I believe the only thing that is scariest the most is chewing. All I hear is you have to chew, chew, chew, and chew. How hard it is to adjust to chewing slowly when you have been gulping your food down for 35 years? I am not sharing my lapband with just normal friends, but I do go out to eat with a lot of friends and I know they will probably ask me why am I chewing so slow. I guess I am worrying what other people will have to say which is totally not important at this point. But just wanted to see what you guys think.

who cares what they say (is my 2 cents)

4 months out, i take 20-25 minutes to eat and put my fork down i am enjoying my food.

my wicked mom in law said shortly after

my surgery, what is wrong with the food as you are not eating. what did i say, i am enjoying the flavor (which i was).

i chowed down in my past and worried i wouldnt get 2nd or 3rd helpings. so getting use to baby bites, chewing alot and eating slow was a learning process. dont worry you will get there.

What is the actual size of a bite after being banded? Is it as small as a pea?

I believe the only thing that is scariest the most is chewing. All I hear is you have to chew, chew, chew, and chew. How hard it is to adjust to chewing slowly when you have been gulping your food down for 35 years? I am not sharing my lapband with just normal friends, but I do go out to eat with a lot of friends and I know they will probably ask me why am I chewing so slow. I guess I am worrying what other people will have to say which is totally not important at this point. But just wanted to see what you guys think.

I wonder the same thing... Also, I wonder about drinking... I drink Water in HUGE gulps... I drink alot of water... Can i keep doing that? Does gulping a drink hurt? How does all that work..

I am being banded on Nov 6th... I am also 35. We should be friends. Keep each other motivated. Check on each others progress.

-Carrie

If you dont chew enough the food will get stuck on the band and will cause you alot of discomfort.

tell people you are just eating slowly so you be full until dinner. or enjoying the floavor is a good one. Oh say you'd like to loss some weight and eating slowly is part of it. It is hard to learn to chew a lot because we were all like you worried abvobut seconds. dependig on what we eat and how well the bsnd is filled to big a bite will get stuck and hurt a bit you will learn to eat slower and chew better.

You shouldnt drink with your meal so the food stay in the bsnd and not get flushed to you stomach to soon. When I go out I have my coffee as I ordering and waiting for it to arrive then no more. I am proud of doing this for myself and dont discuse my plan with anyone that doesnt say soemthing supportive. Most perople dont want to tell because they are afraid they will fail or they are affraid people will critizise and either thought is not fun.

This is for you and they are will you and are true friends and co-worker or they are not.

line dancer

What is the actual size of a bite after being banded? Is it as small as a pea?

dime size, pea size...i cut into small bites much as i did when my son was a baby. (hence my term to baby bites)

I wonder the same thing... Also, I wonder about drinking... I drink Water in HUGE gulps... I drink alot of water... Can i keep doing that? Does gulping a drink hurt? How does all that work..

I am being banded on Nov 6th... I am also 35. We should be friends. Keep each other motivated. Check on each others progress.

-Carrie

Carrie, I knew there was a reason I like you.. we have a water addiction!! LOLOLOL

OMG, I feel for you! I like a big baby cried for weeks I couldn't gulp my water or drink as much of it. (only in the beginning). Poor Missy (Mis73) I put her through hell with my whining and my poor husband. I will tell you what I was told; Drink all day long, but sip. NOOO gulping! You will go back to normal, trust me on this!!! I just had to learn to be patient with my new stomache. Now I drink my water like normal, wheeeeew!

I wonder the same thing... Also, I wonder about drinking... I drink Water in HUGE gulps... I drink alot of water... Can i keep doing that? Does gulping a drink hurt? How does all that work..

I am being banded on Nov 6th... I am also 35. We should be friends. Keep each other motivated. Check on each others progress.

-Carrie

OHH I forgot to tell you.. If you do 'accident'y' gulp in the beginning. YES it does hurt, it won't harm your new band but you will feel discomfort in your stomache. Your new stomache needs to heal, and the healing process takes about 4-6 weeks. So try very hard not to gulp. BUt you are going to learn to sip sip sip ....

About chewing.. I cut up my food in very small pieces ( a dime size would be about right). Chew it up good! I like to say 'mince' it in your mouth. Your mouth litterally becomes a mini food processor, LOL.

