My doctor advanced me to the mushy stage . . . and let me tell you, I was VERY excited to have something besides liquids!!!!!!!!!!!

However, he did not discuss quantities with me and I don't want to make any mistakes. Over the weekend, I tried mashed potatoes and lowfat yogurt whips. Both went down fine (the mashed potatoes didn't the first time . . . I got nauseated. But the second time a couple days later were fine).

The problem I see is that my swelling is down, my 10cc band with 2ccs in it is fairly wide open, and I can see these mushies going down a little TOOOOOOO easy, if you know what I mean! I am 18 days post-op and I'm actually feeling hunger.

Can you tell me what your typical "mushies" day was like? I know this time is supposed to be about healing and not weight loss, but at the same time, I don't want to stop the weight loss, either.

Please help!

Thank you!

The info in the surgeon's notes says that we should eat what we need to be satisfied but to avoid eating to induce a feeling of extreme fullness or nausea. That may be anwhere from half a cup to up to two cups.

For me, at that stage about a cup did it for me. For DH who is two weeks out, two cups is more like it.

Just keep it soft and mushy. Dont eat till you feel stretched full, stop before that. If you do that you will be OK. You may not lose much though, DH certainly isnt because he's plain hungry and eating to satisfy that.

You can however choose to ignore hunger if you want to lose lots in t his period. Just realise that it was hard before you had a band and until you're properly filled it will be hard with a band also. You've not failed if you give in and eat or dont lose much weight at this point.

Just soft foods, eat till satisfied is what really matters now.l

Thank you for your response! And thank you for reminding me that I'm not a failure . . . Trying to figure this out while trying to explain it to my own DH, too, is somewhat difficult. Thanks for the advice.

i was told to eat until i was full. this is your first "test" of learning to listening to your body and your band! it's true, this period of time between surgery and your first fill isn't about losing weight, it's about healing and learning.

You are in what they call Bandster Hell. Your swelling is gone and you are getting hungry again but don't really have any restriction and won't be able to get a fill for a few more weeks. This time was the hardest for me, worse than the preop diet hands down. The best thing to do is to just stick to the diet they prescribe as best as you can and not beat yourself up if you make a mistake or 2 along the way. I tried to keep myself as busy as possible so that I didn't obsess about eating, etc. I think I tried to limit myself to a cup of food per meal at that time give or take. It is easy to burn yourself out on certain foods when you are mushies since you are pretty limited, so try to remember to change it up a bit here and there. The weeks will pass and you will be on your way to restriction and the weight loss you are waiting for before you know it.

Best of luck to you!

Okay . . . I'm day 5 or so with no weight loss, even though I've hardly been eating anything. I setup an account on thedailyplate.com and I am going to try logging my calories to see where they are coming from and to see if I can break this plateau. I think my body went into starvation mode with the liquids and now that I'm eating mushies, it's just clinging on to every calorie for dear life.

How did you keep your Protein intake up with these mushies? I'm finding everything soft that I *want* to eat is laden with carbs. sigh.