Hi all!

I'm new to the forum and 8 weeks Post-Op. I was wondering if anyone one else has this problem? I used to really enjoy eating. Now I'd rather drink water because eating is so uncomfortable and it's like a teas to just nibble on food. So does this feeling go away or will it be here for ever????

Hey MrsObs, coming up on 16 weeks post op myself and i wish that i had great news for you but i don't. I also loved food way more than i should have and so many meals leave me feeling a little blah cause i looked forward to them and then well nothing. i got full after the third bite and just walked away from the table. This is a real mental battle not a physical one.

1. try to make each bite very flavorfull. Hit you taste buds right between the eye's and do not waste any bites on dull or bland food. If i only get to eat 3 bites i make them the best 3 bites possible.

think about chewing, really, try to chew slowly and for as long as you can

plan ahead with an activity that takes concentration so you occupy your mind after you eat and dont give yourself time to dwell on the small portions.

If you lose the mental game the physical one will be lost soon after. The surgery gave you the ability to win the physical game but you have to win the mental one with a good support grp. If you dont have it at home try to find it online but do not give up.

Thank you Allwet! I totally understand this mental aspect! I appreciate the tips and I will be using them.

before surgery i would have said it was 80 percent surgery and 20 percent mental

after going thru it i see the surgery makes it easy to loose weight but does not change you inside your own head.

i now see its 90 percent mental and 10 percent surgery. If you win the mental game the surgery will carry you thru

but if you lose the mental game the surgery cant save you.

i use Sudoku puzzles to distract myself. just find what works for you.

I completely understand. I hated eating for probably the first three months after my surgery. I hated that I could only eat certain stuff, I hated that if I took one bite too many I would be in pain, I hated not knowing if it was going to upset my stomach, and I hated how long it took me to eat a small quantity. Now that I'm more familiar with my new stomach I know what to expect so it isn't so bad anymore. I still don't enjoy eating like I used to, but that's fine. I just want eat to live instead of the other way around. I'm now grateful for all of the restrictions.

I feel like that sometimes. What helps me is making sure I get the BEST three or four bites first. For example, if I am eating taco meat with cheese, I eat the cheesiest bites first. Even then, though, I don't get the same satisfaction with eating that I used to. I'm ok with that, though . . . I think if I did, it would be hard to maintain this lifestyle. Does that make sense?

It gets better. I'm 11 months out and I can eat so much more than 4 bites now. I've found a new relationship with food where I still enjoy it but don't live to eat. I try to pick food that packs a lot of flavor in small portions. Think of gourmet food, many times the servings are very small but the food is very good.

I have to agree with everyone here........I am so excited to eat a meal then after 4 bites I'm completely over it. But the way I think about it is like this. The thing that got me to this weight was overeating and living to eat not eating to live. I now feel like I am eating like a "thin" person and I try to keep that thought with me every time I sit down for a meal so that I don't get discouraged and also so that I remember each and every meal why I did this. Best of luck!!!

4 months post I love eating. Haha love trying food. Now I'm more selective what I put in my mouth and it has to taste good or I won't waste my time. That being said I enjoyed the phase of not being interested in food I lost the most weight haha so don't waste this time

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Thanks everyone! Your comments are very helpful and I will be rethinking my approach to this opportunity I have been given.

I enjoy food now as much as I did before. I can eat more now, and honestly, I am glad that I have a good foundation. I love veggies, even bland ones. I eat some lean protein, and follow up with veggies. I could probably eat up to 10 ounces of veggies and/or grains in one sitting. I still have enough restriction when I eat lean protein, and that's good. I could only eat 6 ounces if I have 3-4 ounces of lean protein.

I hated not being able to eat but a few bites of things. It was great for weight loss, but I couldn't really enjoy anything. Things are great now. I can eat more, but not enough to get me into trouble...Well, as long as I don't replace good healthy options with crap. I know that in the coming months, I will be able to eat even more. However, I won't push the envelope. I will continue to weigh and portion out 6-10 ounces per sitting depending on what I am eating. This will allow me to hit my 1,200 calorie per day mark.

Good luck to you!

8 weeks is early, yet; your appetite will come back eventually, for better or worse. I was a huge fan of food before, tried anything I could try, and I'm one again now (a little over a year out). I just eat LESS now, when I try things. (;