How about we put our collective thoughts together and come up with a fast food list of band and health friendly foods.

Since I am pre-band - I really don't know what I am talking about, but I do know that since I travel alot and alot of my food was fast, I am wondering what, if anything is band friendly?

Having a nice concise list to look over before going into the restaurant will make choices alot easier!

Thanks so much!

T

Thin crust pizza

Taco bell crisp tacos, bean burritos (minus some of the tortilla), quesidillas, pintos and cheese, etc.

McDonalds double cheese burger without the bun, french fries are a challenge and I can only do a few.

I love chicken wings of any kind anywhere.

Salads of any kind.... Pretty much anything but less the bun. Tortillas can be tough to chew too so either be careful or remove some/all of it. Good luck, Teresa

Before banding I ate fast food at least five times a week. Now I will drive by all of the fast food places and just go home and make something- even when I'm really hungry. It's just too hard to eat fast food. If I do stop- about the only things I can really eat are Wendy's chili or hard shell Tacos. To be honest, I don't miss it. Most of it tastes pretty gross after being chewed well.

Megan

I am pre band and wondered if only female had this operation I don't see many men here.

Second I was told about processed meats. Is it like ground meat or processed like a hot dog?

Would grinding meat in a blender or grinder qualify?

How lonbg before mushy food and how long before hard food?

Next I live 1 1/2 -2 hours from the Surgeon. Can my MD do the follow ups and fills? Or am I bound to the Surgeon?

SORRY have not found allthe parts of this fine Forum

Thanks Tink

I am doing mushies now I just drive by the fast food I just can't eat it anymore THis happened to me pre-op I do like tuna salad and you can get it at any deli so its not a big deal to eat I take a lunch bag with me to work thow in an ice pack and its cold for my entire shift(10 hours). my doc had me on clear liquids for the first 4 days the I did protein shakes and water for 2 weeks and now mushy then reg. food but to be honest I really don't miss it all that much.

I am pre band and wondered if only female had this operation I don't see many men here.

Second I was told about processed meats. Is it like ground meat or processed like a hot dog?

Would grinding meat in a blender or grinder qualify?

How lonbg before mushy food and how long before hard food?

Next I live 1 1/2 -2 hours from the Surgeon. Can my MD do the follow ups and fills? Or am I bound to the Surgeon?

SORRY have not found allthe parts of this fine Forum

Thanks Tink

We actually have sevral guys on the board that have been banded. They are around here somewhere. they have had good results so far... Jack/ Greg/Jonathan/there are lots more... We need some guy talk in here.

I try to stay away from fast food too often. It is exactly what got me here to begin with. If I absolutely HAVE to have something, I've learned the Naked Chicken Strips at Popeyes are good and usually I fill up on 1 or 2. For a treat, occasionally I'll go for a Crispy Taco and Beans and Cheese at Taco Bell. Chicken strips is a good standby, but the breading will cost you weight loss - wise. Eating out in restaurants, I have become quite the conossieur of crabcakes, salmon cakes, chicken marsala, mahi mahi. Mostly appetizers are always plenty. I eat alot of chili too. I skip the fries, but if they come on a plate, I do usually sample 3-4 just to say I did it. I've found the burgers without bread are rather scary after not having eaten them in awhile. Nowadays, they seem mostly stringy and full of filler and with our small pouches, it's just not worth wasting the space on such yukky food.

My husband had lapband. But, he doesn't like to be on computer, and isn't the chat type unfortunately.

As far as fast food. Was a fast food junkie!!! but, now, it is a waste of time and definitely money........nothing ticks me off more than paying 5.00 on food and not be able to eat it because it won't go down.

When I do buy fast food........Captain D's I just got 1-2 pieces of battered dip fish. It was fairly cheap, and no matter the adjustment, I can always eat it. Don't bother with burgers because can't have bun, can't eat lettuce after it gets soggy, I have a problem with onions. Hamburger meat if it is high in fat, I have a problem with that.......etc

The only other thing I get on occasion when I crave chicken. Steak and shake Chicken salad. It is one of the few ways I can eat breaded chicken.

As far as pizza goes........alot of struggle there, but, if someone is buying. thin crust Dominoes pizza. Although pepperoni is my favorite, and pepperoni will not go down. I can rarely eat anything from the pork family. I miss bacon and ham sometimes. I think it is the fat. Fat will not go down for me.

Everyone is different though

Hi Denise,

Do you have the band too?

