How do you know if you're full?

[nilamji 22]

Hi, I was sleeved on 7/22. My surgeon has me starting 2-3 oz of lean Protein (chicken, turkey, etc) for each meal. My question is: Since I'm not really hungry, how do I know when I'm full?

[bigdrewfl 18]

I get a runny nose whenever Im full...weird.

[IncredibleShrinkingMan 437]

Wow, you are in the first day of week 4 and you are already eating chicken and turkey? Are you eating them as part of a very soft salad with light mayo? I am in the process of gearing up for pureed stage (weeks 3 and 4) and I thought canned fish is the only animal Protein that is allowed, with chicken and turkey only coming in at soft foods, possibly even as late as stabilization.

[nilamji 22]

@@SleevyWonder I was on puréed and mushy foods on day 3...granted I wasn't eating too much by then. Now I can tolerate about 2.5 oz of puréed/mushy at a time! But according to my surgeon and NUT I'm on Proteins starting day 14 (I waited an extra week bc I couldn't imagine eating yet). I'm allowed to moisten the proteins w small amounts of mayo or broth. But I'm taking TINY bites and chewing everything up.

[nilamji 22]

@@bigdrewfl I wish I was given some cue! For awhile I would hiccup and I thought that was my cue to stop. But then a few days later the hiccuping went away.

[Bndtoslv 292]

Hi, I was sleeved on 7/22. My surgeon has me starting 2-3 oz of lean Protein (chicken, turkey, etc) for each meal. My question is: Since I'm not really hungry, how do I know when I'm full?

I get runny nose too. Also was on solids including chicken and turkey at week 3.

[JamieLogical 8,697]

The answer is, you may not know when you are full, which is why you should weigh and measure your food for this first little while here. Otherwise you risk eating too much or not enough. For me, I felt VERY full very quickly when I moved onto solids, but some people have temporary damage to their nerves post-op and don't experience that feeling.

[IncredibleShrinkingMan 437]

Wow, that is a rapid progression curve. Day 3 was still Clear liquids for me. I would love to have some soft-solid Protein right about now. I'm not too confident in the pureed stage doing the trick either. Full liquids are wearing on me. This is the first day since leaving the hospital I haven't been hungry (just sipping the Protein drinks). I'm jealous of both the lack of hunger and the pace of your and Bndtoslv's diet. But I will try to negotiate at my first post-op visit next week...

To take a stab at your question, since my GERD was really bad pre-surgery, I just wait for it to act up and I know I'm done, which works even though I am still only full liquids. I am not advocating waiting for that trigger point, and maybe you guys don't have it, but signs of air bubbles coming up the other way should be a clue. The fullness point is definitely well before you could conceivably take your last bite

[jhclikesshopping@gmail.com 285]

It took me a while, but I learned I have a trigger. After the first month of eating, I learned that as I get full, I start burping. When I eat too fast or my bites are too big, then my trigger does not really show up. But if I eat each bite and put my utensil down and wait, I soon notice that at some point I start getting gassy. At this point, I am full. If I eat more, then usually I run to the bathroom.

My advice, really measure out 2 oz, then 1 oz and then another oz. Start with 2, see how you are feeling. Eat another ounce, and see how you are feeling. And so on and so on.

Also - remember that some foods are more-dense so that makes a difference. Like I can eat 1 entire chicken sausage link but only 3/4 of a scrambled egg. Weird.....

[nilamji 22]

I think I definitely will slow down and see if the burping happens. Right now my stomach gurgles so much when I eat I hope I'll be able to tell! Lol. I do weigh all of my food. It's the only way I can make sure not to overeat. I understand what you say about different food textures. I'm fine with chicken but eggs and I don't agree right now.

[tjstark 74]

I'm on pureed at the moment, I don't feel the hunger & as yet have not felt the restriction of my meals. I'm waiting to see if that changes on soft foods. Perhaps just time your meals? This is what I am now doing. If it takes longer than half an hour to eat my pureed meal, I stop.

[MrsRoboto 370]

I was sleeved on 7/27 and I'm having a hard time with this too. I can eat two bites and feel full but obviously that's not enough to sustain me. I'm on purées but I'm having hearty purées (ricotta bake, tuna, refried Beans with cheese, scrambled eggs) not soupy runny stuff. So I measure out my 2oz portion and give myself 30 minutes to eat. I usually eat all 2oz or leave a few bites by the time 30 minutes is up. I eat super slowly and I don't feel uncomfortably stuffed when I'm done. So I think I'm doing okay?

[allyray 108]

Since your stomach is healing and the nerves are still healing, you really need to measure and weigh your food for awhile because your stomach can't tell you on it's own. I remember not having that full feeling until at least 4 weeks when I started eating sold foods (chewed very well I might add) and only them did I know when to stop from how I felt.

So just be careful and weigh and measure right now. You don't want to stretch your new tummy!!!

[DianeSav 10]

I have to measure everything. I dont feel the full feeling. No burping, hiccuping, pain, nausua, nothing