Before surgery, I was not a snacker at all. I ate very large, filling meals and didn't really get hungry again until it was the next meal time. Now, no matter WHAT I eat, I can guarantee I will be hungry again within an hour and a half to two hours. I've built snacks in so that I'm not gaining because of them, but boy, it is really annoying being hungry so often. I literally feel like I eat all day long. And I guess I kind of do! The sad thing is, I could eat way more snacks than I currently allow. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, snack, dinner, snack. Omg! I'm maintaining at a minimum of 1600 calories a day, so I have room in my calories to have these little snacks, but I'm terrified one day I'm going to wake up and this is no longer going to work for me. That I will wake up and these snacks are suddenly way too much and I gain 50 lbs! This is completely irrational, but being hungry so soon/often after eating is pretty worrying. I hope in time I get more accustomed to it. Dense protein does not seem to phase this. I can eat dense protein for a meal and get full, but I will certainly be hungry again in at least two hours. Anyone else dealing with this? Or can someone who is also like this reassure me that it's ok to have these snacks? I hear so often that snacking is where most people fail at after surgery. I thought how I was before surgery would fall over to how I am after surgery (not a snacker), but the opposite has occurred.

I was a grazer before surgery and could still eat constantly if I let myself. There isn't anything wrong with snacking per se, but for those of us who eat w/o being hungry, it can be a problem. If I can fit in 500 calories into my pouch and eat 3X a day, then I'm at 1500 calories and pretty much OK. If I eat 6X times a day and still go for 500 calories per meal, then I have a problem. Some people modulate how much they eat when they eat more frequently. Sadly, this was never the case for me.

You are almost 10 lbs below goal now, so the snacking doesn't seem to be hurting you. A word of caution, though. I can eat a lot more now than I could at 1 year or even two years out. If the same ends up being true for you, the snacking will lead to weight gain.

Yes, I plan on a snack between meals most days too. And yes, it is true - you can eat a lot more farther out so that's where "tracking" and paying attention to WHAT you are putting your mouth really has to kick in.

I do know, though, that I am experiencing more acid tummy as mentioned than ever before. I never noticed it at all but now I am starting to. According to research it can kick up around 3 years or so. I do have a prescription for Omeprazole that I take when needed. Should probably take every day.

Excellent thread, Jenny12, thanks for starting it! I learn something new so often on this forum!!

And a special thanks to lsereno and suejersey for being so specific about a typical day's intake. I look forward to being at goal, and now thanks to you two I have a more clear idea what my intake during maintenance might be like.