Bad habits and painful lessons

Dame J · March 13, 2007

Wow am I ever learing (the hard way) of the importance to chew chew chew! I have been eating softs for over a week and have been slowly intaking solids in my meals for the last few days. What a crazy (and bad) feeling when you don't pay attention and don't chew like crazy. I am hoping that I get to a point where I don't have to remind myself to chew my food to nothing. Please tell me this comes with time.

I also can't seem to eat scrambled eggs any more. They just don't seem to agree. They always get stuck. I made the mistake of drinking some Water when they stuck and that just seemed to make the whole process worse.

Don't get me wrong I have no regrets. I love that I have to take my time to eat, now I don't feel like such a glutton when I eat. I eat my small meals and take my time and sit up super straight (maybe it is just me but food feels better going down when I am ramrod straight). Damn but my Grandmother would be so proud of the lady I present at meal time.

Kat817 · March 13, 2007

Eggs---especially scrambled are hard for many people. Someone actually researched it on here, and found it is because they never break down further than what you chew them. They cook in a way that if you swallow them---that is how they have to pass, they stay in the same texture. I haven't found them to be an easy food for me, butnot impossible. Fried eggs, I have no issue with at all! Give your band and your fill some time to settle in, and maybe easily try the scrambled again. That is the strange thing with this band, what doesn't work today, may tomorrow---unfortunately the opposite is true as well, you may eat something without issue today, and it may not do so well tomorrow!

It does get easier----each and every day. Within a few weeks, you will find your stride, find new foods you really enjoy the taste of. You will love what not eating the bad foods has done---as your new body begins to emerge!

This is a training and learning time for you---and is going to be a roller coaster ride! Relax---it is normal, we all had the crazies from food! But it really will get easier, and become a second nature. It is said it takes doing something for like 3 weeks each day to develop a habit. So soon the chewing will be normal to you!!!

I think that soon your Grandmother would have been proud of much more than your posture-----you will be in control again!!!

Kat

Turner24 · March 13, 2007

Yes the whole food thing is a lesson in trial and error! I still have issues w/forgetting and trying to take a normal bite! You would think I would learn!!!! I guess your brain takes awhile to recondition how we eat!:hungry: I daily find things I should be able to tolerate but can't. I can't eat roast. I cooked it slow in a crockpot until it was falling apart. I even put it in the food processor (because I thought I just couldn't chew it well enough). Still had horrible pain:phanvan . No more roast for me!!!! The only food I really miss is pizza . I have read posts where people can tolerate the thin crust kind, but not me!!:nervous Trust me I've tried:rolleyes . Just chew chew chew and take note of what goes down easy and what doesn't! You will be fine!

Turner24

GayleTX · March 13, 2007

I can get down soft fried eggs, and can eat soft scrambled eggs just fine with melted cheese (I use cheese dip--queso) on them.

And you're right....down ever try to 'wash anything down'....it just makes it worse. If you get some type of Protein stuck in your band, papaya tablets help some (they break down Protein but won'thelp with bread, etc). Some people use meat tenderizer but I haven't tried that.

It will take you a few months to get down the 'mechanics of eating' but it will come eventually. Best wishes.........

CLOE · March 14, 2007

Dame J, I hear ya. I still sometimes slip up, but it's less all the time. It is trial and error. This is going to sound gross, but I find that if I chew like crazy(ok the gross part) and then kinda mix up saliva in my mouth to get a more mushy texture before I swallow, that helps. It sounds so gross, but it can be done discretely, and nobody notices.

Sorry if I grossed anyone out.

susansilver · March 14, 2007

I read this thread last night and decided to "pretend" I was already banded and chew chew chew. My goodness, eating my pork chop was getting boring! hehehe. I can't wait for food to become a little more boring for me. It is the not drinking while eating that will definitely be the major challenge, but hey whatever it takes - right?

Susan

marys · March 14, 2007

Hey Dame - We've all been there! I love love love eggs and also have trouble with them - mostly in the mornings - why not try having Breakfast for dinner? That works for me. Also fried eggs a little gooey are good - just fry them in pam. I also can do hard boiled pretty well later in the day. Even after being banded so long i still 'mess up' - these behaviors are hard to break and it is easy (for me) to slip into old habits - just keep plugging away. You will get it!

Doddie63 · March 14, 2007

Try poached eggs. Poaching in Water grosses me out, so I use a pan made just for poaching eggs. They are soft and good. Doddie

Dame J · March 14, 2007

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try them later in the day. Because scrambled eggs did not go so well I have been reluctant to try the hard boiled but I think this weekend I might give it a try.

Hummmm... all of a sudden I am craving an egg salad sandwich :hungry: