:help: A quick glance through the "food" section has me confused. The answers provided seem to be all over the board. Could you please suggest some daily food diets? How much is normal at each stage of the healing process.

Are people eating hot dogs and chili b/c that's what they are craving or are they simply limited to specific foods? Should I be concerned that my diet will now consist of broth and whatever I can eat that will stay down (regardless of it's nutritional value)?

I plan to get back into long distance training and if I can't eat fruits, veggies and quality Protein, I think I'll be in trouble. I realize I have lots of stored fat but I will/want to eat good food. What about Water? I drink at least 10 glasses of h2o a day. Maybe my need for water will decrease when I've lost some wgt? I'm constantly sweating up a storm and drinking lots of water to replenish my system. Anti-depressants also cause dry mouth so I predict an issue with that too. In the summer I work at a greenhouse and spend 8hrs+ in the heat. I drink a Gatorade and fill that same bottle with water every hour.

Now I'm freaking out!! I don't have kids and usually make my own dishes (my husband is out of town quite often). The food referenced in the main page link and the speed of wgt loss varies greatly. I read about food getting stuck, unfilled bands and terrible heartburn and really wonder if I should be doing this? I'm sure I'll flip flop the closer I get to my surgery date. "Okay...carry the wounded and shoot the slackers!" Which one am I? I would think that if you are limited to a certain amount of calories per day, you should/would make the best choices with nutritional value in mind.

Still freaking out.

Try this link...may ease your mind. Your surgeon will give you guidelines to follow, this is an example of what you will be given. http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/nutrition.html

thanks W. Good stuff.

I shouldn't be giving nutritional advice, cause I'm really not following anything specific. I don't eat too much at one time, so I just make sure what I'm eating tastes as good as possible. I had something on friday for lunch, with cream cheese. I could have had 'lite' cream cheese, but I didn't. It was probably almost twice the calories, and fat, BUT.. I had a tablespoon, maybe 2, and even with that, my lunch consisted of about 200 calories, I was full, and happy.

I can eat fruits.... and I can drink Water. Keep drinking as much water as you can. The only problem I have with water is that I really can't chug it anymore. I could up until my 2nd fill, but now, nope. Little sips. It sucks, cause I hate doing it, and if I have to sip constantly, I just forget to do it, and I end up not getting enough water. I want to get one of those packback water bladder things that bikers have, with the tube that runs to my mouth. I'm sure I wouldn't forget then! I can drink hot things more easily than cold or cool drinks... so sometimes just so I can drink more, I opt for tea instead of water.

I don't know who's eating hotdogs! I think if people are eating 'em, it's just cause they want them, not that they have to. There's 'easier' things to eat than hotdogs, for sure. You'll be able to eat good foods, and you'll probably want to, like me. And quality Protein, for sure... that's the #1 thing you want to do with the band. Why have a hotdog and call that your protein when you could have a chicken breast or steak? And make it good, cause the chicken/meat/fish, might be all you're able to eat (cause you'll be too full for any veggies/pasta/rice). If you're really concerned and need to get your veggies in, I'd maybe have smaller meals inbetween that are just salad. Now, once again, your surgeon will probably tell you to stick with 3 meals a day... maybe 2 Snacks as well. You could make your snacks a salad, maybe?

I don't usually have a snack during the day... I usually don't even have Breakfast, unless I wake up really hungry. When I do eat breakfast, I have like 6-7 miniwheats with milk, and that's it. 99% of the time, during the work week, I'll have coffee for breakfast. I buy it at about 8:45, and I sip it for about 2 hours. I should be smart, and get a tiny coffee, drink it faster, and sip on water the rest of the time!

I'm just rambling, sorry... did this help at all? Ask more if you need it!

Mandi

Mookie: it will be normal to have these flip flop thoughts. Yup, everyone is different in every respect wrt speed of loss, what they eat, what they cAN or can not eat, how often (or even if ever) they PB, slime, or get a golfball (stuck) feeling. It's good to inform yourself and be aware of different things that happen but you will experience your own situation your way. But, really, it is all good!!!

Definitely you will always want to continue with a large Water intake. Like Mandi, I also still drink my water but can't seem to chug it sometimes when I want to (ie. during/after a workout). That being said, sometimes I CAN chug it; other times I can't. For instance, last night around 2:00 am I woke up and had a teeny sip of water and it felt "stuck" and I was uncomfortable for about 10 mins. Other times I can drink a whole lot (quickly) and no problem. If you haven't already figured out, this band is very fickle.

People find and work with what works for them. Me...I do not (& refuse to) count calories and fat etc. To me that is too much like a diet and I hate diets and refuse to ever do that again. So, I pretty much eat what I want and just try and make the healthy choice. Sometimes I don't...but that is okay...I want to be happy. So, if I want to have a couple/few chips with dip or a mini scoop of icecream, I will. But, at least I'm not having it ALL the time and not eating a whole bag. So, for me, that is good. But overall, Imake the healthy choice as Mandi described and opt for the Protein first etc. There are a few things I consciously avoid having because they don't sit well with my band....but that doesn't mean I won't try them again at a later time.

