Grazing, is this normal?

[New_me_2022 29]

Hello everyone, I'm 14 months post op (sleeve) and have surpassed my weight loss goal. I've noticed over the past few months that I find myself constantly eating and snacking. Now this has not affected my weight loss but it does make me worry if my grazing brings a potential to gain it all back. I snack on a variety of things but mainly natural nut trailmix with raisins or cranberries. Sometimes the occasional bag of popcorn, fruit, or Jerky. Part of me thinks its a mental thing in which I have a need to be constantly chewing, but idk 🤷‍♂️.

Has anyone else experienced this or is experiencing this?

[ms.sss 14,704]

im 4+ years post op.

I've been grazing since the beginning and still do.

I think it matters more how many total calories you consume than how many times you eat.

so long as the higher frequency of eating times does not result in more calories overall (for your given situation), you should find it makes no difference.

Good luck! ❤️

[Tomo 1,138]

I graze all day too. Since the beginning. Like @Ms.SSS said it's the total calories at the end of the day. For example, today I had 3 that's it dark chocolate truffles, later I had 100g watermelon, an hour or so later I had a cup of grapes. If i graze on the heavy side during the day, I will skip dinner or eat light low calorie filling snack instead... Etc. I give myself a lot of leeway, I go by average monthly calories so when if I go over average calories one week, I know I can make up for it the week after.

I don't think it's a problem unless you are eating due to emotion and/or eating out of boredom. Even then, if one tracks, it makes one aware and helps keep the weight from creeping back while trying to figuring out things emotionally.

[learn2cook 495]

I find that I graze on Saturdays. So, to keep my weight in check, I prepped all the Snacks so I would make healthy choices and know every lick, bite,and sip. It took the pressure off the day and made me feel more normal? I also take a break from logging food that day.

[Spinoza 1,194]

57 minutes ago, learn2cook said:

I find that I graze on Saturdays. So, to keep my weight in check, I prepped all the Snacks so I would make healthy choices and know every lick, bite,and sip. It took the pressure off the day and made me feel more normal? I also take a break from logging food that day.

Oh this is SO interesting to me! I graze on Mondays and always allow myself extra leeway. It's far and away my worst eating day of the week but I have learned to allow myself this and then track track track Tuesday - Friday. Interesting.

[Arabesque 6,494]

This is really about developing a way of eating that works for you. It’s only wrong if it doesn’t work.

I don’t graze as such but I snack - usually 3 or 4 a day. I have specific range of things I eat at specific times - yep very routine & yep that anal. I don’t mindlessly snack. The Snacks meet specific needs I have for Protein, fibre, etc. My snacks don’t exceed my daily calories but actually help me meet my caloric & higher protein needs.

I don’t track. Never had to & have always just done random checks about especially with new foods & to ensure I’m not over/under estimating or becoming complacent. I prep most of what I eat myself from scratch so I have a lot of control over what I eat.

I snack on multigrain crackers & liverwurst, cheese, high protein yoghurt, nuts, Protein Bar. Occasionally I’ll snack on fruit (fresh or freeze dried), baked fava Beans or chick peas, multi grain rice crackers & hummus (carefully as a slider), & peanut paste. I tend not to eat sweet foods at all so there’s very little sugar, sugar alternatives or artificial sugar in my diet.

Bonus is the snacking between meals actually helps keep my acidic stomach under better control.

Out of curiosity does anyone else find the time between eating gets less as the day goes on? I eat at 9am, 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 5pm (not always), 6pm & 7pm.

[summerseeker 1,860]

I would say that I graze all day too. I still have a good restriction, especially where meats are concerned, so to get my Protein and enough calories in, I eat tiny meals all day. If

don't manage to eat it, I will go back to it later. Protein yogurt for Breakfast, Homemade lentil and vegetable Soup for lunch, cheese and fruit snack in the afternoon. meat or fish and vegetables for evening meal, nuts and seeds watching TV and a glass of milk before bed.

It works for me and my Constipation

[Tomo 1,138]

This is really about developing a way of eating that works for you. It’s only wrong if it doesn’t work.

I don’t graze as such but I snack - usually 3 or 4 a day. I have specific range of things I eat at specific times - yep very routine & yep that anal. I don’t mindlessly snack. The Snacks meet specific needs I have for Protein, fibre, etc. My Snacks don’t exceed my daily calories but actually help me meet my caloric & higher Protein needs.

I don’t track. Never had to & have always just done random checks about especially with new foods & to ensure I’m not over/under estimating or becoming complacent. I prep most of what I eat myself from scratch so I have a lot of control over what I eat.

I snack on multigrain crackers & liverwurst, cheese, high protein yoghurt, nuts, Protein Bar. Occasionally I’ll snack on fruit (fresh or freeze dried), baked fava Beans or chick peas, multi grain rice crackers & hummus (carefully as a slider), & peanut paste. I tend not to eat sweet foods at all so there’s very little sugar, sugar alternatives or artificial sugar in my diet.

