Question:
Is it best o have 3 meals per day or 3-5 samller meals per day?
I am 13 days post op LAP RNY. My nutritionist feels that 3 meals a day is adequate and cautions eating any more if you want to get maximum results. I thought this was kind of odd because I have always been told it is better to eat 3-5 small meals per day to feed your metabolism and keep satisfied. I plan to talk to my nutritionist again, but today I noticed that after my 3rd meal I am still very hungry. I ate my 3rd meal around 6pm and its late at night now so I find myself sippin on diluted Crystal Light. I had 3TB cottage cheese and 1TB SF pudding at around noon, then I had 1/2 cup reduced fat cream of chicken soup made with water around 4pm and at 7pm I had 2TB cottage cheese and 2 oz of lightly pureed turkey breast luncheon meat. I cant really figure out when I am full. I generally stopped eating when the food seems to go down a little slower. It doesnt get stuck though. Now that I think about it I probably eat kinda fast and that maybe the reason I put my plate down so quickly. It took me an average of 10 minutes to eat at each of those meals I mentioned. I am still trying to figure out my pouch. I am getting worried today because it seems like I am getting hungrier. What do you think? — ToriJ (posted on June 16, 2004)
June 15, 2004
I would go by what your doctor says for now,since your so early post-op,, I
am over 2 years post-op , and I eat 3 to 4 meals a day,,you will be
hungrier for the first while, ,, remember to drink lots of fluids , it
really helps with the hunger, good luck!!! if you need any more help,, just
e-mail me i will be glad to help in anyway I can!!
— bikerchic
June 15, 2004
I would go ahead and talk to the nutritionist as you plan. Early on, I
know I wasn't hungry but I had an empty feeling that I couldn't quite
figure out. Have you checked the number of calories in what you listed as
your food for the day? I can't imagine that it would be more than 300
calories based on what you have listed. It's hard to get in enough
calories this early without eating more frequently because the pouch is
simply not big enough. You might try writing down your food consumption for
the day (count any liquids with calories too) and take that with you to the
nutritionist. Most of them I've had contact with want you to have 800 to
1000 calories a day and unless you're having protein drinks with calories,
it's impossible to do that with food at this stage.
I also eat kind of fast and have no problem with that when it's mostly
liquid but boy does it cause a problem when I eat something very dense. In
my experience, it takes a few weeks to figure out when you're full so my
advice would be to measure out the quantities specified by your doctor and
quit when you've finished that amount. My doctor said to take about 15
minutes to eat a meal so 10 minutes to eat what you listed doesn't seem
unreasonable to me. It's mostly liquid, even the cottage cheese. It does
get easier to tell when you're full the further out you get though and some
of the hunger feelings you're having could be from dehydration. Make sure
you're sipping something constantly so you can get in enough fluid everyday
and good luck to you. It does get easier.
— scbabe
June 15, 2004
I eat 6 small meals a day.Protein based.i try to keep my carbs under 30gms
a day.protein shake at 5am.turkey and cheese at 9am,two scambled eggs at 12
noon,another protein shake at 3pm (after workout)chicken breast and salad
at 6pm.cottage chesse or pork skins for snack at 9pm.
— mel M.
June 16, 2004
The nutritionist at the Hospital of the University of PA (HUP) believes in
5-6 small meals a day. This helps to even out the blood glucose levels
throughout the day and help to keep hunger in check and prevent overeating
that can occur when your blood sugar levels drop too low. This is the same
meal schedule that I had when I was diabetic prior to my WLS...JR
— John Rushton
June 16, 2004
Just my take on things but I would skip the pudding, soup and try and eat
something a little more solid, assuming your plan allows this. The more
liquid things are the faster they move through and the less full feeling
you will get. Many people experience head hunger also. At the same stage
I was living on cottage cheese, string cheese, sliced deli meats with a
little fat free gravy, and eggs with cheese of all sorts. I also
discovered The Turkey Store Shredded BBQ Turkey about 2-3 weeks PO. It is
10 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of carbs and 1.75 grams of fat in 1/4 cup.
I know BBQ sauces is considered taboo after WLS but this stuff tasted great
and was way better for you, based on nutrient content, than say yogurt. I
would have this with a slice of reduce fat american cheese melted on it. I
lived on this for a long time as I could get a bunch of protein in a small
portion and it stuck with me good.
