How long do you really go between meals?

[honk 780]

I had a fill this week and can now move to solids (now at 10CC's). I definately think that a few minutes after I stop eating that I get the sensation of being full. My doctor's office says the sweet spot is when you can go 5 hours before you need to eat again. I would'nt say that I really WANT to wait that long between meals but can force my self to. How long do you go between meals? By this I mean having Breakfast or lunch and then waiting till the next meal with no Snacks. My doctor says to have 3 oz of Protein but does'nt really get specific about how much vegetables. Do you measure by weight or by measuring cup?

Thanks

[TucsonAnnie 2]

Good question. I'm going to ask my doc at my next appointment. I use a measuring cup, regardless of weight. I'm afraid of stretching.

I try to keep the 5 hour rule, but most of the time it's just not possible. I eat a lot of popsicles. I actually look forward to those Protein shakes now, and I hate milk.

[zeniada 9]

I can only go 2-3 hours btwn meals...I think I need a fill.

As far as how much I eat well probably to much.

I can eat a lot but get full quick, I try to stay with the 3-4 oz Protein and 1/2 cup of veg and 1/4 cup starch if I'm still hungry.

[Phranp 46]

I had a fill this week and can now move to solids (now at 10CC's). I definately think that a few minutes after I stop eating that I get the sensation of being full. My doctor's office says the sweet spot is when you can go 5 hours before you need to eat again. I would'nt say that I really WANT to wait that long between meals but can force my self to. How long do you go between meals? By this I mean having breakfast or lunch and then waiting till the next meal with no Snacks. My doctor says to have 3 oz of Protein but does'nt really get specific about how much vegetables. Do you measure by weight or by measuring cup?

Thanks

Can I/do I go 5 hours between meals? Yes. Do I have to force myself? No. BUT, and this makes the big difference: physical hunger was never my problem. So, you will probably have a good number of people that will respond that they can go 5 (or more) hours and not get hungry -- physically hungry, that is. I struggle (albeit much less since banding, and much therapy) with "head hunger". Tuesday I was irritable and grumpy. I sat at my desk and wanted to eat something sweet/chocolate ... it was almost lunch time. I called a friend to talk about how I was feeling so that I wouldn't eat over it. When I got off the phone I wasn't hungry but it had now been more than 5 hours since I'd had my breakfast -- a Protein Drink. So, I steamed a handful of baby carrots and ate them, thinking that I would eat lunch later. Well, I forgot -- I actually forgot -- to eat lunch. Before I knew it the workday was done and it was time to go home and make dinner. I didn't get hungry, and this, for me is not an anomaly. The thing that has been changing more and more since banding is that I do not eat over emotions -- most of the time. I still have slips, but I am better than I have ever been in my life, thanks to the restriction provided by my band. So, some people can go 5 hours or more because the band is keeping their hunger at bay, and some people (like me) can go 5 hours or more because hunger was never the issue. I don't think that many doctors consider this when a patient comes in for a fill and they ask "Are you hungry between meals?"

All that said, I really do believe that the band, with proper restriction, will keep you from being hungry for a longer period of time.

All the best to you on your journey.

[ElfiePoo 109]

My surgeon said 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup vegies and 1/4 cup starch if I'm still hungry.

It varies. I think I'm in need of a fill because I seem to be hungry all the time again...but for awhile there I was able to go 4 hours. Looking back, however, I think I was more successful when I was eating 3 meals with a snack of Protein in between...so eating something about every 2.5-3 hours. Maybe because it kept my blood sugar more stable.

.

[TucsonAnnie 2]

Wow.

No wonder I'm hungry all the time. All I get is 4oz (1/2 cup) for a meal. 3 times a day. My doctor says that's all I should ever eat. It's working but I am miserable.

[Pamalamadingdong 0]

Depends, I only had a Special K Protein meal bar for breakfast and was starving about 3 1/2 hours later. Had about 3 oz of chicken and some 1/2 cup of green Beans for lunch and that kept me going for about 6 hours. I need to get my head in line with my stomach more so than anything. I had my first fill on Monday and it seems to be really helping if I listen to my body and not my mind.

