Do you actually take these tiny teensy bites that we are supposed to take?

What size do you realistically take?

I can take my usual size bites. I chew pretty well and swallow in bits. I have never taken the pencil eraser size bites. At best I have taken 1/2inch size bites after first being filled.

Does this mean that I need another fill? Sorry y'all for all the questions!

wombat

Hey... I do take MUCH smaller bites than I used to. I think I used to try to shovel everything in as fast as I could, mealtime was a race... Now I take time to cut up my food and try to take smaller bites, though they are probably still 'too big' according to the 'bandster rules'... I do as you do thouh, chew well and swollow in bits.

My bites are smaller than preband but no where near eraser size. I put most of my focus on chewing rather than size. So far it has worked out well for me.

lol I havent had a fill yet but I do use a "normal" spoon not the huge soup spoon I used to use to shovel everything in.

I usually don't take smaller bites, but I don't swallow it all in one swallow. i kind of strain the food through my teeth and then keep chewing on the rest. I guess whatever works for us all. I know a lot of people say to use a baby spoon, but I don't do it. Of course, i've also had a bad couple of days with pbing after my second fill, so maybe I should re-evaluate how I do things.

I tend to cut my meat into smaller pieces than I used to, but anything else I eat is the same as before surgery.

80% of the time I take tiny bites. 10% of the time I take bites that are too big, but I chew and chew, and only swallow small pieces at a time, while chewing the rest (I've gotten good at this, for things like Sushi where I can't bite through it).

And 10% of the time, I am preoccupied, too hungry, etc. and I go back to old habits.. I realized when I was 18 and got drunk with some friends.. and threw up WHOLE bow tie noodles, I never chewed my food!! I just inhaled.

So anyway, once in a while I do this without thinking, and the band punishes me everytime. It comes right back up!

So today at lunch I decided to "do the rules" and well I still took normalish size bites. But, I chewed until mush. I was able to eat 3/4 of a turkey burger from Fuddruckers! They are huge. I removed 1/2 the bread because that was just too much. On the 3rd quarter I removed the top piece of bread as well. (DH ate the other 1/4).

Isn't that too much? :smile:

I didn't have anything else (but the Cookies were screaming at me). I'm getting a fill tomorrow so I'm hoping to get some real restriction and control over how much I can eat!!!

Thanks y'all for responding!!!

wombat

Sometimes I think I still eat too much too, and then I'll have days where i can't eat anything.. fickle bands...

I marked other. I think - when I'm not thinking about it - my tendency is to take "normal" bites, chew it all up, but only swallow bits at a time. Where 1 bite may take me 4 - 6 swallows to empty my mouth. Hope that makes sense.

I quote normal because it's not like what you'd feed a toddler, nor is it what I would take pre-op. Maybe the size of an olive, if I had to make a comparison.

Ever since my 1st fill I've been taking small bites. Sometimes I do take a bigger bite, chew well and swallow small bits at a time. I got my 2nd fill yesterday and will definitely have to take smaller bites now. It works great because I actually get tired of eating. That is a shocking statement! Me, tired of eating. It couldn't be... but it is!

My bites are smaller than preband but not tiny. It also depends on what kind of food I am eating. If it is something doughy and possibly a food that could get stuck I am much more cautious with it.

Y'all rock!! Thank you for letting me know how you eat!

I had fill #5 yesterday and it's a good one!!! I have to take the baby 1/4 bites of the mushy stuff!! I usually do the bigger/normal bites and swallow in bits. Now I need to pause between bites to get room for another one.

Oooh I'm excited. I will definitely be having to practice the rules with this one, especially when I get to solids tomorrow.

Y'all rock!! Thank you for letting me know how you eat!

I had fill #5 yesterday and it's a good one!!! I have to take the baby 1/4 bites of the mushy stuff!! I usually do the bigger/normal bites and swallow in bits. Now I need to pause between bites to get room for another one.

Oooh I'm excited. I will definitely be having to practice the rules with this one, especially when I get to solids tomorrow.

Thats awesome Wombat! I keep thinking I need a fill... and then something happens to make me change my mind - like I get full off of 1/2 an orange, or about 3/4 apple... and then other days I can eat until the cows come home. Eh, maybe I'll go in for a little tweek...

FairyFacade, You just rocked my world when I read your post!

I'm not yet scheduled for surgery, but I've been mourning the idea that I won't be able to have sushi anymore. (WLS seminar talked all about giving up rice, bread, etc.) So, since I haven't even been approved yet, I figure I'd better get it in now. But the idea that I will get to have it again is awesome. And isn't it generally a great source of Protein? My DH has always made fun of the way I try to strip off extra rice whenever I can (at least when we're eating it home)... and, of course, use low-sodium soy.

I am still eating with the baby spoons that they gave me at the hospital so YES I eat the pencil eraser size...LOL It makes me slow down, with this utensil and it makes me concentrate on the taste and texture too.

I use the small containers to eat out of as well. I do not eat with normal size plates, bowls or anything.......I was told I should do this forever, it will help me stay on track!!

I have no problem doing it, nor do I feel weird. I love how people look at me though like I am nuts when I am eating in these small devices with my baby spoon in public....LOL