How do you know when you overeat?

[MissErika 65]

Hi everyone,

If this was already discussed I apologize but I am curious.

How do you know when you overeat?

I measure my meals out and I know what I can tolerate, for the most part, and I eat until I am comfortable. However, when sharing a plate with my mom or eating a slider food (which I avoid the best I can) I am not sure how much would be too much.

I don't want to stretch my pouch. That is my worry

A little information about my journey with food...

• I have never had slimies
  
• I have never had the hard to breathe/chest pain/food stuck feeling
  
• My food always and has always gone down smoothly, even steak. I am 8 weeks out.
  
• I get "full" but never felt the "thanksgiving, oh my gosh I regret eating" full. My full is just a "Oh hey I feel food in my stomach and I'm comfortable" feeling.
  

Is it possible to stretch your sleeve if you DON'T have those feelings? Sometimes I feel I am eating too much. Somedays I cant even eat 1 egg for Breakfast but others I can eat the egg + 4 blackberries and still be really content. Maybe I am getting paranoid about it but I don't wanna gain my 50 pounds back!! So can someone explain more about overeating and how I will know when I do? Thank you

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

I measure it all out also, and almost never have a problem. I say almost because last night I ate and then for the first time forgot to wait to drink.. I took a good size swallow and immediately felt uncomfortable and had the build up of saliva. It passed pretty quickly but a very good reminder not to over do it and follow my rules.

At 8 weeks you may still be healing. Try not to push it, especially with the more dense Proteins. Sliders are another story. You'll most likely be able to consume much more and they won't fill you the same as Protein. You sound like you are very mindful of how you are eating, check in with your surgeon or NUT if you get too worried.

[bigntexas 10]

I'm new to this whole thing also (six weeks out) but I'm the same as you... I can eat steak without dying when I've heard other people say it's too heavy and all that mess. But my doctor told me it would be VERY hard to stretch out your stomach because the part they left in when they did your sleeve is very hard to stretch.. the other part they took out was the part that made you hungry (i forget the name of that stuff it starts with a g) and was also the part that stretches. I think you're doing the right thing by staying comfortable. and I don't think that if you do stuff yourself once or twice its going to stretch out the sleeve. But I'm new so I don't know everything or want to pretend like I do.

[MissErika 65]

I measure it all out also, and almost never have a problem. I say almost because last night I ate and then for the first time forgot to wait to drink.. I took a good size swallow and immediately felt uncomfortable and had the build up of saliva. It passed pretty quickly but a very good reminder not to over do it and follow my rules.

At 8 weeks you may still be healing. Try not to push it, especially with the more dense Proteins. Sliders are another story. You'll most likely be able to consume much more and they won't fill you the same as Protein. You sound like you are very mindful of how you are eating, check in with your surgeon or NUT if you get too worried.

Thanks for replying! I did drink after eating soon-ish and it felt like a gas pain and passed after a few seconds. I forgot about that!

I try not to bother my surgeon much - but my nurse said I must be doing everything right if I don't get sick or anything. You know, the small bites, chewing constantly and waiting in between. I guess I am just nervous because I had a slider and I had quite a bit! I guess I should just stop having soft foods (like yogurt and soup) but I enjoy them once and awhile, but they don't fill me up... :/

[MissErika 65]

I'm new to this whole thing also (six weeks out) but I'm the same as you... I can eat steak without dying when I've heard other people say it's too heavy and all that mess. But my doctor told me it would be VERY hard to stretch out your stomach because the part they left in when they did your sleeve is very hard to stretch.. the other part they took out was the part that made you hungry (i forget the name of that stuff it starts with a g) and was also the part that stretches. I think you're doing the right thing by staying comfortable. and I don't think that if you do stuff yourself once or twice its going to stretch out the sleeve. But I'm new so I don't know everything or want to pretend like I do.

Yeah, I think we are both lucky. My mom had the surgery many years ago and couldn't have steak for like 6 months. I'm not much of a steak eater but my parents grill a lot and I take a few bites of theirs and I eat shrimp or chicken or something.

And I believe the word you are looking for is Ghrelin!! Thank goodness we don't have it right??? Makes life so much easier.

[BellaItaliana 57]

Measuring your food is the right way to do it. And every day will be different. It's normal (especially at 8 weeks) that one day you can eat a whole egg, and one day only half. Just listen to the cues your body is sending you. The other poster is right that it's really hard to "stretch" your sleeve, but over time (like months from now) you will be able to eat more. You are doing really well if you have never yet had that feeling that you ate TOO much. It is a very very uncomfortable feeling, and you will know it when you feel it!! Keep measuring and doing what you're doing, and you will do just fine.

[squawprincess_2013 14]

When I eat a bite or two too much, I feel a little nauseated. I've never felt the getting stuck thing either. I am 10 weeks out. The only thing I've thrown up is mahi mahi. Everything else goes down fine. I try to stay away from soft foods. My NUT told me at this point, I should need a knife and fork for everything I eat. I measure my Protein, but not so much with my veggies. I just kinda try to figure out how much I can hold. I have to really watch the time or I won't eat anything at all. I do drink all day though. I think you're doing well. Good luck. I think we all have to learn as we go along.

[sixbuttons 102]

I wonder about this too! I'm almost 4 weeks post op and I can't really feel anything. I don't feel hunger and I can't really tell when anything is in there. Only in the mornings, I feel sort of empty and can hear my belly grumble, when I drink a little cold Water I can feel go down - that's about it though. I have no idea if I'm eating too much or too little. I just can't feel anything in there at all. It's like my stomach is numb.

[vsginkc 117]

Great question - I wonder the same thing every day. I'm 6 weeks out and have had that "I'm overly full" feeling only a couple of times and that was after mini-binges on slider foods. I also worry that I'm stretching my stomach. I measure when I am at home, but I'm on the road quite a bit and I have to "eyeball." It's frustrating to me because I hoped I would start being able to just trust my body to tell me full/hungry. Again, only 6 weeks out, but that hasn't happened for me (yet). I do know that I've heard others say that they can only eat a couple of bites of a Subway sandwich. I know could eat a whole 6 inch sub if I let myself (but I get scared and stop). Looking forward to seeing other responses...! Thanks for posting!

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

I wonder about this too! I'm almost 4 weeks post op and I can't really feel anything. I don't feel hunger and I can't really tell when anything is in there. Only in the mornings, I feel sort of empty and can hear my belly grumble, when I drink a little cold Water I can feel go down - that's about it though. I have no idea if I'm eating too much or too little. I just can't feel anything in there at all. It's like my stomach is numb.

Your stomach very well could still be numb. Measuring is really helpful. I never take more than 4oz. and it is always enough, sometimes depending on what it is, just a bit too much.

You'll get to know the signs.

[GoldyGirl 186]

I am 10 months out and Still NOT hungry, but after a few bits, I am Sick and full and feel like I am gonna throw up..I don't know why, going back to doctor in two weeks.......lost my weight, but still sick????????