[reverie 49]

I eat every 3 hours; good for the muscles and the metabolism. 5 hours to me seems to be too much; your body needs constant fuel to keep it going. Each meal I shoot for a cup of food. 4oz Protein (usually chicken or turkey) and 1/4-1/2 cup of veggies.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Wow.

No wonder I'm hungry all the time. All I get is 4oz (1/2 cup) for a meal. 3 times a day. My doctor says that's all I should ever eat. It's working but I am miserable.

I've never figured out how anyone could 'not' be hungry on 1/2 cup a day, but are you sure your doctor was talking about 1/2 cup? There's a difference in 4 oz and 1/2 cup. 4 oz of Water = 1/2 cup...but not anything else. Perhaps he meant 4 oz as in 4 oz of Protein...or perhaps 2-3 oz of Protein plus vegies?

Last summer I was overfilled and physically limited to about 1/2 cup of 'real food' (protein and vegies) due to getting stuck all the time. I was also starving all the time and eventually resorted to sliders just to get some food into me.

I wonder about the long term viability of reducing food so drastically and being so miserable.

.

[jiminyt 0]

Breakfast: 6:00am

Protein Shake: 10:00am

Lunch: 11:30am Lean Cusine, Smart One, tuna, or chicken salad

Snack: 3:00pm usually fruit, cheese or low fat yougurt

Dinner: 5:30pm

Snack: 7:30 - 8:00pm sugar free fudgecicle, 100 cal. popcorn, or frozen low fat yogurt

By the time it's cut up my dinner is probably between 1/2 and 3/4 cup which includes Protein & vegies.

[Acadia 20]

Wow.

No wonder I'm hungry all the time. All I get is 4oz (1/2 cup) for a meal. 3 times a day. My doctor says that's all I should ever eat. It's working but I am miserable.

That is very wrong. You cannot consume 1,200 calories in 1.5 cups of food per day.

You should be trying for 1-1.5 cups per meal and a minimum of 1,200 calories. If you start working out using heavy weights (5-8 reps per set) you'll want to increase your calories accordingly.

Your Dr is nuts if he thinks that 0.5 c of food three times a day is sufficient. You'll lose weight but you'll also consume muscle mass so your body can actually function.

[JJLaw08 4]

I can easily go 5 hours without eating. I don't eat breakfast at all, and sometimes I won't eat anything until 12 or 1. Also, I don't measure my food. I just get a little of whatever I'm having, and eat until I feel that feeling that if I eat another bite it is going to hurt.

[JJLaw08 4]

That is very wrong. You cannot consume 1,200 calories in 1.5 cups of food per day.

You should be trying for 1-1.5 cups per meal and a minimum of 1,200 calories. If you start working out using heavy weights (5-8 reps per set) you'll want to increase your calories accordingly.

Your Dr is nuts if he thinks that 0.5 c of food three times a day is sufficient. You'll lose weight but you'll also consume muscle mass so your body can actually function.

I am a little worried about this as well, but I just don't feel like eating. I don't have breakfast, and I eat maybe 1/2 cup for lunch and dinner. I do have a snack in the afternoon, and I do most of my eating after dinner (which isn't good).

[isaviolinist 11]

I don't eat breakfast. I eat lunch around noon. I usually have some kind of small snack sometime in the afternoon (like 2 samples at the market or something similar) and then dinner between 6-8PM. I don't usually think about food or feel hungry during the day. The evening is a different story however. I am a compulsive eater, and my eating at night generally has nothing to do with hunger. I decided to go to therapy for it as I was tired of my Compulsive eating running my life.

Re: weighing - I weigh all of my Protein on a food scale. Depending on what the veggie is, I either weigh it or measure it. Carbs I usually weigh. If its something out of a box/can/container/package etc and its not a one serving item (like Cereal, ice cream, cheese etc) I weigh it (I look at the serving size - 30g for example - and if that's what I want to eat I just weigh out 30g). I would be lost without my food scale.< /p>

[Noturningback15 45]

Today, I had breakfast at 9:30, lunch at 1:30, and dinner at 5:30. I had a popcicle at 12 something. I didn't get hungry in between meals. I ate at those times because I don't like to go more than 4 hours without food but I am sure I could have went longer.