Signs that you're full. How does your body tell you it's enough?

[desertpixie 76]

I am literally two days into my first week of 'normal' food, following a week of liquids and a week of mushies. I am two-weeks post op, and if I was honest, a bit scared about eating. I keep thinking my stomach will burst, or god knows what...even though that's clearly not the case. In the past, like most of us, I wasn't particularly conscious of the speed I ate, or how big my mouthfuls were but now I am super conscious and I am trying to figure out when and what my body is doing to let me know it's full. At the moment, I think it's gas pain still, but after a meal I get neck and back pain. At the moment it's down my side.

I am curious to know how other people can tell they are full. Is it by feeling stuffed, or do you go by how many mouthfuls you can eat, or do you make sure you take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal...I imagine full is full, but being new to this "eating when banded" thing, i'm just wondering if there is a common signal to look out for that's telling me enough is enough or how other people listen to their body telling them they are full?

[BillieG 81]

That is a good question I would like to know as well, being newly banded. The book states that you will feel pressure under your rib cage and once you feel like you are a comfortable "full" do not eat any more.

My first week I was so bloated I had a hard time getting all my liquids down. I think it was the gas as well, but I guess we will get used to it and learn that full feeling in time. I do know that most bandsters say if you can eat more than a small saucer of food then you may need a fill in your band because you should not be able to eat much more than that at one time.

[gowalking 10,790]

Forget about full. If you are full, you've eaten too much. Think satiety..which is when you are no longer hungry. Eating slowly lets you know when you've reached this feeling and it's something you will learn over time. Some folks have 'soft stops' which can be any number of things..a burp, a runny nose, a feeling of pressure in the chest...it's very personal. Just know that this process of re-learning how to eat...and how to listen to your band does not happen my magic and you may go months before the band starts to work for you.

I can only give you my experience which is that one year post banding, I can eyeball portion sizepretty well at this point...I choose healthier options as often as possible, and at home, I have a scale to keep me from inadvertently overeating. Oh, and I use myfitnesspal...not as often anymore because I know what I can and can't eat, and what the calorie count of most foods are at this point but I recommend all these tools to use along with the band.

If you take away anything from this post, know that the band is not a cure-all, it won't stop you from overeating or making poor choices...you still have to put in the work. But...if you are smart about how you eat, and listen...really listen to your band, you will have success in your weight loss journey. Good luck!!

Edited January 19, 2014 by gowalking

[chasingadream 1,311]

It's a tough one and I feel there is definately a trial and error and a learning curve going on.

I felt the same way when I started eating solid food after surgery....afraid one morsel too much would pop my stitches or stretch my pouch. I grew up with the clean your plate club and never left the table w/out feeling like I was about to burst.

Today I am 4 months post op and I'm STILL learning...especially at dinner. Breakfast and lunch are fine. I think because my meal is portioned out and I'm done. At dinner i weigh my 3-4 oz of Protein and can accurately eye ball my veggies and little bit of carb. But sometimes i still eat too fast and take too big of bites. Plus there is always more to reach for. I feel a pressure in my chest when i eat too fast...my "tell" for that. I've heard people say they have a "sign" that tells them when they are "good". I've been listening and still dont have something that is blaring to me...but I have noticed a big sigh alot in the middle of my meal and have to learn to stop at that point. It is hard to feel satiety when your used to always bypassing it to the stuffed stage.....but i'm learning. I've never gotten stuck and have only had one case of OMG....what did i do I ate TOO much.

Its an individual thing...as with everything else about WLS...just slow down and try to really listen to what your body is telling you....

Wishing you all the best...keep us posted!

Edited January 19, 2014 by chasingadream

[cheryl2586 3,053]

When you are newly banded you can not rely on full. You never want to be full ever again. Its about being satisfied. At this time before fills you are in control and need to measure your food and only eat that amount. You will have to deal with hunger, wanting to eat because you are bored or because or because. Measure a cup of good Protein and some veggies and call it a day. If you are eating to get full you are over eating.

