Has anyone else had this problem?

I was banded on 1/12/09. I can only eat a small portion before I feel my chest getting tight like something is stuck in there.

But my problem is, I want to finish eating what I'm eating! Then I end up making myself sick. I didn't realize that there would be such a strong psychological hurdle.

I just want to be able to finish one piece of pizza! I don't need to eat 4 pieces like I used to, but I at least want to enjoy a whole piece and not just bites of it.

How do I get over this? Even when I have dieted in the past, I'm used to having a big salad or a big turkey sandwich on sugar free bread. I'm not getting mentally satisfied with just a few bites.

Any suggestions? Should I put a tiny portion on a plate so I can feel like I finished it? That way maybe I won't feel like I still have food to finish.

Chew chew chew and savor your bites. Make sure you take small bites. I found eating slowly was the hardest thing to get used too. However when you do you don't have pain and you do feel satisfied. Enjoy what you eat. Try slowing down. Hope this helps. Good luck.

The mental aspect of food is the hardest battle. Food was my entire life and now getting to gather with friends, going out to eat, and just being bored at home have all changed. Recently I went to visit a friend that lives 3 hours away. She is a great cook and her husband always grills something for us. I knew we were going to eat so I did not eat much all day. I was so excited because I knew that it would be soooo good. We grilled a pork tenderloin and I took 2 bits and PB'd for over an hour. I was so disappointed but I have to realize that my life does not revolve around food any more and grilled meat is not something that sits well with me. I was never a big cook before but sometimes now I cook huge meals for my family/friends knowing that I will not be able to eat much. Some how just cooking it and preparing it satisfies that mental addiction to food. Sounds wierd I know.

But it does get better. Every day is easier. Remember you eat to live NOT live to eat.

I agree with Diane. I thought I was chewing slower, but with my second fill just days ago, I'm realizing that I still chew way too fast. I can tell when I know a little lump has just slipped past...and I sit there quietly and wait for it to slam down into my pouch like a bomb.... it's like I'm waiting for the kaboom.... that's when I know I was chewing too fast. It's kind of like the ball dropping at New Year's... it's just sliding down while you are on pins and needles.

As far as the psychological... for me, the pain of eating that one bite over my limit is enough to discourage me sometimes. (Most times, but there is that one time I push it too far now and then.) I used to be a member of the Clean Plate Club too. It sounds crazy, but I literally fight myself sometimes by repeating over and over again in my head, "It's not worth it! It's not worth it! It's not worth it!" -- I've even stopped myself in the middle of a bite and put the fork back down.

Okay...so at that point I make a decision... am I going to take this home for later (if I'm out), or is this not worth keeping as a leftover? If I'm home, I get up quickly and put it away in a container. If I'm out, I quickly try to get a box (or ask for a box ahead of time) so you can quickly pack it out of sight and have a clean plate...no temptation to pick at it. Now, if it's not good enough to save for later, but you think you'll be tempted, dump it in the trash right away, or if you are out, shake a bunch of salt or something all over it so you won't want to grab just one more bite. (Even though it is a shame to waste such yummy food... but it's just not worth it. :sneaky: Right?)

I still enjoy eating out... and I say to myself, "Yay! I can eat this three more times this week for the price of one meal. See, I'm saving money!" ha ha ha

I hope that might give you some ideas to try. You can do this! You can conquer your brain's desire to stick with old habits. It's hard, but you can do it!

I use what I call finger bowls, saucers and the biggest is a salad plate. I was banded a little behind you 1/23 and know what you mean but after 2 bouts with PB I stay right at 4 ounces, I had cut my portion sizes way down before but nothing like this. Its hard, usually I only eat the main course or maybe 3 ounces of protein and a bite of broccoli. Right now I'm going through the fill part so I'm back to liquids qorking on mushies. Its getting easier although I hate when I get reminded of what I was able to eat when I was young and thin and how eating all I wanted got me where I'm at now. Each day I miss it a little less, I can't imagine the holidays yet or a picnic. I survived my sisters birthday party by bringing a rotisserie chicken for us and that helped. Hang in there.

Yep, put tiny portions on a very small saucer. That helps with the urge to finish. You could always go back for seconds if you have any room left.

