How much can you eat?

I am only 13 days out, but feel like I can eat much more than I should be able to. please let me know how much you can take in right now. This is what I had yesterday: 1 cup of cottage cheese (breakfast) 1 hour later 20 oz of crystal light 1 cup of chicken salad over 1 slice of cheese (lunch) 1 hour later 20 oz of crystal light 1 cup of chicken salad over 1 slice of cheese (dinner) 1 hour later 20 oz of crystal light I do not feel overly full or anything. Granted, I am not eating nearly as much as I use to. But more than I thought I would. I actually added up my cal., it is between 450- 500 cal a day. Some days slightly more if I am doing V-8 because it is 50 cal per cup. Nonetheless, 1 cup of food is 8 ozs, which again...just seems like a lot of food. Thanks in advance for any response I get, Tweedy

Hiyas Tweedy... According to the booklet my surgeon gave me, this is the time (2 weeks out) that you need to slowly start progressing to 1000-1200 calories a day...which is the norm for most women. Of course this takes time, but the calorie intake isn't the big worry for us, it's the sugar and carb intake that's a problem. This is just one sample menu for a day after 2 weeks. Breakfast. 1 slice w.w bread 1 poached egg 1 tsp margarine 1/2 cup applesauce AM snack 1/2 cup orange juice 1 cup water Lunch 2 slices bread 1/4 cup tuna 1 slice low fat cheese 1 tsp margarine PM snack 1/2 cup fruit yogurt 1 cup water Supper 1/2 steamed rice 2 oz. boneless chicken, baked 1 tsp margarine or oil 1/2 cup mixed vegetables 1/2 cup fruit salad Evening snack 2 rice cakes 1/2 cup 1% milk this is a 1200 calorie day. I'm sure I'm eating more than 500 calories a day at this point...doubt I'm anywhere near 1200 though, but slowly working my way there, and still losing weight I'd say as long as you're able to eat without getting sick, and continue to lose weight..then you're doing the right thing! Take care... Linda

Thanks Linda, This is very helpful. This at least gives me a guage. Tonia

I actually have the opposite problem, although I am quite a bit newer. I'm only 7 days out and have been on full liquids for 2 days. But I can not get more than 2oz of anything full in. I tryed sugarfree, fatfree hot cocoa, dannan lite yogurt, cream of mushroom soup blended and strained, straight up skim milk plus (which by the way, tasted a little off is that the way it is suposed to taste? the espiration date is for august)and the protein shake. No way I can do more than 2 oz. Then it's a project trying to get in the water too. I know my doctor wants me getting 4-8 oz of full liquid at this point. I just not making it. sarah

Hey Sarah, Well the first week I was doing about 2ozs and I was fine. However, I was able to drink a lot. Not sure what the deal is. Perhaps my pouch was just made bigger. I remember my surgeon saying that some bypass a little more... others a little less. He is a mid- bypass surgeon himself. So maybe that accounts for the diff. Tonia

Hey there! I'm with you on wondering if what I'm eating is normal. I'm having protein shakes for breakfast and dinner, but when I eat lunch I know I'm able to eat about 7-8oz. I also progressed to full foods a lot faster than my doctor wants, I couldn't help it though. I was actually, geniunely hungry and if I looked at another serving of pudding or yogurt I was going to be sick, literally. I feel okay though, except I can't get all my water in and I'm working on that. I think as long as you keep loosing and feel alright, you're doing good! Kelle

Hey Kelle, I can identify with the being hungery thing. Yes, I actually feel hungery when I eat. I did not go through this being a chore to eat or not really motivated, I get hungery. As far as the protein, ummm I do not know, I do fine with protein shakes as well. For some reason everything goes down fine. Tonia

I'm still on clear liquids, so I have no idea, but I do have guidelines for when I am allowed pureed foods. For instance, "a sample breakfast is: 3 Tablespoons low fat cottage cheese, 1 Tbs. strained cereal - wait one half hour and drink 2 oz. skim milk. Lunch: 2 Tbs. pureed meat, fish, poultry, cheese, 1 Tbs. pureed starch, 1 Tbs. pureed vegetable - wait 1/2 hour and drink 2 oz. skim milk. Each meal should be eaten slowly. The two ounces of food should take 30 - 60 minutes to consume." Has your surgeon given you guidelines on how much you should be eating at each meal? Hugs, Nancy

Hi Nancy, Yes, I got a handbook for eating guidelines. However, I found a few typos and just do not now if the measurements are right for the intake. But after reading your sample diet, which equals 2ozs of food. Perhaps the only typos are that they put tsp. (which is what the guidelines say as oppose to tbsp). My diet reads like yours with the exception that mine reads teaspoons not tablespoons. Nonetheless, 2 ozs of food is not filling me up. But 16 table spoons( 1 cup or 8ozs) is filling. All this said, I am not sick. I do not hurt. I am not eating sugar or carbs. And I am still only getting 450 cal. per day in. Oh, and I have lossed 18lbs. in just under two weeks. I will discuss this with my surgeon next Tue. I am curious to see how you do once you begin eating. Please keep us updated. Thanks, Tonia

This is a great topic Tonia, because it seems as if lots of people have questions about food amounts and how much it takes to fill them. Do we eat until full or eat only what we're allowed???? Maybe you could ask the question on the main board - quite a bit of experience there. This is new to all of us and I guess we'll all find our way sooner or later! I just wish I could eat something other than clear liquids - I've been craving Chinese food all day! Hugs, Nancy