Question:
4 weeks out and I KNOW I am eating toooo much!!!

I am barely reaching the 4 week point, and I have been eating quite a bit! I did cheat a little, and started solids earlier than I should. I have been able to eat 5 piece nugget from BK. And the most I have been able to eat is 2 smothered tamales w/ lettuce, tom & guacamole. I just seem to be hungry all the time. I have been hungry since the 2nd week out. I am down 27 lbs, and have been stuck there (plateau-ed) for the past 2 weeks. If I am like this already, how will I ever reach my goal??? — Andrea S. (posted on August 27, 2002)

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August 26, 2002
It does seem like a lot unless you are drinking while you eat. If I drink while I eat, I can eat almost anything because it just gets washed down.
— Tom Z.

August 26, 2002
At 4 weeks I was barely managing solids...no way I could have eaten that much, Check with your doctor....I know at 6 weeks for me the swelling went down in my pouch and BAM, I could eat what seemed like so much more....My pouch it still a little bigger than some RNYers here I am sure, but at 8 months out I have lost 96lbs and am still losing. It may be that your swelling has gone down, but to be dafe..check it out. Best wishes
— Patricia R.

August 26, 2002
I was eating solids by that point and did just fine, (in between stricture time). But I don't remember the amount. I remember at 5 weeks eating 1/4 of a chick-fila sandwich and a coupla fries on the side. That could possibly be the same volume of 5 nuggets from BK. Mine had bread, yours didn't. One tamale should be enough, depending on how big they are of course. Just don't push it, you are still a newbie and need to take it easy on that pouch of yours. I was hungry by month 2 also. Came back with a vengeance. I was really disappointed with that, I had always heard that it took longer for hunger to return. Just keep an eye on your volume of food, make sure that you eat slowly and small bites.
— Cheri M.

August 26, 2002
Hi Andrea: I am just over 1 year post op and can't even eat a whole tamale at this point. I probably could over an hour or 2 period but NOT 2 of them...OMG ! ! ! I would get ahold of my dr. At 4 weeks out I could barely even make myself eat at all. I had to force down mashed potatoes...Please check with your dr. I could never even eat a 5 piece chicken nugget at one sitting even now...I have to spread it out over an hour or so....GEE WHIZ,,you sound like you're eating ALOT...
— Joi G.

August 27, 2002
Are those things your doctor recommends at 4 weeks? I have to admit, I couldn't have gotten down that much at that point and I wouldn't have tried. I would guess the quality of what you eat is also important... I'd check the fat to protein ratios of what you're eating...
— Lisa C.

August 27, 2002
OK, I am going to play the "bad guy" here, but isn't the reason we had the surgery was to lose weight and have a better life?? So do you think eating fast food will allow you to do that? Seems if you really want this to work you will drive past the BK and Mickey D's and forget they are there and eat a more healthy diet so you can lose the weight and be a healthier person. I wouldn't be caught dead in a fast food place after having gone through all this. Like it is said, this is a TOOL, not a quick fix, which means WE have to change our way of eating and thinking. ok, thats my opinion. I wish you the best and yes I think you are eating too much. I am 15 weeks out and couldn't eat that much.
— Gina D.

August 27, 2002
If you know that you are eating too much, then why are you doing it?!?!?!?!?! I am 6 weeks out and I think that one or two chicken nuggets would satisfy me - if I chose to eat fast food (the only fast food I eat is Wendy's chili - about 1/3 of a small one for one meal - it's one of the healthier fast food choice there is). You'd be much better off taking some boneless chicken breasts, cutting them up and stir-frying them with some veggies (use PAM and not butter or margarine). I don't know about the difference in calories between a smothered tamale and a Taco Bell 7 layer burrito, but the one burrito has 456 calories. <p> You say that you have been plateaued for the last two weeks and that you have been hungry since the 2nd week out. I think that there's a high correlation between the two events. Number one, you need to be making better food choices and number two, you need to determine whether this is actual physical hunger or head hunger and you need to be able to distinguish between the two. I'm at 6 weeks and I only eat because I have to eat. I'm getting in about 500 calories a day. You seem to blow by that with one tamale. <p> I am sorry if this sounds harsh, but I would hate to see a fellow WLS patient end up sabotaging themselves.
— John Rushton

