I can eat WAY more than it seems you guys are...

It's a little scary - I had surgery March 1 and I feel I can eat WAY more than any of you guys are eating. My calories average around 800-900, but when I read about "a bite of this" and a "bite of that" I am really befuddled. I eat the whole piece of bread, a whole Lean Cuisine, 5 or so Jumbo shrimp, the whole Power Crunch bar, etc. I don't eat a lot of carbs, usually melba toast every day and whatever carbs might be in a Lean Cuisine two or three times a week. And SHARING something? I don't think so, unless it is like a restaurant entree. I eat three meals and 2 snacks, in fact, it seems like I am always having a "feeding". I drink all my fluids, get in all my protein, plus extra, etc. I have talked to my doc about this and he says that, because I am about 30 lbs from goal now, I can probably eat more than others, but I don't think I am liking what I am hearing from everyone. Should I be cutting way back? I have not lost a pound in 4 weeks, but he says that is normal, too. I may have to quit reading "What did you eat today?" It is starting to upset me!

Barbara, check out my posts on the daily eating post. I easily eat 4 ounces of meat twice each day. And I eat veggies too. Often 1/2 a cup at a time. It seems like I eat more than others as well. But I continue to see results and I don't feel hungry so I just keep doing what feels right. Congrats on your weight loss! With only 30 pounds left to lose, it makes sense to me that you can eat more. I don't share meals at restaurants either. That doesn't mean that I eat the whole meal, but I eat most of the protein and some of the veggies. It sounds like you're doing very well. There are days when I can eat a whole chicken breast for dinner. If I feel like my body needs the protein, I'll eat it. I try to listen carefully to my pouch so that I don't overeat. As long as you are seeing results, I wouldn't worry too much. You'll know if you are overeating. I was an expert in that area for many years! Hope that helps! - Stephanie

Barbara, I feel like that too. Sometimes I can more than 1/2 cup of food. I can also drink my liquids down pretty quickly without a problem. I am worried because I still have 48 pounds to lose till my goal and I am definitely slowing down. I only lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. So I am trying to up my exercise and make sure there are no snacks. I don't eat bread, but I have crackers and stuff like that. I guess we are all different, and in the end, if we work at it, we will lose the weight.

I guess I am mostly concerned with this latest stall of four weeks. That seems a bit excessive. I have had two other three week stalls, so that's alot in only 16 weeks. I guess that means that I have lost the majority of this weight over 6 weeks, technically speaking, if you consider that for 10 of those weeks the scales didn't move. Arghhh. Frustrating.

According to my nut, your clories are right on. I think you are fine.

I always eat 950-1000 calories. I eat smaller meals but I have 120 pounds still to lose - I would not get freaked out - we are all differnt and if your doc is not worried then you try not to worry too I know hard to do how about your mesurments durning a stall? are they still going down? that is what keeps me sane. you say you have 30 pounds left to lose how much have you lost already? I am down 80 at 3 months, some are down 40 some are down over 100 - I think a big part of it is how much TOTAL we have to lose. I share meals b/c otherwise I will keep picking at my food till I have eaten a whole 400-500 calorie meal. Iknow I can eat more then I do at home b/c at my inlaws last weekend I picked at food and eat all the time and consumed way to much food. I thinkwe are all picky about food and how much we eat and what we eat b/c we want this to work soooo bad and have doughts it really will. hugs danni ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

I don't know if the main board would be of more help too... Calorie wise you sound fine, and the weight loss will continue... if your surgeon isn't worried, I wouldn't be... you are probably slowing down now because your closer to goal... a lot of people struggle with the last 30lbs.. Personally I couldn't even fathom being able to eat a whole lean cuisine or a whole peice of bread though... that seems like a huge amount to me... I mean it's not really a huge amount, considering what we were eating before.... but just for me personally right now, I had surgery a few weeks after you and there is no way I could eat that much. Everyone is different though. Maybe see if the main board has any input, cause i know a whole lean cuisine is something someone 9 months+ out might be eating... maybe they can give you some reassurance too. Darlene -90lbs honestly I wouldnt worry though, it's good your getting nutrition in like that.

I know - I read what you eat every day and I wonder how you survive! I post on the main board regularly, but there seems to be a lot less tolerance there for what might be considered "whining". I am considered a lightweight, but when you say that you are a few weeks behind me and have lost 90 lbs, I get so frustrated. I know that we shouldn't compare, and I know I had a lot less to lose, but these stalls are doing me in right now. I am finding my mind falling back into my old way of thinking -- "Oh, well, this isn't working, either, so who cares. I'll just go ahead and eat." I am in a very bad place in my head right now. Hopefully it will get better and the scales will start to move again. I only weigh once a week - which is a great improvement over daily weighing pre-op, so advice to throw away the scales really isn't practical. Something has got to give soon. Thanks for listening. Barb

You right DONT compare yourself to me!!!!!! I started with 168lbs to lose, I have a lot more, plus Im young (24) which helps a ton... Im still far far from goal, I have 78lbs more to go... your only 30lbs from goal! I would kill to be in that situation!!!! I think one reason i eat as little as I do, is I eat too fast... if I spread my meals over 30-45 minutes Im sure I could eat more, but I eat for 20 minutes or so, and just go Ugh im full, and Im done. Each surgeons pouches may be different-- start off smaller or bigger, and my surgeon is young and a little more aggressive, he tends to bypass a little more intestine that the "normal" There are SOOOOOOO many variables as to why someone eats more or less, why someone loses faster or slower... its NOT worth driving yourself CRAZY over!! You are 30lbs from goal and only 3 & 1/2 months out, thats AMAZING!!! Ive had 4 weeks of stalls too, and it does drive us crazy, but you KNOW it will keep working it's way down... dont stress, DONT turn to eating--- Are you seeing a counselor to address that emotional eating... maybe you should if your not!! You are doing so good!!! Darlene

It's not just you, I was just thinking this yday too. We went out to Cheesecake Factory the other night and I had a veggie omelet--it was huge. --I ate half the darned thing. (old habits) and I stopped eating not b/c I felt full--but b/c I realized I'd just eaten half the darned thing! It scares me too, at this point I thought I'd still be nibbling. That's why I think it's important for me to still measure. I don't eat until I'm full, just until I'm done with my measured food. I'm never really hungry so it hasn't been a big problem yet. I'm sorry I have no advice for you just know it's not just you.