I had rny in 2012, I did pretty well until the last year or so.  I have gained back 20 of the 100 I lost.   I have had a really tough time emotionally, just really intense personal stuff, and am working really hard to get back on track.  The thing is, I am noticing a very clear pattern.  If I eat very very dense/dry protein I do really well and don't feel hungry between meals.  If I eat ANYTHING else, anything with a vegetable, dairy, softer protein (tofu, egg), chili... I get hungry very quickly.  Tuna salad, hamburgers, these seem to not stick either, I get hungry pretty soon after.   I completely understand that I need protein first, no liquids with meals, no slider foods...  I am just a bit surprised that I don't seem to be able to eat anything but basically baked chicken without dealing with pretty constant hunger.  Does this sound right?  If this is just the way my pouch works then I guess I just have to deal with it.  But I would really love to eat something other than baked chicken.  I would LOVE a salad occasionally but I can't deal with the hunger, it just derails me. Any ideas?

I think this can be true... You don't only have to eat chicken though. Beef, fish, I like turkey sausage...might work too. I find chicken salad holds me better than tuna salad. When you are having a veggie with the protein, are you eating it after the protein or kinda all mixed together?

As much as it is 'normal' in our culture to eat a little bit of everything on our plate, not all the meat then the veggies...I do find that does work better with hunger, and if I eat a stir fry with the meat mixed into the veggies it is hard to eat enough protein for the full feeling to last...

As I am sure you also know what we can and cannot do at certain times changes. Sometimes we have to play around with what works. For awhile I was eating a small salad as a 'snack' with just some shredded cheese on it and vinegrette. I wasn't expecting it to last me as long and I never really got to enjoy it when I tried to eat it with a dense protein meal. Right now those tuna pouches work as a snack for me, when I am on the run, but definitely not a meal...Then of course we do something for awhile but if it stops working....have to change it up.

It is funny my definition as to whether something is a meal or snack at any given time isn't really quantity per se but more like you said....whether it lasts and keeps the hunger at bay. I still drink protein drinks. In the morning when I am not really hungry most days, it can be a meal. If I have it later in the day? absolutely a 'snack'...

Don't know if any of this helps....good luck.

HI!

I am 2.5 years post op and I experience the same thing. Fish (if super flakey) is no good.  Meaty fish like salmon a bit better.

But you arent alone. Some of my go-to's (i.e. scrambled egg, egg salad, cottage cheese, really thick meathy spaghetti sauce, meat loaf from ground beef) are now very unreliable for me in their ability to "hold" me.

 We are eating more steak, sliced ham and roasted chicken due to it.

If you are sick of chicken, try goose or duck.  The flavor is much stronger, "muskier"/gamier.   I get them at the asian supermarkets.  I also eat rabbit (see gourmet section or gourmet grocer).

These (unfortunately) are more $$$.

But for maintaince, it is also CRITICAL that you dont get bored with your diet. When I am in a food rut, I can "hear" my triggers (like mac and cheese) calling to me. I can.  It even tells me it is in the 3rd aisle of a grocery store 3 blocks from my job...it is waiting for me.

Good luck

Thanks everyone!  I am finding it incredibly difficult to stick with such a restricted diet, I think especially because for a really long time I didn't have to do that.  I mean, I was always pretty protein heavy and very low carb  but there was soooo much more variety.  I think I am going to expirement with adding a salad or something like it for snacks even if I am not really really hungry so that I can have a bit more variety.  And then my main three meals a day can be just meat.  It seems like if I eat the dense protein, say 3 ounces of chicken, and then a cooked vegetable or a high moisture veg then I am hungry again in 30 minutes.  But if I eat the protein and then raw carrot or pepper I am good.  It sounds like this can be normal and I am just going to have to wrap my brain around the idea that this is what allows me to be free from that horrible all day constant hunger.   

Skinny scientist, I can hear the call of the croissants from the little market down the street.  Right now.  They are loud and demanding.

"  I think I am going to expirement with adding a salad or something like it for snacks even if I am not really really hungry so that I can have a bit more variety."

-Um. I am not going to tell you what to do..but when I was getting hungry early or dizzy while working out, my NUT said it was ok to have a snack (like veggies..mine is cucumbers and tzaki a tthe moment) but I HAD TO BE HUNGRY or working out at ABOUT DINNER TIME (the best class is from 5-6 pm).

So, I am not telling you what to do because you know your situation best. I am just relaying the ground rules my Nut gave to me.

And really, could a nutritionist lose it over you eating raddishes? 

Here is one of my faves for radishes. When you roast/braise them they get sweet and LOSE that peppery burny horseradish aspect.

If you are bored...I would encourage you to start with this...just  a MERE 4 ingredients

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/roasted-radishes-with-brown -butter-lemon-and-radish-tops

This is the one I made for Groomy that converted him to a Raddish lover. It has more ingredients than Bon Appetit...but it is very good

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/braised-radishes-recipe.html

I think I'll have to try radishes now! This looks yummy. 

This is something I am making tonight...

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/baked-salmon-with-dill/

Do you take a PPI per chance? Excess stomach acid can mimic hunger.

Otherwise, yeah, dense protein is the only thing that keeps my hunger at bay.