Question for Major Mom (others feel free to answer too!)

Gina -
I believe it was you that once posted that you try to keep your meals small to help preserve your small tummy.  When I try to do this too it seems like I am hungry literally only an hour after eating.  What am I doing wrong?  Does it happen to you too and you just push thru the feeling of wanting to eat?

Do you (or anyone else) have any tips for making small meals work?  To look at my plate nobody would ever guess that I had WLS because my plate looks pretty normal.  I do not "gorge" like I use to prior to my DS, but my plate certainly looks like others.

Thanks,
Beth
 

As a DSer, I eat very small meals very frequently throughout the day.  I believe Gina eats like this, too - as a pre-op, she told me that she's a "grazer," and that's one of the reasons her surgeon recommended the DS for her.  I never really thought of myself as a grazer pre-op, but I've certainly become one as a post-op.  I don't do it necessarily to preserve the small size of my stomach; rather, it is a consequence of the small size of my stomach - I can only comfortably eat small portions, and then I'm full.  But it doesn't seem to take that long for me to get hungry again, like an hour or two.  I guess I just listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry (or try to - sometimes I can't if I'm busy at work or something). 

One time, the BF of one of my employees was sitting at the bar at our restaurant, and he made a comment to me about how "much" I was eating.  He had seen me sit down to eat dinner, and then about an hour later, I sat down to eat a little dessert (I lucked out, it was a slow night!).  It kind of pissed me off at first, until his GF piped up and said, "Tom!!!  Did you even SEE how much she eats?  She eats like five bites of something, and then she's full.  So yeah, you try that and then see if you're not hungry again an hour later!!"  That made me giggle, because it's true.  My mom, who is a naturally thin woman, eats all day long, every hour or so.  I think sometimes we don't have a clear picture of how "normal" people really eat...we're really not so different from them after our DS's.

Heather is spot on, I nibble or graze mostly. If you want to call them small meals or snacks, that's pretty accurate. I use protein shakes a lot and they may be controlling hunger and cravings. I don't get hungry unless I'm really empty and then it hurts, but I still nibble and graze. 

--gina
 

I was just talking to the wife about this last night. Now that I'm starting to eat halfway normal what's been comfortable for me is less food more frequently. This sums up to be something small every hour or so. If not I find myself taking an hour or more to eat something. It just took me an hour and 15 minutes to drink an 8 ounce protein shake.

every day is a new day with my stomach. somedays I can't eat enough and others I feel ill after 2 bites.  I think that is pretty normal and one of the big reasons that I chose the DS is because I'm a total foodie!! I think the general idea is that as long as you are sticking with protein and fat and somewhat shunning the high carbs you will be ok.  I also find that the more protein coffee or shakes I drink the quicker I drop the lbs.  I do have a high carb day once in a while if I stall for longer than a week or two.  I will say that even though many recommend the diet busting glazed donut to break their stall,  I prefer sushi rolls and pasta even if I pay later.  Of course my family always pays worse after one of those days!!

If you are hungry, EAT! Grazing throughout the day is probably the healthiest way to eat.

Just make sure it is protein. There's no measuring, no counting calories. No such thing as eating too much if you are hungry and your stomach can handle it. As long as what you eat is protein...

Many of us got this surgery so we wouldn't have to go hungry again. Take advantage of the DS benefits.

I'm noticing this myself.  I'm a nibble/graze type of eater.  My stomach just feels better. 

Hubs took me out to breakfast on Saturday.  I knew I couldn't wait 30 mins to eat.  Grabbed some raspberries on the way out the door and I was good til eating time.  Ate some soup, a couple of fried cheese sticks and then came home and was hungry again.  Nuked my doggie bag, had another cheese stick, ... grabbed a cherry tomato off the plant, ... an hour later, ate some yogurt, couple of bites of cheese.  Made it to dinner time, ate part of a bear paw burger with swiss cheese, some sugar free freezies.  Had a few more freezies before bed. :)  Water, water, water... rinse repeat :)

 Yep.... exactly If you are hungry eat, but I suspect the reason you are hungry so soon after eating is the make-up of your meals.  go for high protein, and very low carbs period. the carbs include almost all veggies, corn beans, peas  potatoes, rice and bread.... whether good or bad carbs, they all make me hungry....and the more you eat the more you crave them.  So opt for eggs and cheese if you tolerate it, and maybe a greek yougurt... lay off the corn, peas, beans unless it is string beans. eat the lettuce and roamaine and kale and cooked cabbage, but only the last in  small servings...