Question:
Can you shrink your pouch?

I believe I have over-stretched my pouch. I can eat my meal of a cup of food or so in about 5 minutes. Sometimes I can eat more than a cup of food. I am 10 months out and my weight has really slowed down. I wonder if I can shrink my pouch by going back to liquids such a protein drinks and soups. Anyone hear of shrinking your pouch back to it's tiny size it was meant to be?    — Heather M. (posted on March 29, 2004)

March 29, 2004
In my expirence, you can. I have been on strict Atkin's. for 3 wks. Small amts of food, not over eating, no sugar and little carbs. I find that lately I can't eat much at all. It actually sticks and before it was going in in big amounts. I'm 4 years out and surprised to have that again.
   — ZZ S.

March 29, 2004
At this point your weight loss should have slowed down, or as my doc put it, "if you continued to lose at that rate you would dissapear by summer." Also , I was told at 1 year that 1 to 1 1/2 cups of food per meal is NORMAl and expected . Your pouch is supposed to stretch. by 8 - 9 months everybody slows down, everybody hits a series of platues throughtout the process often as early as 1 month out. I am so glad I had surgery where I did , I was well educated by the doctor, nutritionist, patient counselers prior to and following surgery to know to expect this and It really helped to not be caught by surprise with plateaus etc. Even toho I slowed down I have slowly and consistant lost wieght. Not neccessarily every day, usually 1 week out of the month I lose, then stay the same the rest of the month. At 18 months I am stable but have lost 1/2 my previous body weight from 260 to 130. I also was not given a specific goal , but to "see where my body gets comfortable." I am glad I was not set up with ( or set my self up ) unrealitic goals
   — **willow**