Hello all!

Im pretty new to this. I was banded on November 26th and had my first fill on January 7th (now have 5cc). Right now, Im trying to learn how to eat and what to eat. It's been quite the learning curve but I think Im starting to get the hang of it. Admittedly, I have always eaten too fast and not chewed well enough and, well, we all know how that ends up with a lap band. So, I'm taking the steps to try not to do that to myself anymore. But, Im really trying to figure out is when to eat and what to eat.

Im really pushing the Protein and veggies and trying to really cut down on the carbs, but Im having a hard time really "feeling" satisfied/full (I know I don't want to feel full), but Im not really hungry (I realize that makes no sense). I don't want to overeat, but feel like I might be (Im supposed to be eating 1 - 1.5 cups per meal). I, obviously, haven't found that green zone. I sit behind a desk much of the day and do have a refrigerator in my office. I (we) are always on the run to/from kids activities and my work stuff (I work a lot of nights and weekends as well as during the work week).

I guess my question is - what is a typical day of eating for you as a banded person? For me, right now, Breakfast is a Chike or Matrix shake and then Im off to work. lunch is boggling for me - yesterday I had ham, cheese and a few veggies (it was a salad, but I didnt eat much of it besides the ham) and a split pea Soup. dinner was a taco and a cheese roll up. Today, same breakfast and then for lunch it was mashed potatoes and a couple of small meat balls (left overs). Dinner will be meatloaf and a veggie...

So, what do you enjoy eating - what tips can you give? What do you stock in your office or in your purse for a quick snack in the middle of the day? How do you get the mindset that you don't have to have this huge plate of food in front of you and eat it all?

Just searching for and learning at this point...

I have to start the day with protein.. eggbeaters, turkey sausage, wheat toast, coffee.. lunch is either chicken salad with some wheat thins or chili, vegtables and sometimes fruit if I have room.. cottage cheese with fruit is a good go to.. if I am out and about I eat chic filet, chicken tortilla soup.. dinner is meat , veg and fruit.. sometimes I have a snack of greek yogurt or protein bar.. I try to keep my calories to 1200 a day.. it takes time for you to realize that you don't need huge amounts of food to keep you satisfied.. satisfied and full are two different things.. I made homeade beef vegetable soup last night.. and it was really good by dinner time.. there are so many choices and you will develop a taste for things as you go along...

Hi there, it sounds like you are doing well with your new banded life. I am enjoying a Protein and fruit shake most days around 11:00 or so. I'm not hungry in the morning. Today I skipped the Protein Shake because I knew I would be having lunch with my parents at a retirement center. Sometimes when I'm there I have a thick soup but today it was tomato and I don't like that plus it's thin, so I had a small bowl of cottage cheese and broccoli. I came home and ate a protein bar (200 calories 20 grams of protein -- the 20 that I missed out on by not having my shake). Dinners are whatever I am cooking for the family but just a little of it. If I'm hungry beforehand (usually, as I haven't quite got my timing down right), I might have some applesauce with a dollop of plain yogurt or something like that. I've been making chilis and stews and those seem very band-friendly. I like chicken thighs and will probably be making those next. I do them in stock so they are really falling apart. Last night I had the hungries after dinner and I had a Popsicle. That seemed to appease me.

I'm sooooooooooooooooooo with you Mcnay1! I was banded on Oct. 23rd and I've got 6 cc's in my band. I am restricted but i'm not really feeling it as much as I thought. I have not had any food come up, I have had the chest pain and now this past few days I'm getting a bit of pain by my port after I eat. I'm down 20 lbs, I really enjoyed my holiday (prior to 2nd fill) and although I didn't over eat I did have more carbs and sugar than I had had since before surgery - then my husband and I went to New Orleans for a long weekend - our first trip without kids since we've been married 13+ years ago - I had a blast and ate well. Came home and had 2nd fill the very next day, so 10 days ago.

For breakfast I have hard boiled eggs - two of them plain with salt (that is usually around 8 a.m.) and I eat them too fast I know - old habits. Sometimes I'll take fresh spinich and put it in a pan with spray and sprinkle fresh salsa (not jar but the stuff from the deli area) on top and cover for a minute then I crack two eggs on top and cover until they are done - that's very good too. At 10:00 I usually have one of those 90 calorie cottage cheese cups and then for lunch I have a 1/2 chicken breast with the Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie to-go cups - I mix that and celery and onion with the chicken (sometimes I throw in an egg if I didn't eat it for breakfast).. usually no more than a cup of food. I eat a SF pudding cup around 2:00 - so the day is usually good for me... it's this next portion of the day that I am weak b/c I'm hungry and really need ideas of something to eat when I walk in the door so I don't nibble before dinner. I've been eating a teaspoon of Peanut Butter. Then dinner is Protein (fish, chicken, taco meat, ham, turkey - whatever I'm cooking the family) and then I will have some roasted potatoes or rice - I will not eat any Pasta or bread. I do eat veggies but very few. I will have breaded pork chop but know that I shouldn't. When I go out to lunch I get salad and usually fish (I love Tuna) or chicken that is grilled. I will eat Soups but worry about them b/c they can be high calorie and high carb. I'm trying to stay under 50 carbs a day and no sugar.

