Signal for fullness

Help.... I feel like I can eat way too much. I can eat a full smart ones angel hair marinara (9 oz I think). I dont have a true signal of fullness. I don't really ever feel like "Oh, I couldn't possibly eat another bite". I can also eat a lot of salad. I don't know what is normal and sometimes I feel really hungry. I am totally avaoiding sugar ( I am yet to dump) but I have bad craving which I occasionally indulge in to avoid insanity. I will eat a few tortillas with salsa, chips, etc. I know I shouldn't but I dont go overboard. I am getting my protein in, for breakfast every day I have a nectar lemon tea protein drink, I get about 60 oz of water in (it is hard for me to do more with my job). I am a physician assistant so I am very educated on the nutrition aspect but wonder why I am having such a hard time with all this. I am down 53 lbs since surg (12 weeks). Any tips would be appreciated.

For some people, the fullness signal appears later or so I've heard. As for salad...take some lettuce and put it in the food processor and pulse it down and look at how much space chewed up lettuce and other vegies take when fully chewed up. The answer is... not very much room at all. They have a high water content and condense easily. I would not worry about being able to eat what seems like alot of salad. Personally, I find that if I avoid carbs (like breads, rice, pasta, potatoes, chips, etc)...then I do not crave them at all. I eat carbs from vegies and fruit - that's it right now. Your weight loss if fabulous so obviously the quantity that you are eating isn't really a problem at all. I'm 13 weeks post-op and down 44 lbs. Kathy

HI... my name is Michelle. I had surgery May 26.2005. I just went to my dr. today for my 3 month check up and had the same complaint as you, only i do not eat a lot of salad. I eat alot in general so I thought. My dr. told me, after surgery we dont want to have that "oh i cant take another bite" feeling. that means we have ate too much. She said we should be eating until we are content, comfortable. and I told her I have a hard time even knowing what that feels like. She basically told me to eat until I feel i have had enough, not a "FULL" feeling but comfortable. I told her I can eat a whole slice of pizza she said thats no big deal thats not too much. I can eat 2 tacos reg. just lett.cheese, and little meat from taco bell,she said that was ok too because they are not very dense. they are mostly lettuce, and tortilla which is very light and carbs go right through us, it dont take long to digest so we are hungry rather quickly. Basically sweetie, dont worry your doing fine, just eat until you feel you have had enough and you are comfortably full. you will feel a little something when you have eaten enough to not be "oh my god im full". I had the same exact concern as you, until today when she told me to listen to my body and eat until I was done and not stuffed. good luck Michelle

I just wanted to say thanks for this post Michelle, it seems like if you are able to eat you feel "abnormal" since some seem to eat hardly anything at all. I always try to remind myself that there would have been no way what I eat now would have ever satisfied me before. Thanks to Kathy for the salad comment too, it seems like there is so much there but like you say when you chew it up there is really not much to lettuce. Thanks again! Cary

Hey Stefanie, Just want to say that you are doing great, and keep it up! I have had the same exact concerns as you, and once I reevaluated what I was actually eating it made sense. I'm gonna start worrying when I can eat 20 hot wings plus 2 slices of pizza like I used to be able too...

Hi neighbor! How much time are taking to eat? Could it be too long so that you are actually grazing? I've said this before, but my signal for stopping is when I have my first sigh. Yep, sigh. Then my fork goes down, I am done. I may not feel full, but that's my body's signal to me not to push things. I havent's had salad yet. My doc says wait til 4 months out - not sure why, but I follow the rules. I do miss it a little. Have you tried soy chips for snacks? They really pretty good and have protien too. I am down 51lbs since surgery and I have NO problem with that - in fact, I think it's great! Your weightloss sounds like it's on target as well, so try not to worry.

Thank you all for the replies. Actually I think I my eat too fast at times. I am not worried about the amount lost that is fine and I know the rate is so indivdual, but I am scared to deatht he stretch my pouch. Does anybody know just what that would take.... I mean I would assume I would get sick or feel like sh*t if I really ate too much, right? I mean I have never vomited and have never dumped. I have had foamies and that strange throat sound but that I know is only when I take a huge bite or large drink. *hugs to everybody* I am probably just freaking over nothing (I hope!!)

The only way I know when I've had enough to eat is when my body hiccups. I know that sounds crazy, but it happens every time. If I take one more bite I'll start hiccupping like crazy. It's almost funny. I rarely feel full, and can't imagine that feeling actually. Take care, Ashleigh PS. You are doing great! Keep it up!