Quantities of Food

Hi all, It has been 3 mo's & 1 week since surgery & it feels like I could eat "any" amount I wanted. Is this normal? Last week was bad for me. I think I need to go back to basics & measure /weigh all my food intake. I know I am keeping my calories @ the right level but for some reason the "quantity of food" seems to increase. Does this make any sense? Also, those that have had their surgeries in November 06 can you give me a sample menu or recall what you eat in a day.... For example today for me: 4 oz skim milk with 1 scoop of any whey protein powder & a sugar free instant carnation breakfast + 4 oz of water 4 small cubes of cheese with 8 triscuits 1 handfull of almonds 2 oz of beef, 1/2 cup of green beans, 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes. ( I know I am telling you I can still eat). Should I be concerned with my huge portions compared to what everyone else seems to be able to eat????? 3-24 oz of water with crystal light w/ liquid protein (can't recall the name of the stuff) 2-8 oz of decaf coffee with equal 1 sugar free pudding Any input would be greatly greatly appreciated. Thanks! Holly

This is what I have had today: Breakfast: Snack Size Cheese Morning Snack: about 30 soy nuts (they are very small) Lunch: 2-3 oz Chicken Salad Mid-Afternoon: 2 oz yogurt Dinner: 2 oz Meat, approx. 2 ounces of steamed vegtables I will probably have about 2oz of sugar free jello later. All day long I work on an Isopure Protein Shake and Crystal Light powder in water. My suggestion would be to space your food out a little more as opposed to having so much at one meal try spreading out the quanity just a little more. It really doesn't look like you are eating too much overall. The questions you may want to ask are how many calories are you having? I have been told somewhere around 800 is a good range and make sure you aren't getting to many carbs: I have been told that around 50 is OK as long as the majority are good carbs with a lot of fiber. I personally have to watch my carbs as they seem to affect my weight loss but everyone is different. You have the idea, weighing your food can never hurt. I questions myself on things and go back and look at the materials I have been given throughout this journey to remember what I am suppose to be doing. I have days where I can hardly eat anything and other's when I am hungry a lot. I struggle with balance. Some days I can eat a whole Pinto's and Cheese from Taco Bell for Dinner and other days I can only eat half. They are usually around 4-5 ounces.

Holy. caffeine can cause you to be more hungry. I know you are drinking decaf however keep in mind that decaf is a caffeinated beverage that has had the caffeine removed. It still has some caffeine in it. I think it is something like 4 cups of decaf are equal to one cup of regular as far as the caffeine intake. Not sure the exact equation, but there is caffeine in it. In order to avoid caffeine you need to drink a "caffeine FREE" drink vs decaf. Not sure if you can get caffeine free coffee or not. I know you can in tea. Also the sugar free pudding and the crystal light can set off your hunger. The imitation sugars in them can cause our brains to want to eat more also. I also heard a rumor that our bodies process crystal light as normal sugar. I don't know it there was truth to that, but it is always something to conciser. I personally don't think anything artificial is really that good for us anyways, but I know we all need something to cure our sweet tooth or to cut the taste of our protein drinks. As far as eating I still get full really fast. I try to stick to the 3 bites of protein to 1 bite of fruit or vegetable. Plus it is impossible for me to over eat at this point because I throw up. LOL. So that is a helpful little tool that keeps me in line.

Holly, I am right there too. sometimes i feel really full fast and other times I seem to eat like before...except that I can't eat the things I could before. It is really weird. I am trying to maintain portion control and it gets confusing to me when I can eat more than it seems like I should be able to . I do try to do the protein parts first though. I have been eating tortilla chips and salsa in the evenings which I know is bad but when it feels like I can't eat anything else chips and salsa I can eat without getting sick. Same with cottage cheese. But I have been eating so much cottage cheese that I am beginning to be tired of it. Hoping that things start to get better as far as what I can eat. So that I can start eating more "right" things.

have been lurking for awhile but just had to post after i read this thread!!! I feel like i'm eating way tooo much after reading ya'lls list.... average day for me is: 6am 16 oz coffee 9 am 6 oz cottage cheese plus a pkg of individual peach cup ( no sugar added) somewhere in here 20 ozs crystal light 1 pm 3oz tuna salad with crackers 4pm 6oz yogurt another 20 oz bottle of crystal light 7pm 1 cheese stick 8pm 3oz meat of some kind plus a bite or two of veggies 10pm 42gram protein shake and a handful of vitamins maybe that's why i'm only losing a pound a week for the last month? what do ya'll think?

Wow! What a difference a doctor makes! This is what I eat during a typical day: Breakfast: South Beach Peanut Butter bar Lunch: 2 T Peanut butter with Triscuits or cheese with Triscuits; or 1/2 cup split pea soup Supper: Tuna with egg (I can only eat half of it) or 2 oz chicken or fish Before bed: 1 cup low-carb hot cocoa I can't eat anymore than this. I was strictly told not to eat snacks, to only eat 3 times a day. I also drink 64 oz of water a day. But I don't get hungry at all! Deidrah

This is what i normally eat in a day.... breakfast------- 3 oz. of egg, cheese and ham mixed together snack----------- 6 oz. protien shake lunch----------- 3 oz. of chicken, cheese and taco sauce mixed together snack----------- 6 oz. protien shake dinner---------- 2 oz. of boneless pork chop 1 oz. of Low Fat cottege cheese snack----------- 2 oz. of LF cottege cheese 1 oz. of FF cheese (mixed together with FF ranch dressing) *And i sip on at least 48 oz. of fluid throughout the day other then my 12 oz protein shake.* I m only allowed to eat 3 oz. at a time until April 15th then i can eat 4 oz at a time! SOmetimes i feel like i can eat more, but i just DONT!!! i m pretty well sticking to my diet plan but man do i wish i had a big bacon dbl. cheeseburger!! YUM!!!!

It seems like I eat more than many of you guys do. I stay less that 1000 calories per day. I can easily eat 3 ounces of chicken or salmon and a 1/4 - 1/2 cup of vegtables for lunch and supper. Sometimes for supper I will have an omelet, oatmeal, or yogurt and strawberries. I always have a protein shake for breakfast. I try to always have a banana before my workouts because I need the jolt of carbs. I snack on a yogurt smoothie, almonds, protein shake, or cheese. I have never gotten sick on anything. I almost wish I would!

i am not sure exactly how much i eat but it seems to be too much cause i am only losing like a pound a week. some days i can pack it back then i get sick and other days it stays down and i can't eat a thing. i am glad that other people have the same issues that i do. my doctor did say NO snacking though! shawna