Wasn't sure where to ask this question so I put it here.

After chatting with my GF last night about "life after being banded" She asked me some questions and some conerns, I wasn't sure how to answer. If she had asked me anything about the surgery or what I needed to do that would have been easy.

For those who have been banded and have small families. (There are just two of us)

How do you fix your meals?

Do you fix the same things you normally would for your meals?

How do you handle what would seem to be an immense amount of leftovers?

When you or do you cook for your family and then prepare something totally different for yourself?

Does your Sig other have any anxiety about eating "normall" around you and you only eat a smaller portion.

She is very concerned that eating "normal" sized portions and foods in front or around me will make me feel badly.

She really wants to be supportive.

So I guess my questions are how does your immediate family/significant other/spouse deal with food and meals around the banded you?

For the most part I cook only one meal. I have made myself something different only a few times and only because I just didn't want the same thing that they wanted. I don't have a problem seeing them eat normal size portions. Also, they (spouse and son) don't have a problem eating in front of me. It bothered me the first month, but it doesn't seem to bother me as much now. I only have a few foods that I can't handle at this point. I guess I will see how different it is after my next (3rd) fill. Good luck to you!

For our family, there have been no real changes. I am still the cook. I LOVE to cook. I make whatever strikes my fancy. And we all eat the same thing. The only changes in our diet has been an addition of more veggies and less breads. For instance, we had 'green bean spaghetti' last night--- instead of spaghetti I used long green beans and topped them with a burgundy marinara and turkey meatballs. No one missed the pasta and we are must healthier for it. Instead of pastas and rice as sides, we tend to eat steamed veggies. No one has noticed or complained. And we are all healthier for it.

Even though I have a family of 5.....I prepare 1 meal and I can usually eat something from it. I am not bothered by what others eat in front of me at all. If I want something I eat it if I know it won't get stuck! As far as leftovers go that makes several meals for myself that I freeze in gladware 4oz containers. When I go out with friends I just order soup... I know these will go down easily. As time goes on you get use to eating a certain way and thats just the way it is. Good Luck to you!

Good questions! :tongue2: I struggled at first, but then came up with some things that really helped us. My husband doesn't have a problem eating in front of me, and I don't mind him eating anything in front of me. Sometimes he'll feel bad eating a really good bread since that's what I miss the most, but I don't often feel bad about it. Here are my tips:

+ When you eat out, only order things that you can reheat later that taste good. French fries never taste good the second day.

+ If you eat out and order a burger or something, have them put the bun on the side, then you can bring it home for your significant other's (SO) meal the next day. That way you don't have to buy a whole bag of buns only to have leftovers.

+ When I buy bread for my hubby's lunch sandwiches or what not, I immediately put it in the freezer. I found I would buy bread, and half of it would go bad because he wouldn't eat it fast enough. Now, I take two slices out, toast it, and make his sandwich.

+ I LOVE pillsbury frozen biscuits. They're easy to pop in the oven for my husband's dinner and I don't have to feel obligated to eat or feel bad about leftovers going bad because you only prepare what you eat.

+ Learn the fine art of freezing leftovers and/or taking them for leftovers. There's just two of us, so even if I prepare a small meal, there's still generally leftovers. My husband and I take them for leftovers the next day. My inlaws gave us a TON of leftovers to freeze. Well, not only are we tired of turkey, but I couldn't eat it all anyway. I froze it and will use them later for a stew or something.

I still make the same foods I used to. I just eat it differently. For example, for spaghetti I'll use angel hair Pasta and have just a SMALL portion of pasta, and a little more sauce. Plus veggies of course. For pizza, I'll make meat and veggie toppings so I can eat the top and still get something good. For burgers I use lettuce as the bread (and my leftover buns for my husband). Perfection! I'm always looking for shortcuts and cheap ways to eat the way I should while not skimping on food that I love. I still will have a bite or two of bread.

Hope this helps!

When it's me and my daughter, I'll make spaghetti and meatballs. She gets noodles and I do not.

I'll cook chicken with a rice or cous cous side, which I don't normally eat. But I eat the meat and veg. It works.

When I go out with my SO we've found that sharing plates is helpful. Or we eat Tapas, which are little bits of food any way. She doesn't feel badly to eat in front of me, and I don't worry about it either.

