OMG! I can still eat so much - HELP

[Mid West 99]

I was cleared yesterday for the mush stage. I'm on day 12 post op. I just ate 225g of mashed potato and 65g of squizzed up chicken with NO problem! This can't be right, surely??

[TurnThePage 220]

Most of us are American and not familiar with the metric system, so I ran a converter and 225g =0.95 cups and 65g is = 0.3 cups. Total meal 1.25 cups of food. Yes you are eating way too much! Slow down! Not sure how you ate all that, but I'm wondering how you felt an hour or two later.

By my program, a full serving is about 1/4 c. or 59g. When I got to whole foods, I was told to start with a total meal of 1/2 cup or about 120 grams. I think people who are at the maintenance level may go up to a total meal size of about 1 cup, which would be about 240 grams. Keep in mind that your stomach is only about the size of an egg, perhaps smaller, so you've filled it nearly 3x over! Continuing to do so may result in permanently stretching your pouch.

Consider cutting back on mashed potatoes too as they are carbs, which need to be limited. Always, always eat your Protein first. Your body needs it and it aids your satiety.

I strongly suggest you review the written materials provided by your surgeon's office and/or call your nutritionist to get your correct portion sizes since every program is different. You need to be very clear on your portion sizes from the beginning. Good luck!

[Mid West 99]

Hi. Yes 225g is 8 ounces and 65g is 2.3 ounces. My bariatric nurse suggested mashed potato for the mushy stage. I kept expecting to feel full. I thought what I'd prepared would be perhaps two meals but it didn't happen. Two hours later I feel fine. I'm scared that my eating won't be restricted! I contacted my nurse and she has told me not to worry. But I am worried.

[DLCoggin 1,788]

At twelve days out your pouch is still very much in the healing stage. Your stomach (and now your pouch) has stretch sensors in it which send a full signal to the brain. Following the surgery, those nerves are temporarily ineffective as the healing process takes place. It's not that the pouch isn't full (or even more than full). It's that the process of signaling the brain that you're full is not functioning. Very common and it will pass probably within two to three weeks.

In the meantime, consider The Prime Directive - lifestyle changes. Are lifestyle changes based on what you "can" or "cannot" do? Or are they based on what you "choose" to do or "choose" not to do? If you accept the premise that lifestyle changes are based on "choice" as opposed to some kind of physical necessity, everything falls into place.

Forget about testing your pouch to see what you can or can't do. Make the choice to stay focused on following the protocol your doctor gave you as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Make the choice to stay positive. Make the choice to stay patient. And make the choice to maintain a food log.

Do those things and you're gonna love the new you!!

[Mid West 99]

Thanks. I think that's what I did; test the pouch, forgetting those nerves aren't fully firing their signals yet. Another mistake was to prepare food thinking I'd put half of it back to reheat later I won't do that again. I'll prepare meals in the correct portion sizes.

[Tizzielish 21]

I have to say your nurse might not know a lot about nutrition. mashed potatoes? You can pureed all kinds of better choices for the stage of mushy food. Skip potatoes. I gave up potatoes many years ago and don't eat any ever, even pre-op. They are cheap food, heavily pesticided if not certified organic. You don't get enough nutritinal bang out of them to waste the small amounts you can eat on potaotes, imho.

A small inexpensive food processor can puree anything. Eat some cooked pureed vegetable but not potato!

[Mid West 99]

I think I need to buy a cookbook for those who've had WLS. I need menu ideas and a bit of education as to eating properly for Protein intake.

[Truckerchic 171]

I think I need to buy a cookbook for those who've had WLS. I need menu ideas and a bit of education as to eating properly for Protein intake.

2 great websites..search world according to eggface and Bariatric Foodie...both women are several years out they share so many info, tips and recipes!

[Truckerchic 171]

I think I need to buy a cookbook for those who've had WLS. I need menu ideas and a bit of education as to eating properly for Protein intake.

2 great websites..search world according to eggface and Bariatric Foodie...both women are several years out they share so many info, tips and recipes!

[Mid West 99]

Brilliant. Thank you :-)

[Tizzielish 21]

truckerchic --- thanks for those suggestions for online info. I had been thinking I was going to buy a cookbook post surgery. But I know from a lowcarbdiet support forum -- because of my diabetes, I eat as few carbs as possible -- that I find better low carb recipes and endless variety from online support forums.

I am sure two women who share food tips several years post-surgery are better than most cookbooks.

I was really concerned. My one hour NUT consultation was a general, and basically useless ramble in which she said 'eat lots of Protein, do liquids for 3 weeks and then slowly intro pureed food' and that was it.

I seriously think bariatric centers should either share lists of good links for food info or hand out one decent post-bariatric surgery cookbook to every patient.

I know the sites you suggested UK-Sleever will be good. Hands on experience shared is the best help for me. Thank you.

[mzshay35 215]

I think I need to buy a cookbook for those who've had WLS. I need menu ideas and a bit of education as to eating properly for Protein intake.

I agree

Mz Shay

[pear425 32]

You always should follow what your surgeon and Nut tell you to do. They are the trained professional. If you trusted them to do your surgery you should trust them with the food stages. Every surgeon has different rules, even though we are having the same procedure. It is their years of training and experience that made them dictate their post op eating plans. My revision surgeon has you go right to purée but my original surgeon 9 years ago had 6 week transition period. Also my Nut is very clear that it is all about Protein. We don't count calories in the beginning.