Is the GOLDEN WINDOW closing? 8 months post op...

 Hello Everyone!

I've been out of touch and feel kinda isolated... If I'm to attain my goal, I need to reach out and ask for your help....

I have no idea if I've stretched my stoma or stomach or if the amount I'm eating is normal...

Any idea how much I should be eating now?  I'm freaking out!  I don't see the surgeon until I'm a year out!  

I remember in the pre-op class they talked about the "golden window".  I feel it's slamming shut!

If I work hard, I think I can reach my goal by 1 year post op... but not if I keep overdoing it.  

I feel kinda stupid asking this, but am desperate.  Thanks in advance!

First, is 107 a reasonable goal for you?  Unless you are pretty short that is very light.  Make sure you have a realistic goal that you can reach or you may be disappointed.
Second, what are you eating now?  How much can you eat?  Are you measuring out your food or just eating until you are full?  I try to always measure out my food.  My goal is to be satisfied, not stuffed.  At 16 months I can eat quite a bit, a cup or more at a time.  Sometimes I feel like I could eat more then that but I am trying not to push my capacity.  My goal is to keep my restriction as much as possible.
Why don't you give up a sample of a normal day?
I also track everything I eat on myfitnesspal.com.  It helps me know exactly what I am eating so I know if I need to work on any area, like getting in more protein.

 Hi Tazz!  Thanks for your quick response... I'm 4'10"  Still, I'm not as young as I used to be!  I may have to change my goal.  We'll see.

I haven't been weighing or measuring my food...  I will do that.  Also, will go back to food journaling.

I might try myfitnesspal.com --- thanks for mentioning that.

Here's a normal day:

Breakfast:  1 protein shake 

Lunch:  an apple, some cheese.

Dinner:  protein of some kind (chicken, beef, etc,) with salad or vegies.

I do catch myself "grazing" at night... 

I guess what I'm most concerned about is the volume of what I can eat seems to have increased a lot...

:(  

OK, you are short.  I was concerned that your goal weight might be unrealistic but it doesn't hurt to make it a little higher to allow for our age and slower metabolism.
Your meals seem fine.  It sounds like you know what you need to work on.
I feel like I am grazing all night but I account for every bite in myfitnesspal.  It is planned grazing I guess.  Planning what I am going to eat and how much takes any guilt out of it since I have allotted for the calories and I need the protein.  It's not really the grazing but what you may be grazing on.  My night time snacks are usually high protein, always sugar free and gluten free.  I have things like a protein hot cocoa or a sugar free fudgecicle or pudding.  The last few nights I have had dessert because I have been baking sugar free treats for Thanksgiving and I wanted to try them before I bring them.  As long as I work it into my food plan it is OK.  I stay away from eating impulsively or compulsively.

 Aha!  Thanks, Tazz!  I really appreciate this.  I think I need some accountability!  I'm gonna try food journaling & "planned" grazing!  Thanks.  Also, I just discovered the "pouch rules for dummies".  I'm gonna start implementing this as well as "water loading".  Many thanks again for your response and support!  :) 

hi there
whats pouch rules for dummies and water laoding?

HI,

Here is the link to the sight.  Very helpful.

http://www.gastricbypassfamily.com/PouchRules.html

I found this website very informative. Thank you

247 to 107 lbs?  That seems like a stretch of a goal.  Not everyone sets a realistic goal, nor will they achiece something that drastic.  Set mini goals, live by your relaxed protocols at this stage and don't be impatient.  I though I'd reached my full goal at 7 months post op. I stopped going to support meetings. In 2 months I'd put back on 25 pounds, and I began attending more than one support group meeting. At 24 months I'd gone from my starting wt of 365 to 186 pounds. But, at that wt, my complexion looked very pasty and I appeared gaunt. I put back on 20 pounds and I look a lot more nomal now, and feel much stronger.  Likely you should be able to eat 4-6 oz meals, maybe 8 oz.  You might try water loading, where you drink as much water as you can comfortably do 30 minutes before you major meals. You won't feel thirsty and apt to drink during the meal, and you'll feel fuller, so you'll be less apt to eat too much.  Don't know your height, but 107 from 247 sounds like a giant leap. Maybe you were 107 when you were 17, but as an adult ( I assume you're at least 10 years older now), it's difficult to get to that teenage wt again.  DAVE

At eight months out, I was eating about a cup of food at a time.

Stetching your pouch would be very unusual.  Are you eating a whole lot more than you should on a regular basis?  If so, ask your surgeon about ordering an upper GI to see if your pouch is too big.  If not, you should be fine.

I think it's more common for the stoma to be stretched but that's not very likely at your stage, either.  Again, you can ask your doc to order tests if you want to make sure.

I don't know about the "golden window."  If you mean the time in which it will be easier to lose, for me I lost pretty easily for 18 months.  Then I had to make a real effort to get more calories to stop losing because I was almost 20 pounds below goal.  I don't think your window has slammed shut yet.  But you still have to use your tool correctly.