I'm Day 15 post-op, my green light to move to my surgeon's 'stage 3' - limited soft foods. I've been planning for this for a week and knew exactly what my options were. However, my initial concerns about my ability to eat a large amount of Soup in one sitting have carried over into the soft foods arena.

I put 1/4 cup of refried Beans in a low-carb multigrain tortilla. I ate about half of that and was full. Ok, no problem, I expected that. But two hours later I pan seared 4 oz of tilapia and ate all of it - no breaks, no stops, no concerns. I felt full when finished but never did I feel like I had gone overboard.

Less than two hours later I ate a pudding cup - no breaks, no stops, no concerns. Again, I felt full.

Anyone else experience that? It's now two hours later and I almost feel like I could eat a bit of soft cheese to feel full again. What gives??

Since our meals are so small, many people eat every few hours in small amounts. Choosing the right foods becomes paramount in this regard. Breakfast then perhaps as a snack a protein shake, lunch then apple slices with peanut butter or a cheese stick, dinner then a SF jello or yogurt.

well my doctor's instructions said to limit yourself to 2 oz at a time. So while I probably CAN eat more, I try not to.

also when you move to denser protein you won't be able to eat as much. Tonight I made a homemade turkey burger (pattie) It was 4 oz, I have been eating on it for 3 hours now and still have an ounce left;), I just nibble at it..

Your swelling may have gone down faster than some other peoples. Did your doctor provide a diet plan? Mine recommends three meals and a snack if needed to get in enough Protein, etc.

Lynda

A woman who lost a lot on here I thought gave some good advice and then I just heard it again on the news the other day. She said that she realized sometimes when she thought she was hungry it was actually thirst. Make sure you are getting that water in! I have tried it and it works.

My mother always said there is a difference between hunger and appetite. I try to remember this when feeling what I think is hunger and wait it out. If it persists, I am hungry. If it passes, then I think it's just appetite or head hunger. It's hard to break our old habits of just eating because we think it's time, or we're bored, watching TV, driving, etc. We have the physical part down (smaller stomach) but the mental part is something we'll always have to work on.

Wait until you're on solids - you'll likely feel more restriction. I am six weeks out and still can't really eat chicken breast, tuna, eggs, or any kind of dense bread (not that I'd want to) without a kind of choked up feeling. Shrimp, soft fish, low fat cheeses, Protein shakes (love ATkins milk choc) and lots of Chobani is how I get my protein now.