How do you know when you've had enough? (xpost)

It happens to all of us at one time or another as we make this journey. We eat one bite to many and live to regret it. Early on, I thought "OMG, what have I done!? I can't believe that I'll have eat like this the rest of my life!" The good news is that it gets better, much better. Part of that is learning to know when you've had enough. Part comes through your pouch healing and maturing.

So, how do YOU know when you've had enough? Have you learned to recognize the signals your body is sending you to let you know you have had enough? If you over-eat do you get sick or just feel awful. Do you recognize the 'if you take another bite you'll be sorry' feeling before you take that bite?

Just after surgery, pretty much regardless of the surgery type and then again after fills for banders, you might find that you can only take in what seems like a tablespoon or two before you get the ‘OMGoodness’ feeling telling you that you've crossed the line. For people that had their surgery a while ago, they realize that they can now eat more than they used and that can be scary.

Right after surgery, you can likely only eat an ounce or two before you will have filled the tiny, swollen pouch that you fought so hard to get. You may also have had some of the nerves that will ‘signal’ you that you are full cut and that may impact your ability ‘sense’ that feeling of fullness. When you couple that with a lifetime of eating HUGE quantities at lightening speed, that can be a recipe for some painful lessons.

Here are some tips that might help you through this process.

1.       Measure your food. Believe me when I tell you that you don’t have a ‘good idea’ about the size of a portion. This is for several reasons. First of all, in our society of super-sized meals, we all have a distorted perception of what a ‘normal’ serving looks like. On top of that, we have surgically altered our pouches and now they can’t even accept a ‘normal’ serving. So measure your serving portions. It will really help you develop a new sense of what your portions will look like. You need to do this over and over again. Also know that as your pouch heals, you will naturally be able to consume more and that’s okay.

2.       Slow down and put your utensil, sandwich, etc… down between each bite. It will help you focus on what you are eating. As you slow down and focus on what you are eating, you are much more likely to learn your body’s subtler cues that will alert you when you are full. Know that right after surgery, you may only have a one bite window between full and overfull. As you get farther out, this is likely to relax a bit. But, to be honest, this early part of the journey is very good training. It helps us to learn to pay attention and learn our body’s signals.

3.       Eat mindfully. What does that mean? It means to pay attention to what you are doing when you are eating. You don’t get to eat that much anymore, so be sure that you are paying attention and enjoying every morsel. Sit down at the table to eat. Measure out the portion and put your utensil, sandwich, etc… down between each bite. Savor the taste. Enjoy it. You don’t get to eat nearly as much as you used to, but once you get past the initial few days, weeks and early months post op, you may find that you can and do enjoy eating as much or more than you did before, because you are paying more attention to what you are eating.  

Please go to the Loser's Bench Group Discussion forum and share your ideas on this issue.

Barbara,

I am pre-op and this was really great for me to read, thanks so much for posting it.

Barbara,
Thanks for this.  I do have a hard time feeling when I've had enough.  I found pretty early out that I was able to eat a larger amount than was recommended.  Not a good thing to find out.  I've only had a feeling of being uncomfortably full once or twice.  That also worries me a little.  I'm only supposed to have half a cup of food at this stage and I can easily eat more than that if I choose to.  I wonder why I'm having such an easy time eating.  Do you think it's because I chew the heck out of my food and it's sliding through?  I am good about not drinking during meals.  I wait as long as possible after I eat before I drink something, unless I eat something really HOT like I did Saturday at the meet-up.  I need to remember not to choose such spicey foods from now on.  I don't literally measure my food, but I am mindful of how much I'm eating and I imagine cramming it into a measuring cup. 

Hi Meredith,

The volume that people can consume varies somewhat. You can ask your Dr. what 'size' your pouch is... They create them in varying sizes. The top portion of the stomach that is used to create the pouch is the least 'elastic' of the stomach, but can stretch some. That said, it doesn't usually happen. The other thing could be that you have healed more fully and quickly than others. I think that the fact you are mindful of the volume you can consume will be helpful. Be sure to load your pouch with 2 to 3 ounces of lean protien first, then follow with complex carbs. This should keep your protien counts up and calorie counts down. Eventually, all of us get to a point where we can consume somewhere between 8 and 12 ounces... You are just learning to 'deal' with that earlier.

I would love to be able to say I get a signal of some sort, but I don't.  I have to guesstimate!  When I do get a signal, its too late.  I have already overeaten and will suffer for it.    I keep saying if I would just measure my food, it would solve that problem.. but I don't.  I estimate and probably undereat, but at least I don't suffer if I undereat!!!

I get the signal from the pouch when enough is enough.
My head on the other hand likes to tell me Oh Just One More Bite.
I have had to many experinces not to listen to my pouch.
Today for lunch I heated up a slice of my homemade pizza keep in mind I dont eat the crust or if I do it is only a bite or two of the crust.
The largest amount I feel I can get in at times and depending on the food is around 6-7ounces.
7 is pushing it and sometimes I can only get in two bites end of story.
All in all I am very happy to reconize the restriction my pouch provides for me.
I told Ann the other week after having lunch I said isnt it wonderful to eat a small amount and be very content.
                                                         Annie