I was banded on 6/25 and am currently on two weeks of mushies before going on to solids. I have noticed from several postings, people saying they were only able to eat 4 or 5 bites of dinner, etc. I am sure this is after they have had fills and have reached a good level of restriction. So, my question is, if a person can only eat four/five bites per meal wouldn't the weight loss be a lot more than 1 to 2 pounds a week? I am really confused because I know pre band if I only ate that much, I would loose a lot. Of course, I would have also gained it all back too. Any input would be appreciated. I am just curious why the weight would not come off faster when eating so little. ( Please forgive my ignorance, I am still learning!!)

Most of the time if someone is only eating 4 or 5 bites of food, they're either taking too big of bites or their band is too tight. Or, they are post op and their stomach is swollen from surgery. Another possibility is they're newly filled and still learning to adjust their eating habits accordingly.

As far as weight loss, everyone loses at different rates and need different caloric intakes to be successful. Some people actually need more calories for their metabolism to kick in an lose, whereas others do great on a very low calorie diet.

I know that doesn't give you the answer you were looking for, but it's the honest answer. We're all different so what works for one doesn't for another. It's a matter of finding out what works best for you.

Anyone who can only consume 4-5 bites per meal is experiencing a temporary phase of being overly tight. Most bandsters will outgrow this phase or return to their doctor for an unfill.

I've also seen where some people only consume 500 calories a day. Let me say that although we can survive on such a small amount of food it's not recommended and I doubt those folks keep that slow pace up for months on end. Also, I think some people underestimate how much they consume and are simply unaware of how many calories they are actually consuming.

And even though we sometimes can only eat 4-5 bites of food, we almost always can drink or eat slider foods well in excess of 4-5 bites.

tmf

Thank you TMF and Mis73 for the replies! The information is very helpful. There is such a variation from person to person that I sometimes get confused. I just need to remember to be patient and figure out what works for me. I am glad to hear that 4-5 bites is not typical. That just seems so extreme!!