Question:
Am I eating way too much already?

I am 6 weeks out. I am on a regular diet. Before surgery, I was a volume eater. I am scared to death of being able to eat that much again. I had a LAP RNY. My doctor only wants me eating 3 meals a day, no snacks. I do not usually eat breakfast because I am not hungry. Here is the thing though. For lunch I can eat a WHOLE Taco Bell hard shell taco. It takes me about 20 minutes to eat and I feel satisfied when I am done. I do not feel stuffed or even really full but satisfied. I am not drinking with my meals or 30 minutes prior or 45 minutes after. I usually have what my family is eating for dinner but it is at least a cup worth if not a little more. Am I doing something wrong? I am losing 3 to 4 pounds a week and am not complaining about that. I am scared about the future. If I can eat this much now, what will it be like for me a year or two from now? I am so scared I have messed something up or this surgery is not going to work for me. I need all of your input.    — Trina L. (posted on March 25, 2001)

March 25, 2001
I don't think I'd be as concerned at how much I am eating but what I am eating, do you really want to eat tacos when your trying to loose weight. At any rate you're still loosing weight so you must be doing something right. Try concentrating more on protein, I'll bet you can't eat a cup of steak. Keep up the good work.
   — [Anonymous]

March 25, 2001
Trina, don't let these folks make you feel bad. This whole "good food/bad food" mentality is ridiculous. The person you need to be talking to is NOT the judgemental know-it-alls who anonymously bash you. Forget them, they don't mean a thing. Talk to your surgeon's office -- your surgeon and your nutritionist. The calories and fat in a one-taco meal won't make a failuer of you! I have no idea, and nobody else aside from your SURGEON, has any idea of what your pouch capacity or bypass length is, and how that plays into the wisdom of your overall food choices. Your rate of weight loss is good! Hang in there, and rely on your doc, not the naysayers.
   — mmagruder

March 25, 2001
Don't worry. You're not alone. I'm 3.5 months post-op and have been eating taco bell steak tacos since I was a little less than 2 months out. One taco bell soft steak taco is only 240 cal. and 20 g. carbohydrates adn 15 g. of protein. I don't eat them every day, but one taco makes a great, fast, easy lunch and I probably get one once or twice a week. (I used to be able to eat at least three, plus a side.) My nutritionist said that was fine. This is not about never eating certain foods, it is about eating like a "normal" person, and normal people eat at taco bell sometimes! Don't beat yourself up. I've lost 49.5 pounds so far, and not beating myself up about what I eat. I eat sensibly, but I'm not neurotic about it. Good luck.
   — Maria H.

March 26, 2001
Trina: Don't worry, I think you are doing fine. You might want to calculate your caloric intake, you should be taking in around 800 a day/more or less. You could find you aren't getting that much in and may need to up your calories (by adding extra protein foods, ideally) and that may increase your weight loss. I know I had that problem early on. I can eat a cup of food too sometimes, but then again, other times I cannot eat more than 1/4 cup -- it depends on the food and how uptight I am when I'm eating. I can't eat right when I'm not relaxed. Isn't that funny? Tacos are good food, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. So is chili! Best wishes to you, you sound like you are doing great.
   — Cindy H.

August 8, 2001
Thank you so much for asking this question. I am 7 weeks post-op and I was worried by the amount of food I can take in. I usually eat about a cup of food per meal (3 meals a day.) I also frequently get hungry. Pre-op I wasn't a big eater...I made bad food choices and I was a grazer, but I rarely ate a lot in one sitting. So the amount I can eat now is somewhat less than before...but not a huge difference like I expected. It made me think something wasn't done right with the surgery. I have lost a little over 30 pounds and have been lost 4 pounds last week and 3 this week. I'm still losing, but it just hasn't been what I expected. I was looking forward to not feeling hungry and to only being able to eat bites of food at a time. I feared my "tool" was broken. So it gives me some relief to hear that others experience similar situations. Good luck to you.
   — dbmbrown