Eating vs. Nibbling

[Essence46 493]

Do you actually eat or nibble most of the time? I just realized a lot of the time I actually never really eat but just nibble all day. Is the normal?

[FairySleeve 297]

I eat 4 times a day and for each meal I take 45 minutes to eat (except Breakfast & afternoon snack could be 20-30 minutes).

My doctor told me to eat on fix hours on 8 am, 1 pm, 4 pm and 8pm.

[Elode 8,093]

I eat. I catch myself trying to nibble but my nutritionist said no (so bossy!) so I make myself eat at least twice a day and shakes between for my lack of food and Protein. @@Essence46

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

Do you actually eat or nibble most of the time? I just realized a lot of the time I actually never really eat but just nibble all day. Is the normal?

@@Essence46

52 lbs down!!!

very close to onderland

you must be doing something right

that being said..................

oh, oh bud

nibbling all day

this is called grazing

not supposed to do that

my NUT told me from the beginning to eat 3 meals

2 small Snacks

you SHOULD/MUST eat 3/4 meals a day

or whatever your NUT told you

maybe 4 meals with 2 Snacks?

whatever she says

always follow your NUT's rules

if you are nibbling all day

KNOCK IT OFF!!!

you'll get it together sooner than later

i know you will

good luck

kathy

Edited December 14, 2014 by proudgrammy

[Essence46 493]

I will get it together Kathy. I promise. I am good during the week when I am at work. I eat breakfast (boiled eggs, yogurt or fruit), snack, lunch (small salad, greens or something like that- usually 4 to 5 ounces), snack, dinner (4 to 5 ounces of whatever I am having. It varies), then snack. Snacks are usually Protein shakes, Jerky, carrots, nuts, Protein Bars, etc. I drink Protein Water. On the weekend, I don't really eat much. Just nibble or graze. Ok. I have to got to do better.

[fat_free 463]

I eat three meals and two Snacks (if I remember). I tried nibbling but ended up eating way more than I should plus I was getting into the trail mix. This resulted in ..... A weight gain for me. So for me nibbling is out for sure - I can not be trusted apparently ☺️

[CheleLynn45 615]

I was told 2 shakes and one small meal a day. I will be 7 weeks post op tomorrow and this is what I have been doing since my 2 1/2 week check up. I go back to my doc's office on Dec 30th I will see then what they recommend.

I was told no snacking, I haven't been snacking, but once in awhile after a morning workout I will have a mozzarella babybel cheese wheel.

This has actually been working out very well for me and I don't find myself hungry. I usually leave my small meal to eat at dinner with my family. I have been losing pretty steadily so far and hope it continues!!!

[Elode 8,093]

@@fat_free Trail mix is the devil! Especially when your not even hiking a trail! False advertising!

[kimpossible67 608]

I buy those single serve packs of Blue Diamond roasted/sea salt almonds. A pkg lasts a day or more. I nibble on them through the day after I wipe salt off of them.

[Kindle 8,667]

I am the ultimate grazer/nibbler. I don't get a lunch break so I get in at least 3-4 Snacks during the day. In the evening I eat another 3-4 times. On weekends I have a decent breakfast and then nibble/graze/snack all day...probably 6-7 meals/snacks.....A handful of this, a small bowl of that... But I've been doing this ever since I had surgery a year ago. I'm 100 pounds down and been maintaining 12 pounds below goal for 3 months. I know it goes against all the rules, but I guess as long as your total calories in don't exceed your total calories out, it doesn't really matter how often you eat.

And what exactly is a meal vs a snack? 2 BBQ ribs, a serving of Greek yogurt, a plate of raw veggies dipped in cheese spread, a pancake, a bratwurst, a Protein smoothie, a handful of Jerky or mixed nuts, an small elk burger patty with cheese, whole grain Cereal and milk, a one egg omelet with spinach, 1/3 of a burrito, V8 juice with olives and pickles, summer sausage with string cheese, 1/3 Apple with Peanut Butter, 3-4 frozen pineapple chunks, small plate of edamame, etc are all typical things I eat. Which ones are the meals?

Edited December 15, 2014 by Kindle

[bikrchk 1,313]

BREAK the grazing habit! I'm struggling with this myself right now. Eating several times per day is fine as long as it's mindful eating and you're staying within your nutritional targets. What I'm doing to break the habit is just not having things like trail mix around me right now. I manage Snacks perfectly fine as long as they're pre-portioned, like a Protein Bar or something in a single serve package so that's what I'm using for snacks right now.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

At our house, we've long been used to lunch at midday and (don't laugh) dinner at 5:00 pm. We also don't have much around to munch on.

