Hello. I got the band 10 days ago and will transition to soft foods on Friday. I've checked out a lot of posts on recipes but I'm having trouble finding exact quantities of food people eat in the week 3-5 transition period and I'm scared that I'll overeat because I just don't know how much to have. I figured that I can have about 1 egg for breakfast but is that all? Also, how much do people eat for lunch and dinner? Do the quantities stay the same for every meal? Real examples would help. Or please direct me to some sample lap band menus for this time period! Thanks in advance.

I recall eating no more than 1/2 cup the first two weeks after being able to eat solids. Then during bandster hell, I would eat a cup.of food.. and sometimes I would be full and sometimes I wouldn't. Right now, start off at 1/4 cup and slowly move up.

For breakfast, one egg is a good portion. I had 1/4 cup of sugar free Apple sauce with it and that would be my breakfast.

For lunch, do 2 oz of lean Protein, and 1/4 cup of really soft cooked veggies.

And for dinner, do 2-3 oz lean protein and mashed potatoes if you want the carbs or more veggies.

I hope this helps . :-)

I never measured my food. I ate until I was satisfied which didn't take long. I do know that a 6 oz yogurt was more than I could handle at one time in the beginning. The trick is to not eat until you're full. Eat until you're satisfied and then stop. Whatever food is left in front of you throw away or feed to the dog. I found that I really needed to get over the "children starving in India" mentality that my mother drilled into my head and contributed to my weight issues in the first place. My theory now is "better to go to waste than to go to waist!"

I do find myself having the same mentality of people starving because that's how I was raised. Not anymore!!!

I love your saying, Cindy!!!

During my own transition period I needed to reinforce my newly recognized notion of "not hungry" vs "hungry". It helped for me to actually measure portions as eating actual food came back on line for me.

I got a very small dish that I still use for dessert, it only holds a given amount. And I got used to used measuring cups for a while.

But in this phase, a single poached egg was PLENTY for weeks and weeks.

Eventually I could eat a small tin of Water packed tuna in 2 or 3 meals, with a little slippery NF dressing blended in.

Get small a plates, and a small Soup dish and a child sized spoon. It reinforces the amount you eat while giving the idea of 'full plate' if you need that kind of visual.

A snack for me was 1 saltine nibbled slowly over about 10 minutes. It actually DID take that long at first, my Band was extra tight from the beginning.

In my era I was encouraged to eat to help the children in China who were all starving at the time.

It really is a new freedom to NOT have to eat it all, eat this last little bit, eat just another bite, eat to make it all gone, eat because it takes up room, etc etc. Bless Mom....but her depression survival skills didn't do me the kind of good she intended.

When I transitioned to soft foods we were limited to soft Proteins which included tuna, all cheeses, yogurt, Beans, sliced lunch meat, canned meats and tofu. I was given a Protein goal for the day. Mine is 68-102 grams of protein. The protein goal is based on your height and your age. (You can probably look it up online) My nutritionist said to try to get the minimum protein goal everyday and dont worry if you get to the max.

In phase 2 (where I am now), we still have the protein goal, but we were able to add in solid meats like a chicken breast or steak, we could add nuts and all other sources of proteins. We are also supposed to get in 3 servings of fats and can add 2 servings of veggies and 1fruit a day.

During my first transition week of soft proteins...this was a sample menu.

Breakfast- 2-4oz sliced turkey

Snack- string cheese

Lunch- 1/2 to 1 cup cottage cheese or 1 can of tuna mix with mayo and relish

Snack- string cheese

Dinner- 1/2-1 cup non-fat refried bean with some shredded cheese or 2 eggs or tuna if I didnt have it for lunch

Good Luck!