Anyways, sorry...I'm just ramblin' away!!!

But those were my two cents!

I agree with you Yoda, i refuse to go on a strict diet with the band. I have been on a diet for 30 years off and on and i am tired of dieting .I make healthy choices most of the time and exercise .If it takes me a year to take my weight off ;i am not in any hurry as this is a lifetime change.

Yes, Yes, Yes, I agree. No more dieting for me!!! I am 40 years old and I want to be healthy and feel good. Most of the time feeling good means choosing the right foods, drinking my Water, and excersizing. But, now and then feeling good means, having a hot choclate with my kids, eating popcorn at a movie, drinking a beer with hubby, or eating chips at a euchre party. At 40 I want balance, and I try very hard not to beat myself up over it.

Oh ya, I'm 41...........damn!

I've been a lot more conscious of what I eat and I am eating way less carbs and cheese. The trouble is that I am down on my vegetables since they were a part of the carb and cheese fests. I used to like to stir fry vegies, add 'em to pasta and then load the mess up with cheese. I also used to like to load up a frozen pizza with fresh vegies and cheese. A lot of my fat is cheese flavoured!

Now I am eating a lot of yogurt and tuna and soup. This is stuff I started eating during the mushy phase. I guess I am afraid that vegetables will get stuck.

try some veggies and see what happens, Green. You might be fine. And if you aren't....try them again another time; it all changes.

Just chew chew chew.....

Thanks guys. My gut, butt and basically everything that jiggles is cheese related. I've been addicted to the good stuff since the day I could eat solids. I still remember a very vivid realization dating back to about 5-6 yrs old. My Mom was quite controlling when it came to dishing out food for my meals. She would cut small pieces of cheese for me and seemed to enjoy my begging for more. I would say to myself

“when I get older I will buy a big block of cheese and eat all of it”. I have done exactly that, I buy all kinds of cheese and have a real pork out fest.

I just want to know that if I’m relegated to eating certain foods, it won’t be crappy stuff. When I ask for diet info, I mean a way of eating not a list of certain foods. If my meals are going to be small, I’d hope I’d chose some chicken or eggs and not try to find a way to cram the crap in and keep it down. I’d hate to have that lingering guilt associated with making poor food choices stick around b/c the darn thing is stuck somewhere between my mouth and stomach.

This is for Green’s eyes only! I love all kinds of cheese, stinky Blue-Have a little salad with your blue cheese dressing (oink), Baked Brie and Camembert, Deep Fried cheese with Jalapeno jelly, Poutine-mmm.squeaky fresh curds, Saganaki-Greek flamed cheese, Feta-from those huge vats, fondue (dip chunks of cheese in melted cheese! Kudos to the Swiss!), Raclette (again a nod to the Swiss!) All kinds of except “smoked cheese”…ewww, gross. “That shit ain’t right!” I’d eat pretty much anything covered, stuffed, mixed with and served with cheese. Boots, tires (insert your fav here!) My French Canadian heritage could also be to blame. We (My Quebec side) serve cheese with every meal-the fresh stuff from the local cheese factory, when it’s still warm and really soft. Drool, drool. Curds also find their way to the Cabane a Sucre when maple sap is being processed. Dip the cheese in the syrup...yumm!

mookie1, I can so relate! Your last paragraph was positively cheese porn! LOL! And I don't like smoked cheese, either.

WOW, are we related. Cheese curds, you have not tasted cheese curds until you have tasted St Albert's curds (a local cheese factory). My dh says that the curds are good because they have a higher percentage of cream in them. He should know, he used to be a Cheese Maker. Stinky Stilton blue cheese, Brie, Camembert, melted Gruyère on a French Onion soup etc.. are all good and yes I agree the smoked cheese is for the birds. I have to admit, I never deeped de curds in de maple syrup at de cabane a sucre.

I worked in a restaurant and they had a stuffed french toast. It was a ham and cheese sandwich dipped in egg and pan fried and It was delicious dipped in maple syrup. I could see my self dipping cheese curds in syrup.

Ya, I don't like smoked cheese either....maaaan, I can never keep it lit!!!!

Mookie.....you related to Bubba from Forrest Gump? "I know everyding dere is ta know 'bout da cheeeese bidness"

LMAO

:biggrin1:

ahh... I guess I'm not the cheese connoisseur I thought I was.

I was always in awe of my friends who had blocks of cheese in their fridges. We never did, in my house, for some reason.

Oh how I longed for the days that *I* would buy my own cheese, and eat it whenever I wanted.

Imagine me, sweat pants and a chunk of cheese in my hand. Look at me now, mom! LOL

I worked in a restaurant and they had a stuffed french toast. It was a ham and cheese sandwich dipped in egg and pan fried and It was delicious dipped in maple syrup. I could see my self dipping cheese curds in syrup.

That sandwich is called a Croque Monsieur. I've never had one dipped in maple syrup. sounds good.