How difficult is it?

[April 0]

I'm just wondering...(I'm not banded YET but I will be soon) I love my meat burnt. Doesn't matter if its chicken, steak or pork. Will I be able to eat extra well done food after my banding? If not, were any of you the same way before your band and how have you adapted after?

[Jachut 487]

Hmm, well I can pretty much eat anything, I have way more tolerance than almost anyone I know and well done meat is off the menu for me, not that I ever liked it that way. Its the one thing I cant get down. I've not even gotten to the stage of PBing becuase its just too darn hard to eat.

I dont miss it though, I'm not a big meat eater anyway, I prefer it hidden, cooked into dishes, rather than a hunk of dead animal on my plate.

[MerryHearted 20]

I think you'll be fine, just cut it into very small pieces across the grain. I haven't had problems with meat yet. I don't like mine burnt, so I can't really speak to that part. I have chewed and chewed on harder pieces of steak and then just eventually spit out the gristle. Not a big deal.

[susan g 0]

ok I am obsessed:nervous with how to chew after the band:hungry: .how big of bites ,or small, how long does it take to finish a meal...what if you are on the run with your job and cant complete your meal..what about going out with other who dont know ...is it ackward to chew so long...I know these questions may be silly but you guys are the only ones who can tell me the facts...thanks for the help:)

[MerryHearted 20]

Not silly, ask away!

Honestly, I don't think anyone even notices the extra chewing. Since restaurant portions are so big and since you will only be eating a small amount, the extra chewing is quite useful -- you get done eating your small portion around the same time everyone else is done cleaning their plates.

If anyone does notice, and you aren't planning to tell them about the band, you can just say that you're trying to slow down and enjoy your food these days. I've only told 3 people about my band (not counting other bandsters): husband, mom & dad. And I've eaten out quite a bit with others who have no idea.

Regarding meal length, you shouldn't eat longer than 20 min or you can end up overeating. So there's no problem with your meals stretching out into infinity while you chew chew chew and everyone sitting there staring at you.

At work I keep 2 things on hand: Glucerna chocolate meal shakes and Glucerna meal bars. They are there for emergencies: the meal bars for if I'm in a hurry or in a situation where there's no healthy food on hand, the chocolate meal shakes for if I ever end up PBing (haven't yet!) or am swollen after a fill and need a liquid meal.

[Marimaru 7]

If chicken is even the slightest bit dry, it causes me major problems...

[Wheetsin 714]

meats haven't posed a problem yet, but I've not had red meat since banding (actually I haven't had it for like 8 months). When I did eat red meat, I liked it warm, pink, and just a little bloody - so I can't give you any testament about eating it burned. I think you could do it, you'd just have to chew the crap out of it, maybe use a sauce or something with it to make sure it's moist enough.

You can chew just about anything to the point of it being safe to swallow. Except ground beef. I just can't chew it well for some reason. For me the issue is that it takes SO much chewing that my jaws start to hurt and -- f*** this, it's not worth the effort, give me some cottage cheese! :confused:

[FunnyDuddies 6]

I can imagine that the harder the meat, the tougher it would be to get it to go down, so I think that cutting your bites into the smallest possible will make it all go well. Personally I am opposite. When it comes to beef, I like it rare. LOL Obviously not the same with chicken and pork. The only food I enjoy really burned is hotdogs. I want my dog black LOL My dh thinks I am nuts, but he always burns a dog for me.