How much food?

[Carjam]

I've recently had the sleeve but worried I'm eating to much. (BTW I feel hungry alot.) I can eat a packet of single serve ground oatmeal in one sitting. For lunch I can eat a whole scrambled egg with a little cheese sprinkled on it. I am full afterwards and have no problem with digestion but I hear others say they can't eat that much so it worries me that I'm having too much. Help!

[Shirl]

Congratulations on your surgery!

I was hungry from three days post op. It is important to learn physical cues for real hunger; mine were irritability, feeling weak or tired, light headed, and some fogginess. I noticed those symptoms if I had gone more than two to three hours without eating. If I had a craving to put food any food in my mouth, I would check the clock. If was less than an hour to about an hour and a half I figured it was head hunger and tried my best to distract myself from the thoughts of food.

That being said, please note that I say this because I see this behavior from a lot of new sleevers who have not spent a lot of time on the forum... You are doing yourself a disservice by comparing yourself to everyone else. We may all have some commonalities like discomfort (others call it pain, but I like to call it discomfort because I have experienced pain like a natural childbirth or a gallbladder attack or low back/sciatica spasms and those are valid painful feelings to me lol!) from drinking too much water at once early on, but I have not found any two specific experiences exactly alike.

One thing you can do is check with your surgeon and ask what type of bougie he used; mine was a 40F bougie which is on the larger size of standard, but it is still 1/2". So early on I could tolerate a 1/2 of oatmeal. I could drink my protein shake 11oz in about 10-15 minutes with small sips. Lucky you that you can eat eggs! I could not tolerate eggs for like the first couple of months!!!

I am almost a year out on May 17th, and I noticed the other day that I almost finished a pita pocket. It contained about three tablespoons of homemade guacamole and 3oz. thinly sliced roasted turkey breast (generally I barely eat half of a sandwich!).

I started worrying, but I do notice that I still have a lot of restriction for more denser foods, and deli meat is not that dense, nor is bread or guacamole.

I am mindful that each month I am farther from my surgery, I will HAVE TO BE MORE VIGILANT of my "diet" (I put in quotes because I am not on a "diet," but do follow a more nutrient dense food plan (does that makes any sense ???). I order to reach my goals of keeping my diabetes at bay for as long as genetically possible, and keeping my cholesterol in check, and be lean and healthy I know I will need to be present and mindful of everything I eat for the rest of my life.

I wish you a continued speedy and healthy recovery.

[sraebaer]

I think you're fine, but I wouldn't eat the oatmeal, I would choose something higher in protein.

[Carjam]

Thanks. I forgot to say I added my protein powder to my oatmeal.

[Donald G]

When I was allowed to eat soft foods I was able to eat 1 large egg and felt full afterwards. I personally think your fine but that is just my thinking.

[Viv28]

You sound like you are doing well. If you eat too much your body will let you now soon. I eat 1 scrambled egg in the morning and that fills me up.

My mental hunger is another issue. I could graze all day long but I don't. Just my meals and making sure I am getting my protein.

[Christie13]

Soft foods are a lot easier to eat. I will be willing to bet that when you eat a piece of chicken or beef you won't be able to eat a lot. It is good to be cognizant but don't work yourself up over nothing. As long as you are losing, you will be fine. Some people can get a ton of fluids in post op while others struggle for months.