soft vs dense foods

Does anyone else prefer to eat softer foods so that you can get all of your water in? It seems that when I eat dense meat I don't want to drink for an hour or two afterwards because my pouch feels full. I compromise by eating 2 soft meals and 1 dense if I can. I think it's kept my pouch from stretching enough though because I can't eat the amounts that you guys can. I dunno.. just idle ramblings and wondering if anyone else is in my boat.

My doctor recommends you try and wait at least an hour, but at the least wait 30 minutes after eating before drinking - because....drinking washes the protein out of your pouch, thus making you feel hungrier sooner and causing you to eat more. So I expect maybe the dense foods are better for you overall. I try to eat meat at lunch and dinner, but I have to remember to eat slower and chew better - that is my problem and if I don't remember, my pouch surely does! I have heard that drinking too soon after eating WILL cause your pouch to stretch?????....anyway, good luck! Barbara

Yes, I usually wait 45 minutes or so with soft things but with dense meats it just seems to sit in there forever! And I don't want to drink anything while I still have that full feeling because I know that's against one of the cardinal rules. Plus, fullness feels so *uncomfortable* now.

Lauren, I tend to eat oatmeal for breakfast which is soft but also dense (if that makes sense). My other two daily meals are definitely dense. I hope my pouch hasn't really stretched beyond what is normal. I seem to be able to eat four to five ounces of meat for lunch and dinner and then a few veggies on top of that. Sometimes I just give up trying to figure out if I'm doing EXACTLY the right thing and I do what works best for me. So far, I feel like I'm using my pouch as a tool and seeing progress. Ramble away anytime! - Stephanie

Yes, I suppose I should do what I feel works best for me too. Although I'm not quite sure what that is.. I'm supposed to be eating 4-5oz and I can only eat 2oz of meat, though can eat 4-5oz of something soft/saucy. I just hope my pouch stretches more than it has. Everything is just so relative with this surgery! Everyone's bodies are different and that makes it more difficult.