Beware 'soft calorie food syndrome'. This relates to consuming soft foods or caloric liquids that move quickly through 'the pouch'. This can cause you to become hungry too soon before the next meal. Just wanted to share. I found myself going in that direction for a couple of days.

I have to pull myself up on this all the time. I rarely do it at dinner time becuase that's a meat and 3 veg affair in our household, but for lunch and Breakfast, I do find it easy to do.

I eat Soup for lunch all the time, which I like becuase soup is such a healthy food - well home made soup is, full of veges and lentils and good stuff like that. But its easy to eat. I find all I have to do is add a couple of wholegrain Ryvitas or a slice of wholegrain bread though and I'm choc full till dinner, but I often just eat the soup.

Same with breakfast. I tend to choose yogurt and muesli, again very healthy and no reason to discontinue. But I find I do get hungry before lunch, what I've been trying to do is add a piece of toast, I cant fit it in right away though, maybe half an hour later while I'm drying my hair or something I might nibble on a bit of toast.

Bread for me is a good food because a) I dont believe that wholegrain carbs need to be avoided and indeed I believe they're worthwhile, healthy foods and bread is notoriously difficult, I can eat it slowly but it fills me for HOURS.

I just find I cant be bothered with the effort so I eat the easier foods but the effort definitely pays off for me, it makes my band work the way it should.

Otherwise, I find that I do tend to graze and overeat over the course of a day, but I really dont believe I should need more restriction than what I have and I like the freedom my level of restriction gives me.

I was the same pre band too - I always found when I ate *more* than what I thought I *should* at mealtimes, the in between meals munching stopped and I'd lose a bit of weight. Same now, post banding. If I eat a bit more than I think I should by eating around my band somewhat - waiting a while till there's room again and eating a bit more of something - same thing happens, the headhunger stops and I lose weight.

That's probably not the way you *should* do it but it works for me.