Can you ever eat 'regular' food again?

[barbie1978 22]

Well i shouldn't say CAN you...i guess my questions is WHEN can you. This is NOT a "at what stage" question...i've been thinking lately (i'm 6 days post-op) and watching all these commercials or programs with people eating and I'm just curious as to those of you who have been banded at least months ago...can you eat a sub? Can you eat a regular salad? Can you eat one slice of italian bread with your small Pasta meal? Can you even eat a pasta meal? Can you eat chinese food and have an eggroll? Can you have a regular sandwhich? Can you split an appetizer with a group of people and still have room for your meal?

I know PORTION SIZE will be much smaller...I just feel like I'll never be able to eat normally again...

[Carriedaway78 0]

I just started eating salad a week ago and it's been fine for me so far! As for sandwiches, Pasta, etc, I was told to stay away from doughy carbs. So I haven't tried any pasta or breads other than thin pita, which works for me. I have had chinese food, went to PF Changs yesterday and had some chicken and eggplant, which was great. I'm not sure about egg rolls though. I guess it depends on how your body will handle everything. Some people can eat pasta, some say their body rejects it. I'm not even going to try. I also love to make tacos. That's been a life saver for me, turkey tacos. So I guess when it's time for you to go back on solids, it'll just be alot of experimentation. But just remember you won't be able to eat like you used to! Best of luck!

[Enchanted 2]

Everyone is different, but most people cannot (much) bread. I could not eat a sandwich, for example, but could eat a bite or two of a crunchy crust of a piece of bread (hardly seems worth the effort, but sometimes it is).

I've had salads. They are sometimes trouble, but that's usually because I've not chewed well enough.

Unlike most with the lapband, I can have a little Pasta (not that I should have it!) and not end up in trouble.

OK...so I think that answers all of your questions, but what I really read in your post is that you're having trouble separating yourself from your best friend (food). That is completely normal. It's a process. Some days, you'll do better than other days. You'll find a new normal. You will.

xoxo

[citygirl4616 2]

By 6 weeks post-op, I was able to eat whatever I wanted, as long as I took small bites and chewed it well. I did not have a fill until about 8 weeks post-op, so I had a 2 week window where my band was unfilled, and I basically had no restriction. I also did not lose any weight during those 2 weeks.

Once I got my fill, and hit my sweet spot, I discovered that I can I can 'taste' whatever I want. There is a list of foods, that I figured out through trial and error, that I know I cannot eat a plate of of...no matter how small. For me, it is pastas, pizza, burgers, sandwiches and cakes. Everyone is different. If I am craving that food, I allow myself a small bite or two, but definitely not an entire plate. I make sure I take a few small bites, and chew it very, very well. Sometimes, I take a bite, and it gets stuck, and I am screwed for the next hour or so. That pretty much kills the craving for that food for a long time.

[Libbyjane1976 1]

I'm 5 months banded and I can "eat normally" just alot less portions. I can eat a 6" sub from subway. I can have a piece of bread with my dinner. Though I usually don't because by the time I eat my meat and veggie i'm too stuffed to even think about bread. I can eat a salad. I have no problems eating any food I want to eat. I just be careful, take small portions and take my time. I only get stuck when I eat too fast and don't take the time to chew my food.

[dstclair 0]

Everyone is so different. Most of the things that you mentioned, I cannot eat after almost 6 months. I do not do well with lettuce salad or cole slaw. I have not tried bread of any kind or in any way simply based on the numerous problems that people seem to have. I also stay away from Pasta. Part of this comes from problems a lot of people have with it and the other is that this would have been one of my great weaknesses and frankly don't want to find out if I can eat it or not. Why tempt myself when I find that I don't miss it. I do like Mexican food and find that I eat the taco meat just don't eat the taco shell or lettuce but everything else is fine. I pretty much stick to Protein sources and veggies and do fine. Just try things slowly and in small quantities. You will find out what works for you. Thinking about the food will not seem so overwhelming once you are off the post-op liquids and are moving forward toward "regular" food items.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Everyone IS different. I went into this assuming I would be able to eat anything, but in smaller portions. My doc agreed, said that was his goal, and said a good positive outlook was very important. I don't mean to imply that those who can't eat bread have a bad attitude, ok? LOL Just that my doc encouraged me to be positive.

AND...I CAN eat anything. I have always been able to since I healed. I've had pizza, Pasta, bread, popcorn, salad. I have good restriction (3 oz of steak keeps me full 6 hours) and can STILL eat anything...the other day I had a bean burrito for lunch. WITH the flour tortilla. I have half a ham sandwich sometimes...And I don't even have any dressing on it (hate mayo and mustard).