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi there, it sounds like you're doing really well. This is such a good time to be really learning to listen to your body. It's so interesting to be mindful and to notice everything. The mind can be a chatterbox and often mine is asking questions it used to rely on, like "what else can I have?" This occurs before I've even had my food. I think I was always projecting to the next item in my little graze-a-thon and not focusing on what was in front of me. So by listening I found that out about myself, along with a lot of other things. Now I try to be very mindful of the food on the little plate, putting down my utensil between bites (this is hard for me) and then the sensation and taste of the food as I'm chewing it, swallowing it. I try to visualize it. The esophagus makes little squeezes and that's what sends the message to the brain. I can't feel this but I try to think it. Then there is often a moment when I feel like I've had enough. That I'm done. This is quite amazing considering the size of the portion but there it is, the magic of the band. Then I thank my lucky stars.

[Jack 855]

"Full" is a John Phillips Souza parade marching down your gullet into your Belly Beast kicking aside the route markers and stomping down the geraniums in the flower bed and mashing the garden flat.

"Satiety" is a bird song in a forest opening as you sit enjoying the sunrise.

[2muchfun 8,927]

This is often a topic of discussion. For most of us it's not a black and white issue. We live in the grey area most of the time. There's is no ding or loud noise when we should stop eating unless we've gone too far. As someone else pointed out, mindful eating is a must to find success with the band for many of us.

This concept is so foreign for those who have never been banded or are newly banded. And for some, the "bird song" never appears or if it does, it's ignored or shielded from our "mindful eating" brain neurons.

Once your band is adjusted properly, you will reach a point where the food no longer is appealing. That feeling that most thin people subconsciously obey, will/may strike you like a bolt of feathers and you will understand your first aha moment. Pay attention, your success may depend on it.

tmf

[Steffyp 63]

This is a hard thing to learn, and now 6 months in and just after my 4th fill I'm beginning to realize what satiety feels like for me. I have the slight pressure in my chest. But before that, I measured all my meals, eating on a saucer and never more than a cup of food at a time. I stopped eating after that cup and never went for seconds. Now that I have a "soft" sign it is getting easier, but like the other posters has stated above it can take a while to feel those. In the mean time just measure your portions and my fitnesspal is a great help in tracking calories.

[B-52 7,113]

First, you are too new to this to be worrying about these "Green Zone" perks....

Follow your Dr.'s protocol for the post surgery adjustment phase....

I have NEVER felt full after being banded, 3 years ago...as someone has said, if you feel full then something is not correct...

For me, I simply cannot, do not want to eat...it is pure MENTAL, nothing physical....for instance, last night we went to dinner...I order twin stuffed lobster tails....I ate the crab stuffing off one lobster tail, and that was it!!! I simply did not want to continue...I did not want to eat...it was a mental block....and as good as I know it is...It was not the least appealing, had no taste......

I have everything from last night in the fridge, I'll warm it up for dinner tonight....

I could go into why that happens to me, but not now....

CORRECTION.....I have felt full....but not from eating...from drinking.... that goes right thru my band and bloats my stomach, like the old days....I should also add, that after 3 years my normal stomach has shrunk considerably and cannot hold near as much liquid at one time, as it used to....but that is not the band, nor food - eating.....and I never drink while eating...before, during or after....always on a empty stomach.

Edited January 19, 2014 by B-52

[Jack 855]

re: "I simply did not want to continue...I did not want to eat..".....I LOVE that feeling!!!!

[B-52 7,113]

re: "I simply did not want to continue...I did not want to eat..".....I LOVE that feeling!!!!

AMEN...there it is....

[Jackie W 68]

No longer feel hungry, when that feeling goes away I stop.

[HealthyNewMe 1,935]

I really do have a SIGN..... I hiccup several times...during each and every meal. Then, not one more bite for ME. My family thinks it's funny!

[desertpixie 76]

I love all these replies. Its clearly a topic which varies person to person. Today I grazed all day rather than have set meal times and far prefered it. I don't like feeling full or stuffed and I could go for quite sometime between meals as work is so busy already but I guess it's just adjusting to a new way of eating. Its always good to learn and be aware of how you eat regardless of what stage were at post-op, it sounds like everyone is still learning.

I have to say one thing I haven't done before but have found myself doing now is visually recognising my new portion sizes and knowing when it's too much. All good practice for when the first fill comes!