Maybe some people can eat slow, not drink right after meals, and follow a low calorie diet perfectly right after getting banded, but as my posts clearly show ???? I really don't think I can stick to those rules or changes in my eating habits until I am forced to after having enough fills.

I am at 5cc now after 3 fills and definitely not in the green zone yet, I start off doing good after each adjustment but then as I realize I can eat how much and whatever I want still, etc. Its hard not too.. Obviously or I wouldn't have a weight problem in the first place.

Is there Anyone here that didn't adhere to the rules of the band until they had to? Until they had enough fills to have no choice but to?

I am waiting to get to that point! Because until then the struggle of dieting and trying to follow the rules is so tough for me!

@@Butterfly512 let me start by saying no one does this thing perfectly even with the right amount of fills. It's more about finding the balance works for you more then it is striving for perfection. The band should not be used to FORCE you to make the right choices or to follow the rules, that is something you have to take control over and make your mind up that this is what you're going to do for your overall health and the bands optimal effectiveness and longevity. If you're using the band as a restrictive tool I just worry that you'll run into troubles down the road. It's a tool to help you but the mindset has to be there. You can't drink with your meals, it defeats the purpose of having the band it just washes everything you eat right through never giving you that satiety feeling even if you're at your sweet spot, how will you know?. If you wait until you're unable to drink with your meals, well in my opinion that means you're possibly too tight and being too tight hinders your weight loss more than not having enough Fluid in my opinion. Not being able to drink with my meals was one of my biggest fears when I opted for this surgery but I just didn't give myself a choice. I drink right up until I take my first bite, sit at the table with no glass in front of me finish and then wait 1 hour before resuming. It really hasn't been as hard for me as I thought it would be. Regarding your portion amounts, did your surgeon give you any guidelines? Here's what mine said 3-4 oz of Protein, 1/2c veggies and 1/4 c or starch. I eat my protein first, then my veggies and very rarely do I even have room to eat my starch. This is ALL of the food I allow on my plate if I eat it all great, if I don't great. If I'm still hungry afterwards then I will get up and do something, anything, because I know that it's head hunger not real hunger. Once my hour has past I follow it by drinking fluids and 9 times out of 10 that does the trick to help that hunger "feeling" go away. Not always but most of the time. Keep in mind this is only if you're in the green zone but even if you're not you still have to follow the same guidelines until you get there, yes it will be a little harder, but the rewards are so much sweeter than anything you can put in your mouth! Best of wishes throughout your journey. You'll get there!!!!

Like you, I didn't follow the "rules" until I had to, but then when it came time to do it, I was terrible at it! If I could go back I would have worked a lot harder at following the rules when I didn't have to since it takes a lot of practice!

I recently had to get an unfill from a too tight band. But, in talking with my surgeon, if I had been following the rules the band might not have been too tight afterall! She did loosen my band a bit, and I'm following the rules carefully, mainly that I'm waiting a full 30 seconds after a well-chewed bite before taking another bite. I had been eating slow, but not that slow! With my new looser band, could I eat faster? Maybe, but I'm not even going to try. This is the new normal.

I asked my surgeon about drinking during meals and she said the reason they advise not to drink is because when your band is adjusted the food takes time to pass through and drinking can cause you to throw up. She said it's not true that it washes out your pouch. (For the record, my NUT told me the opposite, so who knows! I imagine there are different theories on the issue).

Good luck! My suggestion is to try to practice the rules you were given as often as you can!

I've heard conflicting opinions on why we shouldn't drink with meals. My surgeon days don't so I try to follow that. But I'm curious why. I've heard the washing through thing. But I've also heard that the food needs to slowly go through, simply because the pressure of the food on the walls of the stoma stimulates the nerves that tell the brain you've eaten something. Liquids speed up the food's travels and the food doesn't pulse through the stoma the same way as it does without liquids involved. Take a look at the links on @@Bandista signature. There's a great explanation of how the band does its magic.

Yes, I've watched those videos, they're great! In the 8 Golden Rules video, the doctor says that it's fine to drink with meals, and that the idea that it washes the pouch out is out dated (his words, not mine). He talks about it in the video Part 3 of 4 starting around 7:10. His only guidance is to wait to take a sip of liquid in between bites because you need to let the food pass. I don't remember what the other website says. I've read different things on different surgeons websites (when I was researching this). I don't know that they all agree!

Sorry to derail this thread into one about liquids!

I didn't do so well on the slow small bites or the drinking with meals, but as my fills continued, I learned the hard way of why these rules are encouraged early on!!!! I am currently at 10.9 in a 14cc band. I don't know why you can't drink with meals, but I can say that i physically can not do so, it makes my food come back up. Same thing happens with bigger bites. Like I said I learned the hard way lol. Also certain foods bother me, for example water Mellon will not go down no matter how small the bite, and every time I eat a tomato, the tomato skin never stays down. It's so weird because I can eat all meats ect, as long as I follow the rules, I also can't eat bread but can still tolerate cheese enchiladas in very small bites, I can also handle rice. My current favorite meal is a bowl from chipotle. I get both kinds of rice, both kinds of beans and either Barbacoa or chicken, lettuce cheese sour cream and guacamole. I only eat a third of it and save the rest for dinner and lunch the next day:)

They had me following the rules weeks before surgery. I finally asked why....it really did not make any sense to me, and I could not understand the significance.

It was explained to me that the earlier I start to put them into practice, the better...because, there will come a day, as I get adjustments, that I will need to know these rules in order to survive...

And they were right...

I HAVE to take small bites.

I HAVE to put the fork down between bites and wait before the next.

I HAVE to chew thoroughly.

I CANNOT drink while eating, or soon after.

In order for me and the band to work together, I have to adhere to these rules else I experience unpleasant things.

I will say, they are no longer rules, but have become new habits. All part of the new lifestyle.

BTW...Chipotle is one of my go-to places, but very light on the rice and lettuce.

As far as liquids....it depends upon how much restriction you have.

If food is passing more slower, then introducing Water will only add to what is already there....and yes, I will throw up.

If you don't have much restriction, and food passes easily, then I can see how it would wash food through.

When I get stuck, (or used to) slowly sipping warm water was a sure fire way to get un stuck. Just be sure to do it standing near a toilet!