Question:
How long until my mind understands when I have had enough food?

ENOUGH FOOD. SOMETIMES I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PUTTING TOO MUCH FOOD ON PLATE AND TRY EATING IT. OF COURSE I BRING IT BACK UP. EYES ARE STILL BIGGER THAN STOMACH.    — gwhisman6 (posted on September 24, 2001)

September 24, 2001
Hi, My Dr says never put more than 4 oz on your plate at one time. This give me a rough idea. I don't always weigh it, but a pc of meat or fish roughly the size of a deck of cards is about right. I take less because I usually have a veggie or fruit. I'm in puree stage so I sometimes put my pureed meat in 1/4 cup and my pureed whatever (fruit, veggie) in another one. Still, even if taking more I stop when I am done, even if there is food left (gasp!) good luck,
   — Becky K.

September 24, 2001
Hi!! I serve my food on a small plate,like the one with the tea cup; so I always finish it and It gives me the sensation that I eat a lot so I don't snack afterwards.It has worked so far I have never had to bring anything back up.
   — Monica J.

September 24, 2001
Im 5 1/2 wks post op and know exactly what you mean. I guess around the time I hit 4 wks my head caught up. I also find that I stop eating at the slighest sign of fullness...this really helps. But vomiting is just part of this journey I guess. Time will help us learn! Good Luck
   — Melissa S.

September 24, 2001
Funny so many of us are asking the same thing. I'm glad to see I wasn't the only person asking this. The answers given by others has also helped me answer this question - that's why I like this web site - people help people!
   — Joe C.

September 24, 2001
HAHAHA...I know it's not funny, but yes we all seem to have that problem. After I got sick a few times I learned how to stop early...getting sick drains me. I used to go for quantity rather than quality and stuff myself (and that's how I got to be a "big woman" ... Now eating just isn't as much fun as it used to be. Try to eat smaller meals more often. Some things I can eat a lot of (salads) and some things I can eat just a little (half a tuna sandwich). Good luck!
   — Betty Todd

September 25, 2001
Here's something funny. I usually get a salad with some cheese or meat on it and then pick off my boyfriend's plate. The thing is, just like in the old days, I'll see him eating and think to myself, I better get a bite before he eats it all. It's so funny because he almost never does eat it all and then I can't either. Even on my food, when people start eating bites, I think they will take too much and I won't get enough. This is ridiculous when I think about it because I always get enough now. I eat out a lot and that's when I notice this stuff. I never ever finish a meal at a restaurant. The mind is just very out of touch with the new stomach. Oh, I do think that a good way to not get overfull is to take more time between bites. Sometimes I put a bite on my fork, then set the fork down for a couple of minutes. By the time I go to eat the bite I realize that I really am full enough and then I don't take that next bite. Also, don't do liquids on top of food, that fills me up every time.
   — kcanges

September 26, 2001
I'm four years post-op and my "eyes are still bigger than my stomach". I always put more on my plate than I can eat. I'm a bit phobic about vomiting and I detest that overstuffed feeling. So, I've never, ever eat more than I can hold. But I do waste a lot of food at home and when I eat out. I think the trick is to eat very slowly and to stop when you begin to feel full. If you stop when you *begin* to feel full, ten/fifteen minutes later you will actually feel quite full and you even won't want to eat anythig else. Put as much as you want on your plate. But develop your own mechanisms for eating the proper quantities of food. My buddy drinks a large glass of ice cold water 15 minutes before she eats and she swears that doing that fills her up and she can't overeat. Different things work for different people.
   — [Anonymous]