I am having a hard time knowing how much food I am supposed to eat at a meal!!

I have read several articles on how much to eat and it ranges from 1/4 cup every meal, to 1/3 cup every meal, to 1/2 cup every meal, to no more than 1 cup every meal!!!!

Which one am I supposed to do?

I just received my first fill yesterday and I don't want to hurt my band!!

What you need to do is eat till you're satisfied (not stuffed full!) and however much that is is however much that is.

Nobody can tell you exactly how much YOU should be able to eat at each stage of restriction. If you're eating 2 cups and its not backing up and making you feel stuffed or making you vomit then there's 2 ways to look at it. If you're losing weight, then its not too much food. If you're not losing weight then its still too much food for you and you need to think about another fill - it can take time to get to the right restriction.

The half cup thing is nothing more than a guideline, probably based on averages but it is absolutely not a golden rule for everyone. If you dont feel overly full and/or sick, then you are not going to stretch out your pouch, it simply means that food is moving through a bit more quickly than it might if you were tighter.

Also, after about 20 minutes, if you're still eating, you really dont need that food. 20 minutes to maybe half an hour is what it probably should take. I find if I nibble and take ages, I can get through a LOT of food, because my pouch starts emptying before I've finished. So you do need to call a halt at some point.

And dont forget your perspective changes. I always tend to think I've eaten heaps and I argue that half cup point, but I really eat MUCH less than I used to and MUCH less than most other people, its not as much food as it seems to me simply because I have to chew so much and it takes so long.

My surgeon's office has me on a very specific diet both pre and post op. So what I eat never changes...just whether I'm hungry or not!! I just had my 2nd fill Friday and for the first time in ages I'm not feeling hungry between meals! The diet is simple (sticking to it is more of a challenge, but i'm doing it no matter what and I'm consistently losing weight).

Lean Protein: up to 4 oz ( I have a scale and I measure exactly...I've even measured deli meat on the postage meter at work to be sure!)

Low starch vegetable: 1/2 -1 cup after your Protein...if you can't finish your protein you don't start on the veggie

Fruit: 1/4-1/2 cup if you've gotten in all of your protein and veggie (yeah right!)...but preop and until this last fill I've been able to get fruit in (if I bothered to).

Nothing between meals, no starches, or starchy veggies (like potato, corn, sweet potato)

It's working like a charm, I do have to say that!

Thanks for your replies!!! They have helped tremendously. I have a 10cc band and on my first fill (Friday 2/15/08) the Dr. put in 3 cc. Today is the first day that I am eating solids, and I am not feeling any restriction. Is that normal just after a fill? Or does it take a while for the restriction to start?

I had my first fill in my 10cc band on 2/1 of 3 ccs and I didn't feel any restriction either. I've now had my 2nd fill on 2/15 of 1cc and I am feeling some restriction. Just had my first solid food tonight (chicken) and it went down ok, but I had to eat quite slowly and chew quite thoroughly. I've also not been terribly hungry between meals (thank goodness...a first!).

As Jachut stated, it is up to each individual with the guidance of your dr. I, personally, eat about 1 1/2 cups of food each meal. After my first PA and I discussed this and the amount of exercise I do each week, it was decided that was just about right for me.

After she gave birth to twins, the second PA was a little put off by the amount I was eating. The 2nd time I saw her, she looked at my exercise log and realized I am doing more exercise than almost all of her other patients. She then agreed that I was ok.

I still don't eat anywhere near what I used to and do ALOT more exercise. So, it evens out. As long as I don't let off on the exercise, I should be ok. That being said, I'm going to ask for my first fill next Thursday when I go in for my monthly checkup.