For current DS'rs, do you eat 3 meals a day or 4-5-6 What about grazing?

I'm three years out and I eat differently than most DSers, it seems. I used to graze all day long, but I grew very tired of eating and cooking ALL day. After a short bout of protein deficiency that lasted about three months, I started drinking 6 protein shakes a day to keep myself from having to get a revision to my DS because I was losing too much. Once I did that for a couple of months, I got accustomed to drinking my meals. I felt better, stronger and healthier, and have been doing shakes ever since. I usually eat one "real" meal a day, and usually one decent sized snack. I graze on nuts from time to time, but I mostly live on protein shakes. This is what works for me, I know some wouldn't want to live this way but it works for me.

There seem to be two groups of DSers:  those who rarely get hungry, and those of US who do get hungry frequently.  Your eating may depend on which group you fall into.

I'm guessing that those who don't get hungry frequently are likely to put themselves on a schedule to make sure they're getting in all their nutrients.  That schedule can be whatever works best for you.

For those of us who get hungry (and frequently), we're more likely to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day.

I stopped thinking about 'meals' and started thinking about food:  am I getting hungry?  If so, where's the protein that's going to agree with me?  Works for me.  I still have a lot of restriction right now, so even if I eat "all day," I'm not worried about gaining weight or anything.

One caveat:  whatever you do, do NOT let hunger get ahead of you!  If you are getting the slightest bit hungry, eat something!  Don't forgo food because you think you should only have 3 meals or because you just ate or whatever.  Listen to your body, not (only) to your NUT or folks who have other surgeries or everyone with an opinion.

After reading the other responses in this thread, it seems I'm in a whole different category.

I start every day off slow, I get up at about 5:00AM and don't eat much for two or three hours, then have some breakfast; sometimes I'll have a snack a couple of hours later, but if I'm busy, I skip the snack. I'll eat lunch between noon and 1:00PM, then usually don't eat much if anything until about 5:00 PM, but from 5 until bedtime, I eat almost non-stop. For example, last night between 5 & 10, I ate, two cheese & green chili salsa low carb tortilla rolls, a big fried chicken breast, 4 zesty chicken wings, 4 or 5 handfuls of trail mix, a bowl of ice cream, an ice cream bar, 12 oz of whole milk, a liter of water, a 12 oz Diet Pepsi with a lime, a banana and a big Jonnagold apple.

I usually don't get starvin hungry during the day, but if I'm bored or not doing anything, I eat and I think that's a lot of why I eat so much in the evening, I'm just sitting around watching TV or surfing the net so I eat. I guess I eat to fill the time I'm not busy working on something or doing something fun.

You will find your eating groove, seems like everyone is a little different.

Kerry

I graze. It seems the only way to get in the required amount of protein needed per day.

i eat all day long.  it is just too cool for words to be able to do that. 
yummy - cheese, meat, nuts, cream. 
gotta run, breakfast is calling...............................................

I usually eat something at work a round 9-10am and then graze all day. I eat an omelette stuffed with extra cheese or a low carb tortilla stuffed with cheese and pepperoni and nuked. Then throughout the day I eat fage yoghurt, pork rinds, egg salad, cheese sticks etc. I usually eat something fro wendys, mcdonalds or subway for lunch and then have a snack in the car on my way home from work. Then for dinner I'll cook something like chilli, or something in the crock pot (which then lasts me a few days of more grazing) and then for snacks later int eh evening I'll have some more fage yoghurt or some peanut butter M&M's etc.

I think the best advice is to just trust your body to tell you when it wants to be fed, dont get too hungry as you'll eat too quickly and be uncomfortable, and concentrate on protein and fat rather than carbs for the majority of what you eat then you can have some little treats and enjoy them!

Yorkie xx

I graze, with most of my food in the a.m.  I wake up at 4 and start, usually am at 70+ in protein by 11.
I always take high-protein in the car when driving to snack on, and am amazed at how good fast food burgers taste!

Different things work for different people.  I usually eat 3 meals and 3 snacks every day. Sometimes more or less, depending on the size of the meals and how busy I am.

I eat meals and snacks. Something at least every 2 hours.

 I feel like I eat all day long. My day starts off with 2 cups of coffee with heavy whipping cream and sugar-free hazelnut cream. Then I usually have two scrambled eggs topped with a boatload of cheese. Then about an hour later, I have a coffee protein shake. The it's usually string cheese, yogurt, nuts, peanut butter, turkey cheese and mayo rollups, etc. It's working for me! Oh, and I always have something sweet after dinner, like a Reeses Peanut Butter cup or a couple of Dove Promises. I just don't eat the whole bag! A little bit goes a long way.

, Jules