I listed the fast foods I can eat in a prior post but like many others my fast food intake has taken a huge plunge since banding. It seems like I had a fast food something daily preband but it might be a once a week occassion now. My hubby works swing shift so sometimes I'm just not up to scrounging for leftovers for dinner when I am all by myself. I also am taking an evening class. By the time it gets out its 9 pm (it starts at 6) I tend to have a late lunch because I wait till I'm off of work so I'm not ready for dinner before class. By the end of class I'm hungry and am more apt to stop for something. I cant wait till this class ends. Only 2 more weeks to go... I don't personally have any problems eating bunless hamburgers. I laugh when I think I used to be able to eat a whole super sized meal and now can barely squeeze down a small bunless burger... I tend to feel like I get to eat all the good stuff and don't have to waste my time on the fillers. I made a stir fry a few weeks ago and decided I didn't want any rice but would just eat the meat and veggi's. My husband was even jealous. Why did I just get the good stuff... That is how I feel about burgers too. Especially home made ones right off the barbeque. I top it off with all my favorite toppings and it is YUMMY! Best of luck, Teresa

Hi Mr Tink! I am also from Louisiana. Where exactly is Bush? Hope you visit us often... we enjoy the males visit's!

BigT... Everyone is right about the F/F's, they are a waste! I eat alot of chili from Wendy's (very nutritious). Also the salads from McD's and Burger King are good too (the ones that have grilled chicken). And yes, Taco Bell has several things to chose from.

Just try to chose the fast foods that are better in calories/carb content!

Good luck!

Big T

I also dont go to fast food very often anymore. I usually go home for lunch or bring something with me to work. At times, I travel alot too. During my travel days, I usually go to boston chicken or taco bell. Boston chicken has lots of sides that are mushy. I usually order 1 small side and I can eat about 1/2 of it at lunch time (I can eat more later in the day). Some of the sides are lots of calories, fat and salt so I don't do this everyday. At taco bell either a crunchy taco or pintos and cheese. Sometimes, salads will go down fine (and sometimes they wont). I cant do hamburgers or fries...they just wont go down.

Basicly, you just have to see what works for you once you're banded because everyone's different.

Good Luck!

Marsha

Hey Jack you just reminded me of one of my worst PB experiences. I was in Sweethome last summer for that big coutry music event and swung by that drive up DQ. I got a cheeseburger but of course they forgot the cheese and it had already taken forever to get our food. I was so hungry I just gave in and ate the plain burger and it was like CARDBOARD! It was so awful. I refused to think I was going to PB (I was still learning then). My husband kept insisting I pull over so I can do what I needed to do but I kept insisting I wasn't going to get sick. Needless to say I had to do an emergency pull over. It was terrible... Best wishes, Teresa

teresa,

yes, I was banded in 2003.

Jack you brought up a good point. Isn't it amazing that you can actually notice weird products when you have to eat little bites and chew thoroughly? That was something that made me stop going too. I remember one time I got a milk shake and obviously they didn't mix the product well, I ended up throwing up globs of goo. It was gross. If I had it pre-band, I wouldn't have even noticed it.

It's amazing once we get off the JUNK, how obvious it becomes that it really WAS JUNK all along! My favorite burger joint used to be the best burger around, but I ran into the same 'cardboard' effect too. I think it's ME that's changed, not the burger itself. Jessie Ahroni states over and over, since we get so little to eat, let's not make it junk - go for quality instead. I do, however, sometimes just HAVE to go through that drive through to remind myself it's not all my brain would have me thinking it was. I love my band!

Taco Bell = Fiesta salad with extra meat and extra cheese (only way to get the right amount of meat and cheese. Otherwise they fill it with lettuce.)

Subway = Ask for two scoops of tuna in a bowl and then get a half order of avocado on top of that. THey will look at you funny but it is a great fast food item. I also usually get their Soup of the day. Either Minestrone (not enough Pasta in it to worry about) or their Broccoli cheese.

Wendy's = Chili and baked potato with chives and sour cream. Yeah I know too much starch but they are so good and small too. Get a small chili I can never finish the large chili.

McDonald's = Double Cheeseburger without pickles. Nothing worse than PBing on those pickles. EWWWWW I can eat the bun with these burgers but only with these burgers. Slow steady bites. They also have a GREAT Fruit and Walnut salad that is yummy and very nutritious.

Can't do pizza but Papa John's have some great chicken strips. I usually order them. Or I just eat the toppings off a piece of pizza.

Boston Market = basically anything but the creamed spinach because they don't chop up the leaves enough for me to chew them.

The only fast food I have is a small chilli from Wendy's. Boy oh boy is the fast food industry suffering without me as a client. They are losing lots of mula$$$$