So what kind of meals should i prepare for myself as i move into the solid food stage? I mean 4 ounces is so little I can't even imagine the types of meals I will have. can someone give me examples of what I will be eating and the portion sizes for each?

The amount you can actually eat will vary by the amount of restriction you have.

For dinner tonight, I had

3 babyback ribs

a few bites of a small dinner salad--lettuce, cucumbers, shredded carrots, cabbage, with ranch dressing

about 3 bites of loaded mashed potatoes

a couple of bites of a piece of garlic toast

I should have stopped before I did, I felt uncomfortably full for a few minutes, but walked for a few minutes, and it eased.

I ate the above, my DH ate all of his ribs, the rest of mine, all of his salad, and all of his potatoes. (He also had cake after dinner) But I eat small bites, and chew much more thoroughly than he does. In the end we finished at about the same time.

Last week we went to dinner with another couple, and of the 4 of us, my DH was the only unbanded one. They both could eat a lot more than I do. There are times I could eat more, but I opt not to. If I end up needing more, I can always get more. I try to eat just enough to maintain my health, and get proper nutrients in. I don't ever really feel hungry anymore...but try to eat until I wouldn't feel hunger as opposed to eating until I am full.

I use a smaller plate, and seldom finish all I put on it---but I don't feel deprived, because I don't want more than that. That is the difference in this and any other "diet". I couldn't have done this before without starving, and feeling deprived...and I don't feel like I am missing anything!

Welcome to LBT!!

Kat

The one thing I would add is GO SLOW, don't go straight to something really solid- you may be someone who has restriction from the word go and this would be a tough way to find out- I was advised to use a smilar approach to that used when starting kids on solids- make your mushies less mushy, try things like cottage cheese and gradually work up to thngs like moist chicken etc-this is an approach I have to use after every fill ( back to fluids for 2 days, then mushy for 2 days then solid) f I don't do this I run into problems.

part of this process is working out how you as an individual react to the band- you will not know exactly what you can manage until you try, jsut to be too quick to try too much too quickly

here's another question in regard to meals. My surgeon says to eat 30 minutes after i drink and then wait to drink again 30 minutes after i eat. Is this the way it is for everyone or is that this surgeons advice?

here's another question in regard to meals. My surgeon says to eat 30 minutes after i drink and then wait to drink again 30 minutes after i eat. Is this the way it is for everyone or is that this surgeons advice?

This seems to be a general rule for lap banders. The idea behind it is that water makes the food go through your stomach more quickly, which sort of defeats the purpose of the lap band. With the band, you feel full for quite a while on a very small amount of food. That's the whole point of the band, so that you can eat just a little bit but still feel full and not suffer. But if you drink water with your meals, the food goes through much more quickly, so you get hungry again much sooner.