What is "pb"

PB=productive burb

I slice and serve a "bandster-size" slice of pizza, not the pre-sliced serving. The size of a slice that you would have eaten pre-band is not necessarily going to be the same now.

I find that if I put the appropriate amount of food on my plate to start, it really helps me to mentally accept how much I get to eat. Like Saundra, I always use a salad/bread plate to make my meal look a little less sparse and to keep me from piling too much on. I look at what I have and slowly eat and savor it and am for the most part satisfied. Sometimes when it is really yummy I want more, but I tell myself that I can have more at my next meal. Or, in the beginning, I would tell myself that if I still want more in an hour then I can have it. I will say that this problem does get easier as you get used to being more disciplined.

Also, I can not enjoy hand-tossed crust pizza anymore. I can't eat much before I get that stuck feeling. And I have to chew it so much that it loses its appeal for me or sometimes I just get stuck and slime for 1/2 hour. Thin crust works much better, I make my own with whole wheat wrap bread. The personal size pizza is about the size of a tortilla and I slice it into four pieces. I can usually eat two slices of that.

Edited March 19, 200917 yr by Jodi_620

How do I get over this? Even when I have dieted in the past, I'm used to having a big salad or a big turkey sandwich on sugar free bread. I'm not getting mentally satisfied with just a few bites.

Any suggestions? Should I put a tiny portion on a plate so I can feel like I finished it? That way maybe I won't feel like I still have food to finish.

The thing is...you're not ON a diet anymore. You are learning a whole new way to eat. The first few months you have to have a good eating plan. You sound like you have restriction so you're going to have to find a way around the psychological part. We are all having to deal with that same hurdle! It's hard sometimes.

Some things that worked for me were 1) Using smaller plates, bowls, and utensils. 2) Eating better food. If I can only eat a few bites then I want those bites to be absolutely delicious...no junk! 3) Make mealtime more festive. Dress up the table, dress up the plate. Make mealtime about more than just the food. 4) Follow the band rules. Protein first, and chew, chew, chew. I found that I do better if I cut my bites (the size of a nickel) instead of biting. That way I can see what I'm putting in my mouth. Then chew, chew, chew...Wait! Let that bite go down completely before attempting to eat another bite. If it feels tight or uncomfortable...stop! Don't eat another bite right away.

You will eventually adjust to the new way of eating. Just be patient with yourself and your band. Good luck to you.

Banded on Jan 16, 09...I love going out for pizza and thought I would never see it again. Well there's this pizza place in the Dayton, OH area called Marion's. The toppings they use are all ground up and makes it so easy to eat just the topping off and leave the crust! YUMMIE!!! The sausage and mushrooms and teeny-tiney and I have no problem at all.......:tt2:

You adjust over time. It feels wrong to leave stuff behind after you are first banded.

One thing that helps is to cut things down to size. You can slice a sliver of pizza into 1/3 or 1/2 a piece and then you don't feel such deprivation when you can't eat it all. I also got into the habit of eating at home off of a saucer. Once you adjust it becomes no big deal.

Thanks, all! I love the ideas about cutting the slice of pizza down first and using small dishes. Maybe I'll try to find a kid's tea set or dish set I can use, that sounds fun. Maybe I can convince myself that a chicken wing drummette is a big drumstick, lol!

Also, I think once I start seeing results I won't care as much about the food part.

Thanks for your input!

Pizza is a problem for my wife. It is one of the few foods she cannot tolerate since being banded.

Chew chew chew and savor your bites. Make sure you take small bites. I found eating slowly was the hardest thing to get used too. However when you do you don't have pain and you do feel satisfied. Enjoy what you eat. Try slowing down. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Based on my experience this is exactly right. When I overdo it too much, the pain is bad enough to kill my appetite for hours.

the doughy pizza bread probaby swells too much and causes fullness

try just eating the cheese and sauce

you are talking to someone that had papa john on speed dial and could consume an entire pie in one night alone

sometimes i make no noodle lasagna- low fat ricotta cheese, Pasta sauce and mozzerella- after a while you don't notice there are no noodles and it's just fine

there are ways to enjoy italian food in new ways