Confused no direction

[gailbee]

Hi Sleeve Family,
I rely on this site because I feel like I have no direction with my NUT. I am almost 5 months out and have lost about 55 pounds. I pretty much eat what I want, but I am very mindful. Some days it feels like I can eat more than others. Does that make sense. Today I got fried chicken cabbage and sweet potatoes. I hate several bites of chicken, a couple of bites cabbage. No sweet potatoes and my stomach felt very full and hurting, At what point does the stomach stop doing like that or does it ever? Should I not be eating any bread at all? Should I not deny myself sweets? I have cut back a lot yes. but I guess I just need some helpful advice.

Thanks,
Gailbee

[zoey101]

Hi Gailbee, You should never be able to eat the way you used to that's the whole point of the sleeve. Do not push it and remember your only 5 months out so very new. You have lost allot of weight already which is great but be careful with your menu choices. Fried chicken once in a while is OK I guess but don't make it a habit or you could end up with a regain very easily down the road. Bread is extremely filling and at 14 months out I still can't eat more than one slice without the crust and then I am stuffed. For me I can't eat more than a few bites of anything still and I am full so I stop. Once you are able to eat and eat without consequence then it's time to reset the tummy. After goal you can eat whatever you want whenever you want but in MUCH smaller portions period. You need to be mindful of healthy choices for the majority and treat yourself every now and then. But if your looking for the day that you can eat and eat and eat without pain and discomfort then the sleeve may not have been a good choice for you. This is a tool and it tells you when you've had enough but sometimes the brain doesn't catch up to the stomach in time so be very mindful of that. You can stretch the sleeve if you constantly overeat from what I hear but you would have to do it all the time. I don't know if you've reached goal but if you haven't I would go back to basics and lay off the junk food until you hit goal at the very least. Good luck to you!

[gailbee]

Thank you so much. What is the restart? I don't always over eat but today it was like I ate but didn't feel that stop button until after I ate if if that makes sense?? What is your typical day?

[zoey101]

There is what they call a pouch test, I have never done it but you can Google it. I would put in "Pouch test after Gastric Sleeve". My day is pretty simple, my protein drink, a bowl of special K or an egg something along those lines. I do have a very hard time sitting down for an actual meal so I will have a bowl of grapes and some cheese maybe or yogurt for lunch a small piece of fish with a little vedgie, sometimes a little steak for dinner but really small portions. Sergento makes these little packets with cheese nuts and raisens and they have other kinds, super healthy and you get that sweet and salty so that's my go to snack. I will have chips or a couple cookies here and there but never touched that until after I hit my goal weight.

[mrtumnus]

Can someone explain what is a NUT?

[gailbee]

I know that is what your nutritionist is referred to.

[rtbdds]

Nutritionist....

[Katrina]

Just for the record, I eat fried chicken every day. 4 Chick Fil tenders, 3 Zaxby's tenders or 5 sweet n spicy wings, 3 Popeye's tenders, 3 Guthrie's tenders... Tonight it was 2 huge Champy's famous fried chicken tenders. (I usually eat it over a couple of hours time as I can't eat a full serving all at once obviously) Haven't gained a single pound.

[WANAGL]

Hi Sleeve Family,
I rely on this site because I feel like I have no direction with my NUT. I am almost 5 months out and have lost about 55 pounds. I pretty much eat what I want, but I am very mindful. Some days it feels like I can eat more than others. Does that make sense. Today I got fried chicken cabbage and sweet potatoes. I hate several bites of chicken, a couple of bites cabbage. No sweet potatoes and my stomach felt very full and hurting, At what point does the stomach stop doing like that or does it ever? Should I not be eating any bread at all? Should I not deny myself sweets? I have cut back a lot yes. but I guess I just need some helpful advice.

Thanks,
Gailbee

There are some excellent videos on YouTube... Search for Dr Matthew Weiner. His videos are full of direction to help.

Best of luck as you continue your journey!

[cowgirljane]

I don't think there are hard and fast shoulds and should nots.... it is more like what supports your personal goals the best? I had to lose ALOT of weight and I didn't want to stall out before I got to goal - so I was pretty careful to eat right and exercise regularly during the weight loss phase. I have been maintaining for 3 1/2 years now and am still careful, but have a bit more flexibility.

A couple of things that have worked well for me:
-stay well hydrated
-don't eat till full, seek "absence of hunger"
-use small plates and utinsils - I use appetizer sized or side salad size plates
-if your stomach hurts or is uncomfortable or you vomit you probably ate too much, or too fast or both... or you should talk to your surgeon to rule out any problems. For me, it isn't normal to be in pain or vomiting
-eat protein first, veggies second and then honestly there isn't much room for bread, rice and other stuff like that
-watch out for sliders - food that goes down TOO easy. Classic examples are chips, crackers that sort of thing. be aware that if you start snacking on that stuff you are unlikely to feel "satisfied" and can eat too much of the wrong thing that way
-consider taking a PPI to control acid. Acid often feels like gnawing hunger

[gailbee]

Thank you so much. I am really trying. Some days are different, like today I can hardly take many bites of anything??? but I am glad because I know it will not always be that way. I ate some chinese child portion of beef, there was some rice and I took a little bite of each. I was out to eat with co-workers. snack later was chicken salad, and few wheat-thins same thing. ate a cheese stick just fine go figure. But thank you so much any advise is well taken and needed....

[tinman]

I don't think there are hard and fast shoulds and should nots.... it is more like what supports your personal goals the best? I had to lose ALOT of weight and I didn't want to stall out before I got to goal - so I was pretty careful to eat right and exercise regularly during the weight loss phase. I have been maintaining for 3 1/2 years now and am still careful, but have a bit more flexibility.

A couple of things that have worked well for me:
-stay well hydrated
-don't eat till full, seek "absence of hunger"
-use small plates and utinsils - I use appetizer sized or side salad size plates
-if your stomach hurts or is uncomfortable or you vomit you probably ate too much, or too fast or both... or you should talk to your surgeon to rule out any problems. For me, it isn't normal to be in pain or vomiting
-eat protein first, veggies second and then honestly there isn't much room for bread, rice and other stuff like that
-watch out for sliders - food that goes down TOO easy. Classic examples are chips, crackers that sort of thing. be aware that if you start snacking on that stuff you are unlikely to feel "satisfied" and can eat too much of the wrong thing that way
-consider taking a PPI to control acid. Acid often feels like gnawing hunger

Uh.....what she said.