Question:
I am feeling hungry
I had surgery March 10, 2008. I am feeling hungry in between meals. I am only eating 2 meals a day. I think I am feeling that way because I am not getting enough protein. Can anyone suggest what I can do to get more protein in my diet? Also in the 1st 3 weeks after surgery I lost 27lbs and then I didnt loose anyting for over a week and it was only 1lb. I need help can someone give me any suggestions? — mskim (posted on April 9, 2008)
April 9, 2008
You need to eat more than twice a day. You should be eating small amounts
every 2-3 hours. Focus on proteins first. I'm not sure what stage of the
diet you are in, but for clear liquids find broths with protein in them or
add protein powder. I hate protein powder myself, but it isn't forever.
You kind of have to get through it...like it or not. For the full liquids,
again, the thicker soups have protein and also milk, yogurt, etc. I would
definitely try for more frequent "meals"...small amounts, but
more frequently and more protein.
— ALafferty
April 9, 2008
You're going through a huge transition...both physically and mentally.
Regarding your hunger, just ust because you had WLS doesn't mean you don't
still get hungry. If your tummy is empty, no matter how small it is, you
will feel hungry. The important thing is that it doesn't take much (and
your protein should come first) to satisfy the physical hunger. The mental
is something else. OUr brains weren't operated on so they still think
along the lines of old habits...chips, empty carbs, etc.
If you limit your carbs as much as possible, exercise daily, get your
protein, drink your water...satisfy your hunger with as few calories as
possible...take your vitamins you will continue to lose weight. SOmetimes
the loss will be fast, sometimes slow...sometimes you will plateau. Just
stick to the program and you will lose. And I don't think it's a good idea
to weight eery day or often. This can set up unrealistic expectaitons
and/or dashed hopes. Your weight will come off over time. I know it's
hard waiting for this to happen...I know because my surgery was almost 3
months ago and even though I've already lost 50 lbs. I still want to lose
more. I just try not to think about the weight loss every day...and I try
to stick to the program. Good luck.
— cjjordan
April 9, 2008
Kim - I am pre op so I am not talking from experience but LOTS of
research. According to my doctor you should eat 2-3 meals a day ... that
is ALL. NO GRAZING! He did recommend an amazing protein powder that I
ordered and am using pre op. It is UNJURY you can purchase it online at
UNJURY.com. It taste great. It has 20 grams of protein and only 100
calories and very little sugar. They have a strawberry you can mix with sf
crystal light lemonade and it is YUMMY! They also have vanilla and
chocolate that I tried. Both very yummy. From the meetings I have attended
and books I have read you will never know if your band is working if you
graze. You need to eat 2-3 times and if you are still feeling hungry talk
to your doctor about a fill. I hope this helps ... GOOD LUCK!
— ItIsMyTime
April 9, 2008
My surgery was February 28, 2008 and I lost 40 lbs the first two weeks,
then didn't lose anything the next week. The doctor told me this would
probably happen because your body is kind of catching up with your weight
loss. It is like your body goes into shock after such a dramatic loss and
says"wait whats going on here". Right after that the weight loss
has started back. You need to eat at least 3 meals a day and drink a
protein drink at this stage. I know others are eating small meals every
2-3 hours but my doctor suggest the 3 meals a day and if I do snack it
should be something like nuts or string cheese. It is really important to
find a protein drink you like, it took me awhile to find one that I could
drink. You can do it and it does get easier to get your protein in once
you are on solid food.
— Fieryone
April 9, 2008
You kind of answered your own question, which is really cool, because that
means you know what you need to do to take care of yourself. Not knowing
how you're already getting protein in, it makes it hard to recommend
anything. I am 5 months out and I do a 30 gm protein shake for breakfast
and get the rest of my protein in my lunch and dinner. Sometimes I have a
small snack and it's always got protein in it. You're probably not losing
now because you're not feeding your body adequately. Bump up your protein
and get in that meal you're missing. Good Luck!
— Shirley D.
April 9, 2008
I had my surgery in 2002, lost 110 lbs. and was told to eat about 90 gr. of
protein a day. I got that eating about 5 or 6 times a day (eating included
my protein shakes which I used in between regular small meals). I agree
you are not losing because you are starving your body and with the surgery,
you lose some of the nutrition that you take in because of the bypass,
therefore you are really aborbing less calories than you are taking in.
Please be good to yourself and talk to your doctor and your nutritionist so
that you can remain healthy. Blessings. . . .
— Kathy T.
April 9, 2008
This is what my doctor had me do when I hit a plateau at about 1 month.
Stop or limit the amount of soft foods, ie: tuna, yogurt, cottage cheese
and move up to more solid foods. It takes more soft food to fill you up.
Even if you don't eat alot of meat because you feel full, thats ok. No
protien shakes what so ever. They can be high in calories and do not fill
you up, they go through you. If you are having a problem getting all your
protien, consider some non caloric or low caloric protien drinks like
Isopure, which have 50 grams of protien in a single bottle. Down side is
that they are sort of expensive, upside is that they count towards your
liquid. Carbs/cereal products (rice, potato, pasta, bread only three times
a week and in small portions) Stay away from puddings, they don't fill and
are part of that soft food thing. Snacks can be jello, popcicles and
jerky. Try chewing gum also when you are feeling hungry. Everything sugar
free, of course.
The biggie that has helped me is to chew each bite 20 times in order to
savor the food, Put your fork and knive down between each bite. No
cheating. Since this slows you up eating, you do tend to get full before
you normally would else wise. This is harder than you think and it takes a
while to develope this habit.
I know that this is simplistic, but they have helped me.
my two cents
Good luck!
— Jeanne Aldrich
April 9, 2008
You can never get all your nutrition in two meals a day...OF COURSE, you
are hungry! I am 4 years out and cannot eat all my food and nutrition
requirements in 3 meals...It is not grazing when you plan meals and eat 3
main meals with smaller meals/snacks in between...When I say snacks. I am
not talking about mindless snacking on twinkies and potatoe chips. THAT is
grazing and eating... just to eat. Eating to maintain your health and
nutrition in 6 planned small meals is FAR from "grazing" and a
perfectly acceptable way to eat by most nutrionists. Sure you'll find one
or two with a different opinion...but that's the thing about being an
individual....First, you have a right to your opinion and second you don't
have to lump yourself into cliques or take sides..."well my doctor
said it is grazing if all you cows go out to pasture"...Oh plooey!
It's not like you can eat an entire field of grass anyway...Keep track of
how much you eat and as long as you are not STRETCHING your pouch to fit 60
grams of protein in TWO or three meals...I'd say you are doing yourself a
favor by GRAZING!! Common sense folks!
— .Anita R.
April 9, 2008
I agree with the previous poster. At three weeks don't even think of trying
jerky, it will get stuck and possibly do some damage. I drink 2 bottles of
isopure beverage a day. You can't absorb more than 20 grams at a time so I
split the bottle in half, split a crystal lite single between them and fill
the rest with water. That takes care of 80 oz. of water and gives you 100
grams of protien. Eeverything else you eat is a bonus. You might also try
the Daily Plate site. You input what you eat and it tells you how much
carbs, fat, colesterol, protien, calories you have consumed. Also deducts
exercise calories and tracks water. You set your number of calories (800)
and it tells you how many you have to go.
P.S. Your weight loss and stall iis pretty much universal at this point. I
am 3 months out and had the same "problem". Don't worry - it will
go.
— jannmyers
April 9, 2008
— rina_mo
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