To snack or not to snack...

TammyP64

When I went in to see my doctor 2 months post op, I was telling him how my husband had to remind me to eat when it had been a while since my last meal. My doctor immediately replied with "Stop listening to your husband. Only eat when you're hungry!!" I've been doing this lately and it has not been working out for me. I can go for many hours without eating anything, but when I finally feel the urge to eat my stomach is filled with air and whatever I eat seems to fight with the air in my belly and I end up vomiting. My husband is telling me 'you need to snack throughout the day!' Do you snack? How often do you snack? What do you snack on? Help a vsg sister out!

pattycakes726

Cheesesticks, almonds, sugar free popsicles and Greek yogurt are all favorite snacks. I eat protein bars sometimes too, but usually use them as a meal replacement. I recently made egg bites from The World According to Eggface blog and they are fabulous! One or two fill me right up for under 100 calories.

authorwriter

I just eat whenever I feel like I need a little something in the tummy, usually every few hours. I eat exactly what I want - a protein shake, a container of high-protein yogurt, a slice of cheese, a piece of fish, so long as it's low-carb and on the program. My weight loss has been speeding up. Finally. And it may be because I'm not obsessing about food so much. I don't get hungry, exactly, it's more of an empty feeling, like I could probably not eat, but I know I should eat.

bikrchk

My Dr TOLD me to snack at my 1 month post op because I wasn't getting enough food early on (about 600 calories). I added a cheese stick or 2 mid morning and mid afternoon. Now a days I really eat 5 small meals per day. It's rare that I don't get at least one snack per day and if I don't I'm WAY under my calorie and protein goals. Snacks always contain protein but are not always a protein supplement. I've also been working out 5 days per week since about month 3 and need sufficient calories for fuel. I can't eat them all at mealtime. It makes me uncomfortable, so snacks, for me are a must! There is a line between planned snacks and "grazing" though. We must be careful to stay on the right side of that line!

oStephhanie

If I don't snack, I don't lose weight. I have had this issue a couple times. My doc told me not to snack, but I genuinely get hungry. But the snacks are very small, a cheese stick, some yogurt, just something that add to the protein count for the day.

Mangopickle

Feel hungry? After surgery? By the time I feel hungry I am in bigggg trouble! Something needs to go in every 4 hours. Not much. A cheese stick, a boiled egg, tbsp of pnut butter. A small 100 calorie item is all you need to keep the pouch from going nuts.

pawoodhull

At the beginning I was told that a totally empty sleeved tummy is a very unhappy tummy. I was told that I should be eating 6 times a day, 3 meals, 3 snacks. I found that if I waited too long between meals/snacks I was sick. So my advice, and I do hate to go against your doctor, is eat a little something about 6 times a day. Take a protein bar and eat 1/2 for a morning snack and 1/2 for an efternoon or evening snack. Or take a protein shake and divide it up into 2 or 3 snacks.

I am three years out now and can go all day without eating (yes I still forget to eat sometimes as I still don't get hungry and no that's not normal). I don't get that sick feeling anymore, but I do get lightheaded from lack of nutrition.