Question:
How much is too much????

How do I know what is too much? I'm never sure when i overeat, unless I really get sick. I feel like i eat too much without getting sick. Today i had some soup and a a fourth of a banana. Is that too much? When can I start eating normal foods? Like chili, or a hamburger with no bun? I am still on liquids and mush. I am 4 weeks post op. I have lost 17 lbs. Is this good? I have been having problems with pain, so my doctor put me back on mush... any suggestions. Thanks    — Sunny L. (posted on September 4, 2002)

September 4, 2002
Sunny, have you asked your doc when you can move to soft solids? By 4 weeks, I was on soft solids, like scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, refried beans with cheese, tunafish salad on crackers, chili, and steamed whitefish. But you mentioned you have had pain and yor doc has moved you back to mush, so check with him/her first. In the beginning if you can't judge how much to eat, use a scale. 2 oz of food per meal should be your max early on. Soup and a 1/4 of a banana is not alot-soup is a liquid and moves right thru. Remember to concentrate on protein though. 17 pounds is fine-you'll see others that have lost more and less. We're all different, but something I have learned is that you have to get in your protein and enough food to sustain the weight loss-if you don't your body thinks it is starving and will plateau on you.
   — Cindy R.

September 4, 2002
Hi, I had a lap RNY 7/29/02 and I agree with the previous post. A good guide to follow is the 2 oz. I was sent home from the hospital with a hand full of 1 oz. med cups from one of the nurses. I used these faithfully for the first 3 or 4 weeks. Now I can dish my 2 oz. just by looking at the amount. I plan on maintaining just eating the 2 oz. as long as I can. I figure that as long as I don't feel hungry, it can't hurt. Although there have been times that I would love to have just one more little bite because something might taste really good, but I don't. I think that is the hardest part of it all. Not that my stomach wants more but my head does. Good luck. Hope that helps.
   — Laurel C.

September 4, 2002
this seems like information that your doctor should have given you... and some guidelines about what to eat, how much, and when to move to other stages...did you get some info from him or her? In the absence of it, I'd go see a dietician who knows about WLS. Two ounces is a quarter of a cup, that's fairly easy to measure... but you can't eat two ounces forever, because you'll never get your protein in if you do. My Doctor's program includes a visit with the dietician and a large booklet that tells you how much to eat at each stage....Good luck.
   — Lisa C.

September 4, 2002
Sunny.. my rule of thumb is to eat only til i am not hungry. i very rarely eat til i am full. i do eat about 5 or 6times aday but never til i am full. i have never thrown up one time since surgery (06-27-01). it has been 14months. i lost all of my weight plus some in 10months for a total of 151lb. loss. so this way of eating works for me. Best of luck to ya//candiss
   — Candiss T.