Hey Rookies.

As i often do, i was thinking of ways i can help guide you thru some of your frustrations and questions.. been reading alot about food getting stuck. Primarily because you're eating bread still. Not going to lecture you about it, But rather give you a trick to try. take a small glass of Water, and take a bite size piece of bread, the one you are considering eating. put that bite size piece into the glass of water, let it sit and watch. This is exactly what is happening in your Pouch, Not Stomach, remember you have a smaller stomach and the remainder is sorta like a catch basin. You'll see how much thatsmall piece expands to a large piece in seconds. so if it's that big in the glass, imagine your pouch. I know it's hard to avoid bread. But if you are going to eat bread again I tell you all. you have Options.

1. You can get the Ultra thin sliced bread, (Arnold's makes white & wheat) and toast it. If you are going to eat a bagel, Remove the inide Dough just eat the crust. You're going to discover Crispy & Crunchy are your Allies Soft & Chewy are Foes. Triscuits, Wheat thins, Saltines.. the possiblilites are endless.. Just Think Outside the Box. roam the isles of super market, you may discover something you never knew exsisted that can be an Allie

A long time ago, my husband used to call it the P.C.E Factor. The pizza Crust Expansion Factor! He never ate the crust because it expanded in his (normal) stomach and made him feel full too fast.

SteveFrett, that was a great delivery of an often overlooked point. Why people still eat bread amazes me.

LOL.. i like his term. Why do they still eat bread? I'm sure you do every now and then, but know the repercussions, some don't. Thanks teach, do i get a gold star?? why some people do half the things they do often amazes me.. Scares me that they let some people continue their bloodline.. Oh well what's the old proverb, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink it. Good to here from yoou as always PBK.. does that stand for poked by Kneedle?

Great tips Steve, thanks for posting this. I've found that if I eat the cracker thin crust I can have pizza. I've yet to try to eat bread, my doc told me not to so I don't. Also said no rice or pasta, haven't even tried. Why people would do it I will never know. To put yourself through this surgery (many paying cash out of pocket to have it done) and then not do what needs to be done to lose the weight. Simply amazing!

Yeah, I guess I'm guilty of it all at some point. It took a lot of tough band love to relearn how and what to eat. As a food addict, I will always struggle. Some people just ADORE bread and can't or won't live without it. But, in your post you mentioned ways to eat it better, right? It'll help many I'm sure.

It's human nature, some of us need to push that button that says don't push. Good for you Cf glad some of us listen... not sure what stage your in but eventually you can read introduce pasta,rice & some bread back to diet.

You are 100% correct Pbk, I did but again, can only give advice, can't babysit.... can tell you alternatives based on experience. Band is just a tool. If you use tool improperly you will get hurt by it.