3 meals versus 5 meals??

Just curius to what some people thought. Dr B staff reccommend 3 meals a day, but alot of other drs reccomend 5 small meals a day. The 5 a day seem to make more sense, because that is usually recommended to lose wt to keep your metabolism going. I pretty much don't even eat until lunchtime. My b-fast is a chocolate protien shake, then lunch, afternoon snack(nuts or dried fruit), dinner, then maybe a popcicle or fruit so I guess that's 5 meals. I know Dr B recommends it due to grazing issues Just curious what everyone does and or thinks... thanks for any advice!!! Erin

I usually have 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. I watch my calorie intake and use fitday.com. There are somedays I am very hungry and others I could care less about food. Dont know why. Good luck

Hi Erin, this was a actual topic at last support group... the eating 5 times a day triggers alot of snacking and never getting that "satisfied" feeling and essentially adding more calories than what you need. I found myself doing the same for a period of time... eating small throughout the day and I found myself snacking more. I went back to the 3 solid meals a day and kicked myself out of my plateau. Stick with Dr. Blackstone's program... she has it for a reason... SUCCESS! ~Nicole

Hey Nicole how are you? So how many calories are we supposed to be getting in a day? I eat maybe 700-800 a day. I just have real issues with breakfast, I don't feel like eating, when I have tried I get neaseated. so that leaves lunch and dinner. I still have some issues with things getting stuck sometimes even after my 2nd stricture was fixed. So when that happens I am done with the meal. Anyways thanks for the advice, you know when I went for my 4 mo nut follow up, the lady I saw was new and not very helpful, maybe I'll try and schedule another nut visit with someone else. Thanks for the advice.... Erin

Who did you meet with for your 4 months? Cassie and Samantha are the best, but I know Cassie was about to have her baby so she was probably not there at your 4 months. Are you still chewing really good? I know when I don't chew good I get the stuck feeling. at my 4 month visit, I asked how many calories we should be getting in and I was told not to count calories. But I guess if I were to count, I am close to 800. I focus on protein only... getting in my 100 grams of protein a day. I just had my 6 month and my labs were great, protein level was great too. When I couldnt do breakfast for a while, I gave myself an hour before eating after waking up and drank some tea first. It helped. Remember... no snacking! I know its hard. talk soon, nicole

If your doc recommends you eat 3 a day then stick to her program, she did your surgery and has perfected her craft. Each program differs based on the doc. My doc has us eat 5-6 a day based on a certain calorie intake per day. I also have a band and do not drink my calories. I plan my meals based on the number of cals I am allowed. I plan weekly for me and my family, it helps me maintain my sanity with 5 kids and banded hubby too. I rarely if ever go over my calorie allowance. I am very active so for me I need to eat more often. I know from experience that having a great breakfast leads to having a great day for me. Weightloss is so individual that what works for one may not work for another. That being said I think you should talk to your nutritionist about your individual needs and see if there is plan for you. Alot has to do with our schedules and our inability to change them, like working nights or being a stay at home parent or anything that is not "normal" in the sense of eating at 6am 12pm and 6 pm. We have to find ways to adjust our intake based on that. Never change anything your doc recommends before discussing it with them. Good luck and let us know how things are going Jen

Jen how many calories do you eat in a day? it has never been discussed with me, maybe at my 6 mo follow up??? Thanks for the advice...Erin

I eat 1500 now but I was at 1200 while in the losing phase. I ride a bike for 45-60 mins per day 3-4 times per week and sometimes eat 1600 on those days. I get about 85 grams of protein and 35-40 fiber every day. I am surprised that calories we not discussed. Did you get a meal plan or anything telling you how/what to eat? You may be overlooking something. I would call the dietician and get clarification now. In your efforts to re-train yourself on proper healthy eating habits you need not wait. I also saw the post about the blood sugar issue, this is the reason that the NDIC recommends the 6 small meals per day. Check with your dietician or doctor about your specific blood sugar issues before changing your diet. Let me know how it goes, Jen

For me, the answer is one of necessity. I have problem keeping my blood sugar stablized so I have to do frequent meals at about 2 1/2 - 3 hours apart. It is a real pain in the rear for someone who has bounce back weight gain too. Sandy