Meal plans. Do you eat on a schedule?

Hey all!

Its snowing here in my town. 

Here's my issue.

How do you manage to eat everything? My current plan calls for three small meals and two snacks.

im tracking with my fitness pal, but I'm not getting in enough food. Frankly I don't know how to get more food in. 

Advice? Do you schedule? What technique do you use? 

I just took my dinner vitamins and I'm now too full to eat. This is hard. 

Are you a regular diet now? 

1) I take most of my vitamins I independent of meals times. Otherwise, I drink just what u need to get the pills downs.

2) my surgeons plan recommended 5-6 meals a day. I started off trying that, it just didn't work for me. I work well with 4 meals a days. (I call everything a meal, don't differentiate snacks from breakfast etc). I'm further out so my meals are between 3-6oz 

my work day is more regimented just because of being busy, at home I eat whenever, but space meals out by at least 4 hours. 

Inever had an issue eating when I found the combination that worked for me.

I am on puréed foods now. Just today.

i am on leave for another four weeks, so I am sleeping in. I wake up at 7 and take my vitamins. Then I eat. Usually yogurt w protein.

i missed my am snack/meal.

i managed like ch. Ricotta cheese with salsa.

no pm snack.

just managed a scrambled egg. 

This is frustrating. I also managed three bottles of water today.

Sounds like you are doing well. The pureed phase was the hardest for me, but I found I could also eat things like refried beans, hummus, chicken breast pureed with broth in a blender (season the broth well), softly scrambled eggs and protein shakes.

Early on, I had no hunger signals at all so would also miss a meal from time to time. Finally, I set up a reminder on my phone for my vitamins/calcium and my meals and snacks. I'm close to a routine now except on days when I'm running lots of errands. Those days that lunch reminder comes in very handy. I put a cheese stick in my purse on days when I will be out and about so I have safe food with me at all times.

Protein shakes. I still don't get enough food most days, and I don't try to get in more because that was my mentality before surgery when I couldn't lose weight. As long as I am not eating enough, I will continue to supplement with protein shakes.

You can take your vitamins between meals if that helps with the fullness. A schedule is a good idea, though, because then you won't forget to take your vitamins in the long term. I think in order of importance the priorities are: (1) 64 oz (2 litres) of fluids, (2) vitamins and protein (supplement with shakes for now if necessary), and (3) food. You can always check with your dietitian if you are unsure. It will all get easier over the next few weeks as your pouch heals and capacity increases. Good luck!

If you make eating on a schedule a solid habit, you'll find you will probably be successful with weight loss and maintenance. It will keep you from grazing which in my opinion is deadly to WL/maintenance. 

Just drink your shakes for a while until you can eat enough. This is only a very temporary issue. 

Don't stress over it.  Remember your pouch is probably still swollen and not fully healed on the inside.  It took me till almost week 4 before I felt like I could eat enough and just this week (week 5 - starting into week 6) do I feel like I can get into a reasonable routine and get everything in.  Hang in there!

Hi Teio,

Getting into a schedule is perfect yes, but really when you are graduated to full food and back to work will you really need a "schedule".

Right now so early post op you need to get your water/liquids in and if you can't get in all the food its not a big deal, staying hydrated is a big deal.  There was no way when I was two weeks post op was I getting in all the food on the "menus" they gave me.  When I called into my centre they were really more concerned that I stayed hydrated and ate only as much as I could, if I didn't fini**** was okay.  I found at this early stage where you are that Protein shakes helped a lot, but that was just me.

You are doing great, keep up the good work and keep coming here for support, you got this!

BTW, MFP will give the message "you are not eating enough..." anytime your calories drop below 1000 for the day, no matter how you have customized your goals. Ignore the message.