2 years Post Op - Stretched Pouch?

Hey everyone!

I'm 2 years out - VSG 6/10/15. Originally lost 121 lbs but sadly April of last year I stopped losing, stopped caring and started gaining! I've gained 20 lbs back and though I know it can be worse, I never reached my goal weight. I've started the keto WOE (way of eating) and have had success!! Now I'm wondering how to boost my weight loss. At this point post op, how much should my pouch be holding? I've over eaten several times and had the lovely throw up fits happen. I still don't drink when I eat because that still doesn't feel good and I limit the carbonated drinks because that still doesn't feel good but tonight as I was eating veggies, rice and chicken (rice is not keto or bari approved - I know! Baby steps haha!) I finished my veggies, ate a few spoon fulls of rice and felt full!! My fiancé asked me "you hungry?" I responded confused, "uh yeah why?" He said "because you ate really fast." Ugh. This isn't the first time he has mentioned that and I've always just ignored it because I didn't think I ate fast but holy Moses apparently I am. So, back to my main question - how much should we be eating per meal? Please help, I feel new all over again!!

Pouches, for the most part, don't stretch. However you can fit in a LOT more rice than dense protein, so it may feel like you're eating a lot more.

I usually stick with about 3 - 4 oz of dense protein per meal. I can eat a lot more fish than steak, so it does vary a bit. That seems to be fairly average for folks who are several years post-op.

Slowing down is very important. I've found that it helps to take bites that are the size of a grain of rice, that forces me to take tiny bites. I also put my fork down between bites and that makes me go more slowly.

I'm definitely going to work on slowing down. I'm afraid I've stretched my pouch since I can eat so much more than I used to. Maybe I just need to pay better attention to my full meter? Gah this sucks!!

It's normal to have an increased capacity after the first six months or so. As our sleeves heal and mature, they do relax a little bit, and that's perfectly normal.

One month post op, I could eat a bite or two of egg. By six months, I could eat half of one, and a full egg at one year. By year two until now, I could MAYBE eat two. My surgeon says that's totally average.

Luckily it's pretty much impossible to stretch a well constructed sleeve, although we do lose that immediate post-op restriction that's due to swelling once we're completely healed.

If you get back to eating dense protein, chances are you'll feel your sense of restriction kick back in.

First of all, you don't have a pouch. You have a fully functioning stomach with all working parts, albeit smaller. (rant over now)

Next, it's normal for your stomach to stretch some. That being said, it will never get to the size of your original stomach. For instance, I'm 12 years post-op:

• Starting stomach capacity: 2oz
• Current stomach capacity: 8-12oz
• Average stomach capacity: a freaking football

I'm not at all panicked about my stomach being 4-5x it's new size, for I appreciate not having to depend on protein supplements. I can eat what my body needs. Rice always fills me up fast, and I swear to all things holy it gets bigger about 10 minutes after I'm done eating.