Food advice please anyone

[kathy111 0]

I was banded in August 2009 so still quite new. I try to eat slow, drink before my meal and chop food small but food gets stuck a lot. Somedays I have no problem at all and others it's a real lottery whether I will be able to eat or not. Does anyone have any other ideas? maybe preparation things they do before eating that help? My doctor thinks I am quite sensitive even to a smalll fill. I hear different things like some people eat fairly mushy foods for months after banding and I was told normal texture foods after a month. I can't eat any sort of bread at all I have tried gluten free or toasting the bread, any ideas on this? I really miss bread so if there is something that works ok please let me know. The help from other bansters is really great I am in New Zealand and don't know of anyone else in my area who has been banded.

[elcee 3,341]

Are you chewing enough. Quite often we don't chew the food as much as we should and this causes problems. Also try to avoid dry food as it causes problems. For example dark chicken meat is better than breast and it is easier if you have it with some kind of sauce. I know bandsters who have actually gone to workshops to learn how to chew properly and they say it has really helped.

[kathy111 0]

Thanks. I certainly try to chew well because I hate that stuck pain and I avoid dry meat always go for brown chicken and gravy or sauce on meat. It's just weird and a little unpredictable. I had my work dinner on Saturday and was perfectly fine with chicken, lamb potatoes veg etc but other times everything gets stuck and not being able to eat bread is such a drag I crave a fresh Tomato or egg sandwich. Do people who have had problems eating bread get over it at any point or is it a lost cause?

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Fresh tomato....my recommendation is get rid of the skin. The easiest and most efficient way is to stick it with a fork and submerge it in boiling Water and then the skin just peels right off. Skin on anything (casings on hotdogs or sausages, apples, pears, grapes....) can be a problem because it's hard to really chew it.

I'm at my sweet spot and most days I can eat anything. The thing I sometimes have problems with is soft fresh bread. Other than that, SLOW DOWN. Eating fast is a huge issue and it's the hardest adjustment I've had to make. Don't drink during meals? No problem. Eat slow? Dang, but that's a challenge. You THINK you're eating slow and then suddenly realize uh, no, not so much, LOL.

People say they have problems with steak....and I did until I started eating is medium rare or closer to rare.

chicken dries out easily, especially if you are using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Try a whole chicken breast with bones and skin. Take the skin off when it's done. It holds the moisture in. Eat dark meat because it's more moist. And if you are wedded to that styrofoam, er, boneless skinless chicken breast, put it on a square of foil; top with a few slices of potato, carrots, a little onion, seasoning, some frozen broccoli and a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth and the wrap it all up in the foil. Put it on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. You have your meat and veggies and you get to throw away the mess!

[kathy111 0]

Thanks Cathy that's really helpful I guess I have to really make sure I slow down and chew more. I have not been game to try eating steak as it's only been three months banded. How long before you reached that sweet spot? I have times when I am not too interested in food but still get quite hungry at times. I am at 5mls now

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

I had surgery on 2/10/09. I've been at my sweet spot for a few weeks (5.8ccs). Don't try to compare your fill level to mine or anyone else's because we're all different. But you could consider it a sort of reference point.

I have days where I feel like the Cookie Monster....my stomach is screaming "feed me, feed me"! And other days, it just doesn't really matter what I eat (or don't eat). The biggest lesson you can learn is to not eat when you're not hungry. We were raised to clean our plates, eat at a set time, eat what our parents put on our plates when we were children.....tons of bad eating habits. If it's 7:00 PM and you're just not hungry, eat a little Protein and leave it at that. You don't have to eat a whole meal. "Nobody's the boss of me, LOL"

I've been going through a snacking thing on the weekends and I have to get that back under control. Not gaining but not losing at the moment. I think I'm sort of plateaued and snacking as a result of some sort of head thing. Head hunger is your worst enemy, don't you agree??

[kathy111 0]

It sounds like you are going really well I have 5cc in now and have the same screaming hunger at times and sometimes not interested. I know all about the head hunger and snacking out of habit and it's real hard this time of year so many work functions and social things. I have lost 33 pounds since August so I am pretty happy with that and feeling much better for it which is the main thing. I know I shouldn't compare myself to others but I can't help feeling a bit jealous when I read some people have lost a great deal more in a short time. I am inspired and encouraged by looking at the before and after pictures on the site and reading how people's lives have changed and I really appreciate all the tips and advice from others who are a little further down the track. Cheers Cathy

[willowcat 93]

Kathy, I eat a lot of things with plain yogurt on the side--it helps make things easier to chew into a mushier state and I think it helps make it more of a slider-like food so that I get satiated without getting stuck. Also, I try not to get too hungry--I try to eat before then if possible--when I'm too hungry I almost always end up pbing (I think I'm too hungry so I eat too fast). Someone on here said that our level of hydration may affect our stomach's internal moisture and if we're slightly dehydrated it can make it easier to get stuck--kind of like getting "cotton mouth." I don't know, but it's still good to make sure we're drinking enough Water. Good luck. It's certainly no fun getting stuck. Willowcat

PS. I was banded in June 09 and I can't eat bread or white rice either. Even a little and watch out!

[soocalchic 1,087]

I was banded in August 2009 so still quite new. I try to eat slow, drink before my meal and chop food small but food gets stuck a lot. Somedays I have no problem at all and others it's a real lottery whether I will be able to eat or not. Does anyone have any other ideas? maybe preparation things they do before eating that help? My doctor thinks I am quite sensitive even to a smalll fill. I hear different things like some people eat fairly mushy foods for months after banding and I was told normal texture foods after a month. I can't eat any sort of bread at all I have tried gluten free or toasting the bread, any ideas on this? I really miss bread so if there is something that works ok please let me know. The help from other bansters is really great I am in New Zealand and don't know of anyone else in my area who has been banded.

Keep a log of what foods are giving you a hard time and note what time during the day this is happening. Some of us are tighter in the morning. And as the day progresses the band loosens up. My nut told me no bread,rice,tortillas or Pasta for the first 6 months. Trust me it is dooable. I used to have issues befoe i was banded when eating dry biscuts so i can only imagine what it might be like now. Just a couple of things you can try.

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

I have re-lost the couple of pounds I gained snacking! Now I'm back to 76 lost...and looking for that to go down now. It's just really hard to walk away from all the holiday snack stuff that shows up in the kitchen at work, LOL. Yesterday, I realized I was just standing there, contemplating it. Just short of shook it off and walked away. I'll be glad when it's January and EVERYBODY has New Year's resolutions to lose a few pound (or more) .... then that stuff won't be staring me in the face.

In reality, I'm quite happy to have lost what I've lost and not gained it back. That's a HUGE success...and one we should all be proud of.

[msampson 0]

Does anyone find it hard to eat in the morning? For the last 3 months i have had to wait til 1230 or sometimes 230pm before I could eat anything..my doctor did forwarn me that could happen because at night the band gets tighter. I am just getting to the point that I can eat in the am so i think in jan time for another fill.

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

I'm a little tight in the morning and have to be careful what I eat if I don't drink a Protein Shake for Breakfast. But many have said a cup of hot coffee or hot tea helps loosen them up in the mornings.

[kathy111 0]

Yes I am tighter in the morning and tend to just have a cup of tea and then something for morning tea. I do find a hot drink before eating helps relax things and when I have Water especially if it's cold water before eating it can cause more restriction. Thanks for all your ideas

[comedygirl24 0]

That's nice... thanks for the post kathy.

[Wisegrl 0]

I have the same problem with only being able to have .07 cc to .09 cc in a 3 cc band. If I go over that then I am too tight. Found that out by getting fill and unfill after another.