The # one thing that I believe has been saving me is my consumption of liquid - no calorie Arizona Tea with Ginseng and Honey - I am getting in my 80oz a day with that and it helps with hunger.

I don't know about you, but I can totally drink and eat at the same time - I'm TRYING to cut it out, but it's REALLY hard for me. My next fill is scheduled for Feb. 3rd.

I look forward to the point when I don't have to worry so much about WHAT i'm eating as much as how much b/c my band won't allow anymore than a little bit - I'm not there by any means but I do consume WAY less than I have before surgery. It's the Journey - right - slow and steady. And my expectations are 10lbs a month - I hope I see that come Feb. 1 I hope this helps. and I hope to hear and see more suggestions.

It seems that a lot of the foods you are eating are not solid foods. My surgeon wants me to eat three meals of solid food every day. He basically wants me off of protein shakes as they really just go straight through the band. And soup has liquid. that goes through quickly too. Did your surgeon give you drinking restrictions with meals? Mine wants me to not drink liquids 1/2 hour before and 1 hour after a meal. I am still adjusting to that as sometimes I forget. It may help you. Having said that, my typical day of eating 4 weeks post op is:

Breakfast- Oatmeal or 2 hard boiled eggs

Lunch- Tuna salad with Melba Toast

Dinner- Chicken or Fish with a Vegetable

Sometimes for lunch or dinner I have Morningstar Spicy Black Bean Burger with a little hummus on top and a side of cottage cheese. Yummy.

I do not last the desired 4-5 hours post meal with no hunger. Hoping my first fill will help with that.

Varies from day to day....

But Today.....

BREAKFAST....Started with my usual high Protein smoothie.....then off to the gym at 6am....after my workout I had another - RECOVERY- protein shake.

Off to work...LUNCH, I has a large Styrofoam coffee cup of Cream of Mushroom soup, and some saltines...from the cafeteria at the hospital....

On my way home, I stopped at a BOSTON MARKET for a 1/2 chicken dinner with 3 sides...I'm working on that now, it's safe to say this could last me 3 more days(meals) at least...if I don't throw it away first...(probably will after 2nd day) I simply cannot eat too much....no matter how hard I may try.

I had a few cups of coffee, including my morning stop at Starbucks....and when I finish here I'm going to sit in front of the TV with a glass of red wine.

And of course, a bottle of Water with me all the time.

Edited January 15, 201412 yr by B-52

Varies from day to day....

But Today.....

BREAKFAST....Started with my usual high Protein smoothie.....then off to the gym at 6am....after my workout I had another - RECOVERY- protein shake.

Off to work...LUNCH, I has a large Styrofoam coffee cup of Cream of Mushroom soup, and some saltines...from the cafeteria at the hospital....

On my way home, I stopped at a BOSTON MARKET for a 1/2 chicken dinner with 3 sides...I'm working on that now, it's safe to say this could last me 3 more days(meals) at least...if I don't throw it away first...(probably will after 2nd day) I simply cannot eat too much....no matter how hard I may try.

I had a few cups of coffee, including my morning stop at Starbucks....and when I finish here I'm going to sit in front of the TV with a glass of red wine.

And of course, a bottle of Water with me all the time.

Hi B52. I was wondering, how long after you got your band did it take you to reach your goal? Also, with as little as you eat, are you still losing or are you maintaining?

Hi B52. I was wondering, how long after you got your band did it take you to reach your goal? Also, with as little as you eat, are you still losing or are you maintaining?

It took me 1 year to reach MY GOAL, but I continued loosing until I hit rock bottom...that place were my body felt was the goal, not me...anything more would be unhealthy because it would not be fat loss...right now I have a very low body fat % in the "Fit" range....

I have not lost, nor gained any weigh in almost 2 years now...everything just leveled out on it's own....

Today....

3 cups of coffee

omelet with 2 eggs, egg whites, 1/4 c shredded cheddar, I slice diced turkey pastrami

Protein bar

2 cups of homemade vegetable/beef soup

64 oz of Water

Today I wasn't very hungry. I ate a ww cheese omlet left the potatoes. Had a strawberry protein shake for snack. At lunch I had a snack size applesauce cup and hot tea. Then two hours after that I finally ate a few pizza rolls from lean cuisine. I'm still satisfied. Will probably do another protein shake for later. Everyday is different for me but you should pretty much be able to eat what your band will allow.

Bkfst

1xtra large egg

2 slices ham

T cheese

lunch

2 oz chicken

2 oz veggie

T cheese

T hummus

Or

1 pack tuna

Veggie

dinner

5 ozPlain Greek yogurt

3 T palm nd butter

4 splendas

Cinnamon and vanilla flavoring

Mix altogether-yum!

Snack

4 oz cashews

Hmmm, that is difficult, for me it seems to be more of what can I eat than what am I going to eat??? This is how it was when I was really losing weight. I can basically get down protein coffee or protein smoothies, soups and soft meat like fish with sauce of course. I can get crunchy things down ( which is bad, because they are usually high calorie). I may need to get my band loosened, but I don't want my weight to go In The wrong direction again. I am trying to kick up my exercise again. I was really successful with my weight loss when I was exercising but I hurt my knee. I just got a fill and am at 8.5 in a 14 cc band. Trying to find low calorie things that I can eat. I would love some advice! Thanks!