How many ounces?

How many ounces of food to you consume at a sitting? I recently posted on the main board that I ate 4-6 ounces...but it's really more like 8. I was just wanting to see where I stood. I feel like 8 is alot, but if you think about it, normal (by normal I need NORMAL stomachs) eat 8 ounces of STEAK at a time, along with all the other trimmings. So is 8 at one sitting bad? Am I over eating? By the way, it's not EVERY meal. Anyway, any other opinions/stories are appreciated. Tracy 36 years old-confessed sugar holic Dec 2003 -150 lbs or so...and holding at 180 (five foot ten)

This is a good question! I know I have ate at least 8 ounces before. I am sure I have ate more then that, but I think what comes into play is the density. There are times I can barely fit a couple ounces in then other times where I almost feel like my pouch is a black hole. I will be interested to see what others say. Thanks! Theresa

It all depends on the foods your eating. The density of it. I can eat a whole 6" sub way sammy, but can only do 2 small pieces of fish. The fish if eaten at noon keeps me full until about 8 pm.... Darlene

I'm doing dense proteins only this week and I'm finding it's virtually impossible to get in 3 oz. at one sitting. Let me eat carbs though and I can eat tons... I become a bottomless pit! DD

It depends on if you are talking volume or weight. No way could I eat 8 oz of steak either way For example 8 oz weight of lettuce is a huge pile, but 1 - 8 oz cup of lettuce is small. I could eat 2 or 3 cups of lettuce but maybe 1/2 cup of a steak.

I recently had some pouch enlargement, so I went in and met with the nutrionist. She said I should only eat a half cup of food at a meal - 1 once of meat and the rest vegs and startch. A total of 600 calories a day. To me that just doesn't sound right, but I hope she knows. I haven't stuck to the 600 calories a day, but I have tried to cut down portions sizes. For two weeks I tried to stick to liquidsand mushy foods to let my stomach shrink back. It worked and now I am trying very hard to stick to smaller portions. Has anyone else heard that or is doing this? Tammy

600 calories a day? Zoiks! Do you know where/how/why the nutritionist came up with that number? It is no wonder you did not stick with 600 calories...likely you were starving! I don't know about shrinking your pouch...maybe your body has just gotten used to the smaller portions. Do you know how many calories you are eating now? BTW, what type of WLS did you have and when?

Tracy- I can eat 8oz easily, maybe even 10oz sometimes. I know I have easily consumed a 1/2 burger (sans bun) and and also an 8oz filet mignon plus sides without problem. I don't think its an issue as long as its protein and yoru not snacking in between.

I typically eat ~3.5 to 4 oz. protein for lunch and dinner. My sum total of weight per meal is likely somewhere around 12 oz. if you add lettuce or other vegetable, whole grain bread, etc. I measure everything that has calories (or by now, I can ball park the usual suspects). It may seem crazy but I spent 38 years making assumptions about portions...wow was I way off! My husband and kids have gotten used to seeing me eat ice cream, or cereal out of a 1/2 cup **** cream) or 1 cup (cereal) measuring cup. Sometimes I even catch my kids doing the same! Whatever you are eating I think it is wonderful that you have awareness of portions...in my estimation, awareness plays a huge part in this thing we love!

"but I get that one more bite syndrome alot, you know, it's so good you have to have one more bite then regret it the rest of the night." Boy! Can I relate. Fortunately, a couple of pretty bad episodes have recently (temporarily) cured me of that problem and I actually spat out a bite last week when I knew swallowing it was going to be ugly! Julie