On other boards that shall remain nameless, there is a recurring debate about how much bandsters should be eating at a sitting or in a day. Since it's a subject of much interest to newbies I thought I'd start it up here (where it's likely to get less, ahem, spirited).

How much is "enough"? The answer to that question is that enough is indeed probably less than we think. It's certainly less than we're used to. And it's probably one bite less than what makes us feel full even now. But it's NOT the same for every person, and changes for each person over time.

No one person can declare that this amount or that amount is the "right" amount for all bandsters to be eating. Obviously the right amount is less than before, and less than what would create discomfort. But if that's a quarter-cup or 1 1/2 cups will depend on too many variables to predict.

So that's the answer. I feel better now.

I was going to ground myself from this board for a week or two, but then I figured you guys have put up with me so far, so here I go again.

Lemme get back on the food issue for 2 seconds, because I found the cutest thing. When I was on mushies, I bought a bunch of baby food. Gerber Baby Food now comes in the cutest miniature re-usable containers. Like if you put a Gladwear storage piece in the oven and Shrinky-Dinked it to mini size. One can of tuna is just enough for 2 servings, and each serving fits perfectly in one of my Gerber containers. Cute stuff rules.

Can we go back to the topic Alex posted for just a minute....

Alex, thank you for bringing the subject up. I am not a newbie. I have been fighting acid indigestion for about 6 months now. After having some adjustments (Fluid taken OUT) I still start and end my day with a Zantac.

How does this relate to the topic of food portions? Because apparently I am still eating too much! Apparently I am only suppose to eat when hungry (you'd think I'd figure that out by now!). Today I had a cup of salad with low fat meat and cheese and 1.5 hours later my throat is burning ( atypical lunch phenomenon). My doctor's advise was to eat only when hungery and to cut my portions in half.

The reason I bring this up is because I need to be taught portion control and reading what you eat and what she eats and what they eat has shown me that I am overeating.... Sure we are all going to have differnet portion sizes, but I see that I am trying to find out what I can get away with.

My goal now is to look at food as a fuel.

All that to say, thank you, Alex, for bringin up the topic! I needed it and wasn't even a newbie...

And Donali, I wish you the very best!

Thanks, Alicia!!!

And I hope you are able to solve your acid indigestion problem. I am so grateful I was never plagued by that.

Best of luck, too, in finding your optimum portion size!

I was going to ground myself from this board for a week or two, but then I figured you guys have put up with me so far, so here I go again.

DeLarla - so not only am I going to have to go through band withdrawal, you were going to put me through DeLarla withdrawal, TOO?!?!?! What is this, torture Donali month?!?! When will the madness stop?!?!?!

Please don't ground yourself from this board - I look forward to reading whatever you come up with next!

Sure we are all going to have differnet portion sizes, but I see that I am trying to find out what I can get away with.

Aren't we all, though, aren't we all. I do this sometimes, mostly at dinner, and ALWAYS with certain trigger foods. Tonight we had Chinese food, which used to be a major-league pigout for me. I have always been a sucker for Chinese: I love the variety, the multi-course aspect, the sharing, and the fact that the way the meal goes no one can tell how much you're eating.

Well, now I have a police captain inside me who CAN tell how much I'm eating. With other foods I'm happy to listen to him and stop at the right time, but I just can't seem to change the shovel-it-in approach to Chinese. So now I'm in pain.

It helps to be reminded that such an approach can really hurt us in more ways than just keeping weight on. And reminded, and reminded, and reminded.

I don't want you to suffer any more, Don, so yackity yack, I'm back.

Alex, after giving it much thought, I think this is a great topic. Maybe it's old to some because you've been around longer, but I think even after a year I'll need constant reminders that I can no longer "belly up to the pig trough" as Chris would say at dinner time. He also calls it our "bellyhouse." It's the house where we store mass amounts of food. Now I just have a bellycondo.

That whole ugly 1/2 cup debate on the other board actually had a mighty positive outcome in my opinion (shut up if you're saying my opinion doesn't count cuz it does it does!)

