I feel so lost and angry

yesterday I consumed 1400 calories at only 11 weeks post op gastric sleeve.

2 weeks ago I started feeling a lot more hungry so increased my calorie intake to 900-1000 because I thought if I’m hungry, then eat.

when I used to diet before the surgery I was on 1500 calories so to me it’s absolutely bizzare that I’ve had 85% of my stomach removed and can still eat 1400?

can anyone please give me some advice?
I’m hitting my protein everyday keeping and carbs to a minimum.

Edited April 21, 20224 yr by Livgreen___

Good morning I’m sorry you’re not feeling good about your choices. It sounds like you tracked your food intake which is excellent. So what consisted of the 1400 calories? Like what did you eat exactly? I ask because of nutrient purposes. You might have eaten more nutrient dense calories than you think. Also watch your hunger signal vs thirst signal they can we’ll be same as well as stomach acid. Sometimes in the beginning weeks after my sleeve surgery my stomach would be growling a little bit after I ate I quickly caught on that it was my stomach digesting what I ate.

lastly definitely reach out to your Dietitian or Nutritionist and see how they can answer this question for you from a clinical stand point.
good luck to you

Portion control rather than calorie counting is the key at this point. Eat only 1/2 cup even if you can consume more, don't do it.

1 hour ago, GradyCat said:

Portion Control rather than calorie counting is the key at this point. Eat only 1/2 cup even if you can consume more, don't do it.

My team says to get up to a cup of food per meal over time. But, regardless of how much you have eaten, stop when you are full.

I am only 4 weeks out, so I am around a half a cup and usually can't finish it.

To help we need a little back ground information. Please tell us your height , weight and age. Then how much weight you have lost. Then if you could tell us what you ate for the 1400 calories. It may be a very simple fix. Do not beat yourself up its only one day

I think the quality of the food is more important than the quantity of the food. Plus, one day of eating 1400 calories is not going to cause you to gain weight.

Were you eating protein or chips and cookies? Were you eating real food or drinking a milkshake?

There were times at 11 weeks out when I would eat about 1000 calories or more, but I still lost weight. It was mostly days when I had exercised a lot or was awake for longer than normal (like had to get up at 3 AM for a flight).

You should eat when you're hungry, but make sure your eating healthy food, and that you're experiencing TRUE hunger not head hunger, thirst, or some other emotion.

Some plans encourage you to eat more than 1000 calories a day especially at your 11 weeks out. So don’t beat yourself up if you’ve had some days that you have. I bet even when you did you still didn’t eat the volume of food or at the same frequency as you did before surgery.

I was only advised portion sizes never calories. I started at 1/4 cup & worked up to almost a cup by goal. One of the most helpful strategies I still employ is to ask myself if I need the next bite or do I just want it. Coupled with trying to stop eating before I feel full. Eat slowly and never be afraid to put your cutlery down, push your plate away from you &/or sit back from the table.

Real hunger feels different to head hunger. Head hunger will go if I distract myself or delay eating for 30minutes or so or if I focus on drinking (warm is best). Real hunger persists. With head hunger I want a specific food or flavour (sweet, salty, etc.) but it often doesn’t satisfy the desire. With real hunger I just want food & nutritionally dense food satisfies it. I feel restless with real hunger like something is wrong. Head hunger usually affects my emotions - hangry or frustrated. Are you bored, stressed, frustrated or another emotion & is this what is driving you to eat? Are you eating out of habit or a time on the clock? A rumbling tummy often doesn’t mean you are hungry but it’s just your body digesting food. I rumble & grumble all day long but I’m not hungry. Stomach acid can make you think you’re hungry. PPIs can help with that.

Nutritionally dense food like proteins are usually more filling than empty calorie, high sugar, high fat or highly processed foods.

Have a chat with your dietician.

1. Make sure you're eating solids. Things like yogurt and whatnot will just liquify in your stomach and flush through, thus leaving you hungry again.

2. Going along with point #1, don't drink anything during or after meals. Again, liquids will just push any food you eat through.

3. Are you eating a lot of fat? Doesn't take much oil, butter, cream, cheese, etc to get you up to 1400 in a hurry.

4. Follow your plan to a T. Three 25 minute meals, broken down nutritionally with solid foods without liquid. If you're doing this perfectly and your stomach's growling, then call your doctor's office. If your stomach doesn't feel empty, then you're not physically hungry. You're mentally hungry. Surgery's going to get rid of that for some, but for many, it won't. Try to distract yourself, and if you need to, find a therapist to talk to.

My surgeon, who I have to say is very different to everyone else's it seems, says no counting: and only 3 rules

1. Eat healthy, high quality, whole foods. You know what they are.

2. Eat about a cup of solid food and listen to your body.

3. Don't drink with or 40 minutes after food.

Are you doing all these things? Oh, and chin up. Don't get angry, get even.

On 4/22/2022 at 5:30 AM, Arabesque said:

With head hunger I want a specific food or flavour

Famously, this is how to identify head hunger. Or as I challenge myself: go on, eat as many plain boiled eggs as you like, buddy. A genuinely hungry person wouldn't say no.