but in small portions.

I hear so much from others that they aren't able to eat certain things and I'm really hoping that I can just sit down at a meal and not have to worry if I'll get sick, won't agree with me, etc. It would be nice to be able to eat a piece of fruit if I wanted fruit.

I would like some positive stories that this can be accomplished.

TIA,

Sandra

I should add that my physician did say fiberous foods that are strigy will probably be off limits.

Edited September 1, 200817 yr by speck

I can pretty much. Every now and then something will get stuck, but there's no certain food in particular, it can be anything.

BUT - the trade off for that is being looser and needing more willpower not to overeat.

According to my doctor, there is nothing you can't eat. He emphasized and re-emphasized. You have to be smart about it though. A peanut butter sandwich may not be the best of ideas. You don't want to try to 'out trick your band' as he explained of a story of some one who ate a peanut butter sandwich which would sit there longer and make them feel full longer, but ended up getting stuck (remember bread swells unless toasted). But if you chew, chew, chew and follow the program, you should be able to eat anything.

Now, my nutritionist told me that some times after banding, you may not be able to 'tolerate' certain foods and gave a list of 'problem foods' that people have gotten back to her with... like broccoli etc. It just depends on your tolerance.

Just try to eat small meals throughout the day. In fact, I know a really thin girl that I worked with who did that without ever having a weight problem in her life. She eats about 1/4 of her meal and takes the rest home. She told me that it took her about 8 hours to eat a foot long hot dog and fries!

The NP at my doc's office said that most of my doc's patients, once they are a year or more postop (and therefore have healed and LEARNED how to eat) and eat anything. I think except for carbonation (which can give you bad gas) I will be able to eat anything. She said some have problems with stringy red meat and that's fine with me; I don't eat stringy red meat anyway.

So I'm not worried about it.

OH and they said if you have a problem with something, give it a month or so and try again.

I know I'll be one of those who can eat anything, just in smaller amounts. They told me a good attitude is over half the fight!

OH and even white bread? I read to mix it with other textures and it won't ball up as badly. Honestly I'm not much of a sandwich eater anyway but it's nice to know I can have one if I want it. It will be ok!

I am just afraid of not losing if I eat anything. I feel I have to eat only diet things. At least fat free and sugar free.

Maybe when my restriction is right I will be able to eat a little of what I want. I haven't even tried bread rice or Pasta.

I PBed once on meat, but I don't think it was the food, it was the speed I was eating.

jazie

This is a tool and we each have to use it the way we see fit. I will have to just play it by ear but I know the more I deny myself, the more I want food. (learned that over years of dieting and months of therapy) .... that's just me. But if I set myself up to "ONLY" eat ff, lf, ns, baked fish etc I can tell you now I'll go nuts! I'll have to find the happy balance and I'm sure I'll be able to! :smile:

I'm sorry, but I have to add this. The reason the band works is because it has taught me that I can't eat anything. That I will have unpleasant results if I eat whatever I want, and however much I want. To me, saying you want to eat anything is like saying you don't really want to lose weight.

I am able to eat anything that I want. I have not gotten stuck once, and I have some restriction. I have 3cc in a 10cc band. I am going to get another fill, because I don't feel that I am quite where I want to be. But, that said, I like to be able to eat whatever I want. I am losing 1-2 lbs a week, as planned. I am not too hungry between meals now, but I'm still eating more than I want to be at one setting. I do have to eat slowly and chew, chew, chew. If I eat too fast, it feels like a golf ball going down, but nothing stuck! I can eat bread, rice, fruit. I'm not a big meat eater, so I've only eaten tuna and chicken so far. I haven't tried steak or shrimp yet. I think that alot of the stories you hear about people having difficulty eating comes from getting too much of a fill too quick. My surgeon is very conservative and takes his time with fills. It does take more will power this way, but it's working. Good luck to you!!!

I obviously need a tighter fill, but have to wait until after my cruise next week and I can eat anything right now. The only problem I had was kinda gulping down some cantelope, I felt like it almost got stuck.

I think how tight your fill is will determine what all you can eat, and that is kinda up to you. I want to be tighter, because IM HUNGRY ALL THE TIME. Sorry, but its driving me crazy trying not to nibble.

Snowbird, I totally disagree with you. I said I want to be able to eat anything. I did NOT say "In unlimited quantities". well, duh that's what I did preop. I want to be able to eat anything in greatly reduced quantities, and i'm sure that I will be able to. There's nothing wrong with eating 2 oz of steak instead of 10, or a few bites of a baked potato instead of one the size of my head. If you "need" to feel there are certain things you may not touch in order to be successful, then I am honestly glad you feel that restriction. However, I don't feel I need that nor will I do well with that. I will be able to thrive and lose and be healthy if things are as my surgeon and his staff described; I will eat less, be full with less, stay full longer, and must never snack. Groovy. I can do that.

I think we each need to find our own right way to use this tool we have. I'm sure I'll learn and change along the way, but I don't intend to live on baked fish the rest of my days, either. And on my birthday I plan to have a bite or two of birthday cake.

To me, saying you want to eat anything is like saying you don't really want to lose weight.

It might have been a good idea for me to have stated by eating anything I meant anything healthy. (fruits, nuts, etc.)

It really didn't cross my mind that junk would be included. Those days are behind me. I got fat by eating junk.

Fortunately I'm being successful eating pretty much anything I want. Yesterday we had family over and had sandwich stuff for everyone. I was the first in line and fixed myself half a ham&swiss sandwich and 4-5 cucumber slices and sat down at the table to eat. After all 10 had helped themselves and finished their big sandwiches and had already moved on to the next activity, I was finally finishing my last satisfying bite. You should be able to eat anything, just smaller portions, chew well, and take it slow. Remember how to enjoy your food again as it should be enjoyed. Don't deprive yourself. Try to find ways for the band to fit into your lifestyle. That's how you will be most successful.

God Bless!

Well, restless, good luck with it. Some of the most successful oldtimers on here agree that the band works as negative conditioning, teaching us painfully that we cannot eat as we did pre-operatively. While I can eat small amounts of almost anything at this stage, a couple pounds from goal, if I were still in losing mode that just wouldn't work.

I still have enough trouble with some foods that I no longer want them. So I guess I could say I eat what I want, because the band has taught me I don't want them anymore.

What do you expect will force you to eat less and eat only healthy food when you could not do that before?

I can eat anything in VERY SMALL amounts. I had my last fill and went to my sweet spot and its great. I can eat about 2-4 oz at a time. I eat about 5-6 times a day. I get about 800-1000 calories. I even have a glass of wine after dinner each night.

My bands a tool that helps limit the food I take in... however, I eat what I make for my family without a second thought.

Well put, Thinknhealthy! That pretty much sums up how I feel, and what I hope to achieve with my new band! Thanks for phrasing it so succinctly!