I've always had blood sugar issues and do better with 5-6 small meals a day (or 3 meals + 2 snacks) plus most trainers will tell you it keeps the metabolism rev'd up. I have noticed that a lot of post-op diets indicate "NO SNACKING", but I don't understand why. What about you? Do you snack or not?

I'd like to make the distinction between snacking for nourishment vs. "grazing" or "head hunger", if you know what I mean.

Thanks for participating.

I really try not to snack. The only time I may find myself actually needing something is around 3-4 between lunch and dinner. I have an early lunch time, 11:00a.m., and find that I have issues with being too hungry if I wait until dinner at 6. I usually try to have some ff cottage cheese or some almonds on hand.

I eat 2 small meals a day- no snacking. Normally about 6oz for each meal.

So how do you get your protein in on 2 small meals??? I've always wondered about that!

I don't have a fill yet, so I have to snack in the late afternoon or I am STARVING by dinnertime, which is bad because then I eat too fast. I agree with whoever mentioned that this is not about deprivation. Even if I snack, I am still eating WAY less than I was before banding.

The whole purpose of the band is to allow you to eat a very small meal and to keep you full for approximately 5 hours. This should eliminate the need for Snacks due to hunger if your meals are spaced about that far apart.

As for blood sugar issues, I had them before the band but now that I eat significantly less, I don't have the problem anymore (unless I have an unfortunate encounter with some ice cream). I also find that I am not usually hungry for a snack, I just think I am. I also stop losing weight if I get in the habit of snacking regularly. I try to keep it to once in a while when I'm having a late dinner.

My dr and nutritionist believe in snacks. Not bad ones though. Fruits, veggies, and nuts (good ones). I find somedays though I don't want to each as much though. Just depends on the day really.

I snack almost every day, but not all day long. I'd say I average 4 meals a day. Between my schedule and the DH's schedule, we often begin our days at 5 or 6am and sit down for dinner at 7-8pm, so I tend to eat Breakfast around 7, lunch about 11, snack around 3 and then dinner around 7. See? Its an every 4 hour thing for me.

But my Snacks, which used to be 1/2 a bag of chips (and I don't mean the single serving size), have pretty much dropped to a single string cheese stick or a 1/2 cup of yogurt.

And you know what...I don't even miss those chips at all.

I'm not banded yet but I can see from my package the surgeons office set me that there are 2 snacks built into the day. I wonder though, how everyone gets in the fluids? If you can't drink for awhile after each meal/snack how do you stay hydrated?