How can I eat so much at week 9

Hi OH folks, I'm at week 9 and I'm getting nervous as the weeks go on and I realize there is little I can't eat. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to not have any significant problems with dumping, gagging, stomach pains, or anything else that some suffer from, but I'm getting worried that I don't seems to have any issues with volume either! I'm surprised at what I can get in. After 2 months of eating tiny amounts and being satisfied with them, my tummy seems to be saying "I'm all better now, feed me more". I'm kinda scared of that. I waited 18 months (and in some ways, it feels like my whole life I've been waiting for a tool like the WLS I had in January). I track my food religiously, and the portions are going up, and so are the snacks (crackers mostly). I'm beginning to see old patterns return (the "just a bit of this and just a bit of that" habit of snacking). Help! I need to know what practices people use to stick to the rules (eat small bites, eat slow, no water 30 before and 30 after); I'm having trouble sticking to these rules because there seems to be no physical ill effect when I don't! I'm was hoping for negative consequence to eating bites bigger than a pea- that would have kept me in check! I'm not sure I'm strong enough to self regulate the way I'm supposed to... need help from our OB veterans?!!? Please and Thank you!

I am not a vet and only 17 days post op but I feel for you and that is a worry for me - I would call the clinic and set up an appointment with the dietician and social worker - they are there to help. Good luck!

Thanks for the suggestion! I forgot about my team of helpers at the hospital. That's what they're there for. I'm gonna call the dietician today for an appointment. Thanks again.

IM 11 weeks and a day out.. and i have NEVER felt restriction.. until last night.. but what i have done, in order to not over eat is stick to the portions as suggested in the binders (1/2 -1 cup). I have yet to get to 1 cup. I can get AT MAX 3/4 cup... but its rare. last night i had popcorn for the first time (just over half a cup) and then tried some wheat thin pitas and hummus.. i ate abt half and was FULL for the first time since surgery... to me, it wasnt worth it to feel like that. I havent gone off track with a little of this or that OTHER THAN the popcorn last night... which isnt that bad because i was under in calories and over in protien so im ok with it.. but to me when i think i want stuff like sweets or chips... i think to myself i dont want to feel crappy and i dont want to deter from my weight loss... its just not worth it. when im hungry i drink more water... try having a decaf tea or something... it may help, but remember why you did this... this is a journey and a head game for sure. just because your body tolerates doesnt mean your waist will!!! DONT DO IT!! This is a LIFESTYLE change, whi*****ludes letting old habits die... its not easy, this is a test, do yourself a favour and make yourself proud and stick to the program. you wont regret it for 1 second!!!!!

Thanks, it's good to know I'm not alone in struggling through this. I think I can get a cup in. I feel full at that point. I thought 1/2 a cup was the max at this point though? I'm at about 600-700 calories a day. I checked my binder and I see that I'm not prioritizing the protein. Gotta try to eat it first. I love your advice just because I can tolerate it, doesn't mean my waist will!! So true! Thank you!

No problem at all! I ALWAYS eat my protein first... regardless.. .and try to have protein for ALL my snacks.. i also prep which REALLY helps!! I make overnight oats (5 containers) for work days, weekends its much easier as i usually make a shake with some fruits and protein powder and i make my lunch and snacks the night before. i dont eat meat eggs or fish so its pretty much the same for me EVERY day but i have 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with 2 melba at lunch and then for snack i have 100g SKYR yogurt and 1/4 cup of veggies... dinner is usually soy meat or beans of sort (depending on what i made in the week!!) i also add half a premier shake to a decaf coffee in the morning and one in the afternoon to get my protein goal... get creative.. if you get dumping or get sick, ITS OK!!!!! at least you know you tried/ im getting 750-800 cals a day and 75-84 g of protein a day and its working... ive lost 47 since surgery and have lost 76 total (which i feel AMAZING)!!! dont get caught up in i cant have this and that... its i dont want this and that.. fuel your body, love your body... treat it well and it will treat you well :)

Thanks again, you have some great advice for me to follow! Wow, you manage all that and you don't eat meat or eggs, you're amazing! I think remembering the concept of "fuel" is a good one. I was used to eating whatever is around or left over from the kids out of habit and I was sneaking back into that. Gotta prioritize what my body need and that's protein first. Thanks again. You're doing awesome by the way! Congrats!

Thank you :) feel free to PM me at any point if you ever have questions, need to vent or just need some encouragement!! youve got this!!

You already identified the bit of this and that and the crackers so that only you can stop. As for feeling full or needing more, you likely still have no feeling back so you just have to measure out and eat the volume they tell you to then walk away. You may not feel full or hungry for a year as things are still healing inside. If you think you are hungry, drink water as often we feel hungry and it's actually thirst. It's important to measure and just eat the amount you are supposed to at 9 weeks out. I am guessing that would be about a 1/2 cup per meal at this stage but each centre is different so perhaps you are already up to 1 cup. Snacking is a habit and not hunger so if you are always snacking at night then you need to find something else to keep you busy. I started knitting post op and I also kept light weights in a basket next to my sofa and if I was watching TV, during commercials I grabbed the weights as I used to always get up at the commercials to go get snacks. I started making a pot of herbal tea after dinner and sipping on that all evening. I turned the light off in my kitchen and it was basically a no enter zone after 7pm.

Hi Tracey, Thank you for those awesome ideas. I'm going to get the weights and bring them up to the living room. You nailed it, the after dinner snacking was starting to sneak back in; I think that pot of herbal tea is brilliant, along with the lights off policy!!! The kids can get their own snacks! Thanks again, great ideas.