Re-Learning EVERYTHING: Food and my Energy Level

[ouroborous 519]

I'm really having to re-learn how to eat!

Before the sleeve, my girlfriend used to joke that I ate like a camel -- one GIANT meal a day, and nothing else. She would just about faint if she didn't eat every few hours. I used to sort of scoff at that.

Now -- wow, the shoe is on the other foot. If I don't eat a little something every couple of hours (and I'm STILL trying to work out the best schedule), I start feeling miserable. I get grumpy and moody and no fun. I get a weird "hollow" feeling in my stomach (which I think is actually hunger). And if I go too long, or if I exercise really vigorously without putting in some "fuel" first (and preferably some sugar- or carbohydrate-rich fuel, at that), I really run out of steam! When my girlfriend and I took our 1.9 mile walk yesterday, I started out really strong, but by the end I felt like I could barely pick up my feet. I wasn't in pain or breathless, just... no energy.

Then we got back and I got super sleepy. I'm noticing THIS, too -- I think when I'm just out of fuel, I get sleepy, like I just want to take a nap. It was only 6:30 pm -- way too early for me to sleep -- but I was nodding off.

Then I had a Protein shake, and really perked up, for about 45 minutes. My girlfriend suggested that, now that I'm nearly in the solid food phase, maybe liquid food is just not providing a long-lasting enough burst of nutrition. That might explain why I get energy for 45 minutes to an hour after having a Protein Shake, but not for longer.

Between sipping Water -- not too fast, not too slow, not too close to meal times -- and stopping to eat a little bit of food every couple of hours, this is a completely alien way of eating to me. It's probably healthier in the long run, and good for me to learn good eating habits, but it's really completely the opposite of the way I used to eat.

I'm having to re-learn everything!

[steve-o 0]

Thanks for posting. You're about a month ahead of me, and you usually make good sense, so I'm benefiting from your experiences. Hang in there.

[wannalise 16]

Me too!!!!! I used to drink diet cokes all day until about 3 pm and that eat a massive meal, that made me very tired, but kept me full til bed. Disturbing to me now that in one meal I was able to eat enough to gain and then maintain 300 lbs on a short frame. I actually watched a special once that said that is how they help Sumo wrestlers gain weight and they call it the Sumo Diet. I have to be super mindful now about eating and getting in Protein and without much in the way of hunger signals it is even trickier. I'm getting it though, healthy eating requires some planning for me and that is not my forte, but I do a little better every few days. Good luck!!!

[Maddie 9]

I'm only a few days from surgery and have been wondering about just this very thing. If I don't feel hunger, what signals will I get to know it's time for "fuel", aside from regular meals of course? Guessing it may be different somewhat for different people, but maybe there are some common clues. If anyone is willing to share those, I would appreciate it.

[ouroborous 519]

I'm only a few days from surgery and have been wondering about just this very thing. If I don't feel hunger, what signals will I get to know it's time for "fuel", aside from regular meals of course? Guessing it may be different somewhat for different people, but maybe there are some common clues. If anyone is willing to share those, I would appreciate it.

It's very different for very people.

However, for both my girlfriend and myself, we get a feeling of being "run down." Sort of sluggish and sleepy. You can feel this coming on, and I'm learning to interpret this as "oh, I need to eat something." Also, I get a weird hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach -- almost like hunger, but just dialed way, way down.

Finally, there's the clock. Honestly, I mostly judge when to eat by the clock. I try to consume a little snack (100 calories or less) every 2 hours or less. So far this is working for me.

[imagine.dream.inspire 0]

Your blood sugar might be dropping a bit. If so, it would be time for a snack.< /p>

I don't get hunger signals anymore. I thought that I did at first but it turned out to be acid. Now I just try to eat something small a few times a day. Not because I am hungry but because I am trying to meet a minimum of 500 calories and 70g of Protein.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I pretty much go by the clock. I really don't feel hungry but I dO get head hunger in the evenings. That is when I tend to snack.< /strong>

[wannalise 16]

I still get a little feeling of emptiness in my tummy and in the late afternoons I have what would have felt like a tinge of hunger in the past but is now kind of intense compared to the rest of my day. In the mornings I really have to force myself to eat. I've never been a Breakfast eater and I understand at this point that I don't just want to be thin. I want to be healthy. You'll get it!

[Jachut 487]

Even having a band its similar. I always lost weight better on 3 squares a day, NO Snacks, because I tend to snack on bad foods and I eat too much for Snacks.< /p>

But I've found eating by the clock, regularly is the only way to circumvent late afternoon cookie raids. I dont feel physical hunger but I get cravings.

By the way, with regard to the energy or lack thereof, I absolutely cannot function on a low carb diet. I must must must have my wholegrain bread and cereals. My running and workouts really suffer otherwise. Plus they provide the bulk that fills me up.

[ouroborous 519]

Yeah, I'm starting to think that I need to switch up the content of my meals, too.

First, I'm drinking too many Protein drinks. I don't think these give lasting energy, because 30-45 minutes after I have one, I'm down again. Second, I need some carbs. My work gives out free goldfish crackers, and I'm finding that 5 crackers (12 calories) is a nice "snack" that makes my head hunger go away and gives me a tiny burst of energy.

Of course, this Saturday I'm cleared for "real food" and I think I need to start eating meat and vegetables again -- more satiety, better quality nutrition, more Fiber... what's not to love?

[wannalise 16]

Oh I somehow thought you were already on solids. You will feel a DRASTIC change in energy level once you are able to start adding these things. It was a difference between night and day for me. Mushies was the hardest for me because I felt ravenous, but when you are able to start getting some yummy high quality Proteins in that aren't just liquids you will be a much happier man! You are doing great.

[ouroborous 519]

Oh I somehow thought you were already on solids. You will feel a DRASTIC change in energy level once you are able to start adding these things. It was a difference between night and day for me. Mushies was the hardest for me because I felt ravenous, but when you are able to start getting some yummy high quality Proteins in that aren't just liquids you will be a much happier man! You are doing great.

Oh, thank god (and this, from an agnostic!) I was hoping that this yo-yo between high energy/low energy and full to overfull/ravenous was going to get better. Glad to hear that it will!

I'm so looking forward to Saturday. I want MEAT! I cheated a little last weekend and had a tiny piece (like maybe 1g? itty bitty) of juicy, awesome-prepared tri-tip steak at a barbecue. It didn't cause me any discomfort, and it tasted like freaking ambrosia. I'm so tired of Protein shakes and yogurt and... ick. Gimme a steak! Gimme some chicken! Gimme some vegetables!

[wannalise 16]

You will be very pleased to learn that for most of us, steak is the meat that goes down the best, chicken is a little sketchy for me. My first time going out to dinner I had steak fajitas and thought I had died and gone to heaven. Actual food is waaaaaaay more dense then a Protein Shake. And will stay with you longer. Keep rocking it!

[Tiffykins 673]

I agree 100% with Anna on the steak being the easiest for me. chicken is good, but I am so burnt out on chicken that I don't want to eat it too often.

Steak, beef rib meat, certain ground beef dishes all work so much easier for me and my sleeve. I even grill our steaks on my George Foreman or I broil beef and have zero issues digesting it completely.

[ouroborous 519]

Mmmmmm... that all sounds so good...

Once I can stabilize my energy level with real food, I'm going to start trying to increase my Fiber (BM's are still... challenging) and control/watch my carbs.

Also, I'm worried that I'm getting some gall bladder twinges, so I'm hoping that I can control that before I need to have my GB out!