I looked through this part of the forum, and didn't see a thread like this.

I go for my first fill on July 5th, so I don't have any restriction yet.

During the 'mushy' diet stage, my nutritionists were very firm about only having 4 -5 oz. of food per meal, 3 meals per day. My understanding is that, once I'm at my 'sweet spot', that's how much I'll eat...about a 1/4 cup of food per meal.

Just wondering if that's pretty much what folks have...that's two tablespoons of a Protein and two tablespoons of a fruit or veggie.

thanks,

DBAGuy

I am in my sweet spot. I can eat 1/2 cup.

I think it really depends on what the food is.

We ate mexican the other nite. I had 2 chips with salsa,

a sliver of steak about 3 inches long, spoonful bean,and spoonful of rice.

I can eat 2 saltines slathered with cream cheese comfortably. A third saltine pushes it.

edie

thanks very much for the response!

This is my PERSONAL opinion only, docs don't necessarily agree with me so I have to tell you that up front.

I disagree with trying to limit someone's food before they have adequate restriction. I mean, if we could do that we wouldn't need a band. My own personal opinion is to use the time between surgery and appropriate restriction to work on bite size, chewing, no liquids w/meals, and good food choices. But I personally don't encourage anyone to hyperfocus on caloric intake during that time.

There are lots of things to learn and get used to and it only makes sense to me to take it in steps. If we try to change everything overnight and limit calories, many end up failing. I'd prefer to see mini successes vs. mega failures. But that's me, and again many docs disagree with me.

Now, once you have some restriction that's a whole 'nother ball game.

The reason I'm willing to stick with the 4 - 5 oz. before my first fill is that I want to 'train' my brain towards thinking that is enough food. I don't want to get to 'fill' day, then suddenly cut down the amount of food I eat...I realize that the band, when properly restricted, will physically cause that to happe, but for me, a large part of my problem is mental hunger, not physical hunger.

So...those that have restriction, how much food do you eat at mealtime? 1/4 cup? 1/3 cup? 1/2 cup? more?

thanks much!

Well, I just had my band unfilled Saturday and it is sooooo much nicer, for me. Each person is different. This is weird so don't take this as typical but with restriction I would eat 5oz of tuna (I do better with one food at a time, fewer textures... again, that's me and not typical). Without restriction I eat 2.5oz tuna as an example. It would take me too long to eat food before. Now without restriction I eat more like a typical bandster.

I had mega problems trying to get Fiber in so I am starting a habit now of drinking a bottle of Water w/6gms of Benefiber in it before I eat a meal. So I'm also not very hungry after drinking 6gms of fiber.

DBA what r ur stats just wondering cause i get my first fill jul 2nd. we seem to have some of the same progress

Wow, bigshow, you've had great loss already, congrats!

WasaBB, I'm kind of glad to hear you got unfilled, I know you were having such problems. Good to hear the unfill seems to have helped.

I made a deal with myself... if I was gonna do this I was gonna do it right... five meals max a day of 1/2 a cup of food each.

I made a deal with myself... if I was gonna do this I was gonna do it right... five meals max a day of 1/2 a cup of food each.

I totally agree with your thinking. It really does seem to come down to coming to terms with what has become a reality and dealing with it head on. No more excuses, no more justifications, just digging in and doing it. I think that by the time most folks are banded, they've come to these realizations. I know I did.

I dont know precisely becuase I dont really bother much about stuff like that - not going against my docs orders but he's pretty much a work it out for yourself the band is different for everyone kind of guy, I never got given any more than the vaguest guidelines in the presurgery material.

I can eat a small serve of muesli for Breakfast, depends what it is for lunch but I can eat a reasonable bowl of thick chunky Soup (with meat and veges in it) and a ryvita or two, or a couple of crispbreads with cheese and tomato or similar and a small banana, about 1/2 a sandwich very slowly, a reasonable salad with Protein such as tuna in it, dinner last night I ate a chicken schnitzel (which I made with a thick chicken breast cut in half widthways and sliced in half thickness ways - so 1/4 of a big chicken breast), a big spoonful of mashed potato and about 1/2 a cup of steamed mix veges and a glass of wine.

