How many meals/snacks are okay?

I was reading something I had bookmarked from before I had surgery - not from my NUT (but again my NUT sucks in general) - that said 3 meals a day was the only way to go because otherwise the weight will creep back on. I've been doing 3 meals + 2 snacks for a couple of reasons - the main one is because I can't get all the protein in otherwise yet since I'm still eating a lot of soft foods. I'm getting 60-70 in but if I cut back on how many times I eat I don't think I can get as much in.  The other reason is I made a lot of changes before the surgery in cutting out foods I knew I couldn't eat after and obviously even more now so I didn't want to feel deprived. 

I'm sticking to the 2 ounces at a time if it's a meal, less if it's a snack - like string cheese or something. Just don't want to be doing anything wrong if I can help it!

You aren't doing anything wrong. Part of this is figuring out what works for you, and that changes at different stages. The first three months were different than months 3-6 and now at 9 months I am trying to figure out what agrees with me again. In the beginning my surgeon said I could eat 5-6 times a day... but you are only eating a few bites. I have my protein drink in AM - then I probably eat 3-4 more times. I know some people swear by the only 3 meals a day, but I don't think that is realistic in the beginning with trying to get 60-80g of protein in. Look at the post "What are you eating today RNYers?" I find that helpful...

I was eating four small meals per day (about 400-600 cals) but my dietician said at the last visit she wanted me to eat more at a meal and less often. So I've ended up eating two meals per day, still about 500-600 cals per day. I am to wait until I get hungry to eat, so my morning meal is about 11AM and that keeps me full for many hours. For example, today had "breakfast" at 1130AM and supper at 730PM. I also have a drink before I eat, every time. 

Many of us eat 5-7 times a day and have been able to successfully maintain our weight.  The advantage to doing that is that your metabolism and blood sugar stay more stable throughout the day.  The potential downside is that you could consume too many calories that way.  You just have to be sure that you downsize your "meals" to account for the fact that you will be eating again in a few hours.

People who start out early after surgery with smaller, more frequent meals are -- in my experience, at least -- generally more successful than those who try to add in snacks further down the road.  I assume that it is because while you are re-learning to eat, if you are eating 6 times a day, you learn how to balance your protein and calories over the six meals whereas someone *****learned by eating three meals only might have a harder time making the meals small enough to allow for the snacks.

If your "meals" are full sized meals, though, and then your "snacks" are just extra calories over and above your target, you will regain weight.  

Lora

Excellent point! I plan for 3 meals and 2 snacks a day but often do just fine with only one of the snacks. 

But if I let myself get too hungry or wait too long to eat....oh boy, it's not pretty. 

I eat 5 times a day.  Like someone said, I doubt I could get in all my protein otherwise.  Also, I haven't had a low blood sugar episode since I've been doing this.

I also give myself the option to eat 4 meals a day if that works for me that day and once in a while I've had an extra snack when I have felt I needed one.

It's all individual and there really is no wrong way if it works for you.

I found that eating 3 small meals, 3 small snacks and water in between works for me.  My pouch is never empty, and I have the energy that I need to sustain me all day long.

Ok, thanks everyone! I'm not counting calories yet just protein and water. I'm just trying really hard to get the protein in and having a difficult time if I cut out any eating times since the amount I eat is so small! I don't know how many calories I should be eating but I can't imagine I'm eating that many since I'm eating very specifically for my pouch.

I do read the what's on your menu, I don't post because my menu is pretty boring at this point lol. Hoping it will get more exciting next week when I can broaden my eating horizons a bit!

I eat about six times a day.  Sometimes more.

It doesn't matter how many times you eat.  What matters is how many calories you get in the whole day.

I have been maintaining my weight on about 1500 calories a day for a few years now.  It makes no difference if I eat 500 calories three times a day or 300 calories five times a day or 100 calories 15 times a day.  It's still 1500 calories a day.

Except I would have trouble eating 500 calories at one time and if I only ate three times a day I would feel hungry and my blood sugar would get low and I'd feel sick.  And I don't want that.  So eating six or seven times a day works better for me.

One of the important things you're trying to avoid is letting yourself get so hungry you overeat or make poor choices.  However, that's just a head issue.  As others have said it doesn't matter at all how many times a day you eat.