Hello, I had the sleeve surgery on 2/7 and I've lost 37 pounds starting from the pre-op two week diet date. So I am 3 1/2 weeks post-op and it has been so long since I have had an actual meal that I'm wondering if I ever will again and if so, when that would be. I am so grateful for the tool that I have but will I ever be able to, let's say, eat a regular serving of lasagna or a slice of pizza? I know these aren't things we are supposed to eat and got some of us here in the first place but I don't see why maybe once a week we couldn't have something like that. I feel as though I'm never going to be able to eat in a restaurant again. The only "real" food I've had is smooth egg salad with very little low fat mayo. I could only eat maybe 1.5-2 Tbsp. total and I was completely full. I know the whole point of the surgery is to get full faster and with less food but I didn't think the portion size would be that small. I know I'm only 3 1/2 weeks out but is this how it's going to be or will it change and when? Thank you...

People can eat whatever they want and how much they want, they just have to accept the consequences. I eat out a lot but tend to stick to starter sizes and even then I can’t always finish it. I am coming up to 3 years out and so happy I still have that restriction. You will be able to eat more in time, your tummy is still healing right now, so please don’t worry!

Do I miss regular sized meals, hell no. if I tried to finish a reg sized meal I’d be throwing up in the loo and being sick is not my idea of a good time.

Congratulations on the surgery!

kate ?

“Regular” is a nebulous term. Yes, you can finish one slice of pizza, don’t know about lasagna. Fast food hamburgers don’t sit right with me, even when unless, even In-N-Out Burger (dammit). I’m a little over 2 months out and, when eating out recently, have consumed:

- Half of a kids’ (5-inch) pizza

- Half of a bacon, egg, and Gouda sandwich from Starbucks

- Half of a kids’ tortellini with meat sauce meal from Fazoli’s

- A wing and a leg of fried chicken

For now, get used to one or all of the following: Ordering from the kids menu (and being appalled at the fact that this is a portion of food intended for a child), splitting meals with another diner, and taking home doggie bags with you. On the plus side, you’ll constantly be clothes shopping for ever-smaller sizes, you won’t have to pay more for larger sizes, and you’ll discover crossing your legs hurts because it’s now bone resting on bone.

Typically people say they can fit about half a cup of food in the first 6 months and then eventually 1 cup after that. I’m sure there is some variance. At 3 months out I think about 4 ounces of protein is my max