Food glorious food - advice needed please!

[phatmomma]

Hi all

Can someone tell me is it normal to eat and then be hungry 3 hours later?

I'm 15 days post op and today i'm a hungry bunny! Yesterday i wasn't wanting to eat so often but today i feel like a right munch bucket...

I had 1 weetabix for my brekky, for lunch 5 melba toast with hummus and now i've just sat and crunched on some king prawns.....

Normally my breakfast lasts for a good 5 hours and again with my lunch....

Should i be eating 3 times a day? I'm not eating lots and was amazed i managed 5 melba toasts for lunch today...

Ideas on what/when to eat would be brilliant x

 

[salski]

I have from day one ate smaller meals more often. Between 4-5 meals a day and just a little less. I personally would say avoid the melba toast if you can and have more prawns and hummus instead. Stick to one carb heavy meal a day then aim for your protein as the main aspect with veggies to help fill you up!
I wouldnt worry about cals etc at this point - just ensure you get the protein in and limit carbs.
Thats just my thoughts anyway doll. GL xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[StephieAck]

I would say that it could be head hunger but if you are eating and your body is physically allowing it then it cant be. How soon after eating are you drinking? Honestly I mean, I know its a no no but I have broken that rule a few times, so I do know that people do it, maybe you are washing the food through?
Steph xx

 

[phatmomma]

Thanks Sal i'll take your advice re the carbs...

Steph i don't drink half hour before or half hour after eating. I'm probably one of the few who weren't bothered with this rule as i've never eaten and drunk at the same time unless we've popped out for a pub meal...

Think i'll look at some of the post op people's daily menus for inspiration..........

 

[phatmomma]

So should i aim for 4 - 5 small meals a day or should i try having a hot drink or something if i'm hungry between meals?

I'm so aware with my experience with cows milk (lactose intolerance causing the runs) that i need to get protein in and not via fortimel or slimfast...

Please give me the benefit of your knowledge x

 

[Sambucca]

Julie, in the early days I tried to have 5/6 small meals and now have 3 meals and a couple of snacks on an average day.

Im amazed you managed 5 melba toasts as when I first started having them at about 4 weeks post op I used to struggle with 2! I couldnt manage anything as "solid" as prawns until I was probably 6 or 7 weeks.

Perhaps you are just having what a call a hungry hippo day. Some days I can eat loads and other days I can barely manage a thing.

Try not to worry too much Julie. It sounds like you are doing brilliantly. As you said, you are not eating/drinking at the same time which is something I would have suggested. Also, I know we have it drummed into us that we MUST have a certain amount of protein, but I have never counted anything and probably dont get anywhere near the required 60-80g guideline (which is nigh on impossible in the early days anyway). If you do intend to count protein grams etc though, I wouldnt worry about doing so until you are on a "proper" diet again of solid food.

 

[thinkbethin]

Eating smaller meals more often is what I would do but I'm a bander. The paper work I had pre op stated this was the way to go but I'm sure you'll get loads of advice from the wonderful bypass peeps. Good luck xxxx

 

[Stellap]

I get hungry a lot and have done so from the very early days and what I do is have a drink and if the hunger is still there after about 45 minutes I have a small healthy snack (some cheese,ham,salad or some fruit). I also loved to eat crackers but I knocked them on the head as they are slider foods and I found I could eat loads of them, and I wanted to keep my carb intake as low as possible. If I snack I now try to make it protein or veg. I try to eat any carbs early on in the day too so I can burn it off. Once you can eat a greater variety of food you will find you will get more full easier, especially once you start eating meat

 

[phatmomma]

Oh Stella i've eaten chicken and it's not a problem for me..

The only thing i have yet to try is eggs and i'm very wary of doing that as i've heard the horror stories...

Yesterday was not such a bad day for me, this was my menu...

Breakfast : Ready brek
Snack: 1/2 banana was at swimming lesson with stepdaughter and hungry as it was after 12
Lunch: Very bad, 1/2 slice of toast as i was in Birmingham city centre and it was the best option for me as i eat so little.
Tea: Chicken Tikka on a stick done on the bbq.... was wary because of the coating but it was fine (didn't manage the whole kebab had to give half to Trev lol)....

Was a bad day to go out drink wise, i took a large juice bottle of squash but when this ran out i couldn't get a nas drink in any shops i tried grrrr. All blooming fizzy or plain water which went warm so quick i couldn't drink more than a 1/4 of the bottle...

Today on my trek to Coventry on the train i will have plenty of fluids with me xx