Do you stop eating when you feel your restriction kick in or do you try to stop before you feel it? By waiting for the restriction to quit eating, will you stretch your pouch out? How do you know when to stop before you hit your restriction? Is there signs or do you just eat a certain amount and quit? I'm only 5ish weeks out and still on purees. I'm still learning my new stomach. I believe I get a full feeling/pressure on me chest/esphogis area.

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eating too much will cause you some pain. Its best to portion out your meals. Like this is what i do. and its best to eat slowly, chew well. you will find out how much you can actually eat. If you eat too fast your stomach will fill up quickly and you will feel that fullness pain. I am a person who hates to eat slow because food gets cold. So i try to cook smaller portions and then eat a little more later on.

Yes, if you eat until you "feel full" you will stretch your pouch. The restriction is temporary. Use it to learn how to eat differently. You're not much at risk at the puree stage, but you must still control your intake. During the restrictive period overeating may be uncomfortable or even painful--but not everyone experiences that physical sensation. Follow the guidelines provided by your clinic as to quantities. You will never again have this tool, so use it wisely.

I eat until my appropriately portion-sized meal is complete or when I get the message that the next bite will be a mistake, whichever comes first. This is the rule I've followed since day one with the caveat that for the first 6 months I never completed my meal and learning when the next bite would be a mistake was less than fool-proof.

Good luck,

Tek

The goal should be to stop before you feel full or feel your restriction. You’ve eaten too much if you feel it. I found it very helpful (& I do talk about this a lot) to learn to recognise the difference between needing to eat or wanting to eat. Do I need this next bite or just want it. Needing is real hunger & that your body needs it to function. Wanting is head hunger, eating out of habit, craving, etc. If I don’t need the next bite or I feel/know I’ve had enough I don’t eat any more. It doesn’t matter if I haven’t eaten all my portion. My fridge often has unfinished portions - rolled oats today which I’ll add to & have tomorrow.

It takes time to work out how this works & what it means for you. The restriction won’t be there for ever.

15 hours ago, The Greater Fool said:

I eat until my appropriately portion-sized meal is complete or when I get the message that the next bite will be a mistake, whichever comes first. This is the rule I've followed since day one with the caveat that for the first 6 months I never completed my meal and learning when the next bite would be a mistake was less than fool-proof.

Good luck,

Tek

Same. This is exactly what I do. I portion out my meal and then either stop when the food is gone, or until I feel like I might be getting full - whichever comes first.

Like others said, measure and eat what you should.

Although sometimes that is even too much, that's when you live and learn. haha

If you eat slow enough, you will notice the "fullness" before you get to the point it makes you uncomfortable or sick.

I learned the hard way to measure and weigh out my food until I learned to eyeball it lol After once or twice of having 1 bite too many, I learned to eat until I'm not hungry anymore, not until I'm stuffed. I've felt like "omg I'm officially dying now" and that's not fun at all. So I make sure what I eat is within my allotted limits, even though certain foods sit heavier (like red meat and pork chops) and I end up eating a little less than my portion. It can be trial and error, but you'll get there. We all have a bit of a learning curve in this.

We all experience different cues when our new stomach is full. But you will quickly learn to recognise yours. Mine is a runny nose and sneezing but I rarely get to that point because I know the signs in between empty and full now.

I can eat comfortably a mixed meal of 170 grams (6 oz) but in general, I keep my meals between 4 oz to 5 oz per meal, if I am at home (less if I travel).

So I stop eating when satisfied (vs full) at about 66 to 80% of my current capacity, before any body signals occur.

I never put more food in front of me than I am comfortable finishing. I will even move food off of a plate onto my bread or salad plate in a restaurant and immediately ask for a box when it arrives. I tend to eat faster than I probably should, so this is my "fail-safe." I'm one of the unlucky sleevers who dumps so overeating won't just compromise my success, it could make me faint or pass out.