I have a question for the long-termers: I see "eat to satisfaction" mentioned a lot, as in "you won't need to eat much, you'll be satisfied much faster" but I'm two months out and wondering if that term means the same I thought it meant?

When I used to eat to satisfaction, I would feel pleasantly full. Not overstuffed, just right on that verge of eating lots at Thanksgiving and it was all delicious and now I'm going to take a nap - that kind of satisfaction. But now I kind of eat to the point of restriction. I certainly don't WANT any more food, that's for sure, but I can't quite say that I'm "satisfied". More like I'm "done". I can't eat any more, I feel a little uncomfortably full, and while I guess I'm not technically hungry it's not the same feeling at all as finishing a good meal used to be.

To be clear, I don't mind this and have no regrets. But going in I think I got the impression that I would happily stop eating after 1/2 cup of food because my stomach would be satiated, like that sensation would just be moved up the timeline and now I'd get it five bites in, and that's not what I got. What I got was a stomach that feels either maxed out or right on the edge of maxed. There's very little space between "okay to keep eating" and "STOP EATING!" signals. So when people are saying "you'll be satisfied", is there some sensation further down the road where I'll hit that same sense of happy fullness, or is this just another way to say "you'll stop eating because there won't be any more room"?

Edited May 9, 20188 yr by sideeye

1 hour ago, sideeye said:

I have a question for the long-termers: I see "eat to satisfaction" a lot, but I'm two months out and wondering if that term means the same I thought it meant?

When I used to eat to satisfaction, I would feel pleasantly full. Not overstuffed, just right on that verge of eating lots at Thanksgiving and it was all delicious and now I'm going to take a nap - that kind of satisfaction. But now I kind of eat to the point of restriction. I certainly don't WANT any more food, that's for sure, but I can't quite say that I'm "satisfied". More like I'm "done". I can't eat any more, I feel a little uncomfortably full, and while I guess I'm not technically hungry it's not the same feeling at all as finishing a good meal used to be.

To be clear, I don't mind this and have no regrets. But going in I think I got the impression that I would happily stop eating after 1/2 cup of food because my stomach would be satiated, like that sensation would just be moved up the timeline and now I'd get it five bites in, and that's not what I got. What I got was a stomach that feels either maxed out or right on the edge of maxed. There's very little space between "okay to keep eating" and "STOP EATING!" signals. So when people are saying "you'll be satisfied", is there some sensation further down the road where I'll hit that same sense of happy fullness, or is this just another way to say "you'll stop eating because there won't be any more room"?

It takes some time to get used to the new sensation of full. It gets better..

The feeling I had at Thanksgiving was over stuffed. Unbutton your pants and take a nap stuffed..lol. Healthy feels better than any holiday food coma.

You had your sleeve about two months ago...Right? Are you chewing and eating slow?

For most of us, The first few months best sleeve restriction and weight loss.. Enjoy it now... Understand that your restriction will not be the same as you progress out from surgery. Your stomach will not be back to full size but you will notice a defiant difference in increased volume.

Jenn1, defiant,or different? I could rock either one.?

That's sort of what I'm asking - is it the SAME sensation of "full" as before, or is it a NEW sensation of being full? I'm wondering if post-op commenters are using the terminology in a way that doesn't really relate to how pre-op commenters understand the term. Maybe what I'm getting at is that pre-op, "satisfied" seems to correlate with a food-emotion, whereas post-op "satisfied" is really talking about something more food-transactional and biological.

Another way I could ask this is: when the restriction eases, does that sensation of "I'm too full!" ease off too and get replaced by a more gradual sense similar to pre-op "satisfaction"? Or does the eased restriction just mean that "I'm too full!" comes later in the meal timeline?

Again, I'm not concerned about any of this on a personal level regarding my surgery - I'm just curious about terminology because it seems there's a full definition change happening for a very specific word, and that word is commonly used by post-ops to reassure pre-ops. I'd argue you aren't going to be "satisfied" in the same way you think of it now as an overeater - you're just going to totally change your definition of "time to stop eating food". It used to be emotional, and now it's restriction. And it's possible for some people facing surgery, they're expecting to be able to eat to a point of emotional satisfaction, which is a very different consideration than biological satisfaction.

