Portion size - 5 weeks post op?

Hi,

I'm 5 weeks post op and just wondering if my portions are too big. I dont want to stretch my pouch too much/quickly.

As an idea of what I'm having now (each of these is a separate meal lol);

*A full muller light yoghurt
*Half a 'standard cereal bowl' of homemade soup with meat, veg and broth mix etc.
*small tin of tuna and sweet corn.

Any words of wisdom will be welcome ?

Good question you raise
im about 6 weeks post op and im doing ok but I keep making "normal" size meals plating up a smaller portion or what I think is a smaller portion and its still too much, I have 3 or 4 orceven 5 mouthfuls and then push the plate away then end up throwing the rest away, im wasting soo much food
I seem more happy to drink yogurt type drinks ot have orange lollies more than eat a "meal" as such
I look forward to the responses you get

I was eating less than a weaning baby would for weeks after my op. A few tiny mouthfuls and masses of chewing and I was full. A fromage frais was plenty! If it doesnt hurt you or have any repercussions im sure it's fine Im almost a year out now and can only just manage a tin of chunky soup (leaving the juice). If you're worried about your portion sizes, speak to your dietitian, they'll be able to reassure you either way xXx

Oh and if you haven't already, getting yourself a very small bowl or plate to eat from could help too. If you have a tiny meal on a big plate its overwhelming but a small meal in an equally small bowl helps psychologically xXx

At 5 weeks post op I was eating from a ramekin. That was all I could manage. I'm now 2 years post op and still eat on a tea/side plate.

Reading this i eat way too much!

im over 3 months out, and eat a side plate sized portion

yesterdays food: breakfast - nothing. mid morning snack - individual pack of snack a jacks. lunch-1 slice of turkey, carrot mash and gravy (side plate portion). dinner - two fishcakes and a bit of lettuce

NorthamptonGirl said:

Reading this i eat way too much!

im over 3 months out, and eat a side plate sized portion

yesterdays food: breakfast - nothing. mid morning snack - individual pack of snack a jacks. lunch-1 slice of turkey, carrot mash and gravy (side plate portion). dinner - two fishcakes and a bit of lettuce

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I am 2 months out. I have the thought in my head that i am eating too much. So when i expressed that to my dietitian i was told to wash out muller light yoghurt pot and use that as a guide for a portion.

I dont think the list of foods you gave us sound too much.

Llora said:

I am 2 months out. I have the thought in my head that i am eating too much. So when i expressed that to my dietitian i was told to wash out muller light yoghurt pot and use that as a guide for a portion.

I dont think the list of good you gave us sound too much.

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i think we are all so worried that we are going to do something wrong.
i did go through my menu with my dietician and was told that as long as i was eating by the rules (chew, chew, chew, stop when you're full etc) that i was doing fine x

I already use a side dish and a small bowl like a single serving trifle dish for my meals and I am chewing well and stopping when I feel full so I guess im doing all the right thing its more a "head case" more than anything else then portion cooking I think I need to make space on my frezzer so at least I have some home made ready meals!

I photographed several meals and showed my dietitian as I worried about amounts. She told me they were fine

NorthamptonGirl said:

i think we are all so worried that we are going to do something wrong.
i did go through my menu with my dietician and was told that as long as i was eating by the rules (chew, chew, chew, stop when you're full etc) that i was doing fine x

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Thats great!!

Thanks everyone. I'm at the hospital for my 8 week check later this month so I'll discuss with the dietician then.

I also guess everyone's pouch is a different size eh? X

needtofeelnormal said:

Thanks everyone. I'm at the hospital for my 8 week check later this month so I'll discuss with the dietician then.

I also guess everyone's pouch is a different size eh? X

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I kept wondering aswell. If the pouches end up exactly the same size for everyome or are they very different. And what it depends on?

Llora said:

I kept wondering aswell. If the pouches end up exactly the same size for everyome or are they very different. And what it depends on?

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I guess a lot of it may depend on your surgeon or maybe how much weight you need to lose?

I don't really feel like I have a 'pouch'. In my mind I still have a stomach the size of Mexico!!

needtofeelnormal said:

I guess a lot of it may depend on your surgeon or maybe how much weight you need to lose?

I don't really feel like I have a 'pouch'. In my mind I still have a stomach the size of Mexico!!

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I feel exactly the same. Maybe it's just a physiological thing.

Everyone has different portion sizes. The key is to stick to no bigger than a teaplate and eat slowly, chew and stop at the first sin of fullness/ discomfort.

My specialist preaches 'the rule of granny's tea-plate'. This is a tea-plate (obvs), with 1/3 protein, 1/3 greens and 1/3 carbs. Start eating the protein, when done move to greens, then move to carbs if we still have room ... We probably won't. We should try to adhere to this for life. I am 16 months post bypass and can eat nearly everything now but thankfully cannot eat very much of it.

What you describe sounds pretty normal to me. He also explains that further down the line and 'experienced' we should not be able to consume a round of sandwiches in 30mins. If we can scoff it all in that time we are eating too much and are in danger of stretching our pouch. Of course we should not be having sarnies at all, but is given as an example for something 'normal we might consume occasionally ...

xxx