How much can you eat when you're at your sweet spot? Be specific...approx. how many bites of food and what kind of food. Like if it's Soup...is it a cup or half cup or if it's meat...is it the size of a deck of cards or smaller? If it's a meal...what does it consist of and how much?

I'm just having some problems and I'm trying to figure out if I'm eating too much or something.

I have 5.5 cc's in a 10 cc band. I'm not sure if I'm at the sweet spot yet but here's what I had for lunch. One chicken patty (breast meat about the size of a frozen burger patty and 140 calories) and 1/2 cup of salad. I'm full and completely satisfied.

Gosh, that depends on so many things..... I'm at 5.5 CCs in a 10CC band and I feel I'm at my sweet spot for now. I know it will loosen a little as I continue to lose weight, but my band is fickle. Sometimes I can eat two cups of something. (RARELY I assure you) but usually that will be something easy to eat like soup or oatmeal. I normally eat about 1/2 to 1 cup of food. That's where I'm supposed to be. but if I'm upset, nervous, worried, sick or just after a fill, I can only eat 4 or 5 bites. I know some people are restricted in the morning, but I seem to be okay there. I can eat a 4 oz. snack cup of cottage cheese and three strawberries and feel fine. I can eat a little more in the evenings, and sometimes it's hard not to. It also depends on WHAT I eat. Meat is more difficult, and I can't eat a lot of it. I do much better with veggies and fruit.

At your "sweet spot" the ideal is about 1/2-3/4 cup of food and you should stay full/satisfied for 4 hours. I have been told if I go longer than 4 or 4-1/2 hours between meals to have a small snack such as a little cheese and a couple of crackers because even at your sweet spot going 5 hours or more will leave you starving when you get to your food. I've certainly found that to be true. For lunch, I had my childhood favorite (once called it "orange soup") -- Cambell's Condensed Vegetable Beef Soup (ate the whole can, which is around a cup of solid food and a cup of broth, 225 calories and 12.5 grams of protein. With the cheese I had with it (7 grams of protein), I was right on the 20 grams of protein per meal. It will be 7 hours before I see any dinner, so I may have a snack but will try not to since I am going out to dinner and I'd prefer to limit my calories now just to be on the safe side.

Aubrie ... regarding problems with meat, that usually is because it is dry. If it's steak, try ordering/cooking it only to rare (that is more moist). Chicken...instead of broiling it, try this....a square of foil, place the chicken breast on the foil, put a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth (I keep a box in my fridge just for cooking), season it. You can even place some onions, broccoli and carrots on top. Seal up the foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375. The chicken will be much more moist and your veggies are cooked too ... and clean-up is throwing away the piece of foil. You can cook fish in foil (but I don't put veggies in with fish because I don't want them to taste like the fish) and you can do a hamburger steak that way with a little water and worcestershire sauce, seasons, a little onion, 3 slices of potato, 3-4 baby carrots. Yummy and easy. The extra moisture helps make the meat, whatever it is, go down easier.

Aubrie ... regarding problems with meat, that usually is because it is dry. If it's steak, try ordering/cooking it only to rare (that is more moist). chicken...instead of broiling it, try this....a square of foil, place the chicken breast on the foil, put a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth (I keep a box in my fridge just for cooking), season it. You can even place some onions, broccoli and carrots on top. Seal up the foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375. The chicken will be much more moist and your veggies are cooked too ... and clean-up is throwing away the piece of foil. You can cook fish in foil (but I don't put veggies in with fish because I don't want them to taste like the fish) and you can do a hamburger steak that way with a little Water and worcestershire sauce, seasons, a little onion, 3 slices of potato, 3-4 baby carrots. Yummy and easy. The extra moisture helps make the meat, whatever it is, go down easier.

THANK YOU parrotheadcathy for this great info....i will definitely take this advice!!

My doc says I'm where I'm supposed to be, don't know if that is sweet spot or not. How much depends on what. I'm making stir fry chicken for dinner and will be able to eat about 2 cups (broccoli seems difficult for me). The other day I had 3 slices of thin crust pizza. For breakfast I can eat 2 eggs and half an english muffin. Seems to me I can eat way more than that 1/2 cup the doc said I'd get to. But as long as I lose weight (even if much more slowly than I want), I guess it is okay.

