My understanding was that after you are off post surgery restrictions, you could eat whatever you wanted. Of course, you wouldn't lose weight, but if you were really hungry for bread or something, you could have it, if you had very small bites and amounts. I assumed the no white flour/bread and sugar was for losing weight and receiving proper nutrition. Is this correct? Or are there some things that are just impossible to eat even in small amounts?

Depends on how tight your band is. Some people, once they have some fill in their band, literally cannot eat certain foods without it getting stuck. Troublesome foods tend to be things like bread, rice, boiled eggs, and fibrous foods that don't break down easily (celery, for example). I heard the reason bread & rice are a problem is because they glom back together after you've chewed and swallowed a few bites. Toast and crackers are apparently much less of an issue than regular bread or white rice.

I haven't experienced that -- I've gotten 3 fills and can eat anything with no problem if I chew it up good. Except I'm in a lot of pain if I drink carbonation -- I unfortunately had a few sips of a carbonated drink and found out the hard way.

Everyone is a little different. Some people can't eat certain foods after banding. I have been able to eat anything so far, but that doesn't mean that I will always be able to, it could change with my next fill.

Yep, you have to find your way. I can eat bread, I shouldn't eat too much bread, and should avoid white bread. I can eat rice, IF it's in some type of sauce or gravy. But think about it...white rice with high fat high sodium gravy, no I CAN'T eat that and lose weight well. So I can, but I can't.

This is one of those "it depends" questions you won't have the answer to till you get there.

But think of this...if I do eat rice and gravy, I eat maybe 2 TBS and 1 ounce of gravy with my meal...NOT a cup of cooked rice with 4 ounces of gravy. Get it? My band keeps me from tripling my portion size. Even if I do eat it, it's not the horrible way I used to. My band keeps me much more reasonable.

I cannot eat rice or pasta unless it is in a soup. Even gravy is no help for me. I learned the hard way about pasta, spagetti, nuf said. I can eat cream of chicken and rice soup, slowly, but rarely do because of the fat, soduim and calorie content. I can eat crackers all day and I love wheat thins, they are my bread now. I don't do well with bread so I don't even try it anymore. I can eat things like broccoli and cabbage if it is cooked to death. I don't do raw veggies anymore, they are too much work getting them chewed well enough. I so some fruit, and I can eat most meats as long as they are tender and not overcooked. It is a personal thing and each of us has our own food issues. Even though I have had to change the way I eat it is totally worth the better health, and happier me that I have now. ~Mandy

Bread is the DEVIL for me!!! Certain things for certain people. Bread seems to clump up even in the smallest bites and doesn't want to work for me!

I freaked out at the thought of never having bread again before I got banded but now I never even want it. I hardly eat any refined white flour like bread so I guess my cravings have just kind of gone away. I also look at is at something that will easily get stuck so it's not even worth the trouble to eat it. Every now and then I have a bite - like I went to a fondue place and had one peice of bread with fondue and just chewed it to death and it was fine. But really, I never want bread anymore.

The only time I can't really eat bread is in the mornings. I'm very careful about what I eat in the mornings. Of course what I should be is very careful about HOW i eat what I eat in the mornings, because that's really the promblem. In the mornings I'm usually running about getting ready for work, getting the kids ready for school and I just don't conciouslly eat slowly enough and tend to get stuck easily. For me, a cup of decaf with 1/2 cup carb countdown gets in some protien and goes down fine. Then about 10 when I can slow down I grab a small snack. Lately that has been cheese, but I think I'm getting cheesed out.

Now what I can eat according to the nutritionist is a whole different story, and I always leave feeling like I'm doing horriblly. Even though I'm not the fastest looser, I've lost 30 something pounds in just over 3 months. Thats better than couple a lbs a month I was gaining pre band. I haven't had a fill yet...so maybe the whole things I can't eat will change then...but I'm willing to sacrifice some food choices for continued weight loss. Unfortuantly chocolate always goes down easy.

Melissa

No matter now much I chew it any type of bread is a no, no for me - same goes for rice, pork, shrimp, chicken, salad and steak.