i was starving on the clear liquid phase too....when i couldnt take it anymore, i had to move up to a VERY thin type soup....like food mushed down to a drinkable state... sounds grooss, but it was filling.

I havent tried salad yet but i want to...sounds like a LOT of chewing to me! I will ask my Doc about it on my visit Monday

I think you are doing wonderful!! I became addicted to (and still am) SF Popcicles..everytime I think I am hungry I eat a SF popcicle and that seems to work for me. I think you can have that now.

I mushed just about anything I can..just don't look at it. Chili was the first think I mushed.

As for the salad..ask your dr. As you will see on this site every dr has different rules. Mine is very strict. Lettuce sometimes is hard to digest at first (that is what some Dr's say including mine). I had to wait 4 months before I could eat salad. I eat it quite often now. I know others on here that ate it right out of the gate.

You need to remember right now you are very swollen and you actually were on a lot of fluids (thru IV) when you were in the hospital. I was up 2 lbs when I got out. My doctor's opinion is that any amount of weight that you lose between surgery date and your first fill is nothing but a bonus. You do not have any saline in your band at this point to help you with restriction. This time frame is for healing of the surgery not for losing weight although you may lose some. During this time you are also adjusting mentally to be banded so your body and mind have a lot to deal with during this 6 week or so timeframe. I know this is much easier said now than when I was first banded and hearing it for the first time. Take care!!

girl! I got a thick and chunky soup and pureed it...it was the best thing since filet mignot....and i didn't have trouble digesting it..and i was full after about 4 spoon fulls..it was great. im only on day 8...but ive been using common sense and eating stuff that doesn't puff up and chewing my bootie off then swallowing...no problems yet!!