Edited May 10, 20188 yr by sideeye

feeling like you...

ughhh im 5 weeks post op.. and eating is a task for me .. 2 bites and Im full and its not a nice sensation. i wonder when this will end too? Id rather not eat then deal with that hurting feeling i get. Doc says its normal and I take all my vitamins, but the protein and water are still hard for me to get down... i hardly get any protein in.. maybe 30 grams but i know its still so early, so I hope i can get more protein in.. i don't like anything, nothing tastes good and shakes are gross to me. Its a struggle for sure even though i would not change it for anything , I just wish I could get my protein in without it tasting so awful. Good luck to you. It will get better so they say!

I say that the feeling is different. I’m not stopping because I’m satisfied and ready to stop, I’m stopping to avoid feeling sick. I’m still getting use to portion size at 2 months. I tried to eat 4 grilled chicken wings for dinner.... nope couldn’t do it. Don’t feel satisfied but I am full. To me satisfaction came from eating the amount I “wanted” and saying “that’s enough” and that was usually after at least 10 chicken wings. Of course that’s why I weighed as much as I did/do

I accept my limits now because I have a different goal. At least I can still enjoy foods I liked before even if it’s just a taste or so.

I think I kinda get what she means?

Like when you're staring at a plate of something you know you LOVE (steak salad for instance...with nice rare sirloin and hard boiled eggs and swiss and balsamic and banana peppers and diced veggies and mushrooms)...and you've eaten several bites...enough that your stomach says you're done. Not one more bite....stop. And you do, because you have to, and you don't want to feel gross.

But your head looks at that full plate and says....Wait a minute! I LOVE this meal. Why I am leaving most of it? And you feel a little....unsure how to feel about that. And putting the leftovers away in the fridge feels weird and foreign.

OP...is that what you mean?

If so...it gets better. You learn to adjust your serving sizes eventually. You learn to put food into storage containers first, and just put a little on your plate at a time.

You come to accept that in the course of cooking a meal and tasting it and adjusting flavors....you might actually get too full to actually eat it. LOL

You learn that left overs are awesome and that it's ok to eat them later.

And you learn to do other stuff to fill that emotional need that food used to satisfy.

It's a process....but you get there.

18 minutes ago, Creekimp13 said:

OP...is that what you mean?

Sort of, yeah - certainly closer. I think you captured it pretty well here:

20 minutes ago, Creekimp13 said:

your stomach says you're done. Not one more bite....stop. And you do, because you have to, and you don't want to feel gross.

But your head looks at that full plate and says....Wait a minute! I LOVE this meal. Why I am leaving most of it? And you feel a little....unsure how to feel about that.

Not so much the part about leaving it or putting it in tupperware, but more like "I still want to taste that". Like your stomach might be full, but your taste buds weren't satiated. So while your stomach is definitely full and there's absolutely no way you're going to eat another bite because you'll feel gross, you're still craving the taste of that thing.

Pre-surgery the craving and stomach capacity blended together into a single "I feel satisfied" sensation, but post-surgery it sounds like they split: there's the small capacity which is quickly filled, then the craving that frequently is a long-term head game of retraining yourself.

What I'm curious about is: do they EVER bind together again, so you eat a meal and what stops you is not the restriction but a contented feeling of eating enough paired with having tasted enough? Do post-op patients ever go back to using satisfaction as a barometer to stop eating rather than the restriction?

This is more of an academic question, I'm not concerned about my own adjustment and am not looking for encouragement or advice - just curious.

Yes, they bind together. Most of the time these days, I feel genuinely content after I eat my weird little meals. Content like I used to feel after a junk food party or Thanksgiving dinner.

I think what happens...is that after enough experience with your restriction, your expectations change.

