The key to avoiding overeating after sleeve gastrectomy

After a sleeve gastrectomy it can be really tricky to get to know when to stop eating. It’s like getting to know a new friend – what do they like/not like? What pushes their buttons? What are their limits? Your new stomach is your new friend, and to make the most of your new relationship you need to learn what your new friend likes to eat, but also how much it likes to have so you don’t end up feeling uncomfortable. Just like a new friendship, getting to know your new stomach can take months, and some trial and error, so don’t expect to adjust immediately. Instead, practice looking for this key sign telling you when you’ve had enough, put the following tactics into place to avoid overeating, prevent eating more calories than you need, and let your new friendship blossom.

How to recognise when to stop eating

Your new stomach will give you signs that it’s time to stop eating, you just have to listen! It’s essential to adopt the mindset that you don’t want to feel uncomfortable.  It’s better to under-eat a little rather than overeat – you can always have a snack between meals if you get hungry.

Ideally you’re aiming to stop when you’re about a 7/10 full, where 10/10 is that feeling you have after Christmas Day lunch. Think of it as “I’m satisfied, but not quite full yet” – it’s a fine line that will take some practice!

So how do you know when to stop? Pay attention to your body! Every time you eat your body will tell you when to stop – the problem is that often we just ignore it. The most effective way to tell when to stop is to look for the sigh moment!

The key: Listen for the “Sigh Moment”

During every meal, you’ll pause for a second, take a deep breath and sigh. STOP EATING NOW! This is a nervous system response from your stomach telling you it’s full.  The problem is that most of us just pick up our fork and keep eating. Instead, stop now and you’ll feel satisfied, but not quite full. As soon as you notice this sigh moment, stop eating and put any leftovers away so you’re not tempted to go back for more. You’ll more than likely find that stopping now leaves you feeling satisfied, but not uncomfortable – right around that 7/10 mark.

The signs you’ve gone too far…

It’s easy to overeat, especially in the early days when you’re still adjusting to your new stomach. Signs that you’ve eaten too much include:

• Pressure in your stomach
• Nausea
• Burping
• Hiccups
• Shoulder pain
• Sneezing or a runny nose
• Vomiting

Tips to avoid eating too much

To minimise the chance that you’ll eat too much and experience any of the symptoms above, try the following:

• Serve a smaller portion so you’re not tempted to finish it off (you can always go back for a bit more if you’re still hungry)
• Serve your meals on bread and butter plates or in small bowls.
• Eat mindfully (see this post for tips on how to do that)
• Listen for the ‘sigh moment’ (see above)
• Practice leaving food on your plate so you get used to it – even if it’s just a pea!
• When eating out, ask for a bread and butter plate and transfer over what you’ll be able to eat.

What if I do eat too much?

Don’t beat yourself up if you do eat too much every so often – everyone makes that mistake at least once while you’re learning. Obviously it’s best to avoid overeating, but if it does happen and you’re feeling uncomfortable try to get up and walk around for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths and whatever you do, don’t try and drink water to make it go down – it’ll only come back up again!

I’d love to hear if any of these are things you’ve experienced when you over eat or if you do anything else to relieve the discomfort – please feel free to comment below!