How's YOUR restriction doing?

Prior to my PS and hernia repair 5.5 weeks ago, I would say I ate normal portions and sometimes way too much. 

Now since surgery to repair 9 hernia's one which was life threatening (Ventral hernia) and my panniculectomy/anchor cut TT I feel like I have brand new DS restriction and taste bud turrmoil. 

My stomach turns at just the sight of food sometimes and I seem to just be good with a few bites.  So I am back to mostly protein shakes and I don't know how long this will last but I hope to finish losing 30-40 pounds to hit goal. 

Carla

I still have a ton of restriction, but my surgeon is known for making super tiny tummies, so I expected this.  I do have some days where it seems like I can eat a lot, but that is relative to how much I can eat on most days.  A lot of times for me, it all seems to depend upon the density of the food I'm eating, as well as how much I've actually eaten that day.  If I'm having a day where I am just not all that interested in food, then even if I feel like I'm starving, I'm not going to be able to get in more than a few bites.  It's so weird on the days when I can eat a normalish portion of food...my son always tells me, "Good job, Mom!"  like I'm a little kid that needs encouragement...kinda cracks me up.

my son always tells me, "Good job, Mom!"

Ha, ha, that is funny, Heather.  And sweet, too.

Yeah, he's a good kid...I think I'll keep him!  LOL

 I'm just shy of 2 years out, and I love the amount of restriction I have now.  I can eat a small meal, but not go overboard.  The amount I can eat definitely depends on what it is.  Things that pack down, like fish, I can eat probably a full portion.  Other dense items like chicken or steak, I can eat about 4 ounces in one sitting.

I always give the example of a meal at Outback, since most people are familiar with the sizes there.  In a typical meal there I would eat about half a salad, most of a 6 oz filet, and a few bites of potato. No room for bread or dessert.  And I would be fully stuffed eating that amount.

Speaking of restriction depending on what I eat - it's another reason to avoid carbs.  I can pack away bags of potato chips or Doritos no problem, but yet can't finish something dense like a small chicken breast.  The carbs pack down more.  My Nut, who is otherwise pretty useless, explained it this way:  Think of a saltine cracker, chewed up.  It packs down to nothing, that's why we can fit in so many carby things.  Now thing of a piece of chicken the size of a saltine cracker.  Chewed up it's still about the same size.  

I am exactly the same as you, Joanne.  If I start eating carbs, I can keep eating carbs.  It's crazy.  I can put away an entire bag of potato chips in a sitting if I let myself!

Depends on the day and it depends on what I eat.  Today I was having a tiny tummy day and had a fried egg and 6 pieces of fried bacon.  Later in the day I had two double scoop protein shakes (spaced several hours apart) and two mini chocolate chip cookies.

Tomorrow I will probably eat more.  If all else fails and food is not appetizing, I just chug a shake. 

ETA:  60ml/2 oz sleeve, 2.5 years out.

I started with a largish sleeve (5 ounces) and feel like I can almost eat what I did pre-op at 22 months out.  It's been this way for a long time, but I've maintained effortlessy for about a year now. 

Today for lunch I had a chickfila combo....sandwich and fries, but only about half the bun.  I don't drink much with meals, though, because it will fill me up and I can't eat as much.

I wanted to tell you that your plastic surgery pictures are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!  I actually saved it to my favs...lol...so that I can look at them and dream about my PS.  Sorry as that seems a tad overboard and "girl crush"ish.  But all joking aside, your surgeon did a beautiful job.

Thanks!  I'm very pleased with the LBL results.  I LOVE that he managed to give me that female figure with the curves and such.  I've seen a lot of afters that look kind of flat and boxy.

I posted some candid beach pics of me in my bikini on the plastics board the other day.  I need to do some more updated "official" pics now that my swelling has pretty much gone.