Trying to practice the lap band rules and FAILING!

[mypov 0]

Oooh the straw thing is a great visual! Thank you! And thanks for all the replies. My doctor didn't prescribe any preop diet or tell me to try it out, I just didn't want to start "cold turkey" like someone else mentioned ya know? I just really want to be successful at this....anyway I will keep "practicing" but not worry about it so much. I think even trying ANYthing is getting me in the habit of at eating a lil slower- which is definetly a good thing for me!!

[judych 225]

I myself am having a hard time following the pre band rules....I went to my nutritionist and she was great wrote out a meal plan for me told me to start practicing chewing well, taking smaller bites, and not drinking whiile eating...And I too fail every single time...All I want to eat is fatty foods and I eat so fast I feel that I might fail with the band, I just dont know if I will be able to do it I just feel that food just takes over my whole existence does that make sense to anyone....

yep.. it makes huge sense to me. im the same.. im four days out from being banded and im not able to eat like i know i will have to. its harder somehow because i crave fat, meats, and i dont know what else, but i have cravings. its not nice. its making me more nervous. i know how you feel. not sure how to fix it either. i guess when we are banded is when the rubber hits the road, and we will have to comply.

[B-52 7,113]

yep.. it makes huge sense to me. im the same.. im four days out from being banded and im not able to eat like i know i will have to. its harder somehow because i crave fat, meats, and i dont know what else, but i have cravings. its not nice. its making me more nervous. i know how you feel. not sure how to fix it either. i guess when we are banded is when the rubber hits the road, and we will have to comply.

let me get you in a little secret. It makes NO DIFFRENCE right now if you eat that way or not. One, you haven't had the surgery yet, and two, even after the surgery it will take some time and some resrtiction first.

So why do they want you to start now?? Because, eventually it will be the ONLY WAY you will be able to eat at all. They want to to start practicing and making it a habit now, so when the time does come, you will know how to handle it.

Same goes with drinking with meals. Plenty of people say they can do it with no problem. and they are probably right. But when your band gets tight with restriction, try it and see what happens. So get used to it now is what they want you to do.

[honk 780]

I had gone a very strict diet 7 month prior to surgery (my surgery was delayed 3 months due to another health issue; so I think my eating habits had changed re trying to eat slower. To be truthful my thin non banded sister still eats slower than I do!

As to drinking. I found that as I chose healthier food the less salt those foods had. Preband I would be constantly calling the waitress over looking for a soda refill when eating out. The only time I really miss drinking when eating is at a party when the food tends to be fatty/salty.

[judych 225]

let me get you in a little secret. It makes NO DIFFRENCE right now if you eat that way or not. One, you haven't had the surgery yet, and two, even after the surgery it will take some time and some resrtiction first.

So why do they want you to start now?? Because, eventually it will be the ONLY WAY you will be able to eat at all. They want to to start practicing and making it a habit now, so when the time does come, you will know how to handle it.

Same goes with drinking with meals. Plenty of people say they can do it with no problem. and they are probably right. But when your band gets tight with restriction, try it and see what happens. So get used to it now is what they want you to do.

...thanks for this advice.. it makes sense. my dr didnt ask me to change before the surgery, it was my idea to do it... i wanted to feel more confident knowing that i could do it. But you are right, in the end, if we want to eat, and we have to eat, then we just do it. and we find out the hard way if we dont do it right.

[judych 225]

You will be surprised what fear will make you do. I was a gobbler, eating fast, and washing it down with liquids. I don't do that anymore. In fact, I probably eat slowly and chew more than I should. It was easy to switch over. The non drinking during meals is very easy. The hard part is when I eat Breakfast out and want my cup of coffee. Get smaller plates for when you start eating real food and you will find it looks like a lot and more than you can eat.

... regarding the smaller plates.. ive bought one of the diet plates.. small sections are clearly marked out for each portion. i have been used to eating such big portions that eating small portions is going to be a big re adjustment for me. i think of a morning not being able to have my coffee with breakfast will be a biggie as well.. im going to have to have coffee first ,wait that half hour and then eat. re adjustments that can be made easily enough. its the mind set of years of habit which is the issue.

[judych 225]

I try to drink quite a bit before I eat...Then I have it timed to where as soon as I am done eating its time to clean the kitchen and as soon as I am done with that then I can drink...I didnt really find it hard not drinking during a meal because as soon as I got restriction the liquid would push the food down faster than it wanted to go and I would end up having PBS almost everytime...So for my own safety and fear I know its best that I dont drink and eat...Dang my biggest concern growing up was not drinking and driving and now look what I have resorted to..lol

lol... great to see the humour coming though.. and you are right, its easy enough to get into a new routine between eating and drinking. ive been thinking that one through as well. in fact, im goign to suggest to my hubbie, who is an early riser, that perhaps he could bless me with an early cup of coffee of a morning. lol.

[coachshalyn 17]

I was told to buy a baby fork, spoon and plate to help take smaller amounts and literally chew my food 30 times. The drink thing I still struggle with...