When I was initally banded most food didn't appeal to me. Since then I'm used to eating smaller portions where ever I go, so who ever is with me is used to it too. Slowing our meals was the biggest issue. She had to slow down, which isn't a bad thing.

Also, now I covet three bite left overs. "I'm like hold it! don't throw that out! I can eat that for a meal tomorrow!"

I like to eat weight watchers for lunch because I don't have to think about anything including portions, it's already done for me. I eat the same things that I make for my family. I just use the larger plates for them and the smaller for myself. Even when company comes over, I use my smaller plate. It is the same color and pattern the larger ones are so nobody notices the difference. With leftovers, I just send them off with my husband to work the next day. The men in the office love to eat home cooked meals instead of fast food for lunch. Plus, it makes me the FAVORITE WIFE, lol. I do the same thing when I bake cookies, cakes, etc. My family gets to enjoy it for that day, and the next it's gone with my husband. It helps everyone not to overindulge. I have never had a problem with anyone feeling different around me when eating because no one really notices the difference. I am the lucky one with the band where I am able to eat any type of food. Plus I keep my band a little on the loose side because I like to exercise quite a bit, so I need to eat a little more.

these questions are very very normal and everyone asks them and wonders about them, but once you've been banded for a long time, you'll realise they're a measure of the total obsession we have with food as overweight people.

The truth is, its just fuel. Just food. You just eat normally but less. There is no need to cook separate meals, you wont CARE what your friends are eating, they wont particularly care how much you eat and leftovers, if not eaten can simply be thrown away. Over time you learn to cook less, you get the feel for how much you eat and you adjust amounts accordingly, but this obsession with not wasting food goes away. I dont get the thing with getting "your money's worth" at a reastaurant either. If I go out, pay $20 for a meal and have a great night with my friends, who CARES if I live 3/4 of the meal on my plate (doggy bags are against health regulations here, you cant take your leftovers home). I just see it as the $20 I paid was for the priviledge of a great night out, NOT for a plate of food. Who cares if it gets thrown away, i've eaten all I want!

None of this stuff will matter to you eventually, you just eat what you want and leave the rest, no matter what it is.

Wasn't sure where to ask this question so I put it here.

After chatting with my GF last night about "life after being banded" She asked me some questions and some conerns, I wasn't sure how to answer. If she had asked me anything about the surgery or what I needed to do that would have been easy.

For those who have been banded and have small families. (There are just two of us)

How do you fix your meals?

Do you fix the same things you normally would for your meals?

How do you handle what would seem to be an immense amount of leftovers?

When you or do you cook for your family and then prepare something totally different for yourself?

Does your Sig other have any anxiety about eating "normall" around you and you only eat a smaller portion.

She is very concerned that eating "normal" sized portions and foods in front or around me will make me feel badly.

She really wants to be supportive.

So I guess my questions are how does your immediate family/significant other/spouse deal with food and meals around the banded you?

I also am just cooking for two. When I cook, I make about 4 servings of whatever I’m making. That covers dinner for us both at night, as well as leftovers for lunch the next day. This helps me cut way down on my food bill since I’m not going out for lunch or buying extra, specific lunch-type items at the grocery store.

(shameless promotion here: check out my lapband recipe blog. It’s got pictures, nutrition info and hopefully some ideas that you can adapt to your own situation)

I cook what you could consider “normal” meals. They always include a good Protein (in a texture I can eat – such as meat cooked in the crockpot, boiled, or baked only till done but still juicy), as well as veggies or fruit and a starch-type side dish for hubby.

Typically if I make a side dish of something like boxed Stovetop stuffing or boxed scalloped potatoes, they will actually last for two days – through the next day’s lunch, dinner, and then the following lunch – since I’m not eating them. It works out to a nice two-days worth of side dishes and cuts down on the amount of work to prepare dinner the second night as well.

I really never prepare special foods for myself for dinner (just for Snacks and whatnot), I just make sure that some components of my meals are healthy for me to eat.

Hubby has absolutely no problem eating like a cow around me sometimes! :thumbup: I just sit and chew slowly while he mauls through a whole plate, and we both finish about the same time and both feel satisfied. It works out well for us.

As for friends feeling bad to eat around me though, or eating too much, it’s really not that bad for me. While they eat a lot of food, I just take a few bites of the various things they’re eating. I stay within a reasonable amount of food, but I still get to try everything they’re having and be satisfied in the end. Sometimes it’s hard, but in general, being able to eat the same TYPES of food, if not the same amount, really helps me feel good about it. Of course, this isn’t something I do on a regular basis, so when I go out with friends, it’s not a big deal if I splurge just a tiny bit.

