Three meals? Or meals plus snacks?

[Pnw_Red 2]

For those who have successfully lost weight or are successfully losing weight--do you eat 3 meals a day, or do you split your food up between meals and Snacks?

I'm about 5 weeks post-op, haven't had a fill, but seem to be one of the fortunate few that have enough restriction to feel a big difference already. I'm generally picking healthy foods and am finding that, without at LEAST one snack a day, it's hard to get up to 1,000 calories. (I never imagined myself with such a problem . . . :wink2: )

I stalled for three weeks at 800 calories a day, which is what eating 3 meals and only when hungry was adding up to, so I'm pretty interested in keeping the calories up around 1,000-1,200 for a while, especially as I'm getting more exercise in.

Any thoughts on the meals only versus Snacks approach?

[luluc 6]

I exercise 5 days a wk, yet pretty active all 7 days in general & I eat 3 meals plus one snack a day - keeping around 1000-1100 calories.

This seems to work for me, I had tried eating 5 or 6 small meals a day - and all that did was halt my weightloss - the only time I really had a plateau.

You might have to play around with your meals / Snacks a bit to see what works for you and your lifestyle.

Good luck w/your weightloss...

[KelinTx 1]

I always manage to get 3 meals in. Im not easily able to eat in the am's so when i make my lunch i divide it in two and eat half as an early lunch then have the other half of it mid afternoon, dinner and most nights i have a small snack in the evening because im not one that can go to bed hungry.

[KarenH 0]

Afternoon/evening seems to be a "hungry" time for me. My doc suggested that I have a small snack - apple, veggie - to hold me over until it's time for dinner. I was eating too much, and too quickly. Stuck!

I am 4 months out from surgery and have lost 34 pounds. In the beginning, I too felt I had enough restriction without any fill. This worked fine for me. I lost 18 lbs before my first fill at 2 months. The doc put in 2 cc's in my band. I have been back twice since my first fill and each time we have decided that I am still restricted enough to lose the weight at the pace we have discussed (1-2 lbs per week.) I did have a month of eating too much "easy foods" and only lost 2.5 lbs that month. That was totally my fault.

That "sweet spot" has been hard for me to find. Good luck to you! By all accounts on this site, we will be able to find it! Karen

Banded 1/25/08

Dr. Peter Rantis

Weight loss 34 pounds

Goal 90 - 100

[Hastings 3]

I think you have to tinker with it a bit to find out what works for you.

While I think it is crucial to follow the doctor's orders during the post op recovery period, the period after that (the rest of your life) is more dependent upon what works for you. I have three small meals a day plus two Snacks and have a hard time coming up with 1200 calories. Less than 1200 calories and I simply don't lose.

[coltonwade 27]

I think its important as well to follow docs orders. Once your own solid foods 800 calories is just not enough . At least I have found. There was a period of time where i was SO HUNGRY all the time and I called my nutrionist and we went over what i was eating, I was only getting in 800 calories a day .

If i drop below 1000 I WONT Lose . I am down almost 100 pds in a yr .

I am allowed up to 6 meals a day . I can have 6 small meals a day or 3 meals a day and 3 Snacks. But I basically eat when im hungry and it ends up being a shake for Breakfast ( Im too tight to eat solids in the am) lunch at about 2 and sometimes a snack after lunch and then dinner around 6 . Sometimes I have a snack after dinner if i need it. I basically eat when im hungry , I just dont worry about it . I DO However make sure i AM HUNGRY and its not head hunger . But generally its 4-5 times a day .

I dont think i have ever eaten 6 times a day .

What does your doc recommend to the original poster. If he/she recommends only 3 meals a day try speaking to him about Snacks.

you may need to adjust what you eat for higher calorie foods.

HOnestly I Just do not see how its possible to get in 1000 calries a day with out snacks. I am sure its possible but its hard i think .

HTH

Mindy

[HeatherO 7]

I eat 3 meals a day. This includes an occasional snack every other day or so depending on when it is needed . . . usually afternoon or evening. I have really great restriction now and believe I am at my "sweet spot." I find that if I allow myself to get too hungry or go too long between meals, I start looking for something "fast" and then I eat too quickly which can cause me to pb very easily.

