Is soup a no-no with the band?

I was just wanting to know if soup is out of the question with the band once you are on regular food? I see people posting about eating Wendy's chili and other soups but since we are not to drink with our meals and have solid foods I would think that eating soup would be the same as drinking with a meal. Could you have a soup as an appetizer before a meal and be OK? Just curious what others are doing. Thanks, Jennifer Surgery scheduled for 1/25/06

Sure! Soup's good. It just won't fill you up like solids will. I have mine as an appatizer. jus****ch your calories. It's easy to get more than you think when they flow through. Marti

I wouldn't have soup with a meal--maybe if you made it the entire meal, though. I do think in any case that since it is a liquid, it could make it possible for you to consume too many calories at one sitting by washing stuff down like any drink will. I do have soup sometimes because there's a soup at my favorite Asian restaurant that's to die for (a Thai coconut soup) but if I do, I make it the entire meal and try to go easy on it. I consider it an occasional treat. I would focus on solid foods (as soon as you are able) for quite a while as that's the way the band is supposed to work. Besides--after you are on liquids for a while after your surgery, it may be a while before you are able to find soup appetizing again.

I go back to soups if I go out to eat so i don't have any problems of getting stuck or after a fill or if i seem to be a little tight. I do know that my doc says not to eat fatty soups all the time because they won't fill you up the way soild protein will and you will find that you are eating too many calories. That is what it means to eat around the band. things that go right through like soups and milkshakes. Tessa 218/126/120

I just had a bowl of my own homemade chicken soup...I call it everything but the kitchen sink chicken soup...it has a whole chicken that I boil w/spices, that after it's done, I cut up into bite size pieces. It also has carrots, turnips, onions, celery, green beans, canned tomatoes and rice(sometimes I'll put in potatoes instead of rice). When I eat soup, I keep as much of the broth off the spoon as I can. With the soup I'll make, I can usually eat a slice of Italian bread that has margarine on it...but I have to be careful that I don't eat too much at once, of the bread, or the bread will get stuck. My chicken soup fills me up because it's so hardy. I put alot of each vegetable in it, so it's easy to get filled up on it. As for soups that I get in a can or at a restaurant, I'll have a salad afterwards or a small appetizer. That fills me up most of the time. Cathy

Its okay to have soup bu****ch the salt. Some of them are very high in salt and we don't need that. As a "newbie", be sure you don't eat chunky soups until you get to the regular food stage. You'll have to blend all your soups til then. You don't want anything getting stuck. And, I agree with the post about eating more of the bulk soup and less of the liquid. That's what will fill you up, the bulk. Yes, you can have some liquid with it but you're right on track thinking that its just like drinking with a meal. Liquid pushes solids thru the pouch and you won't feel full. When you have chili (like at Wendy's), its not a lot of liquid. If you make it at home, make sure its a little thicker so you can enjoy a nice big bowl. The kidney beans and ground meat is a good source of protein and fiber and it goes down very nicely. Just make sure to chew it well. One last hint....When you make your own soup or chili, watch out for the salt content in those canned tomatoes. That number can be high too. In fact, look at the salt content if you used canned veggies in your soups. Salt is not a good thing so steer clear. Good luck with your banding. You'll do fine. La Wanda

A little further on, you might try this: http://francesspencer.blogspot.com/2006/01/coconut-and-chicken-soup-test-kitchen.html It's spicy, but I find soup filling, not like a drink of water at all. Onward! Frances

I love soup and eat it as a meal with nothing else. When I make soup, it's pretty filling. Of course, you need to watch your intake just like you would any other meal.

Crazy question here. . . If we aren't supposed to have too much soup (liquid) why are we chewing the crap out of our food? Aren't we almost liquifying it? Or am I being a silly ass? Keep in mind, I'm not banded yet. I have various crazy thoughts and this is one of them. Thanks, Angela

Angela, WHY do you keep setting yourself up for this? I can't resist. You are being a silly a$$! There! That makes me feel better! O.K. to answer your question (I HATE it when I have to be nice to you): No you cannot chew your food until it has the consistency of soup. It's ok to have soup, liquid, etc., but since liquids push the food through the pouch, it means that you can eat more, so you shouldn't have it with meals. Chewing your food a lot just keeps you from getting it stuck. Not drinking with meals keep you from getting full too soon. Bev