Worried about how to chew....

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

My suggestions are simple.

1. When at home, cut your food up all at one time. Make sure the individual bites are no larger than a nickel.

2. Take a bite and PUT YOUR FORK/SPOON DOWN. Chew the bite. You don't have to chew it to a liquid state as I read someone suggest one time. You just have to actually chew it. Most of us who ate fast hardly chewed our food at all, so just actually chewing it up is all you really have to do, but it will seem like a lot of chewing compared to the inhaling we were used to.

3. Talk with your table mates, be it your spouse, significant other, toddlers or stuffed animals. This will slow you down, giving that reasonably well-chewed bite a chance to traverse your esophagus and get into your stomach.

4. Pick up your fork/spoon and take another bite, and repeat #2 and #3.

In short, make your meals a pleasant time. Enjoy your food! Marvel at the taste and texture (something you probably didn't do much prior to surgery). And if you don't chew well enough or eat too fast, you will know it very quickly. It's a learning experience but it doesn't take much to make you eat "correctly".

[ELC 0]

I had my nutrition class the other night and was told that the bites should be the size of a green pea. I knew that the bites had to be small, but I was really surprised when she said the size of a pea. I don't even know if you can chew, chew, chew a bite that small. Of course, I'm going to do it, but it just seems like such a small bite. I'm also the type that takes big bites and doesn't really chew as much as I should and then wash it down with a drink. I will have to start practicing chewing the pea size bites so that I know what I'm in for. Also the not drinking while eating will be a challenge as well. However this is a challenge that I'm very ready for.

Ericka

[bambam 0]

Oh I still struggle with this. I'm getting better, but honestly I'm a work in progress. I seem to do better when not at home - I guess at home I get distracted and when I'm out in a restaurant I definitely don't want any issues so I likely pay more attention to my bite sizes and chewing well!

It does amaze me the size of other people's bites now. I keep thinking - I used to do that!!!!????

[onikenbai 33]

Use chopsticks. They have a limited weight load (unless you're very skilled at using them) and they slow you down. Not so hot for Soup though...

[pookiemp 0]

I had my nutrition class the other night and was told that the bites should be the size of a green pea. I knew that the bites had to be small, but I was really surprised when she said the size of a pea. I don't even know if you can chew, chew, chew a bite that small. Of course, I'm going to do it, but it just seems like such a small bite. I'm also the type that takes big bites and doesn't really chew as much as I should and then wash it down with a drink. I will have to start practicing chewing the pea size bites so that I know what I'm in for. Also the not drinking while eating will be a challenge as well. However this is a challenge that I'm very ready for.

Ericka

Wow...the size of a green pea....I am really going to have to practice!!

My nut said to view the opening as small as the hole in a standard kitchen funnel or the size of a dime and if you swallow a bite bigger than this it will get stuck!!

We can do it!! :laugh:

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Pea sized? I think that's bogus. I've had my band a year, lose well, rarely get stuck, and the only thing pea sized that I eat is peas.

I know I always say "do what your doc tells you" but that's kind of assinine, IMHO. I agree that I couldn't chew well a bite that little.

Remember you don't want it to bounce on through immediately; it's supposed to sit up in the pouch for a little while to give you the feeling of satiety and then slowly go on through to the rest of your stomach. So the point isn't to eat such minute amounts that each bite goes through immediately. That would negate the benefits of the band.

I say do that till you get the mechanics down (if you want) and then relax a little. And no I'm not a nutritionist, but unless the nut. has a band, I do have experience on my side. (and logic, apparently! LOL)

[ELC 0]

Pea sized? I think that's bogus. I've had my band a year, lose well, rarely get stuck, and the only thing pea sized that I eat is peas.

I know I always say "do what your doc tells you" but that's kind of assinine, IMHO. I agree that I couldn't chew well a bite that little.

Remember you don't want it to bounce on through immediately; it's supposed to sit up in the pouch for a little while to give you the feeling of satiety and then slowly go on through to the rest of your stomach. So the point isn't to eat such minute amounts that each bite goes through immediately. That would negate the benefits of the band.

I say do that till you get the mechanics down (if you want) and then relax a little. And no I'm not a nutritionist, but unless the nut. has a band, I do have experience on my side. (and logic, apparently! LOL)

The nutritionist has been banded for 3 years. But really, a bite the size of a pea? Is that even realistic? Maybe in the beginning, but once you get used to what you can handle, I'm sure that may change. It's probably just a guideline for those that aren't sure. I can tell you that I won't be living off of bites the size of peas for the rest of my life.:laugh:

Ericka

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I guess.

Logically:

we aren't supposed to "drink meals" (like Protein shakes) because fluids move on through easily. The point of the band is delay in food reaching the lower stomach and delay in digestion (via portion control) thereby triggering feelings of satiety with much less food. Bites that go through easily (like slider foods) negate the band.

SO...eating pea sized bites of food means it will go on through to the lower part of your stomach much faster. If that would promote weight loss (eating pea sized food) then you don't need the band because if it's small enough to go on through, the band isn't doing anything (like with liquids and sliders)

I feel telling people "pea sized" is negligent and maybe even unkind. Many "disregard" the rules but what about people who really try to follow them?

She should say "start with pea sized and then work your way up to a bite you feel comfortable with". THAT I'd agree to! But for many of us pea sized bites, besides being a pain in the fork, would negate the satiety action of the band and set us up for failure.

Edited September 11, 2009 by RestlessMonkey
Unclear, typos

[pookiemp 0]

SO...eating pea sized bites of food means it will go on through to the lower part of your stomach much faster. If that would promote weight loss (eating pea sized food) then you don't need the band because if it's small enough to go on through, the band isn't doing anything (like with liquids and sliders)

I agree with this statement...I want the band to work so I want the food to stay above the band until it is ready to slowly move through for digestion!

I can see starting with small bites, but I couldn't immagine cutting a bite as small as a pea....