I have started my mushed foods but with mush and going forward to regular food... What if I want Soup with a meal? Does that mean Soup IS the meal? I am told I can have a drink right up till the time I eat and then an hour after. So where does the soup aspect play in here? Someone please help.

Thanks!

I have started my mushed foods but with mush and going forward to regular food... What if I want soup with a meal? Does that mean Soup IS the meal? I am told I can have a drink right up till the time I eat and then an hour after. So where does the soup aspect play in here? Someone please help.

Thanks!

I am a old timer 2yrs banded but when I have my cup of soup i count it as my meal with a couple cracker I am good to go . Its all about volume and nutrition soup is my go to food when I am not prepared to cook. Good luck ! with your new adventure

I was told by the nutritionist the goal is to have 3 meals a day and only water/milk in between. I was so tired of soup by the time I hit the mushy stage, I just couldn't eat it any more.

Mushy foods that worked for me: Sweet or white potatoes (mashed), scrambled egg, cottage cheese, banana, squash, soft boiled veggies (broccoli/cauliflower/asparagus tips - NOT the stalk, carrots, etc.), yogurt, flaked fish, canned chicken, Beans, lentils, moist ground turkey or hamburger. Chili went down just fine for me. Chew everything really well until you get to know your band!

Everyone is different, every doc suggests different things. I would consult your doctor or nutritionist about this. But for me, I'm not a big soup eater, but when I'm in a restuarant and I'm feeling that I might be a little too tight to eat my meal, or if I just really want soup, I'll order a cup of it as an appetizer (I don't always finish it) for me I find that the hot liquid opens me up just enough to be able to eat some of my meal on my tight days. I use this "technique" while dining out because the last thing I want to happen is to have a "stuck" episode in a restaurant. It's happened to me before and it sucked, big time.

My nutritionist told me to avoid Soups because they are pretty much wasted calories just like drinking beverages that are high calorie, the soup goes right through and really isn't very filling (for me anyway). Creamy ones are usually high in fat and calories and the others like chicken noodle for example, are similar to eating and drinking, the broth can flush the food through quicker which can cause you to keep eating. The point of our bands is to eat things that will take a while to digest/pass threw the band so we stay full. So I try to limit how often I have soups, I don't eat them as my actual meal. if you are going to eat soup, I'd limit the broth and eat most of the gurth of the soup, like the meat and veggies so that this will keep you full for a longer period of time. Hope this helps! Good luck

Hi Ted, In the food section, there's a recipie for potato soup that

uses potato flakes (dried mashed potatos), dried garlic and onions. I made a bunch

and put a 1/2 cup full in a pot w/ two cups Water, let it cook 15 min.,

with or without ham or sausage. I think it's really good and easy.

How are you doing?

Doing great, down 26lbs and getting first fill Monday. I think Jersey hit the nail. It's best to stay away from soup now unless its a full meal. I have kinda sat same weight for a few days and I think that's due to not hitting the gym yet and no restictions yet. I am just looking forward to food and fill. LOL Thanks for the help all!

Doing great, down 26lbs and getting first fill Monday. I think Jersey hit the nail. It's best to stay away from soup now unless its a full meal. I have kinda sat same weight for a few days and I think that's due to not hitting the gym yet and no restictions yet. I am just looking forward to food and fill. LOL Thanks for the help all!

26lbs is awesome, congratulations!

I have started my mushed foods but with mush and going forward to regular food... What if I want soup with a meal? Does that mean Soup IS the meal? I am told I can have a drink right up till the time I eat and then an hour after. So where does the soup aspect play in here? Someone please help.

Thanks!

