Lesson for today, just cause you can does not mean you need to...

 Ok, so I am almost a year out, I can eat a whole hamburger (with the bread ), and yeah I know I can cause I did, and not over an hour or picking at, I sat down and ate the whole thing during dinner with my family. In the end I was "full", actually feeling what people describe as the sensation of being full. I didn't really like the feeling, it wasn't uncomfortable or even painful, it just made me feel so sluggish and yucky that I found it horrible.

So today I had a left over hamburger for lunch (without the bread), I cut that puppy up into four equal pieces, I ate one slowly and mindfully listening to my body and I was not satisfied when I was done with one piece so I ate a second one in the same way, at the end of the second one I knew that I was satisfied that I could stop eating and be done and happy, fed the other half to the baby and the dog. 

So could I have eaten to the point of full again and got that whole hamburger in, yeah I could have, but I didn't NEED too when I was paying attention and listening to my body. This makes me VERY glad that I paid attention in the first year and did not get myself back into the habit of eating until I was "full", I think that I would be in a very dangerous position at this time if I had not spent the first year learning to be satisfied with less rather then pushing the limits to find out what "full" felt like. 

Anyway, I just wanted to toss this out there, I read so many posts about people searching for "full" and I always kind of cringe b/c there is a BIG difference between satisfied and full, and looking for full can be a disaster for many of us since mindful and regulated eating can be a challenge (I mean really, we don't get MO being mindful). Under eating my sleeve was the very best advice I ever got! 

Courtney, I have no doubt that you will stick to your goal weight. Whenever I see you post about slipping up you reel it back in before things get out of control. No one is perfect. It is how you deal with those mistakes that really matter. It is really amazing how eating slow makes all the difference. Congrats on that victory because a couple years ago the outcome would definitely not have been the same.

  And honestly, the first go around in hamburgergate WAS b/c I was eating too fast. I let myself get very hungry, and then I wasn't paying attention b/c there was a million things going on and before I knew it the burger was gone. My other mistake was putting the whole thing on my plate to begin with, usually I will serve myself the portion I want to eat, but we where eating outside by the pool and I didn't want to bother going in to get a knife to cut it in half (yeah, I am the epitome of lazy sometimes LOL). 

Sometimes you just need a kick in the pants to remind yourself that you are not fixed, and that you are not cured, the difference comes in what you make of that information once you have it!

Here, here!  Great post!

Undereating your sleeve......

That is why I dutifully measure everything I eat - except when dining out. Today, for example, I measured out 2 oz of left over filet. I know I can eat 3 oz, but knew I would be satisfied with the 2 oz and some cucumber/radish salad.

Having a tight sleeve, but a long stomach (per my surgeon) I know I can hold a little more than some, so I watch it. Being in my goal range means I have to have due diligence so I don't start going down that slippery slope to mindlessly eating....

Your post is a great reminder for us all!

 I know for sure I can eat more then some ( I don't know the size of my sleeve, and I don't want to know either!), and that just makes me all the more vigilant. I have all my tools back out on the counter so I feel guilty if I don't use them. Down a 1/2 pound and just about back in my comfort zone.

 I usually have the hardest time with this when I'm eating out...the food is usually good...I don't wanna stop!!! But it's an important lesson bc that full feeling sucks. 

 My problem seems to come in when I let myself get really hungry, b/c then I shovel and don't even give my body a chance to say "hey stupid, enough!". Add distracted to it, and its a recipe for disaster.

What a wonderful observation and I agree with you 100%.  Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.  Yesterday my husband and I went out to a Peruvian restaurant.  I had never eaten at a Peruvian restaurant and was very pleasantly surprised at how many protein options they had.  We ordered delicious steak and a seafood dish.  The sauces were amazing and I didn't want to stop eating.  I looked at my husband and complained in frustration that my stomach said stop way before my lips and mouth were finished.  Most of the time, I can regulate my eating but I am so glad we have our sleeves here for us during those times when we can't.  Yesterday, my sleeve carried me, but most of the time I follow your rule.

  I know what you mean about being done before you are "finished"! We went to the Melting Pot with some friends, and the protein there is awesome but so are the high calorie sauces that they give you! I could have gone on tasting long after my sleeve told me to quit, but I listened and was happy that I did!

THIS IS MY FEAR!! I purchased measuring cups & spoons to keep in my napsack ( that I take EVERYWHERE with me) because I need to stay within spec regardless to feeling like I can eat more... if 1/2 cup is the goal, I want to eat not a morsel more... if after 30 mins I feel the need, then water it needs to be...

GREAT that you can recognize this!!