portion sizes after wls

There was a thread on the main forum about portion sizes and how a serving size of cool whip is only 2 table spoons.
the thread author responded to me that she was pleased my vsg was working so well for me...

It got me thinking about portion sizes in general,  if you have noticed serving sizes and how they affect you, since surgery, are they  the amount you eat now?  or if they are too small? or are they  too big.

for me i have found that the suggested serving size on most items is the amount i can eat.. sometimes its still too much.

Funny, a serving of peanutbutter is 2 T OR 32 g (I go by grams, cuz umm... my tablespoons are a lot bigger than whoever was the initial measurer's!!).

I guess it depends on what it is.  10 tortilla chips?  That's just a lapdance :}  3 ounces of meat, that is okay with me.

But overall, for me, I really did have a restrictive surgery so SOME could be ENOUGH.  I am so consistently thankful that is really IS anymore. 

What I still get a total kick out of is that now I can finally eat, say, a Lean Cuisine portion of Beef Tips with Portobello mushrooms, and actually be perfect.

Before surgery, I couldn't understand for the life of me how that worked for anyone....

By now i have a pretty good feel by volume of what i can eat and what is too much, though sleevie sometimes surprises me. So the only reason i am looking at portion size on packaged food is to get an idea of the calories and protein and carbs i am getting. Just because it says a serving is a cup doesn't mean i will eat that. ususally won't but have to adjust for my food journal which i still do.

Portion sizes in restaurants are always an issue and i generally order an appetizer or plan to take a lot home. just the way it is. I do think most people who have not had wls eat way bigger portions than the serving size on packages suggest and the food companies don't really care. they are just required to list nutrients based on some serving size so they just pick something. we all know that portions are really inflated in restaurants and that the same has occurred in home cooking over the years. When I spent time in France years ago I noticed that their portions were much more modest than ours even though they eat food with rich sauces and great cheeses and such. they also eat three meals and make a big deal out of each one and don't snack in between. all good rules for us fat americans and good for wls patients too. and they don't eat in the car!

Interesting observation that the portion size is often the right size. But for example if its a serving of two turkey meatballs, a non wls patient would also have potatoes and a veggie and maybe another side dish. for me, i would have the two meatballs and maybe two asparagus spears and thats about it. so its the number of items on your plate in addition to portion sizes. good topic. diane

A big part of the reason I got the VSG is because I could NEVER control portions! I didn't even bother to look at the portions on packages because why bother when I know it will never be enough?

I KNEW I was a volume eater and KNEW I could never control that, so instead I just worked on my food quality and exercise burning off all the calories I ate. The VSG was a dream come true for me because the portion control was the missing piece of my puzzle all of my life.

I started binging when I was 6 years old so I'm pretty sure that my stomach was all screwed up and stretched out, and now I have a fresh start to go with my changed attitude and knowledge of myself and nutrition.

I am extremely hopeful that this is it for me! But I have failed enough to not rejoice too soon, but use my fears constructively to keep me on the straight and narrow.

For me, also voluminous with the eating past, I think knowing the reality of who I have been for so long and how easy it could be to slip back into Trixy's slick grasp, helps me to realize the danger of being complacent. 

Apathy kills!, you know, maybe, sometimes, well whatever. 

:}

It really scares me that the amount I am capable of eating has  increased now that I am close to 2 years post op.

I wish I was satisfied with the size of portions from a year ago. I am really afraid of gaining weight so I am trying not to eat bigger portions even though I can.

I am sorry that you are in a place of fear.  That's a screaming bummer. 

I refuse to be skurred.  Just like I refuse to resent any part of my marriage. Its a choice thing for me.  Fear is such a huge mind game and clusterfuck.  Sure, I may have feelings, but I can over ride them with what I *tell me* and actions I take.  If I let fear just run rampant, or the "what ifs" as if I had no choice?  I am screwed. 

I remind myself I have choices, any babysitting my sleeve did is over, but *I KNEW IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS*.  I am also nearly 2 years out, and reminding myself where I came from (with oceans never being enough) helps me to appreciate some being enough. 

For me, also, I am FULL WELL knowing that WHAT I put in my belly changes my satisfaction significantly, and it really means boxing in or boxing out foods that make me their *****  If I cannot handle "some, sometimes" then it needs to go. 

Because food is not worth my being afraid/neurotic/self torturing - not anymore.  I have tasted freedom and man, its sweet. 

when you say it has increased, by how much? 

  is it the qantitiy that is changing? or is it the type of foods your eating is changing, i.e your eating more soft food than dense food?

maybe others out there have gone through the same thing and they can share with you how they delt with it...

If your not being satisfied by your portion size, i can only imagine it will be harder to stick to it if your going to always be hungry.

I try serving my food on smaller dishes so that your brain thinks your eating alot of food.

Yeah, I could eat about 6 tablespoons of peanut butter in one sitting, easily. Maybe more.

I guess I haven't really paid attention to serving suggestions lately.

But this reminded me...sort of on another topic...I will say that if you feel you can eat "too much," go eat at IHOP. It's shocking how much food they give you compared to what we can eat. Every time I eat there I get a reality check, and realize my sleeve is still doing its job just fine.

(today I was able to eat one scrambled egg, one slice of bacon, and 1/2 a pancake and was STUFFED. I had lots of food left on my plate, whereas before surgery I would poli**** off!)