Question:
Am I eating too much?
I am 3 months post op and I realize I am eating much more than I have been. For example, I ate 1/2 of hamburger steak w/ gravy and about 4 bites of mashed potatoes and about 5 bites of butter beans w/ cornbread. I know this is too much starch but I don't usually eat this much starch in one meal. I am just worried about stretching my pouch. Thanks! ~Melissa — WannaBSlim (posted on May 17, 2006)
May 17, 2006
Yes, you have ate way to much. I think you really need to re-evaluate what
you are eating. With only 3 months out you should be eating only a quarter
of a cup of food totally. At 6 months out you should be eating 1/2 cup and
at 1 year you should be having 1 1/2 cups. I would encourage you to visit
your dietican for help
good luck
— Steve Cohen
May 17, 2006
Wow, Potatoes and Bread. I am not allowed any white flour, potatoes, Rice
or bread at all. I am 3 1/2 Months post op.
— MikeL
May 17, 2006
Melissa, that does sound like to much to me, but I'm not an expert on the
amount you should be eating. Lots of carbs will stall your loss and also
allow you to eat more at one setting. Please consult your nut and/or
surgeon on guidelines they set for you post-op. Dana
— cajungirl
May 18, 2006
The amounts you can eat depend on the initial size of your pouch. However,
what you have eaten does sound like too much for any size pouch. Keep in
mind that mushy foods will allow you to eat more, they squeeze right on out
of your pouch. And any non-mushy food paired with gravy will give you the
same effect. There are two reasons for eating protien first in your meals.
1. You need protien and the small pouch only allows you to eat so much
food in a day. 2. Protien is usually quite solid and doesn't 'squeeze'
out. As for stretching your pouch, it takes repetitive over-filling over a
long period of time to stretch it too far out of wack. Basically, one big
meal isn't going to blow it for you, but a habit of it will.
— RebeccaP
May 18, 2006
Habitual over-eating can stretch your pouch, and worse can cause ulcers in
your esophagus (because of the way the food will back-up when it can't
empty through your stoma quickly enough to keep up with the pace of your
over-eating).
But, chances are, you knew that amount and types of food you were eating
were problematic.
The good news is that it is doubtful to do permanent anatomical damage from
a single episode of over-eating. The bad news is that, if you are
regularly having the mashed potato and butter beans (which contain a
whopping 32 grams of carbohyrates in a 1/4 cup serving), you can undermine
your weight loss.
But, we are "wonderfully and fearfully" made with an amazing
ability to overcome mis-steps and get on track with a low-carb,
high-protein eating regimen of controlled portions that will hep you make
the most of your gastric bypass surgery. Good luck.
— SteveColarossi
May 18, 2006
You didn't say how long it took you to eat. If you could eat that much in
15 minutes, I'd certainly see the doc to see why. If you waited for the
full feeling to pass and then continued to eat for 30+ minutes, then the
food was ok, method was wrong. I know starches aren't the greatest things
in the world for us, but a teeny bit in tight moderation can be a good
thing. Note the teeny bit part. My rule of thumb is meal is over in 15
minutes. Anything beyond that is grazing.
— vitalady
May 18, 2006
My surgeon and NUT told us that it should take 45min to eat a meal ... 15
minutes is a really short amount of time. I personally think that carbs
are a GOOD thing if you eat whole grains, but mashed potatoes and gravy is
not a good choice. If you are concerned about eating too much, make an
appt with a NUT or call your surgeon.
— peacefuldaizy
May 21, 2006
I am a year and a half out, and i still cannot eat that much! Are you
eating out of real hunger or "Head hunger?" I suggest you stop
after every bite, and evaluate your motive for eating more. Everyone is
different. My niece had the operation, and could eat more than I cold very
early on. She lost a large amount of weight
— Novashannon
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