DrCollins

I am about 24 years post op RNY.. December 1992. At that time there were no internet WLS groups, and gastric bypass surgery was considered experimental. I now read a lot of info on various forums, but seldom post or comment in them. IMO, people should be taken at their word as to how far along post op they are. How long they've been a member of any group or how many comments they've made have absolutely nothing to do with their own gastric bypass personal experience. It seems to me that the information is totally irrelevant... it certainly is TO ME. It also seems ridiculously exclusionary, since everyone is always going to be making personal value judgements about the experiences of others. For example, people who are only 5 or 10 years along are still "newbies" in my own personal book. Those who think I'm "new" could check out my own personal, non-profit blog, DietHobby, where I have commented frequently for the past 5 years.

Yes, that was 790 calories for the entire day in maintenance. Note that I am a sedentary, short (5'0") female, age 71, as well as a "reduced obese" person now in the "normal" BMI range. From a 52.9 BMI 23 years ago (just before my open RNY), down to a low of 160 about a year later, with a slow regain during the next 5 years to the 190s, where for the next 5 years or so, I had to diet to keep from re-gaining more weight. About 12 years ago, I started heavy duty dieting - averaging about 1200 calories per day with lots of exercise, and lost down to a 22.5 BMI 10 years ago. Since then I have been maintaining my weight in or very close to my "normal" BMI range. My current weight gives me a 24.4 BMI. To keep things in perspective.....the Mifflin formula gives a "normal" female of my size, age, and activity level a BMR of 958 and a sedentary TDEE of 1150. This formula is based on "AVERAGES", and can easily be off by 15% either down or up, and...of course... there are always "outliers" ... which are people who are FAR below or above the Average. I have been consistently tracking my weight and food every day for the past 12+ years in a computer food journal, and therefore I know that MY OWN BMR / TDEE is more than 100 calories per day below normal. My records show that I maintained my current weight during the past calendar year by eating between a daily 800 and 900 calorie average. For the 4 - 5 calendar year period before that my maintenance calories were in the 1000-1050 range, but during those years, my weight was creeping up a few pounds per year. I've got a lot of data about this issue at my nonprofit, personal website, located at www.diethobby.com.

CORRECTION TO MY POST ABOVE: The day's total nutritional values, including calories above are correct, but I forgot to include the 6 oz can of tomato juice that I drank before breakfast. I put it in my computer food journal, but forgot to include it in the meals listed above.

Breakfast: 1 microwave Protein cupcake made with 1 scoop vanilla whey powder; 1/4 banana; 2 TB Torino s/f vanilla syrup. (130 calories) lunch: 1 - 3inch square of Cheeseburger Pie with a 1 cup salad of lettuce, tomato, avocado, & Panera poppyseed dressing. (284 calories) dinner: 1 Magic Pop w/ 2 oz Tuna & light Mayo. (109 calories) Snack: 1 small container of s/f cherry Jello. (10 calories) Snack: 1 s/f popsicle (15 calories) Snack: 1 - 1/2 cup serving of home-baked, egg-white custard, made with Eggbeaters & Torino s/f vanilla syrup. (50 calories) Mother's Day Treat - Additional Snack: 1 coconut, pecan cookie (150 calories) I also take one daily Multivitamin -- Centrum Silver. Day's Total Calories 790; Protein 79.4 grams; Carbs: 56 grams; Fat 33.5 grams.

I've never had ANY weight-loss or weight-maintenance success with approach #1 or #2. Both those approaches ... the "Abstinence = total Restriction of #1; and ...... the "No Diet = Intuitive Eating" of #2, have never been workable plans for me.. not at any time during the years BEFORE or at any time during the years AFTER WLS. For ME, weight-loss and maintenance success can only be had through approach #3. AND during the past 12 years, this "moderate" way-of-eating, has included Consistent, Ongoing, Daily, food tracking using a computer food journal.

So far today only Breakfast: 1 microwave Protein cupcake made with 1 scoop powder; 1/4 banana; 2 TB Torina s/f vanilla syrup.