? For Those Who Eat More Than 3x A Day

[DebiC 181]

I see that some people eat 3 meals and a snack or 6 meals-And I just wondered how that works? I eat 3 meals a day 4 hours apart which is what my doctor wants.

When I eat a meal I am full and then there is no way I can eat anything again for the full 4 hours. I've tried moving it up by 30 min or an hour and I could barely swallow a bite.

So how do you work in 6 meals? Or when could you fit in a snack?

I don't do Protein shakes so each meal is an actual meal.

I don't want to change my plan, I'm just curious about why our sleeves act so differently.

[SherylO 5]

I eat 5-6 times a day. Every 3 hours I get hungry and if I don't eat I get a bad headache and feel physically ill.

I was diagnosed hypoglycemic in about 1987 but have not really had problems with it in recent years, but I think my symptoms are related to it.

I eat only very small amounts at a time and my caloric intake is between 600 to 800 a day and losing weight.

This seems to work for me.

[MegInNOLA 531]

I eat 5 to 6 "mini-meals" over the course of a day. I have a very restrictive sleeve, and it hasn't really loosened up very much in the last almost 9 months.... so I eat between 1/4 and 1/2 c. of food at a time (I can eat more Soup or liquid-y type foods, probably around a cup). So the best strategy for me has evolved to the mini-meals.

For instance, I'll have 1/2 of my iced mocha and 10-15 almonds in the morning. Then for "lunch," I'll have a few small slices of cheese and the rest of my mocha. Later, I'll have some Beans (I always have them cooked and ready in the fridge), or I'll make a little broccoli slaw, which I make fresh in teensy portions each time because I like it crunchy. Other options would be a couple of shrimp with cocktail sauce, some grapefruit sections, some yogurt, some soup/chili--really, whatever sounds good and is convenient at the time.

I find this plan is working beautifully for me, and I like the feeling of snacking without the bad consequences. This might not work for other people, if snacking is a trigger or if you're not careful with the foods you select. I do eat carbs happily daily, which again might not be for everyone. I will say that I'm a strong believer in finding the best way to work your sleeve for the long term, and that it's a really individual thing. What works for me might not work for anyone else, etc., and definitely what works for other people wouldn't work for me, since my sleeve has me on an almost vegetarian (and thus more carby) diet; I can tolerate dairy and shrimp/scallops but otherwise get Protein from Beans, veggies, and nuts.

Anyway, that's how I do it. Smaller portions more frequently. Variety.

[lessofme2010 25]

I eat every 2-3 hours...I am hungry by 2 and starving by 3.

SO I can't go any longer without food.< /p>

I am happy with a very small amount and it only holds me right around 2 hours...

Everyone is different. I never lost all hunger like some do.

I eat 3 meals and 1-2 Snacks of protien.

Julie

[AnneG 7]

I don't often feel hunger- but I can tell when I need something to eat- I feel a bit dizzy or light headed. I eat about every 3 hours, high Protein, low carb food such as 4 pieces of shrimp, 3 hours later about an ounce and a half of chicken breast or steak. For a snack I might have a few Pork rinds. I drink mostly Water but on occasion I have Decaf tea or coffee with stevia and sugar free Creamer. I can eat more if I eat slider foods or carbs but those tend to have a rebound effect of increased craving for more. If I stay on track tho, I'm very satisfied with my mini meals even if they aren't complete meals by most traditional standards.

[wondering1 103]

I eat every 2-3 hours and only eat around 200 calories or less at a time. When you're only eating a small amount, you get hungry faster. For example Breakfast might be coffee with sugar free cream and a greek yogurt, mid morning snack is 1/8 cup of trail mix. lunch is a low carb Lean Cuisine, like their steak and broccoli, afternoon snack is maybe 1/3 cup sweet potato. dinner is a 2oz piece of fish and maybe a scrambled egg. I end up eating around 1200 calories a day and have found that this works perfectly for me. Also, I don't really limit carbs on purpose, I just don't feel that great if I eat bread, rice or Pasta. The carbs in the yogurt and sweet potato seem to go down fine.

Hope this answers your question but remember all of us are different. I agree with the above posters, we have to find what works for each of us.

Good luck. Happy sleeving

[Indymom 132]

I typically eat 3 'normal' meals and have found that I need a protein-based snack in the afternoon as well (I get the 3 pm carb cravings at work and want to visit the candy dishes unless I have some cheese handy!). I sometimes have a small snack in the evenings as well, depending on how early I've eaten dinner.< /p>

[KristinaRN 54]

I eat 4-5 "mini meals" a day, usually about 150-250 calories each. I can eat such a small amount at a time, but then I am hungry 2-3 hours later. This is working so well for me, I like the feeling of eating small amounts frequently and it keeps my energy levels stable through the day. This is what my surgeon recommends; even without WLS this way of eating is recommended because it stabilizes your metabolism and blood sugar levels. I have not lost my hunger completely, although it has decreased substantially, but this does keep the cravings at bay.

Hope this helps!

[joseph 40]

i dont eat anything, just drink.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

For me, I make it a point to eat every 3 hours. I'm never hungry, so waiting until then would not be a good idea for me. It is my belief that doing has helped me to build a strong, energetic calorie burning force! Everyone's different though and if one's surgeon says to do it one way, that's how it should be done. Though I'm fully on board with anyone questioning their medical staff, because again - everyone's different. Most will find that their medical staff will give them alternate plans.