Enjoying Food After Surgery/ Serving Amount

[kellyann311 1]

Hi everyone! I'm having gastric sleeve surgery on June 27. I'm still contemplating the surgery and I'm nervous. So I have a few questions for all of you that have had this surgery already.

1. Can you still enjoy the same foods with just a smaller portion size?

2.What are the portion sizes that you can eat?

3. Do you regret having this surgery?

Thanks for all your help-Kelly

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[2goldengirl 2,076]

I'm 10 weeks out.

1. Can you still enjoy the same foods with just a smaller portion size? At this point, I haven't tried anything that I can't eat, though some things sit heavier so I don't enjoy them as much. Overcooked eggs are an example. I haven't tried steak yet.
2.What are the portion sizes that you can eat? Depending on the texture, I can handle 2-3 oz of Protein at a time now. I can do a half-cup of cottage cheese or refried Beans. I can do a cup of Soup, depending on what's in it.
3. Do you regret having this surgery? Not for a moment.

Good luck to you!

[Kindle 8,667]

2 1/2 years out

1. Can you still enjoy the same foods with just a smaller portion size?

Yes. Except beer....can't do carbonation. But even though I would "enjoy" eating cheesecake, garlic bread, pad Thai, etc everyday doesn't mean that I do. They are now treats I might eat a couple times/year You need to make serious adjustments to your food choices in order to be successful long term. Just because you CAN eat something doesn't mean you SHOULD.

2.What are the portion sizes that you can eat?

depends on the food....1/4-1/2 cup of steak or chicken, 1 cup of Soup, Greek yogurt or veggies, 2-3 cups of things like popcorn, and probably unlimited portions of chips or ice cream (never tried to find an end point). This is why your choices are so important. You can eat way more of the things you shouldn't be eating.

3. Do you regret having this surgery?

Not for one minute

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@kellyann311

1. I don't eat the same foods because before I ate out all the time because I am single and that was just my lifestyle. I cook almost all my meals at home now, I might eat out 2 times a month. I do however eat the same types of food I like, instead of an 8-12 ounce steak, I have a 4 ounce steak. I made low carb fried chicken and low carb fried fish. I like cooking for myself much more, because it is more of a challenge to make things taste good with alternative ingredients.

2. At 10 months, 4-6 ounces. 85 grams of leafy veggies.

3. Not at all, I wish I had it sooner. My life is so much richer is so many small ways I can't even list them all.

[Hello new me 153]

I am 10 months out from surgery.

1. I can eat almost anything I want. However, I choose not to. I am still in the weight lose phase, so I try to avoid carbs. If I do eat carbs, it is only a bite or two to get ride of cravings. I am one of those weird people that can do it. I have also found that I can't eat broccoli. It makes me sick every time I try.

2. I can eat 2-3 oz of Protein with a few bites of vegetables. If I eat some or stew it can be anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup depending on the day. I know there are slider foods, but I typically as a treat eat 5 or 6 chips, a handful of popcorn or 1/2 a cookie. I am satisfied with any of these thing. When I start to get a full sensation, I stop eating. Eating more is not a pretty site for me. It will all come back up.

3. I don't regret my surgery at all. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

Edited May 22, 2016 by Hello new me

[funnygrl 6]

3 months out next week... Thank you all for your answers... Just starting to explore new foods.... Looking forward to popcorn

Wish I had this surgery 3 years ago when I started thinking about it!!!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[silverthreads 183]

I'm just over 3 weeks out, so still pretty new at this. My surgeon allows me to eat a very limited range of foods the first month, all soft foods (but I didn't have to do the liquid diet so many require -- every surgeon's plan is different). So with that said, here's my response:

1. So far I haven't found anything I can't eat (and I've strayed just a bit from plan to experiment) but definitely in smaller portions. I can see that in time when things are more normalized I will likely be able to eat just about anything in moderation.

2. For me I'm finding I'm pretty comfortable with about 1.5 oz. of food (usually grilled fish, scrambled eggs, refried Beans, etc.). 2 oz. seems to be too much but I know in time that will change. Now I know that sounds like a crazy small portion, but I'm fine with it and don't crave more. (Mind you I was used to huge portions before, lots of variety and was always hungry for more.) An example: I really am beginning to want more variety, so my Breakfast of late has been about 2/3 of a soft scrambled egg with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and mild salsa on top plus one heaping teaspoon of refried Beans. I can eat the whole egg if I skip the beans but I find that even in tiny bits I really enjoy the variety of flavors.

3. I haven't regretted this surgery for a moment. I'm astounded by how much weight I've lost so far (about 27 pounds) and how much better I feel. Ditched the blood pressure meds too. I had the typical "what the hell am I doing?" doubts a day or two before surgery, but they abated quickly.

