pre-op newbie asks.... difference between SATISFIED and FULL

You all talk about eating to being satisfied but not eating to being FULL. 

I don't get it.  So it's kinda scary as I review my pre-op behavior change guides and it says "Stop eating when you feel comfortably satisfied."  Saying this to me seems like telling an alcoholic "Stop drinking when the next drink will make you drunk."  

Help! what's the diff between comfortably satisfied and full?  And how do I get to the *state of know* (stomach, not head knowing)??

Tracey

Oooohhhh, I was right there with you pre-op! Huh??? you mean I can be satisfied BEFORE I get full??? Nuh-uh!!

I'm over a year out, and I still don't get the stomach full message. I get the over-full message, that something is coming back out NOW, but never the full one.

At this point, I still measure everything I eat at home or pack to take with me. It's about the only way I can be sure to eat properly. When we eat out, I immediately pack up at least half the food, generally more, and eat very very slowly.

For me it works - and I hope a VSGer gives you their tips as well!

Don't worry, once you have the surgery you will know! It only took me once or twice that I ate until I was "full" which was a very painful experience for me personally..I quickly figured out how much to eat so that it wasn't a painful experience and learned to eat until I was satisfied but not full.

Before I had my surgery, I had heard people talk about their "full signal".  Some said hiccups,  and I heard some say runny nose.  I know it may sound silly, because it did to me, but when my nose starts to run I know I need to stop!  Usually it means I have had one bite too much!   Also, my stomach just won't take anymore when I reach my limit.  You will know.  I don't always measure with a cup or a scale, but I mentally measure my food and it seems to work. 

Beverly

I have two full signals, one is the sneezes and the other feels like an elephant is sitting right on my sternum at the top of my stomach. And It happens QUICKLY. If I get the ELEPHANT signal, I stop right then. Keeps the sneezes away. Cause I typically get it first.

But I much prefer MY signals to hubby's, he gets the hiccups and if he pushes it, he throws up.

I know pre-op it sounds impossible but in the beginning, you won't be hungry.  And you won't particularly want to eat.  In the beginning, you don't need to "know" when you are full.  You will measure your food and when it is gone, you will stop.  And that will be fine with you.  Sometimes you won't be able to eat all of that egg or 1/4c of yogurt.  Take full advantage of that.  When you do get your "signs" of being full, stop.  Mine are a combination burp/hiccup kind of thing.  When it happens, I stop.

They're two different things for me. I am hardly ever satisfied with what I eat. My nut says it will come in time, until then, i just get the full feeling and have to mourn over the rest that's on my plate. :(

My full signal is when I no longer can burp. If I can burp, i have room. No burp=no room. If i pu**** after that, I start to burp up mucous and it's yucky. If i pu**** past the mucous, i burp up a 'log' of food (in the form of my sleeve). It's lovely.

I never get the elephant on my chest feeling or the painful sternum other's have talked of. I just feel like a fat blob with mucous. LOL