One of the reasons I got so aggressive with that post is because I truly did want answers but kept getting smacked down. I wanted to know if ALL successful losers really weigh, measure, diet, etc. I wanted to hear that people have lost 100 pounds doing what I'm doing (which has worked 36 pounds so far.) Because of the "ugly debate", while I'm certainly not weighing or measuring, today I actually cut my can of tuna in half. I've been using the whole can till today and eating till full, which is always a few bites too many, then tossing out a few bites. Now that I've been smacked into the land of half-cuppers, I'm trying to be more cautious of my portions.

I'm sure we've all lost 50-60 pounds before being banded, right? Whether Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, The Beverly Hills Diet, we've done them all. And back in those torture days, after dieting 6 months, I'd still need regular reminders of how tiny a portion really is, so I'm diggin' this info.

I just hope nobody minds if we continue to drag this post through the mud, because some of us might come out cleaner on the other side.

Now how much ice cream can we safely pack before "pouch packing" is a problem? I'm thinking my old Pint is prolly too much, eh?

P.S. Thanks, Alex, for planting the Chinese Food seed in my brain. Gotta have it.

About ice-cream....I got some of those healthy choice fudgscicles and they are really really good. They have them at costco. They only have 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. MMMMM, YUM. Their ice cream cups are good too and only have 130 calories. Both products taste really creamy and I don't think it tastes like fake sweetener at all.

I also like this topic and would like a month of food diaries from each person who has been very successful with the band. LOL

T

The Healthy Choice fudge bars are my very favorite - taste just as good as the real ones!!

I have those Fudgey bars, but Chris eats the whole box in one sitting. By the time I crave one, they're gone.

Hey, nice face T! I love when pics get posted!

Wax on, wax off. Last night I ate the moon, today can't eat a carrot. Nibby little band of mine, but my band RULES!

Adding to Shelly's "you know when you have a band when..."

Eating the moon means having a slice and a half of pizza, that's without the bones!

Hey Folks,

I had a yummy Breakfast today, it was 5 pitted bing cherries, 1/2 banana and about 1/3 of a vanilla yogurt all mixed together. Yummy...

Anyone who keeps track of calories, let me know what your average calorie intake is a day. Thanks Teresa

Teresa, I've been keeping track of calories recently, and was surprised to discover that even on "bad" days I don't go over 1500 calories. It's more often between 1100 and 1200 (and if I stopped snacking on nuts that would go even lower).

It's amazing how low-calorie Protein really is!

Thanks for the info Alex. I have still not had my first fill and my calories range between 1200 and 1500. I am almost at my 8th week post surgery and am still losing so I am going to just ride it out till I plateau. I am trying to guage my calorie intake with other bandsters. I am sure restriction definitely helps decrease the calorie intake. I have heard you and Lisa describe days with very little food when you are restricted well. I am happy with how I am eating right now and my weight loss so I just don't want a fill till I really need one.

5/8/04

Dr. Lopez

362/326.5/?

-35.5 lbs

The only time I counted calories was during my liquid-mushy stage. I didn't count because I wanted to keep track, but I was curious to see how few calories I was drinking. Los and beholdings! I was sipping down 1600-1900 per day. Those regular Fudgsicles and tumblers of juice really add up when you toss in a milkshake and creamed soup. I know it's not what you're looking for but I had to toss it in anyway.

Teresa: Since I got Fitday.com software and log in my food intake I am shocked to see that over the past week my average daily calorie intake is usually less than 1000. On the flip side I do get in all my Protein. It is truly amazing that we can eat between 1200 and 1500 calories and be full and satisfied, when before that would have been a lite snack. LOL!!!

Today here is my meal plan

Breakfast - Usana Protein Peanut Butter crunch bar

1/2 cup of decaff coffee

lunch - Mcdonald's Fruit and Walnut salad

Mcdonald's Bacon Ranch Grilled chicken salad

(which I only ate the chicken)

Water

Snack - Walnuts from the above salad

Water

dinner - 1/2 cup of Cream of Corn soup

Usana Protein Peanut Butter crunch bar

Iced Tea - unsweetened

Nothing after 8p for me. Unless it is water.