So I had my four week follow up today. I was down 29 lbs from two weeks before surgery to two weeks after. I lost an additional 2 pounds in the last two weeks bringing the total to -31lbs. I was reviewing what I eat and told the surgeon that for a typical lunch/dinner I was weighing out 3oz of lean Protein and then serving myself 1/3c soft vegetables. The surgeon said I should actually be measuring out a 3oz volume of lean protein, NOT weighing it.

We then discussed how I know when I am full. I was explaining that I eat the 3oz of lean protein and then veggies until I feel the food "up to the rim" of my stomach. Not an overstuffed feeling, just that I am completely full. The surgeon said that wasn't good and that I may actually be overeating because I shouldn't get that "filled to the rim" feeling. It was suggested that I measure out 3oz of lean protein in volume and then eat it slowly across 20 minutes.

Now I am not so concerned about the overeating becuase I only lost 2 pounds in the last two weeks, I am more fearful that I am already on a path to stretching out my sleeve. I have feared this since the day after surgery.

How do you know you are eating the right amount of food? I am so confused now and I really want to do the right thing. Anybody have any feedback?

Just do as the surgeon says...measure your food by volume and ALWAYS be aware of how much you are eating. Old habits are hard to break. I am 15 months out and still need to remind myself to eat slow and measure food. You will do fine. Just be patient.

I have my 4 week follow up on Wednesday. I eat until I feel that full to the rim feeling too. AND I weigh the food! =( I can never eat the 3 ozs I weigh out,more like 1.5 ozs tops. I was told to get a scale and weigh the food at my nutrition class! :/ So we should be measuring it? Like how do u measure chicken? The first thought to come to my head would be to get a 1/2 cup measuring cup and use that since it would be the same as 4 ozs? So,very confused now.

That's funny because my surgeon told me to NEVER measure out my food-only to weigh it!!

He also says "Eat when you're hungry-Eat until you're full"-My "full" sounds just like what you describe-Up to the rim.

When I was only 1 month out-I think I ate the same amount as you are. I am now 3 months out and still pretty much at that same place- 3oz Protein 1/2 cup veggies. I eat 3 times a day (about every 4 hours) with no Snacks.

I don't see how you can measure out meat unless it's ground up. Maybe he didn't understand you?

Every surgeon is different . My surgeon never ever got into the nitty gritty details of how and what to eat. He left that up to the nutritionist. I think it's interesting that your surgeon is getting so detailed about that. Mine literally was all about the surgery. That was his domain. he left the other stuff up to the nutritionist. , Personally, I think you sound like you're eating the same as everyone else. It concerns me a bit that he might be making you paranoid . That is not cool! I had a PA at a follow up appt criticize me and try to undermine me. Getting me very worried about everything. All this did was sabotage me and really screw me up for a good few weeks until I got her out of my head. Keep doing what you're doing I think you're doing fantastic!

How do you measure 3 ounces without weighing it exactly, sounds unrealistic. I think the 3oz of protein sounds good, but an additional 1/3 cup of veggies maybe too much at this stage. I would try eating only the protein over 20-45 mins and see how you feel. if you feel satisfied then that's good. you don't want to get too full and stretch your sleeve. my NUT said eat until you are satisfied, not full, because full is likely too much.

I am 13 months our and I think you are going to have a hard time measuring volume with meat. I eat 3 large shrimp and a couple broccoli florets and that's it. I eat 2.5 oz of steak and that's it. I never eat until I feel full to the brim; I hated that feeling when I was fat and stuffing myself and I hate it now. I eat less than that and I feel satisfied. You and your sleeve will figure it out but I encourage you to eat less than you can hold.

I'm still having trouble wit the full feeling myself at 2.5 months out. Seems if I eat yogurt or cheese I'm ok, but I too hate that full feeling to the rim as you say. Last nite I came home after work and nuked a chicken thigh with rice. Ate 1/2 the thigh and two tablespoons of rice. Like you said, full to the rim. felt aweful. If I eat 1 egg for breakfast, I fel fine. I guess it take time to adapt to eating so little at a time when I used to eat a adult sized cow at one sitting. LOL

I do eat about 6 times per day. yogurt for morning and afternoon snack and maybe a few peanuts in early evening. But my weight loss has been good so far, but slowed since the first few weeks. I will also try to eat smaller portions and see how that feels too. Good Luck!

It's definitely 2-3 oz. by volume and not by weight. 2 oz = 1/4 cup, etc. There are guides online describing what servings look like. The general rule is: 3 oz of chicken or meat looks like a deck of cards, whereas 3 oz of fish looks like a checkbook. 1 oz of cheese is about a 1 inch square cube. If it's semi solid of course you just throw it in a measuring cup. The individual ones work best.

i have been eating by volume, i am eating 3 oz of protein and if im lucky 2 oz of veggies or fruits then i just quit eating. My dietician told me that 4-6 oz a meal will be enough food if you eat 4 meals a day. i dont eat till i feel full.

This is an interesting thread to read. Thanks for bringing it up. I must be overeating as well then. I use the deck of cards rule as well and almost never eat more than that, but even that much makes me feel full to the rim and even slightly uncomfortable at times, depending on how long I take to eat. I feel like I get "satisfied" after just two or three small bites, but then I'd need to have two or three more in an hour or two and I'm really trying not to graze.

I hope more people chime in here. I'm just as confused as you are!

Ok so today I served myself the same portions as I was last week but I slowed my pace way down and paid attention to everything in my body as the food went down. I guess I wasn't paying complete attention last week because now I am having completely different sensations. After two or three bites I feel like a hand is squeezing my stomach with each successive bite. This happened at Breakfast, lunch and dinner and I didn't even finish everything I had served myself.

My Nut also happened to call today so I mentioned to her my discussion with the surgeon and she told me that based on what I told her I was eating she thought I was fine (and not overeating) but if I really pay attention as I eat that there might be some merit to what the surgeon told me.

I am going to stick to this strategy for the next few days and see what happens. I have support group on Thursday so she told me to check in then with how it's going.

Can someone tell me how to measure food by volume other than by comparing it to a deck of cards? I mean do you mash the meat down in a measuring cup or use displacement or what?

I think you just have to use your best judgement. When I ate a piece of fish tonight I tried to imagine if I folded it up to the size of my measuring cups how much it would be. It's hard definitely tricky to estimate the volume of a piece of meat. Another visual my Nut told me to use was if I cup my hand would the food fit into the cup without overflowing.

Yeah, that sounds right. I've always used the scale for meat but the measuring cups for everything else. Now I mostly eyeball the everything else and still weigh out the Protein so I'm sure I'm getting enough. I've never been able to eat the volume the nutritionist said I should be able to.

Oh and about the full to the rim thing, maybe that sounds worse then you really meant it. I try to eat until I'm satisfied, or in other words until I feel like I've eaten and don't have that "I'm really hungry" feeling anymore. But not until I'm in pain from being too full. (That has happened by the way.)

If I fill to the rim I get sick. Too full is not a good sleeve feeling.