Anyone else?? I am pms'ing, and I swear the capacity of my sleeve is sooo much more and so are my cravings. I understand the cravings, but not the restriction part. Can this be explained? I'm going to go munch on a pickle now since I have already hit my calorie limit for the day. Argh!

Are you selecting your "slider" foods during this time? I know when I am mindlessly grabbing for something during an emotional crisis, it is pretty much always something which is going to go down pretty easy. You are not going to see me grabbing for my Turkey Jerky or a piece of chicken breast. Nope. Crackers with Peanut Butter or some Cheetos. I can eat a ton of them. But, usually, I look down at my orange fingers and say, "WTF am I doing?" and then I grab some jerky and breathe.

I feel like this a little during TOM. Was able to eat 4.5 ounces of chicken today with no problem. (I thought it was 3-4, saved a piece to weigh, and realized later it was 4.5 ounces.)

Oh well, at least it wasn't twinkies.

Unfortunately, not really. For example I can eat more chicken during this time! Not a ton more, but maybe an ounce and a half sometimes. Crazy! And I'm hungrier much sooner.

Uh oh. I am new to this sleeve thing, and my surgeon talked to me today about these first few weeks. Eat what's suggested, and eat until I feel overfull. Next time, measure out that amount minus 2-3 bites. She said that is my new normal portion size. Go by measurements, not by belly. If I am eating the right amount, I will feel satisfied. She never mentioned I'd have to account for my monthly guest!

There are a few things they don't tell you. Lol

I am 20 months post-op and did GREAT during the first year. I lost about 135 lbs, logged all my food, was careful with carbs, started exercising regularly and was on-track.

Then when I hit the 1 year mark (May 2013), I started playing alot of softball and the extra exercise upped my appetite. Since I was exercising so much, I was able to maintain my weight, despite eating more (per meal, quanitity-wise and more often daily). However, I stopped logging my food, didn't pay attention to carb #'s (I was "cheating" a lot!) and I stalled bigtime.

I was training to complete my first-ever half-marathon walk on my 44th birthday (Oct. 2013) and did complete that in a great PB time, but injured my left great toe (runner's "black toe") and the exercise stopped.

Blammo!

Appetite still big, capacity seemed alot bigger (especially with sliders/carbs/junk). I put on 14 lbs from Oct 20, 2013 to Jan. 5, 2014!

I'm still 40+ lbs from my revised goal, so I'm back on the wagon now. Eating clean, tracking everything, keeping carbs reasonable and watching my portion sizes. Down 2.5 lbs this week, and hoping to keep a 1.5 lb loss per week for the rest of the winter/spring/summer.

As to capacity, today, for the first time in about 6 months, I had sashimi for lunch. In the past I could eat about 3 oz. of wakame salad (seaweed salad) and 3 oz of salmon sashimi, then I was FULL. Today, I at 5 oz. of salmon and 3 oz of wakame, and I could still eat (though I do feel the restriction kicking in).

This is where it gets hard! The sleeve is still there, but the capacity is much more "normal" that what were first used to post-op and during early recovery. Now some extra degree of willpower and self-control must be partnered with the sleeve to meet our goals.

sigh. I was hoping the VSG would help me avoid this, but alas, reallity kicks in.

The good news is I know I can do this. I just need to restablish my good habits (eating) and get my exercise sorted out (did my first cross-fit class this week!).

Edited January 9, 201412 yr by Webchickadee

You might look in to the 5:2 plan some of us utilized to lose regain and others to get the final pounds off after a couple of years. Has been a lifesaver for me. I regained about 27 pounds after 2 1/2-3 years. I lost that and then another 10. Search for The 5:2 thread if interested in it.

Ditto ^

Anyone else?? I am pms'ing, and I swear the capacity of my sleeve is sooo much more and so are my cravings. I understand the cravings, but not the restriction part. Can this be explained? I'm going to go munch on a pickle now since I have already hit my calorie limit for the day. Argh!

I started experiencing this at my 6 month point, and the getting hungrier sooner part too. Freaked out until my surgeon told me it was normal and expected. He said to keep doing what I'm doing and just eat when I'm hungry and I will continue to lose. It looks like you're a year out - I hope my capacity doesn't increase more at that point!

I can eat more now than at 6 months. Not a lot, but noticeable.

Yep, thats the way it goes. The first 6 months are a great time to get a routine in place that you can carry with you into the years... when it is easier to eat more and cheat the sleeve (and yourself!)

I was told when I was pregnant that the reason women can eat more during their pregnancies and during their cycles is due to the hormones. They relax the stomach, sleeve or no.

So when you're PMSing (or pregnant, or breastfeeding) you can eat more. I encounter this issue every month and only manage to stay on top of things by throwing calorie counts by the wayside and eating as much Protein as I can hold while forcing myself to step away from the carbs. Because that's what every hormonal woman really wants: wine with a side of carbs.

Your capacity IS going to increase. It's natural and normal and it's the reason that focusing on good habits is absolutely critical. I can eat so much more now than at one year out it's crazy. Sure, if I make the right choices I can still feel stuffed right around 4-7 ounces of food, especially if the first 3 ounces I eat are dense protein. But if I choose to eat the junk? Ain't nothin' stoppin' that crap from sliding through and I can sip soda and eat a damn bucket full of popcorn if I want to, so I have to make the choice not to do it. Further complicating the carb/junk/slider thing is that those foods make you want MORE of those foods, feeding into a cycle that will almost certainly end in regain if you don't nip it immediately. My advice is to focus less on quantity during hormonal times and more on quality. Eat as many hardboiled eggs and carrot sticks as you want, and I promise you won't experience heartache on the scale later.

~Cheri

I was told when I was pregnant that the reason women can eat more during their pregnancies and during their cycles is due to the hormones. They relax the stomach, sleeve or no. So when you're PMSing (or pregnant, or breastfeeding) you can eat more. I encounter this issue every month and only manage to stay on top of things by throwing calorie counts by the wayside and eating as much protein as I can hold while forcing myself to step away from the carbs. Because that's what every hormonal woman really wants: wine with a side of carbs. Your capacity IS going to increase. It's natural and normal and it's the reason that focusing on good habits is absolutely critical. I can eat so much more now than at one year out it's crazy. Sure, if I make the right choices I can still feel stuffed right around 4-7 ounces of food, especially if the first 3 ounces I eat are dense protein. But if I choose to eat the junk? Ain't nothin' stoppin' that crap from sliding through and I can sip soda and eat a damn bucket full of popcorn if I want to, so I have to make the choice not to do it. Further complicating the carb/junk/slider thing is that those foods make you want MORE of those foods, feeding into a cycle that will almost certainly end in regain if you don't nip it immediately. My advice is to focus less on quantity during hormonal times and more on quality. Eat as many hardboiled eggs and carrot sticks as you want, and I promise you won't experience heartache on the scale later. ~Cheri

Cheri, I'm glad to "see" you! I've missed keeping up with you! Hope all is well.

HI Cheri! Nice to see you and good advice!