Holy **** Batman - Stomach Restriction Has Been Found

Well I will say this, you can definitely tell when it is time to stop eating.  For the first time since I have had surgery, I felt like what it means to "feel full".  The restriction that I have been searching for finally kicked in tonight when I had a scrambled egg with bacon bits cooked in it (6 grams for the egg and 3 for the bacon bits sprinkled on top = 9 grams of protein).  Believe it or not, I actually cooked two eggs with bacon bits (18 grams protein) thinking it would be no problem at all.  You have to realize that up to this point, oatmeal and mashed potatoes were no problem going down at all - absolutely no restriction what so ever.  It is hard to believe that one tiny egg had me down for the count.  I ate five bites and the pressure in my chest said "take one more bite and I am going to make you throw up".  I did not push the envelope.  I finally felt full physically, but mentally that was a whole other story.  Mentally, I did not feel like I had a meal at all.  Is it my mind playing tricks on me?  I can definitely see how I am now going to need to retrain my thought processes.  One other thing, it really makes me wonder how in the hell people actually meet their necessary protein intake requirements, without supplementation.  I just don't get it.  I only ate 9 grams with one egg and active people are supposed to get 70-85 grams per day.  I guess as time goes on and the pouch expands, more food will fit, but dam that was one weird feeling in my chest - right below the rib cage.  I have often wondered what that full feeling would feel like and now I know.  One last note, and please tell me if I am wrong, I feel like no matter what, I will have to drink at least one protein shake everyday for the rest of my life.  I drink three everyday now to get 69 grams of protein in.  I do envision getting down to one.   Taz

You may very well have to get some of your protein through drinks for the rest of your life. And if you do, that's a small price to pay for a lifetime of non-obesity in my opinion. My pouch must be cut a little bigger than some. When I was about where you are now, I could eat a scrambled egg mixed with about 3/4 cup of grits and get it all down. About a month ago over on the women's board I mentioned that I'd had 2 oz of ham, 2 scrambled eggs and a 1/4 cup of refried beans for breakfast. Half the responses were that I was lying and must be a troll trying to stir up **** and the other half were scolding me like I was a 10 year old boy who'd just **** the bed. It was defcon 5 over there when I left. So I don't post there much any more. But I say all of that to say this: Your pouch will get bigger I think, and you'll eventually be able to get all your protein through food if you choose wisely. Some days I get 100 grams of protein in at around 1250 calories. But it usually means I ate only lean meats and egg whites and got 30g of them in via a protein drink. 

Thanks for the response.  I am hoping to be able to increase the amount as time goes on, but I am with you on the protein drink thing, very small price to pay for losing weight.  And yes, those women are full of **** most of the time.  It doesn't take much to get those hags going.  I am of the same opinion as you about posting over there anymore, it is too much bull**** and it is too hormonal for my testosterone.   Take care JFISH,    Taz

Taz, Hey, your pouch is working! Yep.  Getting the brain retrained is perhaps the hard part. for the first 6 months you will probably have to suppiment your protein by drinking some of it. Whey Protein shots have 42 gms of protein in 5oz’s of liquid. Some take ‘em just as a shot, but poured into some water (cut about half & half) They taste like Kool-aid. They are 0 carbs, and obviously 0 sugar. Further out, getting 100+gms of protein just from food is not as challenging. I put out a post about 3 years ago, and have re-posted it several times since… (sorry to just copy/paste it here, but it saves a lot of typing) ----------------------------------------------