I NEVER think....Man, I need a Big Mac and some fries...wouldn't it be nice if I could have that again? It doesn't interest me because it's wildly not possible. (and also...yuck...just doesn't appeal anymore)

BUT...I do think about.... Man, when I get home, i'm gonna fix this particular meal that I love, I'm gonna eat my fill, it's gonna taste amazing....and I'll have a fun night.

The other day I went to a Thai place. I ordered a cucumber salad and chicken satay...and it was incredible. I didn't feel cheated or sad about the meal. I felt empowered to find something healthy and delicious. And I enjoyed myself as much as I ever have at a restaurant.

Your mindset changes. Your expectations change. Your preferences and tastes change.

Whole lotta change going on.

Give it a few months and let us know what you think the answer is to your question:) I'll be interested to know your thoughts in the fall.

Edited May 10, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

Satisfaction also has a lot to do with being able to enjoy what you are eating and at two months post op I don't think there was anything I was truly enjoying , it was all work no games. Now I play with flavors and eat MUCH slower than I initially did. There is hope for the future

HW 270

SW 238

CW 188

VSG 11/7

[emoji471][emoji471][emoji471]

I think I get what you're asking - and I personally think 'satisfaction' is different. I have a lot of meals where I stop eating so I don't get sick vs. stop eating because I'm satisfied. And I'll admit that I've had meals where I kept eating to be "satisfied" and ended up miserable and sick. Trust me, it doesn't take too many of those experiences to learn the that new feeling of satisfaction.

For me, there isn't a soul satisfying eating experience where I lean back, loosen my belt, and sigh with "happiness."

My goal theoretically is to stop eating EXACTLY at the point that I realize my hunger need is met, but before I feel the pressure at my breastbone. I honestly don't want to feel that "new fullness" because it's pretty uncomfortable. So I'm trying to learn the value of a new reward. I'm trying to incorporate that my new normal is the sense of pride that I take in eating a beautiful, healthy meal with the specified portion weight and stopping when hunger is absent.

I get double points for accurately assessing how much to put on my plate for the meal and for meeting my protein goal for the meal--which hopefully will mean I make my protein goal for today.

19 hours ago, sideeye said:

That's sort of what I'm asking - is it the SAME sensation of "full" as before, or is it a NEW sensation of being full? I'm wondering if post-op commenters are using the terminology in a way that doesn't really relate to how pre-op commenters understand the term. Maybe what I'm getting at is that pre-op, "satisfied" seems to correlate with a food-emotion, whereas post-op "satisfied" is really talking about something more food-transactional and biological.

You bring up a good point, because I've said this myself to someone recently on here. I posed the question about why they would want to eat more food, when less is still "satisfying".

For me, I don't get that "joy" from eating like I did before. Maybe this is in part because I can't eat until that "unbutton your pants" feeling. I see food as a necessity now. I find that even when I like something, its short lived because I can only have a few bites anyway. It's shot my love for food in the heart. Which is a GOOD thing.

When I say "satisfied", I mean that you are no longer hungry. Are you emotionally satisfied?, because that is virtually what you are asking. You are referring to when the brain has caught up with the stomach after you've eaten way too much. (Not you specifically, but you know what I mean).

Ok y'all. Ima tell on myself! I'm not an angel. I have tested things! But when I do, my tests NEVER EVER EVER end well! And by well, I mean, I stop eating and feel "good" like I had a healthy nourishing meal. Instead, I feel remorse like, "You stupid tool! Why did you just eat that crap? It makes you feel all squidgy bad inside like your mouth just molested your new pouch with food porn."

And it ALWAYS makes my breastbone hurt! I also think, dammit, I coulda had salad and grilled X and felt great about my meal. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

Today, we went to clean part of our storage unit for a garage sale on Saturday. So we stopped at Burger Barn for linner. And I decided it was a good time to try wings. Is there ever a good time to try wings? These were unbreaded, extra crispy, and nekkidy with garlic parm sauce on the side. We also got an order of bacon wrapped cheese jalapenos (unbreaded but deep fried). None of these were particularly greasy, so they clearly fry at the right temp.