If I am very hungry, I eat something like a low-sugar, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese or maybe a boiled egg . . . which may seem counterintuitive because it is soft and will not fill me up for long. However, I found this to be an effective strategy because it takes the edge off until it is time for a real meal and even if I eat it quickly I can't pb. Also, these things are readily at my disposal so if I am hungry, I walk to the fridge and eat. No elaborate planning or cooking if I am very hungry.

As I have been banded for quite some time now, I have found that my tastes have changed. I crave healthy food. Yesterday I was craving a salad with a little avocado and some sundried tomatoes (who is this strange person I have become, why am I not craving Cookies, ice cream, fries or chips????). Some of the old items I used to crave just don't do it for me anymore. I loved french fries in the past, and would have some every couple of days. I have had a couple of fries since banding and they taste bland . . . I don't understand what I thought was so special about them before. I think I have to be honest with myself in that I had a carb addiction, which eliminating processed carbs from my diet has essentially cured.

Anyway, I don't even have to think about meals or Snacks now. I eat when I am hungry (and I make sure it has nothing to do with head hunger). My body tells me what to do, I get all of the triggers when to start and stop . . . and the weight just keeps coming off, albeit slow, but fairly steady.

I have no doubt in my mind that the band is the best thing I ever did for myself. My only regret is that I didn't do it 10 years ago. Other than following basic bandster rules (which become ingrained and don't require "thought" after some time), I am not consumed by having to "think" about dieting all the time. It has become natural, which is the greatest blessing of all since it is what I have been missing for all too long. I was initially filled with some doubt that the band could "really" work for me. Even after banding and before restriction, it seemed too difficult in that I was too hungry and I was dieting again which has never worked for me over the long term. Restriction is here and all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you to my wonderful band tool.

[jetti 2]

Pwn Red

I eat 3 meals a day and have a mid morning snack of a Protein Shake and then and late afternoon snack of a piece of fruit and that seems to work for me. I would guess that my calories are around 1200 a day and I work out 5 days a week.

[Pnw_Red 2]

Thanks everyone!

To clarify, my doc's info says it's ok to either split calories up into 3 meals or meals plus Snacks. I'm just curious what has worked for other people who have lost weight.

I tend to agree that eating too little is going to be detrimental to my weight loss (and I DID stall out on 800 cals a day.) I'm astonishingly NOT hungry much of the time, which is GREAT, but leads me to have too few calories if I only go by hunger. However, not being hungry makes it easier to stick to the planned food for the day!

I think I'm going to continue with the 1-2 Snacks a day and see how things go.

Thanks!

[coltonwade 27]

Thanks everyone!

To clarify, my doc's info says it's ok to either split calories up into 3 meals or meals plus Snacks. I'm just curious what has worked for other people who have lost weight.

I tend to agree that eating too little is going to be detrimental to my weight loss (and I DID stall out on 800 cals a day.) I'm astonishingly NOT hungry much of the time, which is GREAT, but leads me to have too few calories if I only go by hunger. However, not being hungry makes it easier to stick to the planned food for the day!

I think I'm going to continue with the 1-2 Snacks a day and see how things go.

Thanks!

It is hard at first to get in enough to eat. We are SO use to over eating we think we have to eat very very little.

It gets better.

I had a problem w/ it seemed like i was eating ALL The time and i FELT like i was and I FELT like i was over eating. But the real issue was what i was eating. I was not eating things that contained Protein so I basically was "wasting" what I ate , it was not keeping me hungry long enough .

I agree with Heather O as well. I eat more veggies now than I ever have in my LIFE . I CRAVE Veggies ! I go through about 6 bell peppers a week !

LOVE THEM !!

I eat Morning star Veggie Burgers ?? WHAT .. ME <<< the FAT GIRL ?? Are you kidding LMAO

It does change and I would do it again in a SECOND !!

LOVE MY BAND

MIndy

[Jachut 487]

3 meals works best for me, I appreciate the theories on small meals five times a day but for me, I just end up eating way more that way.

[coltonwade 27]

3 meals works best for me, I appreciate the theories on small meals five times a day but for me, I just end up eating way more that way.

I would say about 90% of the time I dont need but 1 snack in the afternoon .

Its nice to know its "Allowed" though , Ya know ?

mindy

[Candle 11]

I do 3 meals plus a snack in the afternoon before working out and sometimes a small snack or dessert at night.