Hi everyone, I'm three weeks post op and I wanted to know what a typical portion size is for you. I just had two poached eggs, tbsp of hummus and a table spoon of nonfat cottage cheese...and I still feel like maybe I can eat more. Is this normal? What's a typical portion for you?

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On 03/02/2019 at 11:23, Elizatex said:

How would you say the sleeve has helped you compared to when you dieted before you had it? I'm wondering how it is going to be different. I'm feeling very confused on if the sleeve will be right for me or if I should continue to just keep trying to get on a food plan and exercise to lose weight. I've been trying for years with me losing then gaining more back. How has it been for people managing hunger and cravings? I worry about it still being really hard and that I won't be able to keep from eating or eating the wrong things. I hear people talk about having to watch their portions and a lot of what sounds like dieting plus exercising. I'm willing to put in the work, but I've failed so many times. Did anyone else worry about this and how has it been for you? Are you happy you had it done?

Hi Eliza! I’ll be 6 weeks out on Monday from having my sleeve so I wouldn’t count me as a pro or a vet but I can give you my experience so far. Right after surgery I had no hunger pains but they’ve returned. Not anything outrageous but hunger when I should legitimately be hungry. I think when you see most people talking about portion control it’s because too much will make you physically sick. And it’s not a “throw up and feel better” kind of thing. You can end up feeling sick and being in pain for hours. Do I still deal with head hunger? Absolutely! Do I keep it under control? So far, pretty much. This is definitely not the “easy route”. It’s hard work and takes commitment. But the alternative for me was not an option. I already have so many positives (not to mention the $$ I’m not having to spend every month on multiple drugs I’ve been able to get off. ) I am confident you will make the best decision for you! Would I do this again? In a heartbeat!!!

Oh Elizatek -

First of all, I’m thrilled with my results with the sleeve. Down 65 pounds from August surgery.

One if the things I looked forward to most was the magical feeling of not feeling hungry and getting full after just a few bites of food.

But I have neither.

My typical eating day:

Breakfast; slice of bread spread with wedge of laughing cow cheese, slice of prosciutto and 2 sunny side up eggs. I eat 3/4 and my dog eats 1/4

Lunch: a big veggie salad with yogurt salad dressing (I work on this for 2 hours) and a chicken sausage.

Snack: cup of berries

Dinner: 4-6 oz protein and a cup of spiralized veggies.

Snack: 2 cups popcorn cooked in minimal oil

I eat 1200-1400 calories daily.

I think I may give up bariatric vitamins and switch to gummies. I actually eat much healthier now.

I love my mocha calcium chews - they are my candy!

I’m also focusing on a healthy long term relationship with food. I eat cake happily - but maybe 1x per month. I love going out to eat. But I always order things I will like as leftovers since I get 2-3 meals out of 1 order.

Bariatric surgery will not transport you to Nirvana. You will have to work to be successful. Can’t remember who said it, but bariatric surgery does not make weightloss easy - it makes it possible.

8 hours ago, DanaC84 said:

Hi Eliza! I’ll be 6 weeks out on Monday from having my sleeve so I wouldn’t count me as a pro or a vet but I can give you my experience so far. Right after surgery I had no hunger pains but they’ve returned. Not anything outrageous but hunger when I should legitimately be hungry. I think when you see most people talking about Portion Control it’s because too much will make you physically sick. And it’s not a “throw up and feel better” kind of thing. You can end up feeling sick and being in pain for hours. Do I still deal with head hunger? Absolutely! Do I keep it under control? So far, pretty much. This is definitely not the “easy route”. It’s hard work and takes commitment. But the alternative for me was not an option. I already have so many positives (not to mention the $$ I’m not having to spend every month on multiple drugs I’ve been able to get off. ) I am confident you will make the best decision for you! Would I do this again? In a heartbeat!!!

Thank you! This is really helpful to hear. It helps to hear what others like yourself have experienced. It's a big decision! Congratulations on having your surgery and your happiness with it. You have a new life ahead of you!

7 hours ago, Vizslamom said:

Oh Elizatek -

First of all, I’m thrilled with my results with the sleeve. Down 65 pounds from August surgery.

One if the things I looked forward to most was the magical feeling of not feeling hungry and getting full after just a few bites of food.

But I have neither.

My typical eating day:

Breakfast; slice of bread spread with wedge of laughing cow cheese, slice of prosciutto and 2 sunny side up eggs. I eat 3/4 and my dog eats 1/4

Lunch: a big veggie salad with yogurt Salad Dressing (I work on this for 2 hours) and a chicken sausage.

Snack: cup of berries

Dinner: 4-6 oz Protein and a cup of spiralized veggies.

Snack: 2 cups popcorn cooked in minimal oil

I eat 1200-1400 calories daily.

I think I may give up bariatric Vitamins and switch to gummies. I actually eat much healthier now.

I love my mocha calcium chews - they are my candy!

I’m also focusing on a healthy long term relationship with food. I eat cake happily - but maybe 1x per month. I love going out to eat. But I always order things I will like as leftovers since I get 2-3 meals out of 1 order.

Bariatric surgery will not transport you to Nirvana. You will have to work to be successful. Can’t remember who said it, but bariatric surgery does not make weightloss easy - it makes it possible.