On my plate it always looks like a smallish though normal meal, nobody would blink at it and say "wow, is that ALL you're eating". With my last fill now, I'm getting very slow, which is fine most of the time but its going to be horrible when I'm under pressure to eat. As it is now, I carry my muesli bowl around with me for 1/2 an hour in the morning, have bite or two, get in the shower, finish it off while I'm drying my hair kind of thing. If I had to sit down and eat it in 5 minutes, I couldnt do it.

I eat about 3/4 of a cup of food, per meal. If I am eating food that's bad for me, I can manage more but try not to. I do try to track calories, protein, and fiber. I don't always do it daily anymore but every couple of months I try to track it for awhile.

road queen,

I am wondering how long it actually took you to get to your goal weight. I weighed 217 when I started and it has been 10 1/2 weeks since my banding and I have gotten down to 188lbs. I go up and down from 187 to 189 to I think since 187 is in the morning I can figure I have lost 29-30lbs now! I have to say that the last few weeks I haven't done well and I have already had 2 fills in my 11 cc band,,I now have 3.9 cc's in it! I am going to get another fill end of this week! I can eat a good cup of salad or so and a whole hamburger patty with pickle, onion and tomatoe for dinner pretty comfortably,,,I am also noting that i eat faster then in the beginning. Again, I was wondering how many calories you ate and how long it took you to lose! I exercise every other day 2 1/2 miles walk (at least) and I eat approx. 800 to 1100 calories a day depending on the day! I have noted this last few weeks that I have been eating on the higher end of that scale! I had a fill 3 weeks ago,,so? You are at my goal weight and I have to hear all,,,,please!

Thanks

Msusan

m susan, if you want to hear a story of rapid weight loss, I am not the right person. I lost slowly with many plateaus. Here is a simple summary of the first 16 months:

5/9 218 - presurgery evaluation

5/25 203 surgery

7/18 193

9/1 185

11/1 180

2/17 175

4/20 160

1 yr 152

sept 2006 145

nov 2006 143

I bounce between 143 - 148 now.

I would like to end up at 130 but will wait until it happens.

When I don't get in sufficient calories, I may lose a little but stall quickly and lose strength. I try for 1000 calories a day. Now, I probably get 30-40 grams of Protein. I strive for 60 but it doesn't always work. That is better for my weight loss.

BTW - in March 2006, I spurred my weight loss by increasing exercise to a minimum of 90 minutes per day. When I moved to Africa, on weekends, I would walk for 4-5 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

My life is very different. 6 weeks after surgery, I went to Liberia Africa for a 2 week job and wanted to make sure I could eat. In August 2005, I spent a couple of weeks on a motorcycle trip and maintaining strength was important. In November 2005 I went to France. In January 2006, I spent 2 weeks in Mexico. A week in Feb in Malawi, and that April, I moved here. I struggle with food here and use Protein shakes to supplement at times.

Sorry I can’t help more. Celeste

<p>Celeste,</p> <p> </p> <p>I find your post extremely helpful and informative! Knowing that although it took you months and months, you kept losing and kept it off! That is what I needed to hear! I also am grateful to hear about the 1000 a day and the exercise pattern! I don't think I could walk like you have but I will continue to increase my walking as I lose (I have really bad heals that cause me alot of pain) For now 3 miles is it everyother day so that my feet can rest! I starting walking one mile 10 weeks ago so that is a great improvement! I guess I have lost rather quickly ( in the beginning) but it has slowed down quite honestly and that is why I needed to ask someone at my weight level who has achieved ":MY goal" weight so to speak! Your life sounds very interesting,,thank you for sharing.</p> <p> </p> <p>Susan</p> <p>217/187/145</p>

I would say 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food is perfect.