It takes time to get your calorie intake up and protein intake what it should be in the beginning. In the beginning that is why you really need to still drink protein drinks twice a day. That will give you 30 to 50 gms of liquid protein depending on which one you drink. I use the powder form so I can control the volume of the liquid. These will also help you get your calorie intake up. As for food, just remember to always eat your protein first. In the beginning you will not feel like you are eating a well balanced diet because it is difficut to get the vegtables in when you are trying to get 2-3 ozs of protein per meal. Your goal should be to eat no more than 3 meals a day, with no snacking between. If hungry between meals, drink a protein drink. I consider those my snacks. If you allow your self to start snacking early on it defeats the purpose of the band. I also recommend to reading the blogs on Lapband.com. There is some additional good info on their site when you are new to lapband that can help you stay focused and understand how all this really works. In the beginning, I lived on the web sites and the blogs just trying to figure out how all this works. Stay positive and remain focused, this is a journey and still requires a lot of work and dedication on your part. Good luck to you.

I had to completely abandon the "meal" principle - and food in terms of any volume and/or quantity... I just try to meet my overall calorie intake/export goals and spread out the intake over the course of the day - never going long periods without food - even if it's only a few bites at a time.

I like Ensure that has 25 grams of protein to sip on between meals. I also eat half cup portions of tuna salad, or chicken salad, or egg salad for protein. Be careful not to drink liquids following solids -- that can be disastrous. I always drink my fluids first, wait a while and then eat a few bites chewed very carefully. I also like Jamba Juice protein smoothies.