You hit the nail on the head with how you described when you said "One if the things I looked forward to most was the magical feeling of not feeling hungry and getting full after just a few bites of food." That is what I want, but I'm learning from you and others that is not a realistic thing to wish for. You said that bariatric surgery makes weight loss possible. How has it helped you compared to before you had surgery? What is it doing for you that you didn't have before? Is it that you feel satisfied sooner so you stop eating? If I ate what you eat now, I could lose weight, but I wouldn't stay with it so I would lose, then eat and gain. Thank you for talking with me and sharing your experience. You're very kind

16 hours ago, Vizslamom said:

Bariatric surgery will not transport you to Nirvana.

Excellent quote!!! I love it

If I ate the way I eat now I could have lost weight without the sleeve too . . . But suffered from flat out hunger. Some background. I’m 57. At my highest weight, I have been in the 320# range several times. I started medical weight loss in my 30’s. Got down to 250 with Ally. Regained and ended up with band. I easily dropped to the 220’s and stayed there effortlessly for years. Then slip, esophageal dilation, etc and band was removed. Back up to the 300’s.

I attempted more medical weightloss. Several types of Rx and dietician visits.

My basic problem has always been hunger. Ravenous. Then I had to eat a lot to be satisfied. Ok - there’s a chocolate and cheese issue too.

My hunger is much more manageable since the surgery. I take a reasonable serving now and pay much more attention to recognize when I’ve had enough. I have tweaked meals to help me stay full. I tried scrambled eggs with chicken breakfast sausage and some cheese. Delish but I was starving at 3 hours. I added some bread and it bought me 60-90 minutes before I became hungry.

I started doing Noom this January which is helping me with my relationship with food. It has gotten me out of that “I’m a failure” mode if I don’t eat perfectly. My eating focus has strongly shifted from “don’t eat this” to “what healthy food can I eat that tastes great “. I choose to drink my wine, go out to dinner, entertain, celebrate birthdays, etc knowing full well this will slow my weight loss. But I’m not going to wait to enjoy living.

Also, I spent some time researching metabolism and weightloss. The research that showed the biggest loser contestants wrecked their metabolisms and have regained the weight scared me. I love exercise. But I have not gone full throttle on exercise. (And 50 hour work weeks don’t help.). I’m not doing punishing 60 minute interval treadmill workouts this time around. 30 minute enjoyable DVDs (Jessica Smith are my favorites) and a dog walk are just fine.

I’m also not focused on a weight or size goal (though onederland sounds great). If my body is able to live the life I want to live, all is good.

Best wishes on your journey!

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 4:28 PM, Vizslamom said:

Snack: 2 cups popcorn cooked in minimal oil

I miss popcorn!

So I went back to portions size by weight rather than volume and I dropped 5lbs last week. It is odd to think that I am that far off? I know I haven't been doing this for more than a few months but wow. Anybody else have this issue?

18 hours ago, Avery's Mom said:

So I went back to portions size by weight rather than volume and I dropped 5lbs last week. It is odd to think that I am that far off? I know I haven't been doing this for more than a few months but wow. Anybody else have this issue?

Not the significant amount you had but yes. I wasn’t eating as much protein as I thought by eyeballing it. Makes a huge difference in how much longer I feel full.

42 minutes ago, DanaC84 said:

Not the significant amount you had but yes. I wasn’t eating as much Protein as I thought by eyeballing it. Makes a huge difference in how much longer I feel full.

I seem to be eating ALL protein and no veggies. I need to make a few more adjustments I guess

2 minutes ago, Avery's Mom said:

I seem to be eating ALL Protein and no veggies. I need to make a few more adjustments I guess

Heck girl! 5 lbs in one week?! I think I’d say whatever you’re doing now to stick with it ????

4 minutes ago, DanaC84 said:

Heck girl! 5 lbs in one week?! I think I’d say whatever you’re doing now to stick with it ????

If I could POOP I might LOL

So I’ve noticed that my portion sizes change as the day wears on.
Now I’m 4 weeks from surgery tomorrow so tomorrow I make the final transition from purées to solids and this might change in a few days. ?
Within the first 2 hr of waking up, it’s all I can do to get down 20 ounces of water and half a poached egg.
By 11 am I’m starting to feel some hunger so I drink 6 ounces fairlife milk and make sure I get in another 20 ounces water.
Then sometime between 12:30-1:30 I have lunch, which is by volume about 1/3-1/2 cup of food, followed by another 20 ounces water and another 6 ounces milk by 5-6pm.
Dinner is typically between 7-8 pm and I eat again about 2-3 ounces of some kind of protein (I have a food scale and use it) and all I have right now is the protein. No room yet for veggies. Usually for dinner I’m mixing up meat and cheese. Like a single meatball with goat cheese is soooo delish and fills me up until the next morning.
I’ve heard the sleeve can be “tighter” in the morning and stretches out during the day and this is exactly what I’m noticing

I am 3 weeks out yesterday my surgery was 2/12. I measure everything. One of the things that was repeated probably 15 times at every class for 6 months was measure everything that goes in your mouth.
When I started my solid food stage yesterday I noticed that the 2oz I could get down before was a whole lot more than my new stage. I think I managed 1 ounce total and was full for hours.
If your Nutritionist said 1/2 cup I would not go over that 1/2 cup. The foods on the first few weeks are slider foods that’s why you can eat more.