5 wks post op need assistance please

I am 5 weeks post op and I am concerned I am hungry more than I should be. I have been measuring my food and a typical meal/snack is about 3-4 ounces (1/3 cup to 1/2 cup). I confirmed with the Bariatric surgeons nurse that this is the right amount of food to be taking in 5 times a day. My calories come in at around 700-800 a day. Just concerned I am eating more than I should and wondered what others that are close to 1-2 months post op are doing in quantity of food per meal/snack and total calories for the day. I don't have a nutritionist I can call on as medicaid does not cover one. Any input would be appreciated!!

Evening! Holy cow you've lost alot already. I'm only a week out but what you are describing fits my docs packet and information in regards to the calories etc. I know he empathized getting those calories with protein and not carbs.

Wish I had more to share. Be proud of where you are at already. Honestly with your weight of you hoped a protein shake or two a day you'd probably not be hungry and still be losing, the loss will just show down

Congrats to getting where you are.

Laurel

What are you eating? Your calories seem a bit low for the quantity you mentioned. 3-4 ounces of food, 5 times a day, means you are taking in 15-20 ounces each day. It's just under a pound, to a pound and a quarter. To me this sounds like a lot at five weeks. Are you eating protein forward?

I'm at 6 weeks out from surgery, having at most 5 ounces of food daily (mostly deli turkey, chicken, or deli ham, cottage cheese, cheddar), plus one protein shake. I've had 640 calories today, including my chewable multi-vitamins. I am never hungry and am finding tha****er fills me up - yet, weirdly, sugar-free popsicles don't seem to fill me up at all. It's as if plain water is somehow heavier. But that could, i suppose, be my imagination!

I find it weird that dietary recommendations are all over the place. It seems like there should be more uniformity, you know? It's not as if RnY surgery is a brand new procedure.

Au_contraire,

I agree that it seems odd the diet restrictions are all over the place. Some differences make sense as we're all different. Someone might start at higher weight and have to have more calories at first. But the what we can eat and to be oddly different.

My doc info says I'll be eating 4-5 three to four ounce meals a day.... That will be 16-20 ounces of food a day. I'm only a week out and being told get 64ozs liquid in a day with at least 32 of those being protein shakes.

I've noticed the water versus popsicle difference as well. I think it's because we take the water as a sip and it had weight but the Popsicles we suck on and it just slides through quicker. I couldn't even finish a Jello the other day. I think it's because it day there and goes down real slow.

Laurel

The calories seems high for 5 weeks, but I didn't start counting calories til I was a six months in and then it was about 800/day.

Do you feel like you *need* 5 meals? I bounced around for a while trying to figure out how many meals works for me a day. I went as much as 6 and as low as 3, found 4 meals to be the perfect space for me.

Wow you have come a long way already from your highest weight! Way to go! Your losses will be different from other folks who have a lower starting weight. I mean, I had surgery at 351 lbs and I felt practically svelte when I got down to 250 and many people have surgery at 250 lol!

Five meals a day seems a little high to me. I know all of the surgeons meal plans vary, and you have more body mass to feed, but why not cut back to 4 and see how you feel? None of us will die from lack of food right? ;) Like other posters have said, stick to protein and you will feel fuller, longer. I wasn't full from things like jello and yogurt but still at 3.5 years out, I get full from turkey and chicken and shrimp. Shop the outside perimeter of the grocery store ?

One other thing - if you don't have one already, I recommend you spend $12 on a digital kitchen scale. When I was in the losing phase, I was rigorous with weighing. I always portioned out 3 oz of meat and couldn't always fini**** It's hard to measure chunks of grilled chicken in a 1/4 or 1/2 cup but a scale will tell you exactly what you're eating!

Good luck!

I started out lower than you, but I did everything DC is saying... weigh weigh weigh... I couldn't eat anywhere near 3-4 ounces of protein at only 5 weeks post op. Actually at 5 weeks I was still on pureed/soft foods, and could only do a few tablespoons at a time. I was concentrating still on protein drinks.

At 6 weeks I started experimenting with more dense proteins, and boy was that a rough ride! I was one of the ones that got everything stuck early out, and I became very acquainted with the foamies and things stuc****il they came UP instead of down... boy I hated that phase.

At over a year out, I measure out 3-4 ounces of dense protein, and sometimes I add an ounce of a non starchy veggie.

If you were only eating like 1-2 ounces, 6 times a day, I could see that.

My calories were at or below 500 (or so) at 5 weeks out... sometimes closer to 300.

If you are feeling HUNGER, it's not real... could be extra acid or your brain thinking you're hungry. Your stomach isn't hungry at this point, it's still swollen and most likely numb from having all the nerves cut. Are you on a PPI?

I told myself my body needs fluids if I feel hungry. 13 years later it just a habit. Feel hungry ? I must need more fluids. It's such a head journey also

Hi,

I think its hard for anyone to say if that what you are eating is too much/too little without knowing what you are eating and the texture of what you are eating. Basing it on calories is arbitrary.. You don't say whether the 3 to 4 ounces is mushy, puree or solid protein at 5 weeks.I am eating 4x a day with two protein shakes about 2 ounces per meal. I am certain I could eat more but trying not. I average about 575 calories per day at the moment.

Reread the op and realized I don't eat 20 ounces a day at 13 years out.