I always eat soup before my main meal of the day , i find it helps a lot in curbing the initial hunger pangs and it doesnt seem to affect me in getting food stuck etc, if i was to drink any liquid during a meal it would get stuck so i dont. If u are still on mushy food then u can liquidise your own home made soup in place of a meal, but the main thing is that u dont overload the pouch with too much of anything whilst its all healing, so until u are on regular food i would make soup, if its a thick main meal type one or liquidised food/mushy food your meal. Not sure if thats helpful for you. Weight Watchers tomato soup is low in calories only 71 and carbs and taste really good, the other flavours are really not so good . We are all different and i know i am not the norm but i make home made veg soup ( cauliflour, broccoli, courgette and peas ) for lunch every day with crispbread and have a ww tomato soup before evening meal and it works for me but i live in the Uk and the advice we get here from nutritionists is sometimes different from the US

Banded Jan 2011 180lbs lost since Oct 2010.

I am a old timer 2yrs banded but when I have my cup of soup i count it as my meal with a couple cracker I am good to go . Its all about volume and nutrition soup is my go to food when I am not prepared to cook. Good luck ! with your new adventure

I agree. It's all about volume, provided you have a certain amount of restriction.

The concept is that of filling (or over filling) your pouch. EVERYTHING you take in at the same meal all adds up to the sum total volume put in your pouch.

I'm three years out as of Oct. 23rd, and I eat Soup all of the time. I have it for lunch on a regular basis, and that's the main meal. Once in a while, if I'm going out to eat and everyone is getting appetizers, I'll get a soup to start -- both because I love soup and because it's easy to eat. For you, right now, you're in the healing phase, and you're about to enter "Bandster Hell," so you will need to be more mindful of how much you are eating until you get a decent fill. I really never could stand the whole drinking-while-eating rule, so I only follow it very loosely.

Anyway, no reason you can't enjoy soup for the rest of your life. I did go from getting a large soup and bread at Hale & Hearty pre-band to ordering a medium soup with no bread or crackers. That tides me over pretty well. It' s really helpful to check in with yourself periodically and ask "Am I full?" "Am I really hungry, or is this just head hunger?" If it's real hunger, I get something to eat. If it's not, I don't. Don't worry -- all of this stuff will eventually be second nature to you!

Best wishes for your success,

Catherine

nice to see other 'soupies' out there

For me soup *is* the meal and I do eat soup and chili often. There can be tons of nutrition in a crock pot full. I'm not talking about opening a can.

My crock pot is by best friend. I make soup every week.

OMG you look fabulous!! And I love your blog.. Definitely bookmarking it! I've got one of my own: http://bettiethederp.tumblr.com/

Just banded on OCtober 17th... still healing..recovering... one day at a time :-)

I'm three years out as of Oct. 23rd, and I eat soup all of the time. I have it for lunch on a regular basis, and that's the main meal. Once in a while, if I'm going out to eat and everyone is getting appetizers, I'll get a soup to start -- both because I love soup and because it's easy to eat. For you, right now, you're in the healing phase, and you're about to enter "Bandster Hell," so you will need to be more mindful of how much you are eating until you get a decent fill. I really never could stand the whole drinking-while-eating rule, so I only follow it very loosely.

Anyway, no reason you can't enjoy soup for the rest of your life. I did go from getting a large soup and bread at Hale & Hearty pre-band to ordering a medium soup with no bread or crackers. That tides me over pretty well. It' s really helpful to check in with yourself periodically and ask "Am I full?" "Am I really hungry, or is this just head hunger?" If it's real hunger, I get something to eat. If it's not, I don't. Don't worry -- all of this stuff will eventually be second nature to you!

Best wishes for your success,

Catherine

I eat soup all the time and I'd say it played a good part in my success. Yes, in theory it doesn't let the band work its magic, but somehow it works from me. It's easy to eat, easy to order or keep on hand, a good way to get vegetables in and, in my opinion, immensely satisfying.

Indeed soup is usually the meal itself, although I too order it often as an appetizer when I'm out, especially with people who don't know I was banded. I never drink with meals (unless it's wine and I'm out and even then I try and drink it early in the game) but somehow soup doesn't feel like it counts. I guess if I were to eat a meaty or carby meal and followed it with a brothy soup it might not go down too well a la other liquids, but that's not really the natural order of things anyway.