3 versus 6 meals daily
I eat snacks because,well, I like to eat! I have to watch what I eat so I don't start grazing, instead of planned snacks - too easy for me!
Give it try for awhile. Also - you may want to post your menu on Menus and Miles that Roz hosts. Its a great way to get feedback from others about your menu. Also, you can see what others are eating to maybe change things up a bit.
BUT - don't let the carbs creep back into your daily eating with the snacks - too easy to to do!
HW-218/SW-208/CW-126/ Lowest Weight-121/Goal-125 - hit 8/23/09/Height-5'3"
Regain 30 lbs from 2012 to 2016 - got back on track and lost it. Took 8 months.
90+/- pounds lost BMI - 24 or so
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
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Some people do better eating more often than every 3-4 hours. Some science supports eating every 2-3 hours instead of every 3-4. That's generally works out to 5-6 meals in a 16 hour period but, if you eat every 2 hours, that's 8 times a day!
My experience is that every 2 hours is a bit much and getting into grazing territory, but that 5-6 meals works perfectly for a lot of people in terms of keeping their blood sugar and metabolism going.
The other thing is, in the early days you can't eat very much at one time. So you need to eat more often to get in your protein.
Finally, I work out a lot and I need to eat 2000-ish calories a day to maintain my weight, but most of my meals are in the 300 calorie range. 3 meals a day would give me only 900 calories a day, 4 meals would give me only 1200 calories. So I have to eat more often than that or I'd be skin and bones.
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
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In the beginning I tried only 3 meals with 3 shakes (so, really, that was 6 meals); but I found out I was allergic to artificial sweeteners so it was hard to find a good shake that didn't have them and also didn't make me dump. I tried eating a little more in my 3 meals and adding a snack, but my pouch restriction was pretty tight and I couldn't make my calorie goals. Around 4 months out I developed post-prandial hypoglycemia and my blood sugar tanked anytime I ate anything (not just carbs). So we agreed to try eating 100-200 calories every 2 hours to see if it would stabilize my blood sugar and help me make my numbers.
It worked, and my loss was consistent except at a couple of old set points. I reached 100% excess weight lost within the first year, and am now at the bottom of my healthy range (3 years post-op). I can eat a little more now (4-6 oz -- between 250-300calories), but I still eat about every 2 hours since I have an extremely active lifestyle now and need more than 2000 calories just to maintain. I still weigh every month to keep an eye on things and find I have to worry about going underweight more than overweight (but I don't think that is typical).
I'm careful not to let this regime become a free-for-all graze though. I still make all my mini-meals in the morning to meet my totals and don't stray from them very often; but I don't beat myself up for having a bite of my husband's pie or an extra yogurt or slice of cheese every now and then either. If I start feeling light-headed and fatigued, I'll eat something high protein/fat whether it's "time" for me to eat or not.
Hi Plickety. I was thinking of you this past weekend and read your blog. Sounds like you guys are doing great and making decent headway on the cabin. Congrats on getting that driveway finished.
--gina
5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
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DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny
--g
5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny