I've heard this term. What does it mean?

to me "eating around the band" means knowing your body SO well that if you truly wanted to, you could still eat and gain weight.

It can mean several things.

Most people recognise that eating ice cream or chocolate is eating around the band, as is drinking milk shakes and high calorie drinks. Its a way of getting in indulgent, fattening, yummy foods without restriction holding you back.

But more insidious is the habit of continually choosing easy foods. For example, having yogurt for Breakfast like I did this morning. I couldnt be bothered tackling a poached egg and a piece of toast. Or eating yogurt for lunch because I cant be bothered eating a sandwich of making a salad. Its easy, goes down quick, but what happens is that two hours later I'll be picking, looking for food. Much better to put in the effort, eat something that takes some work but stays with me, otherwise I then eat crap all afternoon because I'm not full.

Another bad habit - nursing my bowl or plate for an hour to get it ALL in (even reheating once or twice). Rule is, if you havent finished at 20 minutes, end the meal and throw the rest away.

To me it means eating and then drinking in order to push the food through the band so you can continue to eat more and more. The idea is to keep the food in place and let it slowly regulate itself through the band which gives the feeling of being "full"

To me it means eating and then drinking in order to push the food through the band so you can continue to eat more and more. The idea is to keep the food in place and let it slowly regulate itself through the band which gives the feeling of being "full"

I think Jachuts Definition is pretty accurate.

What your talking about to me is not eating around the band.

Eating around the band essentially is being "lazy" Eating things you KNOW will go down easy , you KNOW yo0u should not be eating but are " Easy" for you to eat.

Soft, usually higher calorie foods what ever it is that the band wont " Stop" you from eating . Also to me eating around the band can include Protein shakes, ( My doc considers this as well I believe ) drinking your calories basically .

HTH

Mindy

Jacqui's description is very accurate but I would like to add that eating chips and other junk food that goes down easy is also eating around the band. People have trouble with chicken, yet cheetos go down like there is no band.

It's what I've done for the past 9 months and Jachut and Athinnerdenise have explained it to a "T"!

Thank you Jacqui!!! Before coming back to write this post, I went in the kitchen to cook some eggs for breakfast!!! (instead of my ol' standby yogurt. lol) Just had my first fill last week and sometimes I feel restriction, and other times I don't....thanks for your definition. It helps in chaning the mindset I've kept about food for so long.

Edited June 8, 200818 yr by flstfgirl

Thank you, I needed that. It so easy to slip into old habits again. Now off to the races!

My doctor does not prohibit Protein shakes because they are high in protein as opposed to milkshakes or the like. Usually after I have a Protein shake I am full and don't want anything else.

Jachut is always on the money!! My doctor did sternly warn about eating and drinking at the same time because if the food goes through so quickly.......it kind of defeats the purpose!!

maybe it doesn't qualify as "eating around the band" but all the rules work for me!! and I am still learning!! 8-)

I drink a lot of protein drinks too. I don't consider protein drinks eating around the band. There are times when I am just not hungry and nothing sounds good. I know I need the protein, and for 120 calories, a protein drink is a good choice.

Thanks everyone. This was a great learning thread for me. I have done some things wrong, and assumed it was "eating around the band" but I like having more info about what I might do wrong in the future, too. Being just 5 weeks out from surgery, I still have yogurt and soft things a lot. It's a week before my doctor's menu says go ahead and try anything. At this point I'm not really every hungry, nor am I full since I'm not supposed to eat more then 1/4 cup at a meal. There are times I start looking around for something to munch on, and maybe that means I'm hungry, but it's nothing like the hunger I had before. Then again, I also seem to be able to eat chips or crackers and not feel overfull, despite eating way more then I should. So sometimes I'm tempted to eat just because I can, other times I forget to eat because I'm not hungry.

Question: Is cheese considered something that goes down "around the band"? I like the lowest fat cheese sticks I can find, and also fat free cheese. Is this considered solid? I would expect that cottege cheese isn't if yogurt isn't. What other foods can anyone suggest that are high in Protein, but not meat or fish, and NOT considered "eating around the band"? I'd rather eat my protein then drink it. What about Peanut Butter?

Thanks everyone. This was a great learning thread for me. I have done some things wrong, and assumed it was "eating around the band" but I like having more info about what I might do wrong in the future, too. Being just 5 weeks out from surgery, I still have yogurt and soft things a lot. It's a week before my doctor's menu says go ahead and try anything. At this point I'm not really every hungry, nor am I full since I'm not supposed to eat more then 1/4 cup at a meal. There are times I start looking around for something to munch on, and maybe that means I'm hungry, but it's nothing like the hunger I had before. Then again, I also seem to be able to eat chips or crackers and not feel overfull, despite eating way more then I should. So sometimes I'm tempted to eat just because I can, other times I forget to eat because I'm not hungry.

Question: Is cheese considered something that goes down "around the band"? I like the lowest fat cheese sticks I can find, and also fat free cheese. Is this considered solid? I would expect that cottege cheese isn't if yogurt isn't. What other foods can anyone suggest that are high in Protein, but not meat or fish, and NOT considered "eating around the band"? I'd rather eat my protein then drink it. What about Peanut Butter?

at 5 weeks post op you can NOT Eat "around the band " well honestly you should not be "Eating" things that you cna eat around the band anyway .

If your still on Mushies or semi solid foods .

YOu most likely do not have restriction so you do not have to or can you eat around the band.

The first 6 weeks post op is about healing.

NOW Once you have restriction things that are "soft, liquids , high in calories " Honestly things you KNOW You should not be eating are things that you can eat around the band with .

If you have questions about what foods are solids, mushies ect you need to ask your doctor. Different docs have different opinions of that.

For instance some docs consider ground beef " Mushies" my doc does not .

So its best to ask your doc.

Mindy

I'm forbidden protein shakes for this very reason. ONLY if I'm sick or just had a fill. The end. Period. Doc says I MUST eat my protein. Jachut is wise. She hit the nail right on the head. I bang around the kitchen every morning, grumbling because I have to prepare a "real" lunch and pack it. I can't just toss a cup of soup or slim fast in my bag. I have a chicken leg, or tuna, or turkey salad, or left over fish or shrimp, and I always have a bit of veggie, salad or fresh fruit too. It's a pain in the ass, but I do it faithfully every damn morning. I even take my lunch box to office luncheons. It goes with the territory.

In my opinion, eating something healthy is not eating around the band. They refer to that term when people are gaining weight, or not losing weight.

Cottage cheese, yogurt, low fat cheese are all healthy foods. They might not stick with you for very long, but if you aren't constantly hungry and picking at junk food, like chips, it's really not a problem. I have cottage cheese and almonds. I have to eat things that I like and sometimes food just doesn't even sound good cause I am never hungry.