I've read many conflicting things about how much volume of food you should eat after banding. I'm at 3 weeks post-op today and eating mushies.

My doctor's literature talked of not eating more than 2 oz every 15 minutes. It suggests a meal of 2 T of cream of wheat and 2 T of fruit as a Breakfast. Can that be right? If weight loss is not a goal until after banding, I'd have to graze at that pace nonstop 24/7 to get in enough calories to gain weight!

I read other stuff of bandsters normally eating 1 cup total at a meal. That seems reasonable.

For lunch, I'm planning a 1/2 cup pureed BBQ beef and 1/2 cup mashed potatoes. Breakfast was 1/2 cup scrambled eggbeaters with 3 oz chopped smoked turkey mixed in. About 10 am I had a 6 oz SF/FF yogurt as a snack. Does this sound about right?

What did you all find about the volume of food you ate post-op. How long did you take to finish that amount.

I don't want to damage the pouch and want to heal properly but am confused. :help:

woodguy

I have only been banded since may 14 and have lost about 26 pounds so far. I know alot of the weight was water weight but also watching what I eat. My Dr would be very upset if I was eating Mashed Potato's or for the matter any high carb veggie. He wants low carb only veggies and prefers as close to Zero carbs as possible until you get to goal weight. Also be careful with bbq sauce. there are alot of hidden sugars and carbs in most bbq sauces. I am diabetic and since my procedure I have been able to control my blood sugars to under 100 for the first time in 5 years.

I've been banded since May 15th and at my 1 week appt. my doc told me to go ahead and move through solids as best I could. He said that the band isn't filled at all during surgery and the only way he can tell how much to fill it at the 6 week post op appt is for me to eat small meals and then tell him how long it is until I feel hungry again. I eat three times a day and a sample meal for me is like a cup of soup and a small salad. I get hungry a few hours after, but I've been trying not to eat at that point. I know that the healing process is where we aren't supposed to worry about losing weight, but it's still hard not to try. I lost about 10 pounds that first week and have since gained back about 4! It has been steady, but I'm still worried. So maybe my meals are a little too large? I'm confused too because I don't want to stretch the band, but the doctor didn't ever tell me an exact amount to eat. Also (and this seems crazy to me) I never actually feel really satisfied, but I stop eating because it seems like it should be enough. So maybe something is wrong with my band? I'm sorry I'm not much help

if youve done weight wathchers or any similar diet, youll know portions. try to keep them to that and drink plenty of fluids as well. keep going

My doctor or my nutritionist suggests that I don't eat anymore than 1/4-1/2 cup at a meal (mushie stage) That would be 2oz - 4oz of food. Of course, there should be no liquids introduced until 30-60 minutes after my meal. In my head it tells me that is not enough, but when I eat slowly ( which is difficult ) at the end of the meal I am really not physically hungry. My doctor said by the time I reach the solids. the entire meal should not exceed 1 cup.

Lori Ann

Lori Ann... thank you for this information. I wrote to my doctor's nurse, and she never got back to me. I had the same question. I'm eating about 2-3 oz of mushies about twice a day. I'm also drinking my protein. I figured the most I should get up to would be about 4 oz. Last night I had 1/2 a meatball. I was worried that it would be too much (blended to about 2 oz) I'm surprised you can tolerate the beef. I guess we all have different thresholds for what we can eat.