August 27, 2002
Andrea, I agree with the others that you need to make wiser food choices, especially at just 4 weeks out. Being hungry all the time is OK, so satisfy the hunger with protein items, like stick cheese, peanut butter on crackers, boneless chicken chunks, nuts etc. Are you getting in enough protein and WATER? Drinking protein shakes? Walking/exercising? I've heard that if you load up on protein, it reduces your hunger...also, at the 3-4 week mark is usually when you experience your first plateau-most of us have, and it can last a few weeks or more, so don't worry about that. It will move again. As for fast food places, visiting them occasionally is OK, but try not to make it a habit-thats what got us into trouble in the first place..when I do go fast food, its usually a 6 inch sub from Subway (I can eat 1/2 of it) or 1 breast from Kentucky fried Chicken with the skin removed. About twice in the past 6 months I have had a junior cheese Whopper, eaten 1/2 of that and thrown out the rest-just didn't taste like I remember them tasting!
— Cindy R.

August 27, 2002
Can someone give her a break? She said she "KNOWS" she is eating alot (upper caps even). Is it necessary to point out that she is eating "ALOT" (upper caps). Lets be honest here, most of us are/were obese because we had serious eating issues/disorders. Although this surgery is miracle for some, does not mean its magic for others. Although I feel restricted in my eating, I still have to use willpower. Regardless of the surgery, it will be a battle for the rest of my life. Lets just give her a break and only offer great advice. Andrea, I say to you, forgive the bad choices and pick yourself up and try not to repeat them. Take this opportunity to use the surgery to it highest advantage because if you think you are hungry now, it will only be harder later.
— Julie D.

August 27, 2002
I don't think I was allowed even soft foods until about three-four weeks out- before then; I had liquid (yogurt, protein drinks) phase etc. Perhaps since you didn't go gradually into the individual phases it was easier for you just right out of surgery to go back to what you were doing before, eating before. Would you consider trying to go through the phases? You may "think" you are hungry, but since such little amout of food will satisfy you- there is no need to eat these portions. The phases, if anything, teach you portion control, how big your pouch is is and the "art of feeling full" Get back to the basics, simple protein meals (cottage cheese, tuna etc., low fat refried beans).... Fast food joints are not the worst place to be- there are GRILLED chicken sandwichs at most, and if you take everything off- bun etc. you can eat the meat. Even at BK.
— Karen R.

August 27, 2002
Hi Andrea, I could eat more than the average post op (at least what they claim...I've watched some eat...can I say denial??) all along. I was able to eat a whole refried beans at tacobell my first week home (my surgeon has us on solids before we leave the hospital). I was able to eat an entire shorti hoagie (4" I believe) from Wawa and small bag of chips from about 3 months post op. I worried and freated myself to death over this for the first 8-9 months...then I realized I was eating waaaayyy less than *I* did preop...and I stopped comparing my expirience to everyone elses wls expirience. I am down 125lbs and almost to goal ....I'm very pleased with my progress...and with being a slower looser (from eating a healthy amt of calories), I don't have as many of the side affects...I didn't loose any hair, my skin is retracting on it's own...no panni...etc. I eat until I'm comfortable, no more...and no less. I'd rule out mechanical problem with your dr...but if all is fine than go with the flow and be happy that a bite of this or that doesn't make you feel stuffed. Good luck and God bless. -Kim open RNY 7/17/01 -125
— KimBo36

August 27, 2002
Wow, I was on liquids until I was 8 weeks out. I wonder tho why are you even trying to eat these things? I try to always remind people that this is a TOOL, we still have to work. Even tho I can eat very little even at five months out I could gain weight and stop loosing if I drank sodas and sugary drinks because there is no limit. Of course I think you should immediately talk to your surgeon, there could be something wrong. I was found to have an ulcer at about two months out, and the pains I thought were hunger pains were actually pain from the ulcer. Also, maybe a support group would be beneficial.
— smedley200

August 27, 2002
Hello- I have been exactly where you are, Im now a little more than four months out and have lost about 72#. The best way to describe to you what I think is happening is that your listening to your head and not your body, what Im trying to say is that I too was determined to eat like I used to pre op, food was still "important" to me at this point obese mentality I guess?? Start lisening to your body and you will see that you really dont want all this food and your head will get with the program. Im sure that this is one of the many passing phases that we go through especially if you dont dump and no complications are present. Hope this helps
— DEBBIE C.

