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Argh...Just got my braces last week.
Between the sores on my cheeks from the back braces poking at them and the back of my tongue being raw from rubbing on the metal inside my molars, let me tell you for someone that loves to eat, eating is sooooo not appealing to me right now.
Also I have had a few extractions so there is just a wire across the hole so when you try and get food out it's hard, scrapes the tongue.
Anyways you get the picture. EATING is no fun...so as my title says, it's a fantastic way to loose weight.
Anyone feel me on this one???????
I know I've read that it goes away, but right now it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Yup I am with you. I lost 5 lbs. my first week. I haven't even gained the 5 back now that I am able to eat better. I guess I am eating less because I eat much slower therefore get full sooner. Not to mention even tho' I can manage to eat now it just is not that enjoyable anymore. Too much work.
Even though I am hungry, it just seems to be to much trouble, so I end up skipping it. Plus, I only have 30 minutes for lunch, so I have to eat smaller portions, since it takes me longer to eat.
HA! That's what I told the ortho assistant the day I got my braces on, but I found out right away that Reese's Pieces peanut butter cups are easy and smooth to eat, as was ice cream, milk shakes, cheese cake, basically anything that will just end up on your hips! LOL! She didn't agree with me when I told her about the weight loss thing. She said, "This one woman told me that and then gained weight because she drank so much beer." YIKES! At least I can't eat caramel or popcorn (Oh popcorn!!! How I miss thee!) Good luck! Maybe you can stick with the braces diet. Maybe it'll get me in gear to do the same thing.
I totally agree. I've had my braces for just over 5 weeks and I've already lost 12 pounds. I find that most of the time I get tired of chewing before I'm full, so I'm eating a lot less. Plus I'm staying away from the candy and not snacking as much because I don't want to have to brush my teeth... again. One of my friends said that she should get braces too just so that she can lose some weight...
I haven't noticed any weight loss yet as I've only had braces for 2 days. However, I think it will happen! I find that my teeth hurt when I clean them so I have no desire to snack between meals. Plus, as others have said it's such a chore to eat I get worn out before I've over-eaten! It took SO long to eat a biscuit yesterday. I can't bite as it feels like I'm biting on the brace so I break things into small pieces and drop them on the molars to chew. Of course, I don't have my molars banded yet, so when they are I might not be able to chew at all! It was such hassle to brush my teeth just cos I'd had a biscuit, I have decided to give up snacking and I can't believe how badly food gets stuck in the braces and how much the toothpaste gets stuck too! But, I am still HAPPY and LOVE my brace (and pink elastics!)!
Since January, I've quit smoking because of teeth extractions. In four months I gained 6lbs. because I replaced the nicotene craving with food. But in May I got my braces and since then, I've lost the 6lbs. I've also started eating less because flossing at work is nearly impossible. Like others, I get tired of chewing and fishing food out at the same time.
It's awesome because I can fit into my skinny jeans again! So don't worry, now you don't need to force yourself to diet...you'll do it unwillingly...lol
Braced June 24, 2005 for crowding
Top & Bottom Ceramic Braces
*hotslinthesun*, I completely agree with the getting tired of chewing. Since my last post my mouth is feeling much better, but it's the eating part that's annoying. Takes too long and I start loosing interest. Oh well, I'm leaving for Hawaii on friday for a week so I definetely will feel a little "tighter" in a bathing suit...woot woot
When I got my braces on I was ready for losing a few pounds, but I actually lost 15 pounds in 4 weeks!! Don't get me wrong, I'm not really complaining all that much about the weight loss, but it has caused some negative side effects. Since I really couldn't eat properly for almost 2 months, I developed a vitamin and protein deficency. Plus the rapid weight loss caused my hair to start falling out. So just a little heads up, make sure you get some sort of vitamin supplement for the weeks when you feel like the pressure from your teeth will make your head explode!
Metal top & TPA-4/6/05 Btm Lingual Arch-4/05
Upper ex-8/05 Lower ex-9/05
Metal btm-10/14/05
Lingual arch off-2/06
Lucky me...I didn't seem to have a problem eating any of the fattening foods that I enjoyed pre-braces. All of my eating habits stayed intact.
Alexa
Spacers: 1/26/05; 2/6/06; 3/15/06; 4/24/06
4 First Bicuspids removed: 2/2005
Metal Braces, top and bottom: 3/1/05; Debanded 7/26/07
Hawley retainers top and bottom
I have a lot less energy and I'm hungry ALL the time, but eating just takes too long and it's so much of a process now, that I just find myself not eating very much at all. I don't usually have my first meal of the day until 3-4pm when I've been working since 9am, and some days I don't even eat until after 8pm!
If only a full course meal would taste great in a blender.
when I clean them so I have no desire to snack between meals. Plus, as others have said it's such a chore to eat I get worn out before I've over-eaten! It took SO long to eat a biscuit yesterday. I can't bite as it feels like I'm biting on the brace so I break things into small pieces and drop them on the molars to chew. Of course, I don't have my molars banded yet, so when they are I might not be able to chew at all! It was such hassle to brush my teeth just cos I'd had a biscuit, I have decided to give up snacking 
and I can't believe how badly food gets stuck in the braces and how much the toothpaste gets stuck too! But, I am still HAPPY and LOVE my brace (and pink elastics!)! 
...wish I was going to Hawaii... 