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How do you know when enough is enough?



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I'm 10 days pot- op. I've lost 15 lbs since surgery (early on...slow now)... 32 since pre-op diet. I am eating when I feel a need but really don't know if I'm getting enough or too much. I feel good (very sore) but I can tolerate everything without issue. Today I ate a sugar free hello, a fat free tapioca pudding, a cup of tea, Water, a tiny bowl of egg drop Soup, 1/2 an avocado and a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt. I'm every other day with Protein Shakes because I hate them. Is this too much food, not enough... I'm not someone who is going to measure and track and calculate- I know that so why fool myself? I start to feel hungry so I eat a bit... am I going about this the wrong way?

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Well it's going to be really hard if you don't measure and record... Especially when you move to the next stage when eating puréed and soft food measuring out 1/4 cup is important because your stomach is still swollen and numb and you won't always "feel" it when you over eat..

Also it sounds like the only thing you got a bit of Protein from if the bit of Greek yogurt.

I would push more yogurt less pudding..

If you hate the shakes try buying unflavored whey protein to add to foods

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I'll be honest with you.

You have all the information in front of you. What's keeping you from tracking? I bet in the amount of time it took you to write this post, you could have tracked it. Make a habit of it and you'll do it.

If you're worried about not eating the right amount of calories or nutrients, plan your days ahead of time and stick to the plan. You got surgery. You need to invest in yourself. You spend so many dollars and so much time up to this point. Why cop out now?

Also, please take your Protein. You won't recover without it.

Best.

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I agree with laura-ven, you've got to get in more Protein, didn't your NUT give you a diet plan? Drink as much Water as you can and find more protein sources that you like. Try adding the unflavored whey protein to your Soup, and to your pudding or yogurt. If you don't get in enough protein it can cause problems later.

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I'm 10 days pot- op. I've lost 15 lbs since surgery (early on...slow now)... 32 since pre-op diet. I am eating when I feel a need but really don't know if I'm getting enough or too much. I feel good (very sore) but I can tolerate everything without issue. Today I ate a sugar free hello, a fat free tapioca pudding, a cup of tea, Water, a tiny bowl of egg drop Soup, 1/2 an avocado and a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt. I'm every other day with Protein shakes because I hate them. Is this too much food, not enough... I'm not someone who is going to measure and track and calculate- I know that so why fool myself? I start to feel hungry so I eat a bit... am I going about this the wrong way?

How? Do everything you say you will not do or be prepared to literally work your butt off. Make it a lifestyle change, one or the other. What I do, it's a habit. It's as natural to me as breathing.

I'm almost 3.5 years out. Reached goal in 6 months, maintaining for over 2.5 years. How do I know when enough is enough. I used that honeymoon period to absolutely weigh and/or measure all my food when I'm at home. I weigh myself every single morning and I log my food. That is how I know. It's what works for me. It is not something I will get bored with, these are not things that will have to stop if I twist my ankle and I'm not going to get so old I can't possibly go to the gym to do 4000 crunches, lift weights or exercise on an elliptical machine!

You do NOT have to do what I do, this is what works for me...but rest assured, you must do something. Either become a gym rat or get a little obsessive. Anyone who thinks the doctor removes our stomach and that's the end of it. They were fooled or foolish. There is no end date, this is forever....it isn't a fad diet, but it is NOT a magic bullet, it is NOT the easy way out, you must do something, make changes one way or the other.

I don't mean to be harsh, but some times reality just is.

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Also, please take your Protein. You won't recover without it.

Best.

Not only will recovery take longer, you'll lose your hair!

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You are all absolutely right... I did all of this prep work (for 6 solid months)...why take my eye off the ball now? I have to get organized and start eating to live, not living to eat.

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You are all absolutely right... I did all of this prep work (for 6 solid months)...why take my eye off the ball now? I have to get organized and start eating to live' date=' not living to eat.[/quote']

Sounds good!

Wishing you well :)

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Protein is SO important at this stage for sure.

It's important to get into the habit of weighing and measuring, but you might not eat everything - and that's okay.

Do your best, but don't get upset if you don't get all the Protein your supposed to get in a day (60-70 grams).

Eat when you're "hungry" (or feel like you should) and stop eating when you're not hungry anymore. Don't wait until you're "full" - that can cause issues.

These first few months are complete trial and error trying to find that "full feeling" and knowing what your sleeve will and won't tolerate. Try new things, and don't be afraid to!

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When they did my surgery, they had to repair a hernia and could not make my stomach as small as they usually do. Did anyone else have this problem? I'm afraid I won't lose as much.

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When they did my surgery' date=' they had to repair a hernia and could not make my stomach as small as they usually do. Did anyone else have this problem? I'm afraid I won't lose as much.[/quote']

I think that if you work your program and stick to the Protein first rule you should be fine!

They may have made it a bit bigger but it's still smaller than you had. :)

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When they did my surgery, they had to repair a hernia and could not make my stomach as small as they usually do. Did anyone else have this problem? I'm afraid I won't lose as much.

They did this with my mom as well - she has been losing just fine. Just do what you're supposed to and you'll do great. Remember Protein first and Water Water WATER!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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