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I never had to chew a specific number of times. I’ve never understood that requirement even during the first couple of months when eating purées & soft foods unless you are a speed eater & gulper of food. Cut your food into small pieces, keep it tender & moist, eat slowly & take small bites you should be fine. But Lisa, aren’t you quite a time out now? This should be even less of a consideration for you.

I am 6 months out and have lost about 68 pounds. I had been stalled since the end of November and sought advice from my nutritionist. She said to to keep on keeping on. So I did and suddenly this past week, I started losing again. I go by volume rather than oz. But I eat 3/4 a cup at a time. Eat between 800-1000 calories a day. Work out at the gym 3 times a week and do 30 minutes of cardio 6 days a week. I wish it were more and I have certainly not my surgeons goals at any check up, but I am close. He wanted me to be at 160 by my February appt. I am not sure I am going to make that, but I will be within 10lbs of it.

Band-to-bypass patient here. I think I may have perspective that will help you considering I've been through it myself. I never lost weight with the lap band because it didn't work for me. It never reduced my appetite and it merely felt like a road block between my esophagus and stomach. Food slid through the band pretty easily (if I chewed well enough and/or ate slider foods) and considering it was much easier and more comfortable to eat that way, that's what I did. The lap band does NOTHING to stop you from eating as much ice cream or cheesy mashed potatoes as you want. With the lap band, if it's adjusted properly, you get a hard "stop" when your pouch is full. You have to be careful with the bypass because "full" is a much more gradual feeling. Eat slowly, or else you could end up eating too much and that is painful. Restriction is there but it's a gradual feeling rather than the sudden feeling of "I can't eat anymore." Keep in mind other benefits the bypass has that the lap band doesn't: malabsorption, reduced/muted appetite, and prolonged satiety. I would get hungry pretty fast after drinking water with my lap band (I always waited the 60 minutes we were told to wait and even so, the food washed right through my pouch). With the bypass I'll stay full for several hours. I get hungry but not *famished* to the point where I'm shaky and desperate. You're just 1 month post-op but it will get better feel free to PM me if you want to chat. Having had a lap band before will make this experience different for you. I'd get so frustrated when people told me the lap band was "just a tool" but it felt like someone gave me a bent screwdriver when what I needed was a jackhammer. The bypass is a much more powerful tool. I lost 20 pounds in 6 months with my lap band and then stopped. I was so frustrated with feeling miserable that I just gave up and ate what I wanted. With the bypass I've lost 101 pounds in 5 months. It's night and day, truly. Even on days when I want to give up and eat what I want, I can't. And I really appreciate that. Try eating a couple cookies and see what happens 😂 actually, don't. For me it's really bad farts but for a lot of people it results in terrible dumping so it's just not worth it. Anyway, I hope I provided some comfort for you. It will get better and you'll lose weight!!! It's such a better tool than the lap band (or as I call it, crap band!)

I agree most do not notice. But all said shrug and say eating out for all these days does not agree with me so I n staying ahead of stomach ache. I time in conferences and only a few people have ever commented.

I agree with throwing out the JUNK and tracking and distracting yourself. Can you go two hours without snacking? What about a day without sweets? I like distracting myself with solitaire on my phone or calling my mom or drinking hot tea. What about a hobby that keeps your hands busy? Crafting, knitting, cleaning, etc. Or get up and take a walk or do a youtube exercise video when you want to eat. You've got this!

You've lost 70+ pounds in 4 months and you don't think that's fast enough? That's FANTASTIC!!!! You're doing fine. Your weight loss is going to slow as you get smaller and that's perfectly normal. 8 pounds is still good in a month. My (unsolicited) advice is: (1) be realistic. you're doing GREAT, quit beating yourself up. (2) talk to the counselors as your surgeon's office or a private therapist about your food issues with head hunger and eating issues. But be kind to yourself. You've GOT THIS!

weight loss slows down a lot the farther out you get. My first month I lost 16 lbs. Then for the next six months or so, I lost 8-12 lbs a month. After that, I dropped down to about 5-8 lbs a month. And after the first year, it was like two lbs a month. This happens to almost everyone. The closer you get to normal weight, the slower and harder it is to lose. I remember going to Weight Watchers meetings before I had weight loss surgery. I used to mentally roll my eyes at these women who were only slightly overweight moaning about how hard it was to lose 10 lbs. Yea - right. Try losing 100+ lbs. But now I totally get it!! btw - I agree with the above poster. If you're straying too far from your clinic's plan, then get back on it. Track everything. If you're committed, you WILL continue to lose weight. I lost for 20 months.

I’m at the 3 year mark as well (just a little over). I order whatever I feel for (always more that I can actually eat every time, btw) and eat whatever I feel like I can eat. Those that knew me before the weight loss long ago stopped commenting on my eating habits (it’s old news now). People that don’t know me very well, or not at all (of whom are rare meal companions, especially since COVID) have yet to comment, so I don’t really have a go-to response. But I suppose if they did, I’d likely respond with something along the lines of “I’m good, thanks”.

The old is new again!!! We can in fact live our healthy life - for me it is a daily choice. I m getting it right some maybe even much of the time. You ll keep me grounded.

I went back and forth in my mind whether I should reply again or not, but I kinda have to. So, you really think lolli is doing great? Do you really think she should keep doing what she is doing? I know you are probably just trying to cheer her up, but in all honesty - she isn't doing great and with pretending she is I believe we are doing her a great disservice. I don't think she wants a pep talk but tips and suggestions on how to do better and improve weight loss. What the doc says is most likely not just "his opinion" but it is probably based on medical research, years of experience in the medical community and with his patients. No, his words are not the law but I don't believe he is just talking out of his a$$ either. Pretending we are doing great and doing the same thing is what got most of us to morbid obesity - this journey is all about change, moving into a new direction and figuring out what to do and how to do it.