Hi all. I have a question. I have read many posts from those of you that have been banded, already. I LOVE the info I get from here, so thank you to all of you. My question is: Since you are supposed to be eating slower, small bites, etc...to ensure not getting stuck, etc... doesn't this alone, help with weight loss? ( If you are not eating lots of shakes and things). I have problems with sometimes just bingeing on carbs (and I truly HATE that about me) but I'm hoping that when banded, this will HELP me....because of eating slower etc... I KNOW that the right foods have to be eaten, but even if one is not always eating the right foods, it seems to me that they would get tired of eating after a while since it is taking so long to do it. Do you find that to be the case with you? Thank you for your replies.

hi! i'll be banded 10 months next thursday...i've only gotten stuck a few times and only pb'd once...i've really tried to do my best with eating slowly, and most of the time i do pretty well with it. the reasons you stated are part of it; it's also a fact that your brain doesn't know you're full when your stomach does; that's part of the slow eating principle. it takes your brain somewhere between 10-20 minutes to know your stomach is full. i am a carb binger too (i think it's like alcoholism - something you can't call yourself in the past tense even if you don't do it much anymore). i can still carb binge at times. i went to the beach for a few days in june, and i did a lot of bad carb binging. it's still a real possibility for me, but i really work hard to monitor what i do and really restrict those occurrences.

when i was first banded (after i got through liquids, mushies, etc) i would often get tired of eating so slowly. now it's just second nature. i make sure i watch the clock when i'm eating, and no meal/snack/etc takes less than 10 minutes. you get used to it.

good luck!

Hi all. I have a question. I have read many posts from those of you that have been banded, already. I LOVE the info I get from here, so thank you to all of you. My question is: Since you are supposed to be eating slower, small bites, etc...to ensure not getting stuck, etc... doesn't this alone, help with weight loss? ( If you are not eating lots of shakes and things). I have problems with sometimes just bingeing on carbs (and I truly HATE that about me) but I'm hoping that when banded, this will HELP me....because of eating slower etc... I KNOW that the right foods have to be eaten, but even if one is not always eating the right foods, it seems to me that they would get tired of eating after a while since it is taking so long to do it. Do you find that to be the case with you? Thank you for your replies.

Absolutely! Eating slow and taking small bites helps. The reason they tell you to do so is not just so you don't get stuck. It's also because it takes 10-20 minutes for the brain to get the message from the stomach that it is full. Eating slowly gives the brain the time to get the message so you will stop eating. Don't kick yourself about binging. We all are guilty of that, that's part of what brought us to this point in the first place. The band and following the program will help you get passed it. If you slip up just get yourself back on the bandwagon. After 3 years and 145 pounds I still catch myself doing it periodically.

I finally figured out that once I was tight enough everything became so much easier. Now I can eat no more then half a turkey sandwich and my body tells me how slow to eat it. It's really nice to finally feel like hard work and starvation has been taken off my shoulders. You will understand too once you get to that point of finding your "sweet spot" with the band.

Yes, I would think it for sure would have to help weight loss because you automatically want to eat less when you eat slower.

Carbs, sugar, artificial sugars, etc, all do act like drugs in our systems and that is mostly why we ended up where we are in the first place. Just be proud that you decided to take it upon yourself to try to end the cycle.

:waytogo:

I would go so far as to say that.for me slow eating is the prime factor - it really is true that you eat less when you eat slow.

Thank you for your replies. I'm anxious for the band. Very nervous but anxious now that the actual Dr. visits will start in a little over a month. I have my insurance packet right now to pick the best plan option, through my work, so I I think if I go with the HSA plan that has me paying $2700 deductible, then everything is paid 100%. Now being able to come up with the visits (presurgery) that will add to the deductible. But I have to make this happen someway somehow.

I have read that it takes time for the message to get from your tummy to your brain. So when you eat slower, it gives time for the message to be sent. Digestion starts with the chewing so the better we chew, the better the digestion. This is also supposed to help with metabolism, so it should help with the weight loss. I think if we get the message more quickly that we are full/satisfied, we stop eating sooner and therefore eat less to help lose weight.