Was anyone else told to follow this for the long haul?

I was reviewing my bariatric surgery binder and noticed that stage IV (final stage) states to eat three meals a day, spaced out 3-4 hours from each other, without snacking in between.

I'm sure it's the old fat girl in me that finds this to sounds difficult. Are you guys able to carry on throughout your day without having food outside of your three standard meals? (When I say Snacks, I don't mean chips and candy... I mean nuts or cheese...)

Was anyone else told to follow this for the long haul?

I was reviewing my bariatric surgery binder and noticed that stage IV (final stage) states to eat three meals a day' date=' spaced out 3-4 hours from each other, without snacking in between.

I'm sure it's the old fat girl in me that finds this to sounds difficult. Are you guys able to carry on throughout your day without having food outside of your three standard meals? (When I say Snacks, I don't mean chips and candy... I mean nuts or cheese...)

[/quote']

This is what my surgeon goes by as well. I'm almost a month out and haven't had any issues at this point with only 3 meals.

Yes! Three meals only does make it easy to time your Water intake. I didn't think of that.

Definitely. I really can't imagine eating more than 3 meals and still be able to get all my water in.

Recently on NPR I was listening to a talk about nutrition and how doctors actually don't know what the optimum number of meals per day for a human is. However they found in both humans and mice that giving them food contrary to their circadian rhythms resulted in obesity in the mice that ate at night versus those who ate in the day. They woke mice up and fed them at night rather than during their natural circadian wake cycle. The same is suggested for humans that eat late meals. Long story short, scientists truly don't know how many meals are optimum. If you take the total nutritional and caloric content of three meals and break it out across 6, I see no issue with this. SUPPLEMENTING your 3 meals with ADDITIONAL snacks/calories is obviously going to impact your weight loss.

I think this is the NPR program I heard it on. The topic is on caffiene but I think they touched on the circadian rhythms and number of meals as well. http://www.npr.org/b...-it-help-us-too

you dont wake up to eat, thats crazy. the general rule is to not eat 2hrs before bed. you can eat your 3 meals and 2 Snacks through out the day but not 2 hrs before bed. bed time is sleep time. thats funny. what if your day dont start till 1030 and your last meal for the day is your evening snack, if you are going to be up an additional 2hrs you eat. i have researched this and researched it. i even did a plan that requires you to eat 6 small meals a day lost 125lbs in 9 months. but that works. but like the op said not for everyone.

you dont wake up to eat, thats crazy. the general rule is to not eat 2hrs before bed. you can eat your 3 meals and 2 Snacks through out the day but not 2 hrs before bed. bed time is sleep time. thats funny. what if your day dont start till 1030 and your last meal for the day is your evening snack, if you are going to be up an additional 2hrs you eat. i have researched this and researched it. i even did a plan that requires you to eat 6 small meals a day lost 125lbs in 9 months. but that works. but like the op said not for everyone.

I am not telling the OP to wake up to eat. I am quoting information done on a study that was broadcasted on NPR that mice who ate AGAINST their circadian rhythms, gained weight. The same is true for people who eat before bedtime.

I was told three meals' date=' no snacking, except for sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles, and broth, all of which count as liquids, not food.

Most important, I have to wait 90 minutes after eating to consume any liquids. Food must have time to move from the tiny stomach into the intestines.[/quote']

90 minutes that's crazy talk!

But I think if you guys took a step back and look at it, there are people that are commenting that just had their surgery a few weeks ago.

And there are people much further out...

Eating habits and amounts will play into this.

Don't you think?

I mean when I first started I ate only 300 to 400 a day, now it 600 to 800 a day and I eat a little more frequently that I did a a few weeks out.

Oh and before I had surgery it was all just speculation

My NUT originally told me 3 meals a day, 1 snack, but my surgeon told me let your stomach be your guide. He said stop eating a meal when you feel satisfied, NOT full. If you haven't finished it, do NOT wait 20-30 minutes and eat more. He said if you're hungry again 2-3 hours later, then eat again.

90 minutes that's crazy talk! <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

But I think if you guys took a step back and look at it' date=' there are people that are commenting that just had their surgery a few weeks ago.

And there are people much further out...

Eating habits and amounts will play into this.

Don't you think?

I mean when I first started I ate only 300 to 400 a day, now it 600 to 800 a day and I eat a little more frequently that I did a a few weeks out.

Oh and before I had surgery it was all just speculation

[/quote']

Good point! What is your eating "schedule"?

Well I am boring... I drink a protein shake every

Morning for breakfast!

If I get hungry a couple of hours after I'll have a snack ( hand full of raw almonds or piece of cheese)

Then lunch some kind of protein

Sometimes I'll have a snack before dinner like hummus and a TINY piece of lentil flat bread.

But sometimes I don't..

Dinner meat and veggies!!!

If I haven't met my protein for the day I will have an activia sugar free ff yogurt or sometimes like last night I only hit 600 calories so I have a shake

Which is 160 calories..

I am 4 months out

I guess I'm a stickler for rules. I do what my surgeon and NUT have instructed. I take offense to the post that implied those of us who aren't very far out don't know what we are talking about. And if the OP is saying her surgeon recommends 3 meals a day why is everyone telling her that isn't right and she should be eating more. This whole thread offends me one many levels.

I don't think everyone (or anyone) is telling her it isn't right and that she should be eating more - I just think people are sharing their own experiences. That's why people post questions on here - to find out what other people have done.

I was in no way attacking you! I'm just saying everyone is comparing apples and oranges!!

I follow my doctors rules too. But that changes overtime, the amount and the frequency..

I eat way differently now than I did then!

Neither are wrong....

I don't think everyone (or anyone) is telling her it isn't right and that she should be eating more - I just think people are sharing their own experiences. That's why people post questions on here - to find out what other people have done.

Yes you are very right!!!

I was in no way attacking you! I'm just saying everyone is comparing apples and oranges!!

I follow my doctors rules too. But that changes overtime' date=' the amount and the frequency..

I eat way differently now than I did then!

Neither are wrong....[/quote']

I completely agree!!

Ya. Well it's a little hard not to take that as an insult after seeing other threads talking about how "newbies" don't know anything. Then it was directly implied that the people responding were "only a few weeks out".

I guess I'm a stickler for rules. I do what my surgeon and NUT have instructed. I take offense to the post that implied those of us who aren't very far out don't know what we are talking about. And if the OP is saying her surgeon recommends 3 meals a day why is everyone telling her that isn't right and she should be eating more. This whole thread offends me one many levels.

Well, as the original poster... I ASKED for everyone's input. Doesn't mean that I am going to stray from what my surgeon/ NUT ) having instructed me. I was just curious... I appreciate all of the posts!