I've read over and over that the main three things you should be concerned about when considering getting another fill are:

1) How much food you can eat per meal

2) How long after a meal until you get hungry again

3) How long it takes you to eat a meal

But I just can't figure it out, why does it matter how long it takes you to eat? Is there something about being restricted that actually makes you have to eat slower, or is it more of a function of not being able to slow yourself down when you're really hungry? I haven't had restriction yet so I don't know all of the angles, but the way I see it now is that the time it takes you to eat depends on how long you purposely spend eating (like taking time between bites, etc) and has nothing to do with whether or not you need a fill.

Can someone please clear this up for me? :thumbup:

I'm not sure this applies to deciding on fills, but I read somewhere that taking too long to eat a meal can be almost as bad as eating too quickly. That if you take forever to eat a meal, what you ate early in the meal has already started to make it's way through the Band. Potentially, you could eat much more than is recommended, which would have an impact on the first question "How much can you eat per meal." What could be an indication that you need more restriction (the ability to eat too much at one sitting) could actually be just that you are eating too slowly, and don't need a fill yet.

:thumbup: Did that make any sense at all? lol

well, when i am in need of a fill, i can eat a cup of food very quickly. when properly filled, it takes me 20 minutes to eat it. a cup of food won't fit in my pouch when i am properly filled. i HAVE to let my stomach pass some food through my pouch before i can eat a reasonable amount of food. now, typically, by the time i get to the last of my 'cup' of food, i am really tired of eating. however, there are times when i am weak and find myself consuming a food for more than 20 minutes/1cup (usually a food that i have a weekness for). that has nothing to do with restriction.

my doc asks about how long it takes me to eat a cup of food. if i can eat it fast, he wants to take a look at my band under flouro to see if i am dilatated and we also make adjustments to the band...mostly fills, but once an unfill due to dilatation.

Thanks guys, that makes more sense :thumbup:

Believe me, if you can eat a cup and a half of Pasta in five minutes flat, you need a fill.

If you can eat a cup and a half of pasta but it takes an entire hour, that doesnt necessarily mean you need a fill. It means you should stop eating after 20 minutes or so.

You can still eat a LOT of food if you nibble it over a long time period, very bad habit to get into. But being able to eat faster over time is a sign your restriction is lessening. You dont HAVE to have a fill unless your weight loss is suffering, but if you can eat a lot in a short period of time, your band would be pretty loose. With good restriction, if you do that, you'll probably be sick and definitely suffer discomfort.

I've read over and over that the main three things you should be concerned about when considering getting another fill are:

Not having been banded yet I cant answer from experience but I can answer from I Have learned on this board.

1) How much food you can eat per meal

One of the main reasons for the band is portion control we don't realize that we are conditioned all our lives to eat HUGE Portions, So in order to lose weight we have to go back to realizticly normal portions hence why ammount is a bit important.

2) How long after a meal until you get hungry again

This is why they tell you to eat *Protien* first. Which is meats & Beans they take the longest of all foods to Digest. Keeping your stomach fuller for longer. If your hungry again in a hour after a meal your foods not lasting long enough and the reason needs to be found. DO you need another fill are you drinking with your meal etc??

3) How long it takes you to eat a meal

This one is important to everyone who is concerned about their weight. In our rushed society today people shovel their food down and we do it so fast our poor stomach can't react appropriately. YOu know how after a huge meal like 20 minutes later you feel so much more stuffed then you did when you left the table>> The stomach has just realized how overfull it is.. If you slow down you WILL fill up faster on small portions. And give the stomach time to react. Also with the band you will need to take time in between bits just to make sure it *Goes down ok* If you get a bite stuck and put 2-3 more on top of it the resulting PB/Sliming episode could be rather nasty. And painfull!! Besides on all the different diest we have tried in our lifetimes how many of them tell us to *Slow down with eating our meals* Proably a good 95% of the diets I have seen have.

But I just can't figure it out, why does it matter how long it takes you to eat? Is there something about being restricted that actually makes you have to eat slower,

Yes my understanding about restriction is if you dont chew your food well it can and will get stuck so slowing down and taking time to chew your food to mush is important.

or is it more of a function of not being able to slow yourself down when you're really hungry?

Actually I have a couple of dieticians and doctors now tell me to combat the always hungry feeling AND stablise blood sugar levels better (I am Diabetic) Several small meals a day is better then 1-3 large ones. Aparently this also helps raise our metabolisim, or so I am told.

it also helps you to actually in the long run eat less. Because your not waiting till your really hungry to eat therefore letting your hunger dictate how much you eat. If that makes sense. Its a well known fact not go shopping when your hungry cause you WILL buy junk/quickie items or purchase things you dont REALLY Need. It avoids the eyes bigger then the stomach thing that we all tend to do before we learn more normal ways of eating.

I haven't had restriction yet so I don't know all of the angles, but the way I see it now is that the time it takes you to eat depends on how long you purposely spend eating (like taking time between bites, etc) and has nothing to do with whether or not you need a fill.

Can someone please clear this up for me? :thumbup:

I hope I explained it so you can can understand it. If not then I am sure others will come by and do it better! :present: But thats what is so great about this board, ask for info and ye shall recieve!!:Banane34:

What do you mean by dilation?