How to undereat your sleeve. (A group project.)

Can we share some tips and hints here? Thanks!

One attitude I've struggled with: Back in the WW and other diet days, I'd look for ways to eat more quantity and still stay within plan. I sometimes still find myself doing that with my sleeve, forgetting that this is the opposite of what I should be doing as a rule. So instead of thinking that I can probably manage to fit more Greek yogurt in and (yay!) eat something sweet and (yay!) get more protein I need before (uh-oh) feeing full, if not stuffed...

I'm trying for this -- being mindful and grateful as I prepare my food:

1) When putting that small amount of food in the small bowl or on the small plate, think very consciously about how LUCKY I am that I can eat so little and not have hunger pains.

Focus on "how little" as something to be celebrated, not a reason to squeeze in a little more.

Next?

There really is only one sure fire technique.  A scale.  Measure it, eat only that.  I'm trying to maximize the protein I get through food -- so I measure out 2-2.5 ounces.  If, when I finish that, I still need more protein, I'll measure out another bite or two -- and if I don't have "fullness then", I stop anyway. 

For liquids, like Greek Yogurt, I need that full amount of protein, so I eat the entire 6 oz container.  It's liquid, so I don't have any fullness, etc. issues.

If you measure enough, then when you are eating out, you can make some decent guesses.  I'll mentally calculate portion size if it's not noted (ie, 6 oz sirloin, etc.).  Then cut that in half, then eat half of a half.  Then maybe a couple more bites.  But never the full half, unless I know that it's less than 3 oz.

Since hubby may finish something for me, if he's really hungry, I've never made the "pack half, serve half" request at a restaurant.

 

This is all very true. And oddly I don't have probs at restaurants. I do ask for a box but pack it myself. It's at home I'm most likely to have an issue, if I do. I buy large containers of Greek yogurt and measure it out by the 1/4 cup scoop. I can easily "graze" on it, even to the point of being too full, if I let myself fall into that trap, so have to stay on top of it.

Of course the interesting thing is that my Greek yogurt days--where I kind of eat mostly that all day, simply because I want something sweet--often end up being days where I weigh less the next day, even if I'm feeling guilty for grazing instead of eating real meals.

Maybe for the Greek yogurt, since it is a liquid and frankly, that means you can eat a lot of it!  Get the indivivdual containers, or pack it in full cup or half cup containers -- and eat it only at specific snack or meal times.  I will also mix my protein powder with Greek yogurt to make a higher protein "meal".  Then I'm not getting into the grazing habit.

Is it really considered a liquid? That's interesting. I do get full with it, can get full to the point of discomfort. That's why I am having to train myself to stop before that happens, because it's so easy to justify the calories and protein to eat it!

 

I must disagree that measuring is a sure fire technique. I know it should be, makes sense that it would be, everyone always says it IS, but it often is not for me.

I eat a pretty constant rotation of the same foods, at the same or similar times, and it's the same pattern with my water. Yet, one day 2 ounces of chicken is very comfortable to eat and the next day that same chicken makes me feel as if I will burst. Honestly, I have to pay close attention to how my body reacts and go less by the measurement or sometimes I will feel as if I over ate. Don't get me wrong, I still measure absolutely everything to keep me from over eating ( it goes that way too) but there are many times that my measured amount is too much.

Annie

I weigh and measure most of the time. Even though DH & I have been doing this sine he was sleeved 14 months ago, it is still a challenge when eating away from home. We will typically split something, and usually there will be leftovers. We tease each other that we have become a cheap date.

Yes! With both of you, you really ARE a cheap date!

When I bring home food it's either enough for two meals for me, or sometimes a meal my husband and I share (and I supplement his part).