My doctor told me only eat 3x a day. Im almost 4 weeks out and eating 4 or 5 times a day because its not practical for me only 3x a day. How many times does everyone else eat?

My last appt at 5 weeks was with the Dr. He told me a sleeve patient should really be eating around every four hours. That seems to coincide with my hunger and energy levels too.

I eat 5, sometimes 6, times a day. Often a meal will be a couple of pieces of sliced deli meat and a slice of cheese, so I'm not eating huge amounts at any one time, though.

The 3 meals a day thing does NOT work for me. I cannot eat enough at one time to last more than a few hours. I also have a bottle of Water or glass of decaf tea at my side constantly.

I think it depends on the person. They teach the 3 meals a day, so people don't overeat their sleeve. At 4 weeks out I ate about 4 times a day. Now at a little over 3 months out, I usually eat at the 3 meal times and have one snack (usually a piece of cheese or fruit). I wouldn't have time with my job to eat any more than that anyway, but it works for me and my weight loss has been on track. If you feel like you are loosing energy after 4 hours or so, I would just ration out your daily food/calories and stretch it to a few more meals/snacks.

my guidelines say no more than 3 "meals" but I'm supposed to have 2 or 3 "snacks" also. Therefore, basically eating 5-6 times per day, but only 3 are considered "meals" - since our sleeves can't handle a whole lot of food at once, I'm not really sure what the difference is between a "meal" and a "snack" but I believe, from what my paperwork says, a "meal" would be Protein, veggies, and carb if there's room, but a "snack" would only be like yogurt or a cheese stick or something smaller.

From everything I've read, it's more important for us to get our calories (especially protein) in at first and not necessarily worry about the technicalities of when we're eating as long as we're not eating 6 "meals" per day.

I eat like 5-6 times a day. Considering how small our stomachs are, there's really no difference between a "meal" and a "snack."

Would some of you who eat 5-6 times a day share a sample menu ? I was told to eat three meals and two snacks but like others have said , we eat so small that some can't tell a difference. And I'm yet to be sleeved. Thanks everyone

Well like today I had some deli meat and cheese, after I had some ice pops, ill probably have some sf pudding and chicken salad later( not at the same time) and then some dinner. I think its more meals then snacks inbetween. Im just worried im doing this wrong

Lately I've been feeling like I eat all day, mostly because of how long it takes me to eat.

I eat Breakfast, and usually have a snack of juice (for my Fiber supplement) & Vitamin before lunch. I know that's not really a snack, but it fills me up. Eat lunch, usually have a PM snack of half a string cheese or an oz of Gruyere or something similar when I get home from work, and dinner, which runs late in our house.

So 3 - 5 times, usually 4. Up to 6 if you want to count juice as a meal... which it kinda is.

At about 4 meals a day, I'm still barely hitting 600 calories on a good day. I average about 520. If I stuck to 3 meals a day, I doubt I'd get above 300 - 400 calories, which just isn't enough.

I'm avoiding grains/legumes and added sugar at the moment, so yesterday's menu was:

Large latte, soft-boiled egg, and small cucumber

Clamshell blackberries

About 3 oz beef inside round roast

Clamshell blueberries

About 1/2 cup almonds

Pear

Another 3 oz beef

Last meal was a mango and a handful of almonds

About 2000 calories and 120 g Protein, 47 g fiber

I'm with blackberry juice there is very little difference between the size of snacks and meals. So I tend to eat 5-6 times a day.

Lately I've been feeling like I eat all day, mostly because of how long it takes me to eat.

Like Wheetsin, I feel like I eat all day. One ,eal seems to run into another.

At 9:00 I had a Lipton Cup a Soup.

at 10:30 I had a Greek yogurt (Lemon Chobani 0%)

at 11:30 I had some watermelon

at 12:30 I had some grape tomatoes and a light baby bell cheese

at 2:00 I will have 2 oz of left over ribeye steak.

at 4:00 I will have another 2 oz of steak'

at 6:00 or 7 I will have 1 oz of some other meat and some cauliflower.

This is all under 800 calories. If I ate 3 meal a day I wouldn't be able to get all the nutrients in. I just eat really, really slowly. I like it that way because it makes it so I don't get that over-full feeling of taking one bite too many unless I eat too fast once I'm home.

Yeah, I kinda feel like Cat and Wheetsin, I can't tell the difference between a snack and a meal. I pretty much have something next to me all the time. Just finished my tuna salad and right now, I have an orange next to me. I won't eat anything on my train ride home, but then I will grab a couple crackers with cheese. Probably have soup for dinner and then a couple more crackers with cheese after that. In the morning, I'll wake up to a protein shake, then a banana, some prunes and then turkey chili, then back to my orange. I am pretty much eating all day long. When I am not eating, I am drinking water or a gatorade type liquid and I try to space that out so I am not eating/drinking at the same time.

How far out are you guys??

Awesome suggestions, keep em coming

I had actually misunderstood my guidelines & they were clarified for me today. My surgeon says to not have more than 3 meals a day, but to drink between meals & with drinking I should do protein drinks or crystal light with Beneprotein to get all the protein in.