is there a happy medium?

I'm a year out, and I can eat that slice of pizza with no problem.  But here's the deal.  VSG is a tool.  It will prevent you from overeating, but it won't prevent you from making bad food choices.  If you think of a weight loss solution as a pie, the surgery is about 1/8 of that pie.  Other bigger sections are:

• Nutritional education - this one is about 1/2 the pie in my opinion.  You must be aware of the nutritional content of the food you choose to eat.
• Proper hydration - so many people walk around dehydrated and aren't even aware.
• Exercise - we're not talking anything fancy here; walking alone is great for your mood and your waistline.
• Logging - not just food, but also water intake and exercise.
• Emotional/mental care - depending on your issues, this could be a big slice as well, and is often overlooked.  You need to figure out what got you where you are today if you don't want to end up back there tomorrow.
• Compliance with your plan.

So you see, it's not just overeating that gets most of us to the point of needing surgery.  Restriction will fix that part.  The other parts are up to you.

Great post, Sandy!  

I have a middle size sleeve , I can eat 4 oz protein and maybe 4 oz veggies ,I eat 500-800 cal a day and 80 gm protein 30 carb

I will  sometimes take a small bite of my hubbies pizza or 2 french fries , but most of the time I need to work at getting my protein

shrimp and eggs will be your 2 best friends

when im in a restaurant I look at what people eat and think how do they eat all that , but I used to eat a lot more than they where 

3 rules to live for for weight loss

1  stay on plan (98% of the time)

2 measure everything that goes  in your mouth (scale ,measuring cup, ruler)

3 track everything that goes in your mouth (MYFITNESSPAL.COM)

I'm 11 months out and my doctor used the smallest bougie out there, 32f.  And I can eat a piece of pizza for sure - been there, tried it.  Not as exciting as you'd think though!  It's not as satisfying now and it's mostly carb and very little protein.  I tend to scoop of the toppings and leave most of the crust.  

This is just my opinion, but I think even with the smallest sleeves, eating 1 slice of pizza is doeable when you are over a year out.  Like many of the posts above, it's not your best option, not even close. 

The problem with pizza after WLS is if we start eating pizza again, what else are we going to be reintroducing back into our diet?  This is why it's critical to change our eating habits for the long haul.  But ... social events happen, parties happen ... it's not going to kill us to have a slice of pizza in maintenance but it's a slippery slope.  I didn't touch pizza until maintenance but when I started to go back to old habits by eating pizza, I started to eat other high carb foods too.  That brings on the regain really quick.  Just something to keep in mind.

It's not a good idea to ask for a looser sleeve.  You will be able to eat alot more than you think the further out of surgery you get.  I can go to a restaurant and eat enough where no one would even suspect I've had WLS.  I am almost 3 years out.

My happy medium now even in the midst of regain is that I can control my portions and what I eat a lot better than before surgery.  It still messes with your mind because you know you can eat the stuff that made us gain weight in the first place though.  I'm happy that I can get close to full on 1 chicken thigh where before it was a 2-3 piece chicken meal with 2 sides.  It feels good to eat less most days.  We will be dealing with enough obstacles that get thrown to us in every day life.  We need to make the most of our choices as often as we can.  Stay mindful.  :)

Thank you forall the responses..I'm sorry if my thoughts sound silly...I just thought that maybe the future would hold my favorite foods, just in smaller portions...regarding the 80lbs...I need to loose about 100 but would be happy with 80...i have been on every diet out there...and Ive always gained it all back...i get so excited about having vsg, but also so nervous...im calling the surgeons office tomorrow for a consult...

nicki,

don't worry all will work out for the best. Bless you.

Robin in Ca.

I don't want to go back to eating large portions. I'm a little over 4 months out and I'm fine with eating small portions.  I have a friend who is 5'7 115 lbs and in super great shape. I used to be in awe at the small portion sizes when she ate. That is when I realized, that's what a portion size is supposed to be and it's unacceptable for one person to eat an entire family meal at Popeye's Chicken (that's how I used to roll). I'm in the beginning of the honeymoon phase, and I am diggin it fo sho!

I think it's normal pre-op to think of these kinds of things. The truth is, you may not even WANT the pizza after surgery. I love pizza, and I don't find myself craving it at all. The extra carbs just aren't worth it to me. For example. I usually LOVE buffalo chicken dip. I used to make it with a bottle of Ranch dressing, package of shredded cheese, block of cream cheese, and a bottle of hot sauce. Then I'd gorge on it with some tortilla or pita chips.

Now, I just make a small portion of a healthier version and skip the chips. The dip is the best part anyways! I use boneless chicken breast, hot sauce, a little neufchatel cheese and light sour cream, and salsa.

I have a large sleeve, loosely sewn... I am also very tall (6'2'') so I imagine my stomach has more length than the averge female.  My level of restriction is absolutely perfect for me.  I can eat what would be considered a small adult portion, and am satisfied with less if I need to reel the calories in.  I am in the 40's somewhere.