Question:
Is it necessary to measure your food?

Do all of you measure your food or do you eat until satisfied? I was measuring and putting so much pressure on myself that I have started to graze a bit. I have decided to try not measuring and stopping when I am satisfied. I asked my surgeon how much food I should be eating and all he said is eat till you are satisfied. I just wanted others experiences with this. I mean can you be successful if you don't measure?? Thanks in advance for any info. RNY/5-18-01    — [Anonymous] (posted on January 16, 2002)

January 15, 2002
I do both. I measure out my food so I know the exact amount of food my serving is. Eye balling the serving size can get you into a lot of trouble, and you can end up with a serving much larger than you thought it was. I eat only until I am satisfied, I never eat until I feel full. I have never thrown up. I keep a food diary and record everything that goes into my mouth, that way I know if If I am on track. I have had two plateaus and broke both of them with in a few days because I was able to take a look at what I ate the week before, and then can determine what I can change in my diet to break the pleateu. Hope this helps! Charlene
   — blank first name B.

January 15, 2002
I'm about 4 weeks post op and I can say (my opninion) that is is best to measure AND eat until you are full. Sometimes my 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) seems like soooo little. But a lot of times it looks like sooo much. I eat small and eat slowly and after 30 minutes if I still have more than a few bites left, I really think about whether or not I'm full. If I'm satisfied I toss out my remaining food. Good luck!
   — Pamela P.

January 15, 2002
Four years post-op....I've never measured my food. I don't measure foods now that I can hold more. There's no need if you watch "what" you are eating. I eat slowly (I try anyway) and I stop when I'm full. Even at this point in time, I'm often amazed at how little I eat . I often play a little mental game with myself. I eat a meal and then compare it with what I would have eaten had I not had wls. Try it....you'll be pleasantly surprised....you won't worry about weighing and measuring anymore.
   — [Anonymous]

January 16, 2002
Gosh...this is hard. I am 4 weeks out and I was measuring. It seems like it depends on what you are eating as to how much. I can eat 1/2-3/4 C of cottage cheese to get full, but I can only eat like 1oz of Cheddar and be full. Peanut butter it's like 1 TBSP and about 4 crackers. Scrambled eggs was like 3 forkfulls. I had some chicken noodle soup and almost ate the whole can. I think if it's really liquidy and soft you can eat more. Less, the more dense it is. I try to eat slowly to "listen" to my stomach. I am learning now what comfortably full really feels like, but not full to busting! LOL
   — Karen B.

January 17, 2002
I measure just about everything. My main problem is that I do not feel full and I dont like that. So I eat the serving size on my food sheet...this too I dont like. I seem to graze a lot less now that I measure. I eat what I measure and end it there. In fact as I think about it.. I dont graze at all....now! LOL good luck on your quest...
   — Pamela W.