But I had the tiniest bwjalapeno, like 1/2 of a normal size. And started the remorse then. I ate it. But after was like. Just stop now. But did I? Fu*k no! I had 1 wing joint. Of that I ate 1 bite of the skin, then pulled the rest off and ate the tender, moisty and succulent meat inside. And that was it. Lights out for me. No mas. No bueno por nada!

And it didn't make me feel good. I did not experience that loving feeling. Instead I just felt remorse and longing for a missed opportunity to eat my tried and true healthy food in a meal. It was totally craptastic. I now have pain at my breastbone and feel like I have indigestion from hell. I won't be repeating the meal.

The interesting thing is, I call my new pouch, "Iron Will" cuz it's virtually indestructible and rarely complains. The ONLY time it has complained is when I've tried out former delish pub food or crap food. Then it raises a ruckus and sits up large and in charge to let me know not to eat that sh*t again!

Honestly, I don't know how many more times I have to learn the lesson. I do much better with all the fresh and lovely, low fat, healthy veg and protein foods I eat every day!

DERP!

Edited May 10, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

20 hours ago, sideeye said:

Sort of, yeah - certainly closer. I think you captured it pretty well here:

Not so much the part about leaving it or putting it in tupperware, but more like "I still want to taste that". Like your stomach might be full, but your taste buds weren't satiated. So while your stomach is definitely full and there's absolutely no way you're going to eat another bite because you'll feel gross, you're still craving the taste of that thing.

Pre-surgery the craving and stomach capacity blended together into a single "I feel satisfied" sensation, but post-surgery it sounds like they split: there's the small capacity which is quickly filled, then the craving that frequently is a long-term head game of retraining yourself.

What I'm curious about is: do they EVER bind together again, so you eat a meal and what stops you is not the restriction but a contented feeling of eating enough paired with having tasted enough? Do post-op patients ever go back to using satisfaction as a barometer to stop eating rather than the restriction?

This is more of an academic question, I'm not concerned about my own adjustment and am not looking for encouragement or advice - just curious.

"This is more of an academic question, I'm not concerned about my own adjustment and am not looking for encouragement or advice - just curious."

None of us are medical professionals on this site. All we can give is our own experiences...Take what's useful and ignore the rest.

QUESTION: Is bariatric surgery designed to stop patients from over indulging in taste and capacity?

None of us can say how you will experience satisfied, cravings, taste, (tasted enough) feeling content, capacity. It is specific to each person. I can't predict how this will feel for you years out from surgery.

All I can say is four years out eating healthy is normal. It's not an endless head game for me. I feel satisfied by taste and quality over quantity.

12 hours ago, jenn1 said:

It's not an endless head game for me. I feel satisfied by taste and quality over quantity.

Do you feel satisfied by taste and quality before restriction kicks in, or do you just mean that quantity no longer dictates satisfaction?

None of us are medical professionals on this site. All we can give is our own experiences...Take what's useful and ignore the rest.

Just trying to guide the conversation away from advice focusing on my personal experience and towards the broader experiences of people who are years down the line: less "I can't predict how this will feel for you" and more "four years out I feel satisfied by taste and quality" (which is helpful, thank you).

16 hours ago, AshAsh1 said:

When I say "satisfied", I mean that you are no longer hungry. Are you emotionally satisfied?, because that is virtually what you are asking. You are referring to when the brain has caught up with the stomach after you've eaten way too much.

Yeah, I think this is the change: pre-op patients can think of "satisfied" in emotional terms, and post-op it becomes much less complex: lack of hunger. But pre-op the concept of hunger and craving are so twinned that patients don't even imagine that post-op the definition of satisfied will change. It's an interesting think to think about when a pre-op poster is worrying a lot about not being able to enjoy food at events or is asking a lot about whether they'll still enjoy eating - I think the answer is that eating is going to change so fundamentally, there really isn't a direct sensation to map. The joy/contentment/endorphin rush will NOT be moved further up the process and just kick in at three bites of taco, but you also won't be hungry. You'll just be full, and have little interest in eating more. Which isn't really a pre-op state of mind without the additional endorphin kick.