How much can you eat at a time?

My doctor said I should only be able to eat about 2 tbsp at a meal now, 1/4 cup at 3 months, 1/2 cup at 6 months and 1 cup at a year and the rest of my life... He also said that a Tbsp was the size of the end of my thumb. I can eat more than that. Usually, I think it is 1/4 cup. Am I doing something wrong? Stretching my pouch? Or, am I just different? I haven't dumped, vomited or had any problems except some mild discomfort occassionally. How much can you all eat? I am getting in my 64 oz. if you count Crystal Lite and things like that, but it is hard. I have to work on it. It is especially not easy at work, but I keep plugging away and usually make it. I have been reading everyone's concerns about the weight not coming off as fast as you'd all like and it helped me so muchbecause I have been feeling the same way. I have lost 39 lbs, 24 since surgery. I am concerned that I have been eating too much. Then I read many of the before and after people's stories. This is not at all unusual a weight loss for this time period (I had surgery June 15th) if compared to theirs. Many people that lost over 100 lbs had lost about 30 lbs at this point. So, maybe we are all on the right track?? Good luck everyone and thanks for being here to "talk" to... Jo

Hi Jo Ellen: I too feel like I can eat more than I should. A friend had surgery one week before me so I compare notes with her a lot. She also says she feels she can eat more than we should. When I asked the bariatric nurse about it she told me since everything is basically mu**** will pass through our pouch a lot quicker. She said when we get to denser and more solid foods it will take a lot less to fill us up. She also stressed the NO DRINKING during a meal or for a hour after a meal. Hope this helps. Teresa

Hi Jo, I had my surgery on the 28th. I can take in about 1/4 cup of cottage cheese at a time, but really not much more than that. Occasionally I can have 1-2 wheat thin crackers with it. At stage III from my surgeon's office it has us eating almost 1/2 c food at a time. I just can't imagine trying to eat that much at this point. I think we are all about the same. I've been following this board and it looks like things really slow down for a few weeks after you are two-three weeks out. Then it picks back up again. I think it's our bodies trying to play "catch up". Just a theory. Have a great week. Deb

Hey Jo, Im going through the same thing..I have only lost 45lbs since my surgery june 6th. I have been comparing and other people have lost more at this point..I also feel like i eat too much. Im alomost 7weeks out and i feel like i can eat a small childs meal..depending on what it is. I also felt the same way about stretching my pouch. My dr said that at this point there is no way cause you cant eat anymore then your pouch will let you and if you do you will throw up. I have over eaten and thrown up once and i tell ya i dont like that feeling. It hurts my throat cause thats where the food that couldnt get through stoped and came back up. I wish you the best.. Brittany

I eat anywhere from 4 - 8 ounces depending on what i am eating. I only tossed up once that was last night and that was a didnt chew my food enough issue i think......i was too hungry and ate fast. I do experience hunger not sure if others do but i do. I do eat 6 times a day mini meals to keep me satisfied. I am down 67 lbs (24 was lost pre op) and im pretty happy with my losses as people now see it alot! GOOD LUCK! relax LISA

I have been keeping my food intake to about 1/4 a cup. I don't really have much sensation in my stomach yet - don't feel full or hungry. I eat because I have to and from head hunger. I'm a little bothered by the fact that I don't feel full after eating. It seems like I can get too much in and I DO NOT want to stretch my pouch either. Its hard to tell how much a 1/4 cup is when I'm out and about. I don't have an eye for it yet. I started pureed/soft foods last Monday. I'm VERY relieved to be off the soups. I haven't thrown-up or dumped yet. Liquids are still hard for me and I only get in about 30 - 40 oz. I've been drinking too much Gatorade because its the easiest for me to drink. I'm going to have to work on that. I've lost 47 pounds so far - 7 before surgery. I'm happy with the loss but a little impatient too.

Hi Jo, I had my surgery on the 13th, and I have lost 46 pounds, I started at 304, my scale has just stopped, I have not lost anything in over a week, I found out that everyone goes through this, I try to stay at a fourth of a cup, I have gone over some but its on liquids or yogurt, I have not tried much solid because I ate a piece of sausage off a pizza, and its was a bad experience. I'm enjoying peanut butter and saltine crackers and its very filling.Look at it this way you have lost 39 pounds that you will never see again, YEA!!!! I know I speak for myself I'm not very patient. Have a wonderful day and good luck.

I can eat 4 ounces or 1/2 cup with pretty much no problem. I eat it very slow and it takes me sometimes 20 minutes. As far as eating too much? Well, if a person weighs under 300lbs at the time of surgery, it will take longer for that person to lose weight, but they will lose it. If someone is over 300 by a little or a lot, it comes off pretty fast. Why? I don't know. I don't move the scale that much either and I am not 2 months out, but others tell me it's the battle with the body going into starvation mode, and it will pass. Keep your chin up BTW I have lost 47 pre and post op. 27 post op is all I have lost.

My doc sent me home with instructions to eat no more than 4 Tablespoons (or 2 oz) three times a day. I actually couldn't eat that much at first. Now, depending on what it is, I can eat 1/4 cup (2 oz) at a time. I have gone over that with yogurt and soup...but not much. I don't think I could get a half a cup in me. I do better when I eat 4 times a day - I think this is because I'm getting so little in when I do eat that my body needs to be recharged in shorter durations. If I try to limit myself to three meals (as small as they are) I find myself feeling weak and lightheaded. On a really good day, I'm getting about 600 calories in. I don't know if that is good or bad at this point....but that's where I'm at. ((hugs)) Pam

The Barix clinic where I had my surgery says to have 3 small meals and 3 small snacks a day. A meal or snack could be a glass of milk or 1 string cheese. I am starting soft foods and feel like I am starting to eat more because I am actually starting to enjoy it. It makes me so nervous that I will stretch my pouch or something will happen and I won't lose. It's been my fear since I got the surgery that somehow it won't work for me. I had my 1 month on Friday and had lost 31lbs. Happy with that, just hope it doesn't slow too much with going to normal foods!