I love the recipe site! And this is very helpful. I knew I couldn't have been the only one with these questions.

I understand that food is just fuel for the body and "cleaning your plate" is one of the big problems that contribute to obesity. I'm very "green" when it comes to how I live, in every aspect of life. Recycle paper, cans, having a "low" carbon footprint, and trying to not be wastefull when I cook, etc. I've been working on eating off of smaller plates and consciously reminding myself I don't have to "clean my plate". (my pets love this one, cause they often get extra treats)

Besides smaller plates I am trying to really watch what I eat between meals and question myself when I want something...is it head hunger or am I really needing something. The hardest thing for me to start doing is not drinking before or after a meal. Drinking 64 oz a day is a breeze for me.

And I think that those around me are suffering with me, while I cut out caffeine (coffee and tea) and stopping smoking, as well as eating less. I've been very "gritchy" in the past couple of weeks. But this too will pass I'm sure.

I do find it funny (not hahha but curious) that no one really notices what or the amount you eat. I have started watching people when they eat to see their eating habits and it is very interesting.

Again thank you all for your support and comments. I love them and I'm really liking the recipes..it is giving us all kinds of ideas.

I like your site because it has all the pictures, but how do you eat all that pasta and bread? It just wouldn't fit for me! :tongue: lucky you. :sad_smile:

I was wondering about this for the last few days. Not specifically the food portions, but just going out with friends in general. For example, I have this one friend who eats SUPER fast (five minutes and that foot long is GONE). Even when I didn't have the band, I ate slower than she does. And lately, the quick eating has been putting me on edge. I'm really anal about eating habits. Like I said, people who inhale their food or chew with their mouths open... bah. I can't handle that. Even pre-banding I was hugely annoyed to the extent where I would avoid eating with certain people.

Anyone else have this problem?

I'm glad you guys like the site! It's been fun to make because it gives me incentive to try cooking new things. I'll be posting some crockpot cranberry pork ribs soon that I made tonight! YUM

I'm lucky, Pasta still agrees with me at this point, but it has to be fresh-cooked. When I make larger pasta dishes, everything that's not eaten in the first meal becomes lunches and leftovers for hubby. Re-heated pasta just hates me. But it saves me from having to prepare/shop for/cook/think of lunches for him, so it works out well. The one leftover pasta thing I was able to eat was the chicken-yogurt-pesto-pasta that I made. I'm not sure if it was doable because of the creamy yogurt, or cause I cold-rinsed it right away after cooking ro whatever, but that's the one thing that still seems to agree with me.

As for bread - it normally doesn't go down real well, but TOAST is still great for me. :biggrin:

Also, if you like my site, you'll love this one even better:

FoodWishes

It's not mine, but it's a site I found quite a while back and really, really enjoy.

Besides smaller plates I am trying to really watch what I eat between meals and question myself when I want something...is it head hunger or am I really needing something.

This has really been the hardest thing for me too. SO MANY TIMES I walk into the kitchen cause I just feel like I need to be eating something. Anything. I want something sweet, I want something salty, I want some carbs, I want some milk or juice. It's horrible.

I talked to my PA about it when I went back to get another fill` last week, cause I've really been struggling with wanting to consume everything around me, and she put me back on diet journaling. When I was pre-op, I was journaling everything I ate because I had to be uber-strict about my carbs so I could drastically reduce the size of my liver. After surgey though, I stopped.

She thought that if I wrote down every single things I put in my mouth and kept strict count of my calories, it would be easier to motivate myself as well as watch out for my problem areas. I realized I have a strong desire to graze at night after dinner more than any other time. It's like I don't want to go to bed feeling even the tiniest bit hungry or empty.

Now that I've realized that, I've started a "process", sort of, to help control it. After dinner, I portion out any leftovers into individual meal tupperware containers for lunches and dinners the next day so that I don't have a big pot or casserolle dish that I can just munch out of. Also, I've started being super-concious about the snack-type foods I have around. I no longer keep bread in the house, and all my snack things are relatively low-calorie easy things, like applesauce, low-fat yogurt, string cheese, etc.

It helps having something to go to for a last-minute snack before bed that's only going to run 50-100 calories at most. I get my fix without trashing my 'diet'.