My doc says I'm where I'm supposed to be, don't know if that is sweet spot or not. How much depends on what. I'm making stir fry chicken for dinner and will be able to eat about 2 cups (broccoli seems difficult for me). The other day I had 3 slices of thin crust pizza. For breakfast I can eat 2 eggs and half an english muffin. Seems to me I can eat way more than that 1/2 cup the doc said I'd get to. But as long as I lose weight (even if much more slowly than I want), I guess it is okay.

If you're losing I wouldn't care either....lol! Stir-fry sounds so good right now. Do you eat it with rice? See I can't even eat soft eggs at lunch time. I might be able to eat about 3-4 small bites before I get pain and it comes back up. I think an unfill in what I need even if other days I can eat a lot more than I should.

I find in the morning that I have a very hard time eating much of anything. Usually I just do a protein shake with a banana in it and sip slowly. Later in the day I am only able to eat about 1/2 cup of food. I do find that eating solids like cheese and crackers, tuna fish, meatloaf etc. sit better in my stomach. I have to eat my dinner meal much earlier so that I don't have a vomit during the night but that seems to work. If it is soup, I can eat a little more then 1/2 cup. I find it hard to get all my nutrients in during the day. How about others?

Melanie

Edited April 3, 200917 yr by mel1nurse
words not spelled right

I find in the morning that I have a very hard time eating much of anything. Usually I just do a Protein shake with a banana in it and sip slowly. Later in the day I am only able to eat about 1/2 cup of food. I do find that eating solids like cheese and crackers, tuna fish, meatloaf etc. sit better in my stomach. I have to eat my dinner meal much earlier so that I don't have a vomit during the night but that seems to work. If it is soup, I can eat a little more then 1/2 cup. I find it hard to get all my nutrients in during the day. How about others?

Melanie

It seems that everyone varies from 1/2 cup to 2 cups. I guess if we are continuing lose it is all good. Are you concerned that you are not eating enough though? After a while of being too tight, I started losing my hair. How about you?

I think I may be at my sweet spot finally! I am eating about 1/2-3/4 cups of food at a time. Breakfast is a little tighter. So I usually have hot tea first, then eat a packet of oatmeal. Sometimes I can't finish the whole packet. Then at lunch I will have some lean meat 2-3 oz and a salad. I can eat quite a bit of salad, it must compact alot. Dinners my hardest meal, I want to eat much more by then. I probably get 1 full cup in at dinner. Good luck to you and congrats on your loss!

If you're losing hair, you are NOT eating enough protein. Re-evaluate your protein intake. Amazingly, cottage cheese has A LOT of protein. A serving can have about 13 grams of protein! And even worse than losing hair, if you consistently don't eat the protein you need (around 60 grams a day), eventually your body starts attacking itself, attacking muscle, even your heart. So don't fool yourself...you have to eat that protein. If you are so tight you can't take in the proper nutrition, then you need to see the doc because you cannot thrive under those conditions.

If you're losing hair, you are NOT eating enough Protein. Re-evaluate your protein intake. Amazingly, cottage cheese has A LOT of protein. A serving can have about 13 grams of protein! And even worse than losing hair, if you consistently don't eat the protein you need (around 60 grams a day), eventually your body starts attacking itself, attacking muscle, even your heart. So don't fool yourself...you have to eat that protein. If you are so tight you can't take in the proper nutrition, then you need to see the doc because you cannot thrive under those conditions.

I figured this out about the protein. I did up my protein after my hair started falling out. It slowed down some but it is still falling out more than it should. I had an unfill today so I will be able to eat more solid foods, especially meat. I am hoping this is going to help! God created our bodies to let us know when something is wrong! It's amazing!

ParrotheadCathy

Hey...I was wondering if you recommend a certain brand of cottage cheese that tastes good? I am just not a fan of that stuff but maybe I tried the wrong kind. Or maybe you can give me a serving suggestion instead of eating it just plain?

Edited April 3, 200917 yr by Kat225

Cottage cheese is great with a tablespoon of strawberry jam. My kids love it that way. Also canned peaches are good on top. My step-dad ate it with worchestire sauce and pepper. My grandma always ate hers with tomatoes and onions. Okay those last two are weird in my book but the jam and fruit are GREAT!

ParrotheadCathy

Hey...I was wondering if you recommend a certain brand of cottage cheese that tastes good? I am just not a fan of that stuff but maybe I tried the wrong kind. Or maybe you can give me a serving suggestion instead of eating it just plain?

Try adding a bit of sugar free Jello powder and a little fat free whipped topping to your cottage cheese. It becomes a tasty dessert :scared2: