My doc says eat 6 times per day while on mush but it doesn't say how much - just "stop when full",,, but my brain won't tell me when I'm full - it's confused by my band now, hopefilly it will get better soon. Until then, when on mushies how much shoud I eat at one time and when I start eating all food how much should I eat at one time. 3 hours ago I had 2/3 the mushy inside filling of a burrito (no tortilla) and now I'm kinda hungy so I'm having a 3 oz cup of pudding. Does this seem right, wrong or what? Also, will my brain figure out this band thing ever and start sending me signs?

I was banded 9/26 and I am barely now approaching mushy stage. I figured 3 times a day or 6 half portions. Also, I take into consideration the amount of calories my body can take and still be able to lose weight.

I'm just worried b/c I don't want to eat too much and hurt my band. Am I eating too much? Maybe 15 oz of food per day over 6 times is what I'm eating. And when I say food I mean MUSH!

I never had the switch that told me what 'full' was....indeed that well may have been the greatest problem all along with many of us...."FULL" means "NOT HUNGRY"... I always acted as if 'full' meant 'cant stuff any more in there, or we are all out of it'....I was one who also always ate 'just in case so I wouldn't GET hungry'....

That is so funny Jack, I'm still laughing because it totally sounds like me!!! Thanks for bringing a little humor into my life today!

And let me clarify - when I say burrito I meant I ate a teeny taco bell 99 cent burrito - I ate 2/3 of the filling (beans and cheese)- about 2-3 ounces. This is ok for mush right? I'm so freaked out that I'm doing this wrong but my doc said to go on mush after one week!

Just wanted to clarify that it's not like I went to a Mexican Restraunt and had a 2 pound burrito 8 days after banding - I didn't even eat the tortilla! Basically I ate 2-3 oz of beans and cheese.

At your stage about 1 cup or so at a time might be a good starting point. Tweak it from there. Also depends on the type of food. Then eat again when you get hungry.

so if I were giving advice....I'd suggest to learn what your notion of 'hunger'-- 'NON hunger' and 'satiety' is.....by your own standards...I never had the switch that told me what 'full' was....indeed that well may have been the greatest problem all along with many of us...."FULL" means "NOT HUNGRY" ....I always acted as if 'full' meant 'cant stuff any more in there, or we are all out of it'....

I was one who also always ate 'just in case so I wouldn't GET hungry'....hope it goes well for you....

Good points Jack! Hungry now means no longer conscious of hunger pangs. No longer being told to eat by the lining of my stomach. It has really helped to think of it that way.

I am 4 weeks out and I will have between 1/2 & 1 cup of food per sitting depending on what it is. Do you have a calorie mark that you have to hit? I was given a list of appropriate mushie food and these goals. Calories 800, Fat 22 grams, protien 68 grams. I haven't been able to meet them with what I am eating (I run out of time during the day) but am getting real close. This is my normal day

8oz protien shake 8am

4 oz carb countdown yogurt 10:30ish

1/2 cup tuna w/mayo and 2 saltines 1pm

4 oz applesauce or Jello 4pm

8 oz Soup or 2 oz meat and some vegtables 7pm

I sneak in 1 cup of coffee some days and lots of Water everyday (except weekends - I am not on schedule then and do rather poorly at getting half of what I need)

I should throw in another protien shake after dinner but I don't usually get hungry before bed (WOW, isn't that a change)

Hope this helps,