What can I expect to be eating later?

[mp8btpc 33]

I know it is still early and I am eating barely 2-3 oz every 3 hours or so. How much can I expect to be eating by six months or a year out? Will I ever be able to eat a meal of average size? Like a taco or something like that? I just am wondering if I will get some relief and be able to take in a bit more at a time.

Also I know drinking with a meal is frowned upon but I like to sip on something to wash my food down. Does anyone else who has had surgery some time ago also drink a bit with their food?

Am I just setting myself up to end up overeating worrying about this or is it just normal emotional connection with food that I am grieving?:thumbup:

[Tiffykins 673]

At 15 months out, I can eat no more than 6-8 oz of mushy/slider foods. Super mushy chili, Beans, yogurts etc etc are all mushy stuff that I can eat almost an entire cup. Now, for meats, I'm good to get in 3-5oz of meat. If I use any type of sauce, I can get more in, but I stick with 3 oz of meat and few bites of veggies/starch. If I want to eat super slow, I can fit in more. If I drink warm fluids before my meal, or have a half a glass of wine, I can fit more food in, but never more than 8oz. I've never pushed it. Never had the desire to really push the limits. I've taken that "one last bite" a couple of times, and I hate puking up that one last bite.

I eat half of what my 12 yr old son eats, and am completely satisfied with my portions. There are ways to eat around the sleeve, it's easy to do, but making the best choice is easier with the sleeve. So, to answer your questions, you'll never really be able to eat normal portions unless you're ordering from a tapas restaurant menu.

I typically do not drink or sip with my meals. I broke that habit with the band, and only do it now if I'm drinking wine with my meal, or if I'm eating uber spicy food, and even then it's tiny sips just enough to wet whistle.

Currently, I can eat 1 soft taco from Taco Bell, if and only if I tear off the entire top part of the tortilla. I can only eat 1/2 crunchy taco, and I do not get lettuce on them because I'm a lettuce snob and refuse to eat iceberg, especially shredded iceberg.

My typical meal is less than 6oz of food unless it's steamed veggies with some sort of sauce then I can eat more. I do have to still eat slow, but not as slow as 2 months post-op.

Tonight, I wanted a beef and cheddar and curly fries from Arby's so I stopped and got a small one(they come in 3 sizes now, I had no clue as it's been at least a year and half since I've had one). I got home, dug all the dough out of the top bun, put 3 small slices of beef with the cheese and 2 packets of Arby's sauces in the little bread bowl, folded it like a taco, and ate it. I had to eat slow because of the bread, but it was indeed divine. I ate 5 curly fries 15 minutes before the little sandwich with a few sips or Dr. Pepper before I started eating the sandwich without issue.

It does get better. But, it'll never be what others consider normal. How I eat now is normal for me, but by all public standards, I eat like a toddler for the most part.

[MlkPas 5]

I'm 5-1/2 months out and I can eat a whole taco, but if I do I know I will feel Thanksgiving-dinner full! I feel like I eat pretty normal amounts of food, but it is WAY WAY WAY less than my DH or DS eat, and I couldn't even begin to eat an entire restaurant meal. (Although I can, on a good day, polish off most of a 240-calorie kid's grilled chicken breast and broccoli meal from California pizza Kitchen. Again, though, Thanksgiving-full!)

As for drinking, my surgeon said it's not the end of the world to have a few sips of a beverage with a meal, and I did at first, but I've gotten out of the habit because the liquid takes up space in my stomach that I'd rather use for food at mealtime! If you're eating slowly and chewing adequately, there's really no need to "wash your food down," anyway.

I am surprised every day by how little I can eat and how satisfied I am with that little. I feel amazingly normal -- in fact, I feel more normal than I ever did before surgery, when I wanted to eat everything in sight and was never satisfied until I had done just that!

And I had one piece of Papa John's pizza for dinner tonight and it was just awesome.

[thinoneday 445]

I know it is still early and I am eating barely 2-3 oz every 3 hours or so. How much can I expect to be eating by six months or a year out? Will I ever be able to eat a meal of average size? Like a taco or something like that? I just am wondering if I will get some relief and be able to take in a bit more at a time.

Also I know drinking with a meal is frowned upon but I like to sip on something to wash my food down. Does anyone else who has had surgery some time ago also drink a bit with their food?

Am I just setting myself up to end up overeating worrying about this or is it just normal emotional connection with food that I am grieving?:confused1:

hi, i'm 8 months out and am enjoying life. . . here is what i eat

breakfast: Protein shake or 1/2 taco (yum) or 1 egg and 1 toast or 3 pieces bacon, 1 slice of cheese, and toast. .

Lunch: 1/4 cup velvetta shells and cheese or 4 oz of whatever, or 1 cup a Soup, or 1 serving of raman noodles

Dinner: 1 lean cusinine (very filling)

Snacks: and this is only sometimes very rarely do i have Snacks, but when i do i'll enjoy some potatoe chips, a couple pieces of chocolate, cheese sticks, Jerky, nuts, seeds, a piece of cake, a couple spoons of ice cream, etc. . . not much though, only a bit and occasionally a rum and coke or wine cooler. . .

