I am curious about how much everybody is eating at one time. I feel like i have great restriction but I eat more than a cup of food at one sitting. I do not over eat because I can't. Just wanted some input on this.........

Thanks

I can eat about 1 cup, or about 8 oz of proteins/veggies. I was 'told' my upper stoma can only hold 1/4 cup....Yea, right! I don't have good restriction right now - no fill. I can drink Water as if I don't have a band - no more sipping for me.

But what's funny is that I don't always push it to 1 cup. I am trying to eat as little as possible, to see when I feel full. I take my time to get the brain signal. 20 minutes per meal. I don't eat to see HOW MUCH I can eat before feeling anything.

I'm also eating 5 or 6 times a day, higher Proteins.

Currently I eat two to four ounces for the most part. I measure out portions and that has helped me keep an awareness of how much I am eating.

Myra

I can only eat 1/4 cup or 2 ounces. I don't want to push it, I know I've probably eaten more than that ONE time, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

I rountinely eat about a cup of food per meal, and have since I was banded. I have lost 82 pounds so far.

i'm about at 1/2 a cup, maybe sometimes 3/4. I have these glass prep bowls from the pampered chef - they are a cup and have measurements at 1/4 1/2 3/4 and a cup is full. I have been living out of them so i can keep track of my intake.

Soniacan,

I'm so stoked about the prep bowls you mentioned. I'd been looking for something just like that and there they are in a set of 6! Thanks for mentioning them....

I am so very interested in this question and sincerely welcome even more answers as I'm so not successful at losing weight. For those who eat 1/2-1 cup - what does that look like on your plate - do you measure 1/3 c of meat/protein; 1/3 cup veges and 1/3 fruit or carb? I've been using a saucer plate not even a salad plate and it seems like nothing. i just bought a scale and can weigh food. For those who eat even less,,like 1/2 cup what are you eating and how are you getting a balanced meal? Please explain - i need bandster eating for dummies cuz what i'm doing aint working! thanks

My doctor said the average was about 4 to 6 oz a meal. I have been eating approx 3 oz of protein and 2 oz of veggies for lunch and dinner. I am pretty restricted in the mornings. I dont have to sip water either. I drink about a gallon of water a day.<o:p></o:p>

I am so very interested in this question and sincerely welcome even more answers as I'm so not successful at losing weight. For those who eat 1/2-1 cup - what does that look like on your plate - do you measure 1/3 c of meat/protein; 1/3 cup veges and 1/3 fruit or carb? I've been using a saucer plate not even a salad plate and it seems like nothing. i just bought a scale and can weigh food. For those who eat even less,,like 1/2 cup what are you eating and how are you getting a balanced meal? Please explain - i need bandster eating for dummies cuz what i'm doing aint working! thanks

Mary,

I eat around a cup at a time -- 1/2 cup solid Protein and 1/2 cup veggies. Sometimes I don't eat all the veggies, but I try to. The first rule I follow is never eat until I'm too full, even if it means I can't eat the whole cup. The second rule I follow is eat all the protein, even if I have to sacrifice some of the veggies.

I do eat off a salad plate, or, depending on the food, even out of the measuring cup itself (why wash a second dish)? I remember when it didn't look like much food. Now it looks totally normal and what doesn't look normal is the huge serving sizes that come out of restaurants, etc.

A lot of people are anti-measuring and think that it's too much of a diet mentality. For me, I really like measuring because it's a mathematical constant. Measuring gives me a baseline. It's not that I can't eat more if I eat the cup and am still hungry -- I can make that choice. Or, I don't have to eat the whole cup just because it's on my plate. It's that starting with a cup forces one more connection between my stomach and my brain and that lack of natural connection is how I got to needing the band in the first place.

Good luck!

Thanks Julie - that is very helpful - esp coming from someone who is so successful at 'banding' - weight loss. I did measure for awhile then got into 'eye balling' everything but I'm going to try what you described. Since I eat mostly 100% Protein at Breakfast, I normally try to do 1/3 of protein, 01/3 cup vege and maybe a (1/3 cup)carb so I'll use the 1/3 cup measuring cups for lunch and/or dinner!

Getting excited for your upcoming p.s. - take care, mary

Sometimes I can eat so much its like I'm not even banded. I am down almost 20 lbs since surgury 12/7/06. I have had a 1cc fill and can still eat an entire slice of sicilian pizza, which I know is a no no , but it was so good! So good that it bothered me for 2 days. Wasnt quite right since this weekend but I am feeling better. I have been trying to follow the caloric intake factors from the BIggest Looser, and have even adapted some of their low calorie east meals like 1 bannana for breakfast with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of crushed bran flakes. Very satisfying and low in calories if you can handle the sugar. Also try to micromanage calorie input vs output, and mycaloriecounter.com is great for point and click tracking. Doing this has made my gym workouts more productive, in that I dont see the numbers dropping off the scale, but my clothes are fitting in a much nicer way.

I haven't been banded yet, but based on some of the responses in this and other threads, I went to Target last night in search of some kid-size plates for better portion control post-band. I found these great little plastic plates, cups and bowls they had on an end cap in the housewares area. They are brand new for spring/summer and come in packs of 6 for $1.99. They are available in blue, pink or in a multi-color pack. They are truly perfect! I also purchased some 4 0z gladware type containers at Dollar General, they seem to have the best prices on those. I figured those would be good to pack lunch in for work.

I typically eat 1.25-1.75 cups in a given meal. I am aware that I eat more than the typical banded person, though.