Portion Size

I really dont know how much it would be. I know at mealtime I can compare to others and I eat about the same amount as my teeny tiny 43kg sister in law, lol. Normal amounts of food, not little enough to cause comment unless we're in a situation where people eat a LOT like when you get a big meal in a restaurant and barely touch it.

I can eat about 3/4 of a tuna sandwich, I can eat an ordinary sized bowl of cereal (like the serving size recommended), I can eat ONE slice of relatively thin toast, or piece of meat about the size of a deck of cards, a small scoop of mashed potato and 1/2 steamed veg for dinner.

"Normal" varies....

Would your 'normal' size be 100#, 200# or what?

A good idea I saw was to eat for the size person you WANT to be....

A 'cup size' bowl of the Holy Shredded Wheat with a little bit of peanut butter is plenty for me; a finely diced small chicken thigh is far more satisfying for twice as long. A small salad with a few oz. of shrimp is welcomed, as is a small piece of gooseberry pie (home made of course, where else can you get it?) with a spoon or 2 of NF ice cream.

I need all of that, but not as the same meal. That may well be my entire day intake, somewhat short of 1400 calories.

Other days I find such as one slice of turkey meat loaf on one slice of toast plenty for lunch.

My old Grand Favorite, properly burnt toasted cheese sandwich, one....is plenty and takes about 20 minutes to eat.

The old 'tuna fish sannie' has been replaced with 'tuna only' as the bread simply is unappealing most the time.

I'm growing use to 1400 calories as a standard intake for the day. I seem to be quite satisfied MOST days on this, rarely going over that, and may drop to 1200 soon.

i eat around 4-6 oz which is a combo of meat and veges. it keeps me full for several hours.

I am currently on the soft solid stage and at my last appointment I was told my meals should be around 3-4 oz

I have been having about 4-6 oz of whatever Im having for that meal..And I seem to be doing better eating 4 times a day so I dont feel hungry and dont eat too fast. I have been using the small presized containers to keep track of portion size. They work great for at work meals too. I find I have the most problems visualizing the correct portions when I am out to eat or if I dont preplan and measure in the containers. I am on my 3rd fill which puts me at 7 ccs in a 10cc band and do feel some restriction finally. I seem to feel the stuck feeling sometimes if I eat to fast or dont chew,but I think that too is part of readjusting the lifelong eating too fast issues, so Im not going to even think about another fill just yet..

dob 2-22 Juarez Mex.
232/210
mini goal under 200

My doctor's philosophy is to listen to your body. I eat until I get that 'feeling' - a little burp, a fulness- that tells me I have had enough. Sometimes that comes after 4 ounces. Sometimes it takes 8 ounces. I was told not to even measure, so I don't, I'm just estimating. Our bands are so variable from day to day and even from meal to meal. For breakfast I often can only eat 1/2 cup of food (if that). For dinner sometimes I probably eat a bit more than 1 cup. So it all kind of averages out. It is important to fill your pouch enough so you stay satisfied between meals, that is how the band is designed to work. So I eat until I am full, but not overfull.

Again Lisa,
we are right there together... I eat about 4-5oz PER meal.. anytime I eat I count it as a meal.. well minus Jello and snacks.. which I also measure out(eg 15 crackers one serving of cheese). great minds!! maybe thats why we are at the same pace!!
and that Salmon and Zuccini? thats 2 meals for me!



~Destynee~

the option for the portion size suggested by my surgeon was not listed. His suggestion was no more than 1 oz. 3 times a day with protein supplements for hunger.

My question is on the hunger. I am 8 months out and lost 52 pounds. I started at 284. I have a 10 cc band and have had 2 fills Nov and Jan. I am going for third fill on tues 5/6. I remember right after surgery, the first month, i never felt hungry. It was the best. I know most of the hunger is in your head but with appropriate fill are you not hungry like you felt right after surgery or is is more the inability to eat much that makes you loose. Which leads to what is the goal of a fill, it is just less intake?
Fran

I don't weigh my meals but I took that advice about the sandwich plate to heart and use that as my measure. At lunch or dinner, I take enough food (meat & veg) to cover the plate without piling it up. If I can't fit it on the plate without putting it on top of something else, I can't have it - simple. Breakfast is usually in a bowl, so it doesn't work the same - usually a poached egg, 1/4 cup baked beans, 1/4 cup canned mushrooms, so about 3/4 cup in total?

I'm tighter in the morning so I eat about 1/2 cup. Lunch about 3/4 cup to 1 cup and in the evening about 1 to 1 1/3 cup. I've only had two fill and have just a little restriction. I've never "PBd" and don't really want to. I went to have a fill a couple weeks ago, and the doc said since I did lose in the two month period (14 pounds) he didn't think I needed one. I felt like I was eating to much, but he didn't want me throwing up at all. It's not normal and not healthy. So I struggle a little. I depend on will power more than I would like.

Just in case you didn't knwo..I can't tel by the posts...its 1/2 cup a meal not all day.

I know this is totally off subject, but can someone tell me how to add a ticker. I saw that each person that has posted on this thread has a ticker, so I figured this would be fertile ground for my question. I've gone to the website and created the ticker, but I'm unable to figure out how to add it to my profile. When I cut 'n paste the URL into my LBT signature, I get a message that says Invalid File. Has anyone experienced this?

I was taught by my doctor (and nutritionist and everyone on the staff) that portion size is not how we should be gauging how much we eat. Because appetite can vary so much from day to day and even meal to meal, it is hard to say what the right amount is. Sometimes I barely eat 2 ounces (although this is an estimate, I never actually measure or weigh) and sometimes I eat over a cup. I was told to listen to my body and it's signals to figure out when I am satisfied. I am also supposed to limit my eating time to 20 minutes. When I hit 20 minutes I stop eating. This allows for the variations in hunger and looseness/tightness of the band from day to day. When I am looser (PMS, after weight training) I can eat faster so I consume more in 20 minutes. It all works out. The idea is to not be hungry between meals and I feel bad for all the people who are measuring out 1 cup of food, fearful of eating more than that, who are hungry between meals because maybe it wasn't really enough for them.

My doctor has two basic rules on portion size:

1. First 3 weeks, full liquids, unlimited until satisfied for each of three meals a day. In between, unlimited clear (non-calorie) liquids like sugar free popsicles, water, Crystal Light, etc.

2. Solid foods (whether mushies or not) - 4 oz by weight, not volume, (including any smoothies we choose instead of harder foods) at each of three meals a day. Same in-betweens as before, non-caloric things to sate your head-hunger.