I was just able to start solid foods yesterday. Not only does it seem to be a challange on what I should eat, but I'm not sure when to stop. I know you are not suppossed to feel stuffed, but satisfied. My question to everyone is at what is the point do you stop eating and how big are your portions??

My nutrionist and doc said we should be eating no more than 1 cup of food at a sitting. If you were eating say a meat, a veggie, and some potatoes they should fit on a small salad plate with room to spare.

Because you haven't had fill yet, chances are you're not going to feel the tightness or fullness yet. Most people on here seem to require a couple fills before they get those sensations. As another person on here once put, this beginning part is the "white knuckling phase" because there isn't much restriction yet, so we have to get by a couple months on willpower.

I don't get my first fill until Friday, but I'm one of the lucky ones that has some restriction even with an empty band. When I've had enough, I get this weird tight feeling. It almost feels like I'm swallowing in reverse, but I'm not nauseous and it doesn't hurt. When I get that feeling, I take it as my cue to stop. (I've not thrown up at all yet and am hoping i never do lol)

I'd try to stick with the portions your nutritionist recommends and hopefully it'll get easier once you get a fill or two.

Not meaning to make this more complicated than it already is, but you also need to be concerned about how you eat what you eat (ie what order). You need to eat our protein first, a fist or palm size then move on to veggies then if you still aren't full you can eat carbs or starchy foods. I usually have a hard time doing this cause I love sandwiched but I stick to this bread product called flat out. They are low carbs and low calorie. Have fun good lick

There is a great book titled "Band Wagon" that I would strongly suggest to any newbies. It's a great book with tons of information on the lap band, what to expect, suggestions, etc. The lady who wrote the book had lap band surgery so she's been down the road. I have read and re-read it a couple times and found it to be very helpful.

The beginning phase after surgery is simply new territory and you're 100% focused on what can I eat, what can't I eat, when am I full, what if I get hungry in 2 hours instead of 4. I've been there and it's just part of the journey. In a few months, you'll have all this down pat and you'll be onto the next phase. I had my surgery on 1/11/11 and didn't hit what they call the "green zone" until October. Things just kinda clicked (I think my body and mind caught up with each other) and I just started living life and tried to quit over-thinking the whole thing. My physical body literally was in a state of "what the hell is going on!" I was only eating 1100 or so during the summer and fall, doing Zumba 3 days a week, walking, etc. but I was only losing 1/2 lb a week. It was so frustrating because I felt like I was doing everything right. The nurse at my surgeons office just said, quit over thinking it. She knows I understand nutrition, etc. so she just said to me, eat good/healthy food, in small portions, eat slowly and stop when you get that first signal. In the book Band Wagon, she talks in great detail about "soft stops and hard stops". Soft stops are a runny nose or feeling like you need to clear your throat. It takes some practice to get the hang of it but if you do and don't wait for a "hard stop" Like getting a really slimey mouth, pain in your sternum, etc. you'll be a much happier camper! Get the book!

What I've learned....fix your plate to the portions. Eat until you feel full. Once your full stop. Put it away. If your hungry later...finish eating it then. Its no more than what your supposed to eat anyways. You'll find out lot of times you might not even eat it later.

Buy a digital food scale and measure out your protein (my doctor says 3 oz), then measure perhaps 1/2 cup of veggies.

all good advice, but i got a question onthe different signals our body would send indicating that you where getting full, anyone get like a hot flash? I've had that happen after eating and it's the wierdest thing, and I'm not anywhere near menopause. Sometimes my nose runns as well or i'll burp a little and that is my signal for ok, stop. I have found that a mid sized corelle plate works well (you know the salad plate that is larger then the saucer, in the newer corelle patterns done after 1990).

When I would reach my limit, I felt it in my shoulders, and middle of my chest. Scales are very impportant in the beginning, ..... 3oz. lean protein, 1/2 cup green vegetable, 1/4 cup starch vegetable. Eat protein first, then green vegetables and if you have room left eat the starch, other wise stop when you are full. I also keep a magazine with me to look through while eating so that this helps me to slow down my eating.