to snack or not to snack???

See that's exactly why I asked...its hard to get in enough calories with just 3 meals...right now I guess it's ok since I'm still a newbie...but when I'm more like where some of you are...I think it would be necessary to get in enough calories...Thanks for the input...You guys are all awesome!!!!!!

I'm a rebel. I SNACK!

but I do it the right way. Though my surgeon would say there is no right way.

whatever. check my stats below.

 I eat 6 'meals' a day.  My min requirement is 1200 calories.  If I dont eat those 6 meals, then Im not going to reach my min.  

I find it speeds my metabolism up too.  Obviously, Im not having a problem losing weight.  3 meals would not work for me at 400 cal a pop.  I'd like to keep my pouch small and stoma unstretched.

Guess I need to ask the Nut what the # of calories I'm supposed to be getting in is.   I'm currently getting about 650-850 a day.  To get in more I'd have to pretty much add in snacks.  What was your recommended intake at about 2 months out?

I'm supposed to have 3 regular meals w 3oz of protein and 2 or so oz of fruit/veggies (no rice/spuds/wheat etc).  I'm also supposed to have 2 'snacks' of dairy to get in 3 dairy a day.  Trouble is only things that count as dairy are milk and yoghurt (everything else apparantly is protein for some reason).

Basically I don't do the snacks (most I get is the one yoghurt a couple of times a week) - I can't stand milk now (I use soy for the protein shake). I'm so freaking sick of milk and yoghurt

As of tomorrow I'm hitting the pool for exercise... I'm betting that I'll get home and want to crawl into bed and sleep instead of starting work.  Even pre-op exercise never energized me... just made me want to sleep.

 I think everyone is a little differant. My doctor and nut rule is 3 meals a day and no snacking or grazing. Also, the focus is on proteins not calories. I see so many people online that are counting calories, carbs etc, but I only track protein. I pay attention to calories, fat and carbs but I don't track them.

Nancy

 I track my food because its helpful and it keeps me in line and accountable, just like weighing in every morning does.  People wonder why they hit stalls and its usually because their carbs/fat may be too high.  Some might even eat more carbs/fat than protein.  I've not hit a stall before and I owe it  partially to tracking what Im eating and evaluating it.

My surgeon and NUT say - 3 meals per day, and 2 to 3 snacks, depending on how my protein count is.  They also suggested eating every 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  I eat by the clock, since my stomach doesn't tell me when I need to eat - if 3 hours have gone by since my last food break, then I have something.  A snack is usually some cheese, a hard boiled egg,  cottage cheese,  or some other small item that is a protein.

I sometimes think when people hear the word snack, they automatically think junkfood. None of my snacks are in the unhealthy area - all are planned to nourish my body.  You can have very healthy snacks that help you meet your daily nutritional goals.

When I think about all my skinny friends who don't battle weight - they seem to eat pretty regularly, including healthy snacks - if they could only eat 3 times per day, they would be famished at meal times, and probably overeat at those times.  At work, the skinny people are eating something at every break - a piece of fruit, yogurt, almonds - whatever - and the overweight people aren't eating - often just having a diet pop in an effort to lose weight

I did not at first but now I do.  My Nut said it was okay but I felt it would lead to grazing.  I found I need to eat every few hours or I would get light headed.

I HAVE to snack. Doc and Nut say I don't and I shouldn't, but they don't feel what I feel. When I was only doing the 3 meals a day, I got light headed and very lathargic. Since I have included snacks I feel much better and more productive. I keep water at my desk and a bowl of something for me to snack on before and after lunch. Sometimes I have cheese in it , sometimes it's fruit, or carrot sticks. I can't really have yogurt or anything with a spoon. It has to be some kind of finger food that I can take a bite of between patients.  But I have to have something otherwise I am worthless.

That is nuts.  Laterally (in my opinion)y.  Research show that small, frequent meals allows us to lose weight, have blood sugar pretty much leveled, and not to be hungry.
With our small pouches, I could never get the protein and other nutrition if I only could eat 3 times a day. 

I tend to overeat (and get sick) if I do not eat frequently. 
Even with 6 small meals (all app 200 cal) I am still having problem getting all my cals and nutrition in since 1/2 cup of food, unless I make it very dense calories (nuts, etc)  is not that much. 
Even with normal stomach they recommend 3 meals + 2 HP snacks to make sure you do not get hungry.  
But that is just mine and my nut, doc,m psych etc (everybody in our center of excellence) opinion. 

good luck to you.