Week 3 Eating

My program wants me eating up to 3oz of food every 2-3 hours. Up to 2oz of "dense" protein, with up to an additional ounce of cheese or veggies, or just 3oz of softer things like cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. Which has been totally doable for me for the most part. No issues with restriction at 3oz so far, my head is happy with getting to eat more (still not physically hungry) and I like getting a bunch of protein in through food instead of shakes, though I'm still drinking 1 to 1.5 shakes a day to hit protein goals.

But I'm sort of nervous because it seems like most of the people I've seen on here were eating a lot less food this far out...I'm totally within my program's plan and I track everything in MyFitnessPal. I'm hitting a minimum of 80 grams of protein and keeping carbs below 40 net (17 of which are coming from my chewable vitamins, which I can't really help at the moment, so really it's more like 20 net carbs). Also zero issues with water, getting in a minimum of 70oz in every day, usually more.

I know I've seen people on here talk about how their nutritionists don't always seem to know best, and I'm still super early out and definitely want to take full advantage of my sleeve! Did anybody else have similiar guidelines to mine? Any concerns come to mind? I'm probably over-thinking this, but it's kind of hard not to when eating and drinking and vitamins and walking are all I am thinking about right now...

Yeah, that's a lot. I was eating about 1/2-3/4 of a scrambled egg or 1-1.5oz of dense protein and often not finishing it. I never added sides until 5 1/2 months out.

Yeah, I had a full egg and had no issues getting it all in. So far, other than some deli ham, the only meat I've had is chicken, which I mixed with some cream cheese to help add some moisture. I'm not really doing "sides" and don't really plan to for a bit, other than something like adding cheese to a protein or some dressing/sauce/avocado to help add in moisture. But it does seem like my restriction isn't nearly as tight as most people I've seen posting here. Which is apparently what my program was expecting, but seems a bit weird to me... :/

It?s very likely a lack of sensation thing. Some people just don?t feel it until they heal. Which is why you have to be careful because you can literally damage yourself at first. Honestly, you have so much fat to consume (general you, that?s not meant to be an insult) that eating at this stage is really just practice and to see what you tolerate. You literally can get by on very few calories as long as you take your vitamins and throw down a couple protein shakes. Take advantage of the lack of hunger!

As a point of reference, tonight for dinner I had 3oz of poached salon and 3/4oz of Brussel Sprouts and I'm one bite too full.

This seems to vary widely.

My plan (5 weeks out) has me eating 2-4 oz three times a day. I have a snack and a protein shake, as well. I portion most of my meals to 3 oz. I can eat 4 oz of plain Greek yogurt or nonfat cottage cheese easily, but turkey breasts or chicken is typically a 2.5 oz portion.

I haven't thrown up once. I also haven't had any uncomfortable feelings (except some slight pain when I tried beef...now I'm sticking to turkey and chicken for awhile, and if I drink too fast.)

I keep my carbs below 40 and my protein above 70, with 64-80 oz. of water a day, not including protein shakes or the occasional sugar-free popsicle.

it definitely seems to vary by plan, and I think I maybe wound myself up too much about it. I'm doing fine following my surgeon's plan, and that should be what I focus on!

That's right. Everyone is different, but if we stay focused, follow our plans, and pay attention to our bodies, we are bound to have success!

Congrats on getting below that 300 mark. My goal is to be 299 by Spring Break (and I'll have lost almost 100 pounds from my HIGHEST WEIGHT EVER!)

We Rock! I see that you're recent like me, have you heard of Bariatric Foodie? (I am not endorsed with the site in ANY way) but the 2018 Bariatric Foodie Pledge starts in two days! You should check it out so that you don't miss it if it sounds like something that could help you. I am actually looking forward to the accountability and fellowship. :-)

Yup! I'm already signed up for it. :)

You seem to be doing fine, and yes, you probably are overthinking things a bit - most people do!

People, and programs, can vary widely as to how much they can eat, and of what types, at this point. Some people will have more stomach inflammation than others so that they can't handle anything but liquids or very soft and mushy things (and some programs accommodate them by having everyone progress at that slower pace.) Our program had us on soft and mushy things as tolerated, along with liquids, in the hospital on out, so some would progress quicker than others within their guidelines. Doc was adding veg to my diet by day ten as my protein intake was more than adequate.

Indeed, many on these forums are down on nutritionists as most RDs aren't big promoters of the latest fad diets that many find on the internet. Overall, if your protein levels are appropriate for your body maintenance and calorie levels are at a suitable deficit for weight loss, the carbohydrate and fat levels don't matter as they will both be very low, and no one has ever failed at this because of "too many carbs"; falling back to junk foods, yes, but not due to failing to hit some magical number. People did just as well with their WLS twenty plus years ago when low fat diets were "in" as they do today with the low carb mania. Sustainable long term healthy eating is better than quicky weight loss and continued yo-yo dieting.

You are right in that things are complicated enough with concentrating on eating and drinking enough, vitamins and walking/exercise without adding more things to keep track of that don't add value (like carb/fat counts and keto sticks.)

>> No one has ever failed at this because of "too many carbs."

I'm inclined to somewhat disagree. There are several posters on OH who eat higher-carb diets (not junk food!) and have a noticeably slower rate of loss than the people who go high protein/low carb.

Yes, this is anecdotal evidence, but still valid observations IMO.