POLL: How many bites can you take? How much can you eat?

How many bites can you take at a meal?  Does this keep you satisfied until the next meal? How much can you eat?  Half a cup?  A cup?   How many folks measure out their food and eat just that amount? Thanks!

I am eating about 3-4 oz. at a time right now. I don't weigh my food, I have learned to eyeball it. But I've gotten good at it. If I was to weigh my food in my plate I would be very close. You eventually learn how much to put in your plate.

i am 6 months out and probably the slowest looser on this site. it depends on what i am eating as to how much i can eat. if it is red meat i probably eat about 3 oz., if it is chicken or fish i eat about 4 oz. i can eat half a salad at jasons deli, only green, carrots, onions. my doctor told me protein first, so that is what i do, now i eat maybe three bites protein one bite vegetable. i eat on luncheon plates. NO PASTA, RICE, POTATOES, all of my favorite carbs are off limits now. i do not miss them. i feel like i have had thanksgiving dinner when i eat. and i am good for about 3 hours. the worst time for me is the evening between 7 and bedtime. i know i am not hungry, but old habits are hard to kill, and i go looking for something. i have absolutely NO TROUBLE during the day, i actually think i could go all day without eating. i can drink anything. that is not cafinated, or carbonated. i use to drink four cups of coffee each day, now i have one decafe, and am doing fine with that. hope this helps. laurap.

Laura: I've been on this board for over two years, you are definitely not the slowest loser... not sure why you think that!?  You're doing great. :)  Over 60 pounds in six months is fabulous and right on track.  :)

Ditto Laura,  I think I am the slowest loser.  I agree the foods are different,  I have always felt I could eat too much compared to others  However it is about 1/4 of what I used to eat.  I can eat a whole cup of soup or chilli.  I put all my food on a small desert size paper plate.  When I first started this I was losing about 15 pounds a month then it slowed t 10 now it is slower still.  I Ionly hope I have done as well as you at 6 months.  I think a lot depends on what your BMI is at the beginning and your age.  I notice the younger women on here with the same BMI as me when they started are losing twice as much as I am.  After menopause the losing weight thing slows down to nothing.  That's when I put on so much weight.  I also eat out a lot.  My husband and I are both retired and have no young children to cook for.  Eating out is a part of our life.  Even though I eat a lot less, eating out, you never know how many calories you have.  This is not going to change.  I live my life as normal as I can with this banana.

Hi, I am only 3 weeks out so I still measure my food.  I can eat about 1/3 C of whatever I am eating (I am still in the soft/mushies stage).  I don't count my bites but they are very small so I take a lot of them to consume the 1/3 C.

Hey Maren, You and I had surgery on the same day.  I'm still on mushys but going to solids tomorrow.  Can't wait! Kim

Wow, congrats on going to solids.  I still have another week of mushies!  Funny how different the plan can be from doctor to doctor.   Congrats on your surgery and chew something solid for me.

I'm almost 8 weeks out.  I don't count bites, I just eat.  If it's soft and wet like chili I can eat about 1/3 of a cup.  About the same with yogurt or cottage cheese, sometimes I can eat 1/2 a cup.  If it's solid meat like chicken breast I can eat about 2 oz.  I haven't weighed it, but going by the deck of cards rule I'm eating about 1/2 a deck.  I tend to cut it up into little bites so I feel like I'm eating more. Last night I had about 2 oz of beef tenderloin and a few bites of salad.  Once I get my protein in I can only eat a few bites of a salad or soft veggie.  I'm satisfied for about 3 hours so I usually have a snack in the afternoon, usually a cheese stick then I'm good till dinner.  Fortunately, I'm to full to eat after dinner.  I do tend to portion out my food, if I don't my eyes and head want me to eat it all and I run a bigger chance of overeating and getting sick.

I still can't eat much at a time. If it's meat about 5 nice bites if it's soft around 1/3 of a cup. I have a protein shake in the morning and push the other protein all day( and water) but I don't measure. It's true, you just learn how much to put on your little plate and when not to take one more bite. Carla