<p>I also was not truly hungry but knew I needed to eat. For at
least 2+ months I measured/weighed my food so that I would be sure not to
eat too much. I also am a fast eater and it only slightly improved after
WLS. By doing the measuring I could make sure that even if I ate fast I
would not over eat. I also ate by the clock in the early stages. If I
would have waited for a hunger feeling I would have not eaten much and I
knew how important it was to get in protein. If as I was eating I started
to get full I would stop, so it wasn't like I insisted I eat what had been
measured out. It was just a stopping point from overeating. Make sure you
aren't drinking with meals and as soon as you can, minimize the liquids in
your meals and go for more solid things.
<p>For now follow the surgeons plan and keep in contact with them and
et them know how things are going. My surgeon believes in 3 meals as
that's how the "normal" world eats. However, as some have
reached goal they have found they need to eat more often to maintain and
stop losing. One of the drawbacks to putting food into your body more
often is it doesn't force the body to go after the fat stores because it's
continually getting evergy from what you are eating. However, there are
many people who's PO plans do the 5-6 meals a day and they lose just as
much as anyone else, so I'm just not sure there is a right or wrong way to
do this. I actually found that once I went back to working out (weight
training) at 9 weeks PO that I had to eat something about 9pm as I was so
spent and energy used up. I'd have a piece of string cheese or something
else minimal, but I needed something. It definitely is an experimental
process.
— zoedogcbr
June 16, 2004
First, my own view is that nutritionists and even doctors are not
infallible, so while I'm reluctant to follow a fad or trend, I will
disregard advice that simply makes no sense to me (which is rare, but I
have been very glad when I have disregarded something that, upon further
checking, was simply not good advice). There are some who stick with the
three-squares plan after WLS, but many of us eat small meals 5-6x a day
with no ill effects. I overshot goal and even with 10 lbs. of bounceback
I'm still under it, so I shudder to think what I'd weigh by now if limited
to 3 small meals a day.<P>It's not surprising you're full after 10
minutes. Some advise eating for no longer than 15-20 minutes in order to
achieve fullness; you will notice, eventually, that picking away at a meal
for over 30 minutes, or up to an hour, may allow you to eat more as food
slowly leaves the pouch. I don't think finishing in 10 minutes is a bad
idea, and my creaky brain seems to recall that's about how much time I
spent eating at 13 days out. But, I did it more than 3x a day!<P>
— Suzy C.
June 16, 2004
No wonder your hungry. Tablespoons? If I recall that far back, we
measured in ounces not tablespoons. Since you can't really figure out when
you are full, consider that what you may be experiencing is not actual
hunger, but head hunger. It may be real hunger, but most of us experienced
head hunger within the first two weeks after surgery. For me, it was
perceived hunger for whoppers, cinnastix from Domino's (damn tv
commercials) and girl scout cookies (that time of year)! That said, when
you move to the solid food stage, you do achieve that full feeling and are
more satisfied. I concur with the 5-6 small meals rather than 3 meals. If
I was limited to 3 meals, I would be hungry all the time. I basically eat
whenever hungry, small amounts, which comes out to 5-6 times a day. I, too,
believe it fuels the metabolism and even better keeps me from getting
hungry and making dumb choices.
— Cindy R.
June 16, 2004
My surgeon's opinion is that 3 meals a day is the way to go, with an
occasional snack if needed. He feels that more than that promotes grazing.
— Fixnmyself
June 17, 2004
I'm 22 days post Lap RNY. My doctor is the guide to when I change my
eating and how. Call your doctor and explain to him your situation and the
conflict of information you are getting. After all you have gone through
this surgery trusting he/she is doing what will help you the most; trust
him/her to guide you on your recovery including your new eating style.
— revgail
June 17, 2004
TJ it is no unusual for the nutritionist & MD to differ in opinion
(mind never agreed) - Ultimately I took advise from both that suited me.
Measuring in TBS is good but you can if your system can ingest more than 3
(I could not) then do so. I was a 6 meal person prior to WLS & Obesity
and now I am also. I was never able to sit still long enough for 3 meals
(being longer). I eat when I'm hungry and that could be 6-8 times a day,
of course those meals are small, but I"m never hungry. Also allow
room for water/fuilds & you should wait 30-60 min between fuild intake
& solids (this will take up a lot of your hunger as well. Following
this I am almost at 100 pounds lose in 6 months.
— Anna M.
June 17, 2004
My surgeon stressed protein, a minimum of 50 to 60 grams a day, especially
at the earlier months there is no way I would have gotten enough protein
only eating 3 times a day. At 6 months out, I still usually eat small
amounts 5 -6 times a day. I track everything I eat in FitdayPC software,
to make sure I get enough protein (and cals). I am not required by my
surgeon to keep a log, but I find it helps me.
— Patricia T.
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