Hey everyone,

I have been researching lap banding like crazy and I am excited and scared! I know this is a life style change, and I am MORE than willing to do that, I just have this fear that I am only going to be able to eat rabbit bites of everything, and not enjoy eating with my family. I don't want or expect to eat like I do now, but I do want to enjoy some of my favorite food every once in a while.

Can anyone tell me what its like to eat after the surgery, like when you hit your goal weight? I plan on being very strict to get to my goal weight, but I hope that one day I can enjoy certain foods .

I guess I just don't know what to expect, and am scared of the unknown. Please help educate me!

Thanks:crying:

Hey everyone,

I have been researching lap banding like crazy and I am excited and scared! I know this is a life style change, and I am MORE than willing to do that, I just have this fear that I am only going to be able to eat rabbit bites of everything, and not enjoy eating with my family. I don't want or expect to eat like I do now, but I do want to enjoy some of my favorite food every once in a while.

Can anyone tell me what its like to eat after the surgery, like when you hit your goal weight? I plan on being very strict to get to my goal weight, but I hope that one day I can enjoy certain foods .

I guess I just don't know what to expect, and am scared of the unknown. Please help educate me!

Thanks:crying:

I am fairly new to all this myself, as I was recently banded on June 30th. So I am not sure I have much advice to give you as of yet. But I would like to say that having the band is not about deprivation, just making better choices. I have enjoyed my band so far.

Since I started in the mushy stage this week, I am at least able to have more than just liquids, which is nice, but I am enjoying eating with my family now. I am able to focus more on conversation and trying to come up with some creative meals for myself. I think now, I am enjoying everything much more, because now the focus isn't about food.

Best wishes to you,

Stephanie

I try to eat very normal. Some foods take more effort to chew (like asparagus that I had for the first time in 6 months this week). I found I don't have problems with some foods like bread or pasta that others have. I allow myself treats...just in limited quantities (my new rule is I don't get them unless I get all my exercise in). My feeling is that the band is only to force me to control my portions, not deny me normal eating. I do find that in the mornings it's hard for me to eat right away. I typically have a soy protein smoothie (which I get half of my protein in for the day) otherwise it's a good 3 hours before I can actually chew and swallow food.

With good restriction I eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food. There are days I can consume more but not too often. I eat everything I love. I can't eat sushi though because of the rice. I eat sashimi instead. If I want a Subway I order the 6" and eat it all over the course of 60-90 minutes. I enjoy all the foods I did before just less. I do not eat a lot of junk food or eat out fast foods. I do however love a hard taco from Taco Bell. They go down good. If I go out for Chinese I always take left overs home. I can eat cheese enchiladas without a problem because that is considered soft protein. This a.m. I shared a bacon, spinach, cheese and avocado omelett with my husband. I ate about a 1 to 1 1/2" piece along with a little hash browns. It took me a few minutes to finish but I held it down nicely. Lapbanding is a life style change that is for sure. I don't obsess about food anymore like I use to. Good luck in your journey. Julie from CA.

I've had the lap band since Feb of this year and have lost 50# so far. I can eat everything I have always eaten, but only about a 1/4 of the amount I used to. My wife had it 2 weeks after me and has lost 60# so far, she eats about half what I do. Family meals are no problem for either, but when going out to eat, plan on doggie bags. This does cause problems with some things that don't reheat very well (my favorites: Ruben sandwich, burgers from Red Robin, taste great originally but just don't reheat worth a darn so is kind of a waste.

The size of American restaurants meals is just way too much for anyone and IMHO part of the cause of obesity in this country.

Keep in mind: CHEW CHEW CHEW and slooooooow way down in your eating and you won't have problems, try to eat too fast and you'll have what people here call PB's(productive burps). My wife has problems with this, I have never had any problems.

There may be foods that just cause you problems - its rice for my wife, and flour tortillas for me -- they're ok if we chew and eat slowly, but take too big a bite and its like it gets caught (goes down eventually, just uncomfortable for a while).

Seriously, I wish I would have done this years ago.

When you go out to eat, order "a la cart" so you don't get too much, from the appitizer menu, or even the child's menu. Or perhaps Share a larger plate with someone. That can save on unwanted leftovers and money.

You guys have given me wonderful information! That eases my mind, about eating and eating what I want just slower and less of it. The only problem I for see is I eat REALLY fast now (probably the reason I eat so much)....I will have to work on eating slow. My hubby and I share meals now, so it will mean that I eat less than I do now. Thanks again for everything!