I have eaten fried chicken, and fried okra (THAT is a fibrous veggie!)

So...while there may be something you can't eat, maybe not. Keep the faith.

[Jachut 487]

I can eat whatever I want to - for example, I can eat bread and i can eat Pasta - could i eat both together? Probably not, that's a bit too ambitious for one meal.

I think the goal is to eat normally but its a new normal. If you go back to what was normal to you before, well you're not going to maintain your results. Portion size will keep you in control to a large degree, but it isnt everything, you need to make good choices too.

You also have to prepared to NOT be able to eat a lot of foods, many people cant.

[ThePoolGirl 1]

I've been reading thru this post (and some others) and have not seen any mention of fruit...Well, I did see something about avoiding pineapple altogether due to too much stringy-ness. So, what about fruit? Skin or no skin? Please tell me watermelon will be okay :thumbdown: or I may cry :biggrin:

I'm going to my first seminar tomorrow and I'm sure I'll get some answers but it is great to hear from those folks who have actually gone thru with banding and are doing great. Thanks to all of you who post. It's really helpful.

ThePoolGirl

[ThinknHealthy 0]

Please tell me watermelon will be okay :thumbdown: or I may cry :biggrin:

ThePoolGirl

Watermelon has not been a problem for me EXCEPT that it really is liquid so do not eat it before or after a meal. Make sure you don't eat the seeds.

Other fruit is okay with me. I stay away from skins but I've even had pineapple with no problem.

The only thing I've found I have a problem with is Chinese egg rolls.

[barbie1978 22]

Wow...thanks everyone for posting!!! All of your answers have been a big help...

I know everyone is different...i mean just look at the differences on here! I guess I was just having a very very HUNGRY moment and felt like I would never be able to eat again. Believe me, I have NO plans to eat like i used to...I've always said that Portion Control was my issue and that's exactly why I chose the band. It's constant portion control...a physical blocker.

Anyways, THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

Eating regular is a new "regular". I can eat almost anything in a very small quantity. I have to eat very small bites and chew them to death or else I get very uncomfortable. The only time I got stuck bad was with tuna salad - it compacted in my pouch and got me stuck. I can eat tuna now, just have to wait a few minutes between bites and I usually put it on saltines to make something crunchy go down with it. I don't eat bread unless it is toasted dark. That way it is crunchy enough to go down easy, and not "ball up" in the pouch.

Watermelon - yes, yes, yes!

I love my band and my new flat tummy!

Sue

[lapbandtalker 0]

Well i shouldn't say CAN you...i guess my questions is WHEN can you. This is NOT a "at what stage" question...i've been thinking lately (i'm 6 days post-op) and watching all these commercials or programs with people eating and I'm just curious as to those of you who have been banded at least months ago...can you eat a sub? Can you eat a regular salad? Can you eat one slice of italian bread with your small Pasta meal? Can you even eat a Pasta meal? Can you eat chinese food and have an eggroll? Can you have a regular sandwhich? Can you split an appetizer with a group of people and still have room for your meal?

I know PORTION SIZE will be much smaller...I just feel like I'll never be able to eat normally again...

It's up to your doc. You paid all that money so take his/her advice, right?

Mine was very down to earth and it was eat what you can tolerate, make better choices, and when introducing a new food since banded, eat only one or two bites to wait and see if it will go down.

Even after two years I can't eat a whole sandwich. Tonight for my 1am hunger I had 1 slice of bread w/ some Peanut Butter. If I try to eat a 6 inch from Subway it will come back up.

[LindaD 3]

I was banded in May.

I still haven't tried beef (other than ground beef) or salad. My surgeon asks us to wait for 8 weeks for that and I'm not yet there.

And I haven't tried rice.

But I find that I can eat most other things, and yes even a bit of bread. I'm still new enough that I have a lot to learn on what works better than what else, but I feel like I can still enjoy food. My appetite is diminished and my ability to take much in is significantly restricted, but that's all good.

This past weekend was my first real test. We were hosting a large group of guests, big BBQ. I was hungry, I put one (pork) rib on my plate, a few pieces of Pasta from the Pasta salad, a tiny piece of garlic bread. It seemed like such a reasonable amount. I had one or two bites of each and that was it. (I had earlier had hummus and pita chips, so that's probably why.)

It's really weird. I mean, it seems so surreal. I'm still adjusting to it all.

[Jachut 487]

Wait till you have adjusted to it and you think that's a HUGE amount of food, lol.

I constantly feel like I'm a piggie, like I've overeaten AGAIN. Then when I think about what everyone around me ate, i realise my perception has changed totally.