I was banded on the 27th of February and am looking to see what others experiences have been so I know generally what to expect. The nearest support group is an hour away so this is the best way for me get answers. I am wondering about how and when to introduce foods other than clear liquids?

Here's what my dietician had me doing from Day 1 through Week 6.

Day 1,2,3 - I was allowed Water, sugar free Jello, broth, sugar free popsicles, decaf tea, and liquid Protein drinks (clear not creamy drinks). I was told to consume a maximum of 2-4 oz of any of the above items at one time.

Day 4,5,6,7 - In addition to the above items, I got to add V-8 juice (Not Splash version, strained thinned cream Soups w/o meat or vegetables, nonfat lowfat yogurt, preferably lite or low carb (no seeds, fruit pieces, nuts, or granola added), skim milk. You should only be consuming a maximum of 2-4 oz at a time still.

Weeks 2 and 3 (Days 8-22) - I was able to add soft, moist, SOLID foods, one at a time. Avoid products like beef, pork, Pasta, & rice. It is better to eat softer foods that are easier to digest. Remember to take very small bites and chew foods 20-30 times (to baby food consistency) to avoid vomiting or stomach irritation. If you have nausea or vomiting, return to the clear liquid diet and contact your doctor. Things to add to your food items above now are:

Cottage cheese (low-fat or nonfat)

String Cheese

eggs (any style)

Tofu

Refried Beans

chicken (canned or thinsly sliced deli-no BBQ)

Turkey (thinsly sliced deli-no BBQ)

Baked Fish (soft, moist, fresh)

Tuna with fat free mayo or fat free Miracle Whip.

Add the following foods, in this order, ONLY if you have room:

Vegetables:

Well-cooked, peeled vegetables (AVOID asparagus, corn, celery, peas, lima beans, brussels sprouts, lettuce, cabbage, raw vegetables for 6 months, then CHEWED well).

Fruit:

Canned fruit (preferably unsweetened)

Small amounts of cooking spray

Small amounts of fat-free mayo, fat free Miracle Whip, butter sprays, or broth to moisten food.

Drink sips of water (2 oz every 15 minutes) through the day (total 48-64 oz day). Do not drink water 30 minutes before, during and 1 hour after a meal. Protein Drinks should be counted as part of your 64 oz Fluid daily.

Weeks 4 & 5 (Days 23-35) - You can now increase your range of foods, adding more texture and variety. Remember to eat solid protein first! Foods you can now add to your diet are as follows:

Egg salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad, with minimal fat free mayo (no celery), pickles with no skin is ok, I used pickle relish without any problems.

Nonfat lowfat cheese.

Creamy Peanut Butter.

Chicken breast, turkey, lean beef, lean pork - must be moist and be able to pull apart with 2 forks.

Black beans, lentils, split peas, canned.

Low calorie, low carb frozen meal (remember, you will not eat the whole thing). As I recall, there were days that I was able to eat the entire frozen entree such as Weight Watchers, Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, etc.), but not always.

Foods to avoid - course or crunchy foods. Limit foods high in fat, sugar and starch.

Week 6 and beyond - From this point on, food tolerances will be "trial and error" for you. Raw vegetables (peeled), raw fruit (peeled), salads, and nuts are best tolerated after 5 to 6 months. I think I tried eating salads and raw fruit after about 3 months and didn't have any problems, but just take it easy when trying this things since they can cause food to get stuck fairly easy.

I stuck to the above foods and followed the above plan for the first 5 months before I started straying off "plan" and did really well in my weight loss then. I also walked 3 to 4 times a week on my treadmill. My weightloss slowed down when I found myself eating things that weren't all on the plan above such as fried chicken, candy, stuff that you really should try to eat in moderation anyway. My doctor and therapist keep reminding me this is a lifestyle change so I don't beat myself up if I have a bad day, I just get up the next day and do better. I'm still losing just not as fast as I did to begin with.

My 1 year band anniversary is March 19 and to date I have lost 105 lbs, 20 of which I lost before the band. I'm very happy with my decision and hope you will be too.

The plan that I just laid out above is what our dietician gave to us so if you follow it I would hope you would have minimal problems and great results like I have.

If you have any questions, let me know. My email address is triggert@kc.rr.com if you'd prefer to email me instead of going thru the private messages.

Hope this helps,

Teri