Realized I haven't eaten fruit since banding - maybe a litle mixed in a protein shake but that's it. Decided this morning to try a nice juicy apple for breakfast and have been paying the price since. ugh - it stuck, it hurts, and wasn't fun. Do you think it was the peel? Maybe i ate too big bite etc. but I thought it was fine and juicy but what do you know. It's off my list for a long time. What fruits work for you?

How do the pre-packaged manderin oranges do?

Applesauce and bananas are two of about three foods that hurt me going down. I can eat them, but it's very uncomfortable.

I haven't tried peels yet because I just don't like them. But it seems weird to me that peels would cause a problem (especially thinner peels, like grapes or tomatoes) while most people can do lettuce and spinach just fine. Those are two other foods where, no matter how much you feel like you've chewed, you really are only mashing. Unless you're sticking near the hearts.

If you guys want your fruits, and want the benefits of the peels, but are having a hard time eating them -- think about getting a juicer. You can juice the entire fruit, so you get the exact same nutrients as if you had just eaten it, but in an easy liquid form. Hubby is fond of carrot + pineaplle juice. I prefer watermelon + red grapes + kiwi. Just be careful of your portions. It's easy to drink a small glass of juice without even realizing how many pieces of fruit you just consumed.

How do the pre-packaged manderin oranges do?

I do ok with them, but have to eat them one at a time. I keep a can of them in the fridge, I share them with my 5 year old dd. I have a weirdo dog that LOVES the juice from the oranges. Also try them frozen, they are a great little treat and make a good cool summer snack. ~Mandy

Mandy, Thanks for the tip, I had heard of grapes being frozen, bet grapes are easier to peel when frozen?????

I freeze all kinds of fruit. I also freeze fruit juice to make smoothies. Just make sure you split the grapes in half before freezing, if not they explode. ~Mandy

I freeze all kinds of fruit. I also freeze fruit juice to make smoothies. Just make sure you split the grapes in half before freezing, if not they explode. ~Mandy

LOL!!!! Do we know this via experience??? ;o))))))))))

LOL!!!! Do we know this via experience??? ;o))))))))))

yep, my daughter had her tonsils out and she hates fake Popsicles, so I froze several fruits for her to eat for the post-op days when anything warm or solid would be hard for her. I had frozen grapes, applesauce pops, frozen peaches (we made smoothies with these) frozen cherry puree. When I went in the get the multi-colored frozen grapes, I discovered a huge mess, grape pieces everywhere, they looked like a grenade had been thrown in the bowl with them. Thank God I had them covered, I think the juice would have gone everywhere. They didn't look very appealing that way either. I have since learned that cutting them in half makes them freeze faster, and keeps them from exploding. I have also been know to be lazy and just poke a hole in the skins. My daughter loves frozen fruit, and it's better than all the processed refined sugar you get in Popsicles. I also love to blend strawberries, peaches and a touch of cream and them pour into small dishes, then freeze. You can also freeze the fruit in ice cube trays (I like to bland almost smooth in the blender first) then add equal parts of each in the blender, add some cream or vanilla Protein shake in the blender and puree, makes a great version of soft serve/smoothie. We also scoop melons with an ice cream scoop and freeze, they are a great summer dessert and the sugar is all natural. I try to avoid processed refined sugar as much as possible. My husband loves frozen kiwi, but I think it makes it taste weird. I have frozen just about every kind of fruit, with really great success. I have also been able to recreate most of the smoothies at jamba juice with ease. There are some great fruit/smoothie recipe books out there. And you can almost always hide carrots in a smoothie. :girl_hug: ~Mandy

Jack, try peeling the grapfruit and then open each slice, eating only the inside. If I don't eat the membrane that holds the slices together I can eat about 1/2 a small grapefruit without any trouble. My favorite are the ruby reds. Same with blood oranges, I eat only the fruit and avoid the membranes. ~Mandy

Definitely the peel. Feel sorry for you...been there, done that :girl_hug:

I've been afraid to try any fruit yet, but I understand that you should peel anything with a peel.

This cracked me up and sums up my suggestion as well. Me too...been there, done that with apples! The meat of the apple is OK for me, but those darn peels are the devil. Which is a shame because don't they contain a lot of nutrition? Anyway, most fruits seem OK for me without the peel or skin.

Also,

If you do oranges or especialy grapefruit make sure you peel off that white membrane stuff. My surgeon said that would be really hard of you. Just thought you ought to know. Good luck.

What about peaches, nectarines? Do they need to be "peeled?"

I can give up apples heh. Not a big fan of them anyway. But I do enjoy a peach.

I peel peaches. Blanch them, drop them in boiling water for a few seconds then into ice water, the peels will wipe off if you "dry" them with a paper towel. I slice nectarines and then peel the slices as I eat them. I love peaches, and eat them all summer. I grew up in the south and my grandparents had several peach trees in the back yard, so they are a staple for me. ~Mandy

Interestingly peaches do not cause any trouble for me.

We all seem to have similar yet different issues with fruit so unfortunately I think we need to try things out for ourselves to see what works with our own bands---keeping in mind that we should go slowly just in case!!

Hi mary,

I noticed that you've had your band for quite some time but your weight loss is 11 lbs..? Is that correct? I'm curious because I was banded on Feb 22nd and I'm not losing any weight hardly at all. I'm wondering if it doesn't work for some people? Also, why did you have to have the "unfills" a couple times? I haven't had a fill yet and am very curious about this whole process. I want to be successful but I'm very worried that I won't be. Can you tell me about your experience? Thanks so much, I appreciate any help you can give me!!

Hi - no, dont mind you asking but I've been over it so many times - I'll keep it brief. I don't know why I don't lose weight and yes, 11lbs is about right. I'm pretty stable now.

I only know one other bandster like me - she is quite a bit tighter then me but lost about 15lbs and has pretty much given up = she eats spoonfulls of food.

I eat well - esp since my unfill (more solids then liquids). I had two unfills - one was because I was stuck on a piece of sushi (stupidly ate it in the am) and was throwing up and so swollen I couldn't keep saliva down. My latest unfill was an attempt by my surgeon to allow me to eat more solids in hopes my body would lose some weight (I was probably too tight and eating a lot of soft and mushie food).

I do almost everything right - I eat three very very small meals with minimal or good Protein Snacks. I drink alcohol rarely and gave it up completely for many many months. I exercise regularly and hard. I eat about 1/2 of what I ate before. I gave up on food diaries but have them for over 1 year and have eaten between 600-1500 caloreis and nada.

I 'binged' once with the band and I severely overate twice and paid for it. I don't overeat now. I don't eat junk, ice cream or milkshakes. I have had treats but they are very small, controlled, (for example i did have 4 godiva chocloates on Valentines Day) but never touched another one. I have wonderful habits and am slowly breaking my old bad ones.

The band has done everything it is suppossed to do for me except I just don't lose weight. I am now looking for a specialist/endocrinologist but may end up waiting until I move later this year and have health insurance again. I am getting one more small fill at the end of the month because I can eat more, I just don't and what the hell a tighter band will at least help with that. The only thing I haven't done is made my band so tight I can't eat and can barely drink which I know MANY others do - I just refuse to live like that although that might work.

You will most likely not be like me - never thought this would happen to me - it is a medical mystery I'm sure. This will be my last fill and after the specialist I am totally resigned and accepting of where I am. After two years I will give up and maintain the status quo. You just had surgery and will need fill/fills to lose weight but I'm sure it will happen. Just look around you here - everyone else reports terrific losses - although you will have to work at it.

good luck.