Note: I live in San Francisco and am a certified foodie. I love all sorts of ethnic foods in addition to my midwest meat and potato upbringing. I was worried how I'd fare without all that and I'm just fine! Perhaps the very best thing about this surgery has been that I don't crave food anymore. I have small meals but I try to get good quality and flavor (my latest discovery is a local Japanese take-out place that has great grilled fish--which fits with my surgeon's plan). One more week until I can have a wider menu!

Good luck on your journey.

Edited May 23, 2016 by silverthreads

[Shaydi.Laine 237]

1. I don't know what you eat now, but if it's not low carb, high Protein, then you should not even think about eating the same foods you eat now. At least not if you want to lose weight. You will find that this still requires a lot of self control and willpower. WLS is not a magic bullet. You can easily sabotage yourself by making poor choices.

2. Portion size for me tends to be about 4 oz to satisfied, and as much as 6 oz to "crap, I ate too much" and dealing with uncomfortably full, hope I don't puke, feeling. Beware one bite too many.

3. No regrets at all!!! Aside from that ice cream I shouldn't have eaten last night....

[Shaydi.Laine 237]

On a side note, I notice a few mentions of popcorn here. My nut told me that I should not have popcorn for ab out a year to ideally never. Something about kernels getting stuck or whatnot. Is she being overly cautious here? I suspect popcorn might be a slider food for me, so not something I want to dive into often, but let's face it, is there any better movie snack?

[myree 31]

No regrets...however don't have the same mindset about food.. U can still enjoy the same food but health is the best way to go...I workout and earn different food items...for instance if I want a salad with ranch I walk/run 2 miles on trend mill.. Mindset is so different now 5 months out and 79 lbs down.... 45 to lose get focused now it will help u... Food will not be an issue anymore you will just be enjoying life...

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[myree 31]

And I eat popcorn with no butter added...about 1 cup and it's delicious...

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[sleevergirl2015 51]

I am 6 months out and I can honestly say it to your first question that this is going to complete 180 your taste and what you like for your portion sizes it will depend on you and your pouch I am six months out and I am just now getting to 4 ounces top tops I was 263 pdd and 158 pds now I do not regret this at all

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using the BariatricPal App

[Bufflehead 6,358]

1. Can you still enjoy the same foods with just a smaller portion size?

Let me start by saying the "same foods" I ate before surgery were basically a bunch of crap. I lived on sweets, potatoes, noodles, rice, and various forms of dairy (cheese, ice cream, chocolate milk, etc.). I can physically do it in that my old favorites will not make me sick or even nauseated*. But if I choose to eat crappy foods, they will (1) not leave me satisfied with a much smaller portion size and (2) will cause cravings for more crappy foods and I will eventually start to gain weight. So, if you are picturing a future where you eat one pancake for Breakfast, half a candy bar for a snack, half a small packet of potato chips for lunch, and then half a cup of mac and cheese for dinner -- nope, that is not what post-sleeve life looks like. You can eat a range of *healthy* foods and be satisfied with small portions, but small portions of crappy food will not satisfy you as they do not engage your pyloric valve and go right through your stomach. You can still be a bottomless pit when it comes to crappy foods and this is how you can easily defeat your restriction. But if you are willing to eat healthy foods, yes, you can eat a wide variety of food and be very satisfied with a small portion size.

2.What are the portion sizes that you can eat?

I can eat about 3 ounces of meat + 1.5 ounces green veggies. However, it took me a couple of years to be able to eat that much. For the first couple of years post-op, it was more like 2 ounces of meat + 1 ounce green veggies.

3. Do you regret having this surgery?

I lost 220+ lbs and went from a size 36 to a 6 or 8. My blood pressure went from out of control to perfectly normal. My arthritis in my hips and knees has vanished. My life is ordinary -- rather than being a sad struggle. I am grateful every single day for this surgery and have never regretted it, not even right after waking up with some pain or during the first few days of struggling to get enough liquids in. This is hands down the best decision I ever made.

*exceptions: bread made with yeast and anything carbonated do cause me discomfort so I avoid those foods and drinks.

[asiruam87 6]

I am 2 weeks out. It is a slow process at first. I will say this. As I am not hungry all the time, I do not want food. I miss the social aspect of going out to eat and eating a huge plate of food! However, I've never felt so free from my obsession with food. It is now turning to a focus on my health.

I do not regret this at all.

Sent from my SM-T550 using the BariatricPal App

[anitavee 57]

1. No. I do not enjoy food at all. It's a chore to eat. I'm rarely hungry but food is just not enjoyable.

2. I eat very little. 7 weeks post-op and I can barely eat 3ounces for the entire day

3. Yes. Big mistake for me.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App