Someone on another Board recently asked- “How in the World” could someone get in the amount of protein needed without relying on constant supplements? I thought I’d give a simple/typical- “What Ya’ll Eat Today” answer- I, like many other Post-Ops Eat multiple meals/feedings per my nutritionist’s recommendation. If Your Doc or Nutritionist recommends otherwise- (and there are some the are adamant about 3 “shakes” a day!) Then DO That! But, In answer to “How in the World?”- This is what works for me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pre-Breakfast De-Caf Coffee with SlimFastLowCarbVanillaCream as creamer -10gms Protein Breakfast- 1 CarbControlYogurt with Total Protein Cereal and usually 2 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal -21gms Protein Mid Morning snack- small apple and handful of SoyNutz -12gms Protein Pre-Lunch De-Caf Coffee with SlimFastLowCarbVanillaCream as creamer -10gms Protein Lunch- 6oz Tuna and a boiled egg -51gms Protein Mid-Afternoon Snack- Handful of Soy Nutz and a String cheese -19gms Protein Dinner- 6oz hamburger meatballs with chopped tomato with Textured Vegetable Protein ½ onion and 2 stalks of celery-58 gms Protein Cup of Skim Milk later that evening with bell pepper slices 14 gms Protein ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That brings me to 195gms of Protein for a Day Even Leaving off any coffee with SlimFast (in case one would view creamer as shake) Still leaves me at an easy 175 gms of Protein a day. And calories? With the Coffee creamer substitute it comes to 2125 A little lower than my goal of 2400. I use a calculator to get my target. http://annecollins.com/calories/calorie-needs-men.htm Obviously there are many days where I have closer to 120gms of protein But generally I’m able to stay above that with no problem. And to this I add Vitamins, Calcium, Iron, B-12 shot every month, And enough water to bath in daily. But no potatoes? Noodles? Rice? Nope, very rarely. Protein First, then Veggies, then… I think that the simple Directive that we see so often-  – Protein First! Is sort of a core value that will serve one well. At Least, This is what has Worked for Me! “Your Mileage may vary…” How has this “simple idea” Without the Supplement Industry’s Support worked for me thus far? Started at 385lbs, I’ve been at or below goal for over a year and a half-- 181lbs. Perfect Labs, perfect Blood Pressure, Better than Great Cholesterol numbers, etc… Healthier now than I was 20 years ago. Lucky?  Yeah. Started a bit rougher than most would refer to as lucky.   And maybe I’ve done well “In Spit Of” my Poor Dietary intake… But, -- “How in The World can Anyone Get Enough Protein Without Shakes?” Easy! Enough it Seems, To Me…  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Now that I’m coming up on year 5 this summer, I easily get in my protein. For example, today I’ve had- ½ cup of low-fat yogurt with oats, ¾ inch slice (about 10 oz) of very rare / lean/ juicy Prime Rib, (I cut off all of the fatty bits) 1 dozen large boiled in shell Shrimp, a char-grilled chicken breast, 7 Dungeness Crab claws…(approx 9 oz of crab meat) and almost ½ cup of grilled peppers and zucchini… And all of that was before 1:00. (I started out with a super early Yogurt and oats breakfast Followed by a slow Champagne Brunch with Cards Fan and friends in Tunica) Since then I’ve had ¾ cup of Protein rich Quinoa “Mock Chicken Fried Rice” (That was almost half Chicken Breast, some egg and lots of veggies) Some green beans, a tart Granny-Smith apple, a tomato, a couple of string cheese sticks, about ½ cup of steamed squash/peppers/onions, ½ cup of fat free cottage cheese, 6 strawberries, about ¼ a cup of cucumber, basil and tomato salad, A couple of SF sweet pickles, and a few bites of Black-eyed pea salad. A hell of a lot of food, and protein, and fiber… But no bread, no sweets, no simple starches….. Drink your protein now while you need to, And learn to stop about ½ bite BEFORE you feel full. That habit will help make year 4 a breeze! Hang in there. The beginning is the hardest. Best Wishes- Dx

 

Hi taz.  Glad your operating properly now.  I never could drink the protien shakes.  They made me sick from the get go.  Early on, say 8 weeks post op, I used slimfast protien bars.  The went down well, and I could get in 2 a dat.  Now I get all my protien in my regular meals.  I go for the high protien foods, high fiber, lo-fat.  In my recent labs, my protien levels wer in the normal range as well as everything else. 1 egg is still enough for me at 7 months out. kevin

Today I had my second egg and I am still floored that one itty bitty egg fills me up.  I am absolutely astonished.  It feel pretty good to know my pouch is working.  I was really worried there when I was eating mashed potateos and oatmeal.  I am going to have to look into protein bars when I get a chance.  That sounds like it would be an easy food for on the go.  Now that I am back teaching and working at the hospital, those would be very handy to keep in the pocket.  Thanks for the words of wisdom.   Taz