Alot of Water, crystal light, sugar free koolaid,

Now i have drank fluids with my meals, but let me tell you something interesting. . if you drink with your meals, you won't get your meal down at all. . .i have found that if i drink something i won't eat properly. . .for example today I went out to eat with my daughter, i had ordered sweet tea, well here comes the tea, i drank some, here came the chips and queso, i had some, and more tea, well here comes the main course and like a kid, i didn't want it, I was full, I took it home . . . you have to be careful when you eat out. . .

[chilo1 62]

I'm a month out and I have to confess that i do tend to have a tiny drink sometimes with my meals to wash it down as you say. My doctor however told me not to do it so I should really stop doing it!

[Carrie 4]

It's great to see all this being only 3 days out. I know someday I'll be back on regular food and it sounds like you guys eat about what I was eating when my lap band worked correctly and I lost 140lbs, which is really exciting for me, the person who wonders if I will lose weight after being on liquids for so long.

[chiderah 0]

I thought I would be depressed about not being able to eat like other people but instead I feel great about it. For the first time in my life I feel like I'm in control of my eating. I eat, get satisfied and then stop eating and I don't miss the extra food at all. I feel more like a normal person now, I NEVER wan't to eat like I use to.

[mp8btpc 33]

Thank you all for your replies it soothes my head hunger to know that I will be able to have a bit more food later on. I want to enjoy the foods that I loved before surgery. I just don't want to pig out on them and at the other end of the spectrum I want to be able to eat more then 3 bites of them lol.

I just gotta let the sleeve work itself out and continue to watch my portions and not push it, that is the gist I am getting from you experienced sleevers.

Tiffy-Arby's sounds like heaven right now. lol

I do miss my Pepsi right now..i miss chugging a couple glasses full while eating chips and salsa at the local mexican food joint.

DAMN i am making myself hungry I better shut up now.

Alas I am a chicken and I am sticking to my diet orders. I have two more weeks before I can start venturing into "normal" foods delicately.

Edited August 30, 2010 by mp8btpc
my grammar stinks

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

One thing I've found now that I'm starting to have soft foods and am actually able to order something at a restaurant is how much waitstaff STARE at me. I had clam chowder for lunch and was, of course, unable to have more than maybe 1/4 of the bowl over the 1 hour we were there. I'm pretty sure the waitress thought I hated it - she came by 3 times to ask if it were ok! I'm planning to get into the habit of bringing small tupperware with me to any event that involves food. That way I can discreetly put some food away for later AND people don't think I'm anorexic or hate their food or something.

[mp8btpc 33]

One thing I've found now that I'm starting to have soft foods and am actually able to order something at a restaurant is how much waitstaff STARE at me. I had clam chowder for lunch and was, of course, unable to have more than maybe 1/4 of the bowl over the 1 hour we were there. I'm pretty sure the waitress thought I hated it - she came by 3 times to ask if it were ok! I'm planning to get into the habit of bringing small tupperware with me to any event that involves food. That way I can discreetly put some food away for later AND people don't think I'm anorexic or hate their food or something.

That is EXACTLY how I felt the other day at the mexican joint, I ordered Beans and cheese and ate 5 bites. The waitress came back and asked if everything was ok and I just smiled and said yes then when she came back I asked for a to go container she glanced twice at the bowl and asked if I needed anything else.

Chili's was the same thing, my husband polished off a full rack of ribs and I took 4 sips of tea and ate 1/6 of my CUP of Soup. I know they are thinking I hate it or something.

It felt weird.

[sleevegenie 0]

i think i'm a little different than your average sleever. My doctor hasnt been doing sleeves very long and i think he makes a bigger one than the surgeons that have been doing them for years. Mind you i eat WAY LESS than i did pre op but i can eat what is probably considered a small normal size portion. This has caused me a lot of concern but at 3 months out i've lost 50 lbs so i think i'll be ok. I can eat anything i want just get satisfied with much smaller amounts. Good luck to you jeani

[GeorgieGirl1957 0]

I just discovered that costco turkey burgers are about 200 calories each (just the meat) however, a full 35gm of Protein in each one. 2/3 of one is probably all we can eat. I haven't tried them yet, just cooked for husband and the kid. Might be good later on!

gg

[Lookinupin2010 0]

I just discovered that costco turkey burgers are about 200 calories each (just the meat) however, a full 35gm of Protein in each one. 2/3 of one is probably all we can eat. I haven't tried them yet, just cooked for husband and the kid. Might be good later on!

.I'm glad to hear that. I found some in the freezer today, that I must have bought pre-surgery. They looked good to me. Think I will take them out tomorrow and try them again. Seems like they were a little dry from the past, so I may have to modify them a bit. But anyway....I'll let you know.

[GeorgieGirl1957 0]

Well, I just cooked a few for the boys and they seemed pretty moist, even after having been in the freezer a couple months. I just put a little peanut oil on a griddle and tossed on some Montreal steak seasoning on both sides. Browned them a little, then finished them off in the microwave with a little cheddar melted on top. My husband is doing low carb with me, but the kid is a football player and needs the carbs so he had his on bread. I spread a little greek yogurt mixed with green onion dip mix on the bread and the kid loved it. Hubbie put steak sauce on his. YIKES!!! don't know that it's what I would have used. But he liked it. Bottom line, they said they were very moist. I think it's because I didn't cook the hell out of them on the stovetop.

gg

[Lookinupin2010 0]

You are right !!! I put some low carb steak seasoning on them...very good.