Random Poll o' the Week: Pouch Capacity

I am 7+ years out and I cannot eat very big meals, probably around a cup or so of food at a time depending what it is.  I do not get hungry and still get sick if I eat the wrong things.  I typically do not eat during the day at work and only eat dinner and plain greek yogurt for a snack afterwards.  This helped me shed my 10lb regain and keep me very close to my my 138lb goal.  I was sick all weekend, queasy and couldn't eat, I weighed today I was 140.

At 4 years out, I'm a definite c) light restriction (can often eat more than what your plan prescribers per meal, find yourself wanting to/able to eat before your next meal).

I could & would eat damn near constantly if I let myself. 

I am almost 7mths out of surgery and I am (A)...I eat about 3/4 at a sitting and then can go hours without feeling the need to eat...I have to often remind myself its lunchtime...its supper time...mind you there is the odd day that I can eat a sitting and then want more after an hour.

How far out are you from surgery?  7 years out

From your perspective, on MOST days, do you have:

a) severe restriction (can't eat very much at a sitting and can go long periods of time between meals, forget to eat, etc.)

b) moderate restrictrion (can eat as much as your plan prescribes to at a sitting and can eat several meals a day without many problems)

c) light restriction (can often eat more than what your plan prescribers per meal, find yourself wanting to/able to eat before your next meal)

d) OTHER (please explain)

I  have moderate restriction most days, eating what is fairly normal at this stage.  Dense meat (especially chicken and steak) are still very limited in the quantity I can consume.  Occassionally I do have light restriction and wonder WTH how did I just eat that, LOL.  Then as you stated there are those severe restriction days when a bite or two is all that I can get in.

I am 8 years out and still eat nearly all of my meals off of dessert-size plates. Though I still have a decent amount of restriction in terms of pouch capacity, I do have a very quick digestive system (as I learned at a barium swallow recently. Yuck.) so I get hungry in between meals. Because of that, I'm pretty religious about weighing everything I eat.

In terms of animal proteins, I get filled up after 4-5 oz. of turkey, chicken or beef. With seafood or shellfi**** is a little bit more. Raw vegetables are my favorite kind because they fill me up a lot.

Mushy foods go through pretty quickly. Yogurt and ricotta don't stick with me too long unfortunately, so I usually have to have something solid with those proteins to feel full.

When I do get hungry between meals, I try my best to stick with raw vegetables (or baked fruit if it is a sweets craving) or a homemade protein cookie.

It's certainly not as easy as it was that first year, but by now I'm pretty comfortable with the lifestyle change.

b) moderate restrictrion (can eat as much as your plan prescribes to at a sitting and can eat several meals a day without many problems)
I had surgery 5/22 and I feel this fits me best, most days I am able to follow my plan, then other days something doesn't sit right and I am very undcomfortable/in pain for a period of time. But when that happens I usually do a bunch of walking and take a disovable gas-x and the problem usually works itself out.

I'm 2 years out (27 months if you want to be specific).  I'm gonna say I'm pretty solidly a B.  I have days where I forget to eat because I have no hunger drive, but when I eat by the clock (weekdays) I'm still at a reasonably small capacity.  I use a dessert plate all the time.  Today I had 1 cup of chili, sliced tomato, and 1/3 of an apple.

Certain foods shut me down completely... pasta, breads (if not crusty enough or toasted), steamed broccoli and cauliflower... and I can only get a few pieces in.  Other slider type foods I can get quite a bit more, of course.

Most days I'm smack dab a B.  Actually, my doc says to eat more.

 I am 11 weeks out and i would say I'm still at a solid B although sometimes I don't get hungry and will forget to eat so I try to look at the clock to remind myself it's time for some food!

The only problems I've had we're early on and I didn't chew well enough. Other than that my pouch doesn't like scrambled eggs but fried are fine, water nauseates me no matter what temperature it is. I don't dump on fats and I haven't tried anything with sugar so I don't know about that! Since I don't miss it, I'm not gonna worry about it! The sf jello, sf pudding and NSA fudgesicles keep me happy if I want something sweet.

  I would say I am firmly a C.  I am 10mths out and I can EAT.
Steak? 4oz and some veggies before I stop myself. Not before I am full, before I STOP.
Taco Casserole?  1c and some veggies (probably at least another cup?)

SOME times I have major small days, but as a rule, I can eat regular people portions and it scares the snot out of me.

Hmmmm......I dunno probably a "B"
I am almost 9 months out and.....
I eat about 1/2 cup of food at a sitting and I eat 6 times a day
sometimes I am hungry and sometimes I could go all day and not eat (although I don't).....