Same thing if you are eating something on whole wheat breads, take tiny bites!

Carrie, I knew there was a reason I like you.. we have a Water addiction!! LOLOLOL

OMG, I feel for you! I like a big baby cried for weeks I couldn't gulp my water or drink as much of it. (only in the beginning). Poor Missy (Mis73) I put her through hell with my whining and my poor husband. I will tell you what I was told; Drink all day long, but sip. NOOO gulping! You will go back to normal, trust me on this!!! I just had to learn to be patient with my new stomache. Now I drink my water like normal, wheeeeew!

Thanks! You're AWESOME!!!! So I'll get to go back to gulping my water? LOL! I know that sounds weird, but sometimes thats how i get all my water in... I gulp it down. Also when exercising, i mean, how do you NOT gulp it when you're done and all out of breath?

Another question... Why are you not supposed to drink while eating? I didn't quite under stand that yet. Because it pushes the food through too fast? Or can cause you to get stuck? Or because you get full on liquid instead of actual food?

Here's one last question... until i think of another. LOL! What Vitamins do you take daily? I currently have really low Calcium and will have to take calcium pills the rest of my life (so says my doctor) but what else? I started taking Biotin because i read all the good side effects... What else should I expect to take?

Here's one last question... until i think of another. LOL! What vitamins do you take daily? I currently have really low calcium and will have to take calcium pills the rest of my life (so says my doctor) but what else? I started taking biotin because i read all the good side effects... What else should I expect to take?

I take a multi vitamin... gummy style.... I also take the biotein just in case. In the winter I take chewable vitamin C.

Thanks! You're AWESOME!!!! So I'll get to go back to gulping my Water? LOL! I know that sounds weird, but sometimes thats how i get all my water in... I gulp it down. Also when exercising, i mean, how do you NOT gulp it when you're done and all out of breath?

Another question... Why are you not supposed to drink while eating? I didn't quite under stand that yet. Because it pushes the food through too fast? Or can cause you to get stuck? Or because you get full on liquid instead of actual food?

Here's one last question... until i think of another. LOL! What Vitamins do you take daily? I currently have really low calcium and will have to take calcium pills the rest of my life (so says my doctor) but what else? I started taking Biotin because i read all the good side effects... What else should I expect to take?

Thanks! You're AWESOME!!!! So I'll get to go back to gulping my water? LOL! I know that sounds weird, but sometimes thats how i get all my water in... I gulp it down. Also when exercising, i mean, how do you NOT gulp it when you're done and all out of breath?

Another question... Why are you not supposed to drink while eating? I didn't quite under stand that yet. Because it pushes the food through too fast? Or can cause you to get stuck? Or because you get full on liquid instead of actual food?

Here's one last question... until i think of another. LOL! What vitamins do you take daily? I currently have really low calcium and will have to take calcium pills the rest of my life (so says my doctor) but what else? I started taking biotin because i read all the good side effects... What else should I expect to take?

Carrie I would love to be friends. I just added you as my friend. I finally figured out how to do it. It wasn't showing on my iPad. You are the day after me, and I see you are also self pay. Where are you having your surgery?

OHH I forgot to tell you.. If you do 'accident'y' gulp in the beginning. YES it does hurt, it won't harm your new band but you will feel discomfort in your stomache. Your new stomache needs to heal, and the healing process takes about 4-6 weeks. So try very hard not to gulp. BUt you are going to learn to sip sip sip ....

thanks for this I was wondering because I see a lot of people saying don't gulp because your band will slip. My mom has been banded 3 years and she still eat slow, but she eat what she want to eat still can't really do bread and she drink carbonated drinks and alcohol.

Carrie I would love to be friends. I just added you as my friend. I finally figured out how to do it. It wasn't showing on my iPad. You are the day after me, and I see you are also self pay. Where are you having your surgery?

I am going to email you on here...

heed the warning of taking small tiny bites and chewing well as I am still learning!!! I am 4 months post op and Carolinagirl and Missy have both listened to me not to mention Floridays too, all of these women have given me great advice. I have been stuck on several occassions and it's not fun nor pretty. It's rather gross and can be very painful depending on what you ate. I don't know what it is but I guess I am more mindful in a restaurant because it has never happened out always at home, thank God! I too am a Water junkie but I sip all day long. Good luck, you can do it!

Donna