Bonus is the snacking between meals actually helps keep my acidic stomach under better control.

Out of curiosity does anyone else find the time between eating gets less as the day goes on? I eat at 9am, 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 5pm (not always), 6pm & 7pm.

This made me think about grazing vs snacks vs small meals. Now I think I may be doing regular small snacks a day or 6 small meals vs 3 large meals. In the end it's like 4 to 6x a day. It just feels like "grazing" because I eat more often than pre WLS. Makes me wonder.

[ms.sss 14,704]

everyday is different for me. some days im food heavy in the beginning of my eating window, sometimes at the end, sometimes middle, sometimes not at all.

all depends on how im feeling any particular days.

grazing vs. snacking: i *think*, now that u guys bring it up, the diff between the two is scheduling and/or regularity. i guess for me, meals + Snacks would be at set times more or less with set amounts. grazing is more like whatever: i eat when i feel like it, in small-ish amounts all "day" long (where "day" for me is generally 12-7 pm)

note: i do eat outside this window on occasion but not often

Edited February 15, 2023 by ms.sss

[Tomo 1,138]

everyday is different for me. some days im food heavy in the beginning of my eating window, sometimes at the end, sometimes middle, sometimes not at all.
all depends on how im feeling any particular days.
grazing vs. snacking: i *think*, now that u guys bring it up, the diff between the two is scheduling and/or regularity. i guess for me, meals + Snacks would be at set times more or less with set amounts. grazing is more like whatever: i eat when i feel like it, in small-ish amounts all "day" long (where "day" for me is generally 12-7 pm)
note: i do eat outside this window on occasion but not often

Another good post that makes me think and wonder whether I graze or eat mini meals (or snacks) lol. I don't eat on schedule and there are days I am not hungry till 3 pm so I don't eat at all and just drink coffee and other days I begin at 10 am. I am all over the place when it starts but the time in between is naturally steady I guess, like 2 to 3 hours.

[Alex Brecher 10,494]

It's not uncommon for some people to continue to have the habit of snacking, even after weight loss surgery. However, it's important to make sure that the Snacks you choose are in line with your bariatric diet and do not sabotage your weight loss goals. You can try to determine if the snacking is related to hunger or if it's a habit or emotional response. If you feel it's the latter, you may want to consider seeking the help of a therapist or counselor to work through any underlying emotional issues. Additionally, finding new activities to occupy your time, such as exercise or hobbies, can help reduce the urge to snack.

The BariatricPal Store carries a huge selection of Bariatric friendly Protein Snacks & Desserts at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatric-high-protein-low-calorie-snacks-and-desserts

Here are some other bariatric-friendly ideas as well:

chips and Crunchy Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/protein-chips-and-crunchy-protein-snacks

chocolate Bars & Candies: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatric-friendly-chocolate-bars-chocolate-candies

Cakes, Cookies & Wafers: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/cookies-wafers

sugar-free Candy: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/sugar-free-candy

cheese Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/cheese-snacks

meat & Jerky Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/meat-snacks

Fish Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/fish-snacks

Protein Bars: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/protein-bars

Pretzels: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/pretzels

Nuts: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/nut-snacks

[Arabesque 6,494]

14 hours ago, Tomo said:

This made me think about grazing vs Snacks vs small meals. Now I think I may be doing regular small snacks a day or 6 small meals vs 3 large meals. In the end it's like 4 to 6x a day. It just feels like "grazing" because I eat more often than pre WLS. Makes me wonder.

I think much like @ms.sss about snacking: it’s regular & planned. Portions & nutrition are considered. To me grazing is random eating of whatever you want, often emotionally/head hunger driven. Portion size or nutrition is if minimal or no concern. I think small meals are planned too & are more rounded like the part serve of a full meal. You might prepare three meals a day but only eat part of one meal at a sitting finishing it a little later on. Like have a first breakfast & then later have a second breakfast to finish the meal.

When I was trying to stabilise my weight loss I was snacking about 5 times a day as I my meals were still smaller - couldn’tt eat more.. Once my meals became a little larger & equal to or closer to the recommended portion sizes, I didn’t need to snack as much for my needed calories & Protein so I dropped 1or 2 of them a day.

Oh & I eat more across a day & more regularly than I did before surgery too. (Was a meal skipper before.) But I eat better - healthier, more nutritionally dense foods - now & my body burns those calories more efficiently than before (thank you surgery).

Edited February 16, 2023 by Arabesque

[Danpaul 42]

Whether it's snacking or grazing we must be prepared. First try to avoid what I was told is slider foods. These are high carb foods such as popcorn, chips, crackers, cakes, etc. You can eat a ton of them but never feel full and they do not have any nutritional value. Instead prepare and weigh out Snacks like nuts, Protein Bars, veggies. I was instructed to eat the food slowly. When I eat nuts I take one at a time nibble it and extend the time I have to enjoy the snack. I was instructed not to take a handful and gulp them down. Same with other foods. Eat slowly, nibble at it and make the eating process last. So far it's a strategy that has worked for me.