Through decades of dieting, I also learned not to leave enticing foods easily visible. Instead, I keep all our food in cabinets or the refrigerator, which helps.

When I do get hungry between meals, I eat Greek yogurt, cheese or a glass of milk.

However, I know from past experience how hard it is on someone who wants to control what they eat when they're surrounded by:

* candy dishes on desks at the office

* Open boxes of holiday Cookies, truffles, and other special foods sent by vendors

* Communal coffee rooms where donuts, Bagels, and Danish appear intermittently from well-meaning coworkers and employers

* Working lunches fueled by pizza, sandwiches, starchy sides, Mexican and Asian dishes, and Desserts

* Hostess gifts of food from polite guests

On a related note, I don't understand how those who had WLS "so I wouldn't have to diet and could just eat normally" lose weight or maintain their weight loss, especially if that translates to mean "I'll eat whatever appeals to me at the moment." I know (again, from past experience) that I could not lose weight or maintain a weight loss with my eating that spontaneous and unstructured.

What is working for me right now (4 months post-op) is to plan each morning what I'll eat that day. Sometimes I change my menus, but having a plan in place keeps me focused.

Good luck to us all during this season of food laying all over the damn place!

Edited December 15, 2014 by VSGAnn2014

[mrsbailey921 117]

i nibble when i am hungry, but not "all day long"...and when i'm not hungry, i stop.

it could be called grazing, but for me, i consider it eating...since full meals and i don't get along at all right now.

[Kindle 8,667]

On a related note, I don't understand how those who had WLS "so I wouldn't have to diet and could just eat normally" lose weight or maintain their weight loss, especially if that translates to mean "I'll eat whatever appeals to me at the moment." I know (again, from past experience) that I could not lose weight or maintain a weight loss with my eating that spontaneous and unstructured.

What is working for me right now (4 months post-op) is to plan each morning what I'll eat that day. Sometimes I change my menus, but having a plan in place keeps me focused.

!

As you know, I'm definitely in the "I'm not on a diet and I eat what I want when I want" camp. For me, all the tracking and measuring and counting and planning of meals is way too much like the dozens of failed diets I've been on in my life...,weight watchers, nutrisystem, HCG, zone, Atkins, etc. (and remember Richard Simmons food Mover?????). I just knew I could not stick with that type of regimented lifestyle. My daily routine is unpredictable and food rules and restrictions would be very frustrating. I knew I had to do it differently this time.

Here's a good example of why I eat the way I do.... Say I had a meal plan where I am supposed to have grilled chicken breast and broccoli for dinner. But on my way home I get to thinking about the commercial I saw for the new Subway pastrami sub. Mmm. That sounds good! So I could 1) go home and eat what's on my plan. I would be physically satisfied (not hungry), but I would be thinking about that pastrami sub and be bummed I couldn't have it. So I would go to bed mentally unsatisfied and stressed. Or 2) I could stop and get a pastrami sub with Swiss cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, onions and pickles. Give the top half of the bun to the dogs, eat 1/2 of the 6" sub and put the rest in the fridge. Now I will go to bed physically AND mentally satisfied.

The "get in all your Protein, Water and vitamins/everything else in moderation/eat when I'm hungry/don't overeat" plan has worked great for me. I guess the key is the what I want to eat part. I wouldn't be very successful if the answer to that was cake and Cookies and spaghetti and chips and ice cream. But fortunately, the things I want to eat are healthy, nutritious, usually (but not always) high Protein things. I eat sweets, but 1-2 bites is all I ever want.

I lost 100 pounds in 8 months doing it this way...22 pounds below my surgeons goal and 12 below my personal goal. My bloodwork is spot on, I feel fabulous and I have easily maintained within the same 2-3 pounds for almost 4 months. Granted, I'm only 1 year out and who knows what will happen in the next year or 5 years. I guess if I start gaining I will reassess my situation.

Just like everything else about this journey, it's about personal choices and what works for one person may not work for someone else. There are dozens of ways to be a successful WLS patient. Glad we have both found our ways.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Kindle

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Kindle, I agree -- what works for some doesn't work for others.

At some point in the future, when I can eat enough food to sustain myself and securely maintaining -- able to get in all the Fiber, veggies and fruits, meat AND plant Protein, and still have whole grains -- I would love to try it your way.

But I cannot do it that way now.

Also remember that I don't have those skinny-person gut microbes that your friend gifted you with.