I don't know how you do it.....I tried

[soozan 0]

Now this is nowhere near as hard as what you guys go through on a daily basis but for each meal today I took teeny bies and chewed until liquified.

It took a LONG time and my mouth was full of saliva.....with each swallow.

If I was banded would this lead to sliming?

Also, why no drinknig with food? That's a habit I would have to work very hard at to quit. Is it because the food will go through faster....therefore making the attempt to restrict calories pointles...or is it that things will get stuck??

Thanks again,

Susan:hungry:

[reif78 0]

not it dont cause sliming i just started on my mushy stage today and i chewed until i couldnt chew now more then swollowed and had no problems. as far as drinking. they say not to do that because if you drink while eating the liquid makes you fuller which then you dont finish the food that you need to eat to get in your protiens and nutrients you need in daily.

[trystelle 3]

There are several potential problems with drinking while eating. One reason is that the liquid will thin the food, making it pass through the stoma faster, thus making you hungry again faster. Some people get stuck if they drink while eating. The pressure of the extra liquid pushes the food to block the stoma.

This will sound funny, but things are different when you are banded. I used to feel like I couldn't eat without drinking. I now think it was because I was eating so much so fast. I needed to rinse it down to make way for yet more food! I don't miss not drinking at meals in the least. It might be easier for you than you can imagine right now!

[transformer 1]

I agree with trystelle. Once you train yourself to eat and drink separately, it becomes like any other habit. I don't notice I do it any more--it's just part of my new "normal!"

[mbanja 1]

I had a hard time giving up the habit of eating and drinking at the same time, especially going out to eat. I always ordered a drink. But I gotta good tip on here. One bandster just orders a glass of ice and drinks whatever melts. I started doing this and it really helped me kick the habit! Plus now that I am really tight, It causes me to get stuck!

[TulipStar 2]

I thought giving up eating and drinking at the same time was hard, but it wasn't for me. Plus I am saving a ton of $ on soda!!

You will see when you are banded and properly filled how much you have to chew. Honestly I don't have to chew that much, just chew enough to make sure the food the not huge pieces (maybe i have always been a good chewer). The key thing for me is making sure to eat SLOW and take time in between my bites. I just got a fill this week and 2 bites makes me full. If I eat those 2 bites too fast-- I am excrutiatingly full.

[sweethot143 2]

i too thought the chewing would be hard. I tried to do it prebanding and the food had no taste that way. But after banding, I started chewing until liquid with no problem, it wasn't hard at all, now it's a reflex.

The drinking with meals thing seemed it was going to be hard as well. it wasn't. I don't even care now. I do sometimes just take a sip here and there, less than a shot glass though. It something is spicey or extra thick.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Now this is nowhere near as hard as what you guys go through on a daily basis but for each meal today I took teeny bies and chewed until liquified.

It took a LONG time and my mouth was full of saliva.....with each swallow.

If I was banded would this lead to sliming?

Also, why no drinknig with food? That's a habit I would have to work very hard at to quit. Is it because the food will go through faster....therefore making the attempt to restrict calories pointles...or is it that things will get stuck??

Thanks again,

Susan:hungry:

There is a part of it that is harder for you because you don't HAVE to do it. We HAVE to do it or there is a great deal of pain and/or discomfort.

When you have to do it, it's not as big of a deal. It just becomes a way of life. I do find that I prefer foods that are supposed to be cold because they all end up cold anyway.

[nancy j 0]

There is a part of it that is harder for you because you don't HAVE to do it. We HAVE to do it or there is a great deal of pain and/or discomfort.

When you have to do it, it's not as big of a deal. It just becomes a way of life. I do find that I prefer foods that are supposed to be cold because they all end up cold anyway.

For about the first 4 months after being banded my mouth would get tired of chewing. My friends try to eat "like me" small amounts and chew chew chew.... it's kind of funny to watch them.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

For about the first 4 months after being banded my mouth would get tired of chewing. My friends try to eat "like me" small amounts and chew chew chew.... it's kind of funny to watch them.

A few weeks ago I went to the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to, amazingly it was in Mexico!

It was the best meal I have had since banding, loved it! I decided I was going to eat the whole darn thing and I did! (I don't have a lot of restriction so I can pretty well eat any quantity I want to, I just usually don't eat much)

It took me between 1.5-2 hours but by goodness, I ate the whole damn thing. People with me were doing the eyeroll, sighing, the works. I didn't care, that was some seriously good food! I didn't care if they left, I was finishing my food.

[snowbird 2]

Once you get stuck a time or two, the fear from not chewing enough outweighs the boredom of doing so. Sometimes I chew up something tough so much that it loses all its flavor and therefore all the pleasure of eating it disappears, and I end up spitting it out in the garbage. Happens a lot with chicken and meat.

I tried chewing thoroughly before I was banded to see what it was like, and failed at it too. But when it becomes a necessity, like everybody else said, it's different. I get a big stab of fear when I swallow too soon, because I am afraid of what might happen. A lot of people who haven't been banded might not think that's a great way to live, but I'll take the fear over the fat any day.

[TXbandit 4]

I have found that when eating with other people, the chewing and eating slowly helps you keep up with those who are inhaling their food, and you are not finished way early and just sitting there...only you are eating so much less and end up just as full!:biggrin1:

[soozan 0]

I think I am more afraid of the accidental swallows.

I am constantly taking note on how I am eating/chewing.

A ew times I KNOW a swallowed a glob of food that if I was banded....OUT SHE COMES!!

That first bite, I noticed is hard for me.....breakfasts and dinners....

I'm on the phone tomorrow with insurance so I have the req's inhand when I go to the Doc.

You guys have been soo helpful. Hope you don't mind more silly questions.

Susan