August 27, 2002
Not to sound harsh, but why on earth would you eat such things before your stomach had a chance to heal? My doctor says that takes 4-6 weeks before good solid healing takes hold. Be good to yourself and having good food when you want it isn't always being good to yourself. My doctor says nothing like that until after at least 6 weeks. What has your doctor advised?
— Cathy S.

August 27, 2002
Hi- I also forgot to mention that Im in colorado also, if you want to chat more :)[email protected]
— DEBBIE C.

August 27, 2002
You may be hungry if you're not getting your 70 grams of protein each day (or whatever you've been told to eat). Here's where the shakes REALLY help. They kill the hunger, AND the munchies. You also may not have enough water, which leads to a "hungry" feeling.
— Marti R.

August 27, 2002
Hello Andrea, Fellow Dr. Tillquist patient here. Number one, yes at four weeks you are eating things you shouldn't, but you know that. Number two, I have spoken with many of Dr. T's patients, and they can eat a little more then normal. He makes the opening to the limb a little bigger, so that food doesn't get stuck. Ask him about it, he will tell you. After hearing that, or asking him, you have to follow his instructions. You may be able to eat all the food that you mentioned, but you don't have to. I have to watch what I'm doing, and I will ALWAYS have to. Don't beat yourself up over a few boo boo's. Start back on the instructions you were given, and folow them . I have fallen off the wagon, and probably will always eat things here and there that I shouldn't, but I make a strong effort to follow the instructions I was given to make my tool effective for life. Dr. Tillquist is an excellent surgeon, and he has given you a wonderful tool to use the way he tells you to, I should know I have lost 170 lbs in 13 months, with 30 more to go. E-mail me if you wanna chat.
— Carey N.

August 29, 2002
Andrea, I stuck to the liquid diet for 2 weeks and then proceeded to the next stage of mushy foods, but found that I could take a real piece of chicken and chew it to mush without having to blenderize it and I also "cheated" if you will and started eating watermelon...though I admit that I HAVEN'T tried anything outlandish or spicy like peppers and I have not had any sugar...the most I have "cheated" on at 5 weeks post of was that I decided (2 nights ago) I was going to have a half of a mini dish pizza (they are bite sized already at about 2 inches around). I felt so guilty two bites in, that I immediately got off the chair and threw the rest out b/c the thought of eating that nasty startch from the bread freaked me out...that is it for me. If I feel a craving for something I have a sugar free pop or chocolate pop or a tablespoon of sugar free ice cream or a piece of watermelon...for me it's not worth it and I have found as I metioned above that my conscious gets to me so I am doing well...I am down 44lbs. 5 weeks out..I think you should just get right back on track and stay away from bad foods...stick to chicken, turkey, fish..stay away from starches
— Trish R.

September 2, 2002
I am 3 months out and down 50 pounds and I too feel like I can eat too much sometimes. Less than a week after surgery I was eating toast and crackers. Within two weeks I could eat pretty much any solid food. 5 days after surgery I ate a whole banana and cried because I didn't think I should be able to eat that much. Your body tells you what it needs - if you listen to it above all else you'll be fine. And - in your defense - I eat out every day. You adjust what you can and can't have. I eat Chick-Fil-A nuggets, Wendy's chili, Jason's Deli sandwhiches, Sonic Junior burgers, KFC mashed potato's, etc. And I'm losing weight. Everyone is different. Different lifestyles, different jobs, different social calendars. Not everyone has time to pack a lunch or eat at home all the time. I think you'll be fine - just listen to your body.
— Reagan J.

September 2, 2002
Julie, thank you for your post. I started reading from the bottom and I was really disappointed until I came to your post. It amazes me how many post-ops feel compelled to chastise others for their eating habits. Isn't that what got most of us here to begin with? If we all had amazing self-control, there would be almost no need for weight loss surgery in the first place. I was particularly disappointed in the person who responded by asking the original poster why she doesn't just drive by the fast food places. My question to you is, if you had done that prior to surgery, would you have needed surgery? Do you remember all of those people who tried to dish out advice to you before you had surgery about how to lose weight. "Just eat 4 croutons, drink 10 gallons of water, and run 13 miles up-hill every day." I do, and it still pisses me off the condescending looks that I got when these know-it-alls tried to "teach" me how to eat. Having weight loss surgery changes the mechanics of the body, and it takes a while before the mind catches up. Come on guys, let's be supportive here. This is not Utopia... no one here is perfect, so let's try and remember that before coming down those seeking help.
— Lori B.

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