Advice about "fullness"

[Daisee68 2,493]

​Ok, so I see lots of people say they can eat only 4 or 5 bites and be full. That seems crazy to me as I don't know how you could get your Protein in 4 or 5 bites - well at least the way I am eating. I use a timer to eat so here is my confusion though:

I do feel some sort of "fullness" at a few bites in maybe 5 to 7 minutes in to eating) but if I wait about 2 minutes, then I feel like it goes down and I find I can eat again. I am not eating over 30 minutes and am still staying in the 1/2 cup portion range, so is it ok that I keep eating after those first few bites? I don't think I am really full after only 5 minutes. I think my stomach is just adjusting to the introduction of food. (This doesn't happen at every meal but does happen at least 1 meal a day.)

Due to a stricture, I wasn't eating very much but now I can eat so much more, so I guess I am just a little worried that I am going to eat too much. I am still losing and I am still staying in the calorie range my NUT recommended (600-700 calories). I want to be sure that I am learning to stop at fullness during this honeymoon period so I am learning good habits for future and not just eating past full because the portion size and calories are reasonable. I ate WAY past full a couple of nights ago and I was miserable, so I am trying to slow down and listen to my stomach better.

By the way, I am 4 months post-op tomorrow. Because of the stricture, I really am running a little more like 4 to 6 weeks behind the normal schedule.

Appreciate any insight!

[Madeleine Renee 77]

First, congratulations on all your weight loss. If you follow what your nutritionist tells you and do not go past the prescribed amounts, you should be fine.

Your amount of food will increase a bit with time.

I am at 7 weeks now, I have lost 30 lbs, and eat between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of food every meal. Everything is calculated and I try to make sure I get my Protein even if sometimes it is difficult.

Good luck, you are definitely going in the right direction.

[esskay77 785]

At some point, whether it is now or later, you will be able to eat quite a bit. But don't. If that means you measure your food, then do that.

My NUT told me that feeling full is not the goal and that I really should never feel full. He said that on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being starving and 10 being really full, my goal should be at about a 4-4.5. Just on the hungry side of satisfied.

So, don't use feeling full as your measurement. Unless it is because you are too full--then you should stop but don't keep eating until you feel full.

(Now I just need to learn to take my own advice!)

[Spiceyfrog 269]

@@Daisee68, I am one of those people who can only eat 4-5 bites at a time. I am almost 4 months post-op and measure everything. The most I have ever been able to eat is 1/2C and that is only soft stuff like cottage cheese, yogurt and Soup. Last week I made chili and was only able to eat 1/4C each evening. I don't intend to use full as a measurement, but it just happens because I can eat so little. I hardly ever have more than one thing on my plate at a time and I struggle to meet my Protein goal on a daily basis even though it seems like I eat non-stop (5-6 times per day).

Your calorie range seems realistic, but as others have said I would not eat until you were full, you have to leave a little room for expansion. How do you do on your Fluid intake, are you meeting your daily goal?