couple chips for lunch yesterday...a bite of husbands ice cream...and Water and koolaid. Not exactly what the doc ordered, but for me..I'm not going to eat when I just don't want to..and I know I should have some fruit and veggies...but.....I did eat the meatball and left the bread..and did the best I could for the day. I worry less about calories and getting certain amounts of certain things..and just try to get some Protein..then I try and round it out the way I should, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. In the big picture, I'm doing way better than I was three years ago when I would have had the entire meatball sub, chips, my kids chips, 3 sodas...then an entire fatty dinner.

If you're losing, then you aren't eating too much IMO If you're stalled, then maybe the volume in lunch was more than you needed but if you're losing on that amount then it is just right!

I eat more in volume than a lot of people on here do and I've been losing steadily so I'm not worried about being "wrong". And the nice thing is, when I stall, cutting back on my food amount will be easy to do

I'm definitely at a stall right now, it's frustrating. My friends husband just had the surgery today and was on the clear liquid diet for a week--Lost TWENTY TWO pounds-- in ONE WEEK! I lost 9 that week, same diet. Talk about not fair!!

This has been an odd month, but I'm sure I'll get the lapband mojo back

If you're losing, then you aren't eating too much IMO If you're stalled, then maybe the volume in lunch was more than you needed but if you're losing on that amount then it is just right!

I eat more in volume than a lot of people on here do and I've been losing steadily so I'm not worried about being "wrong". And the nice thing is, when I stall, cutting back on my food amount will be easy to do