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Calories at maintenance shock
Hope4NewMe replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I checked your link and it says 1500 to 1700 based on my goal weight, height, activity and age. So I guess that's technically close to what my dietitian said but at least a more normal number. So I wonder why 2000 is the normal/average number when it seems that that's not really the case? Either way, all evidence and advice is that 2000 is not a good goal for me if I want to keep this weight off. I've had to change the way I look at food and daily calories for the last year, so I know I can do this. It was just sad at the time to think I could hit goal and still not be able to be considered normal I guess. -
Calories at maintenance shock
Hope4NewMe replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Thank you for that info. At least I can now know that my dietitian wasn't crazy and that it's actually true that I'll have to eat less because of having been obese. I'm guessing we slowed our metabolism permanently. I just wasn't ready to hear that but I can accept it and adapt to it. I'm just going to have to see what my own calorie limits are when I get to that point but not expect it to be 2000. -
Calories at maintenance shock
Arabesque replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
That seems an awfully low caloric goal for maintenance for someone your height & weight unless you are not active at all. Have you checked a BMR (basal metabolic rate) calculator (linked the one I used below). It’s not perfect but it will give you an idea of what you may need to be consuming to maintain. Of course other issues that calculator doesn’t consider (like medical issues, medications, genetics, metabolism, muscle mass, etc.) can impact how many calories you may need. I checked mine a few months back out of interest & discovered it recommended about what I had been consuming (1500 +/- calories) for someone my age, height, weight, gender & activity level (not much lol!). So it was about right, at least for me, as I’ve been pretty stable with my weight (except for about a 5lb gain because of a medication issue - sorted it & lost 3 of those lbs without doing anything). You may be surprised how much food 1500 calories actually is. I eat about a recommended serving size (e.g. 3-4ozs meat & a good cup of green vegetables), eat three meals a day & about 4 snacks. But I am pretty careful with what I eat so mostly nutritionally dense foods that are predominately low processed. Best thing to do though is to slowly increase your calories & watch the scales. You may need more or fewer calories than what your dietician suggested or the BMR calculator recommends. Be careful though. An extra 100 calories a day will equate to about a 10kb gain over a year - gasp! https://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html -
Calories at maintenance shock
catwoman7 replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
P.S. The old rule of thumb used to be your weight times 10 is about how many calories you should eat to maintain that weight. However, that doesn't take into account your activity level, musculature, etc, so that's just a rough estimate and can vary between people. You have your goal weight set at 140, so that means (at least according to the old rule of thumb) it'll take around 1400 kcal to maintain that. But again, that doesn't take into account how active you are - and there ARE variances among people - so I wouldn't consider that a hard and fast number. You sort of have to experiment to see what your maintenance level is. It's mostly trial and error. -
Calories at maintenance shock
catwoman7 replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I've heard this from more than a couple of dietitians (and in a graduate-level nutrition/dietetics course I audited last semester on obesity and weight loss, too) - if you have been obese and lose down to a normal (or not far above normal) level, you will have to eat fewer calories to maintain that weight than someone who's the same height, age, gender, activity level, etc who's never been obese. About 10-20% fewer, if I remember correctly. So that means if someone of your height, age, activity level, etc maintains on 2000 kcal, then that means you'd have to eat 1600-1800 to maintain the same weight. that said, your calorie level does depend on several factors - how active you are, how muscular you are, your metabolic rate, etc. We have women on here who can maintain on 2000, and others who can only eat 1200. I'm the same height as you (don't know how we compare otherwise, though), and it takes about 1600 kcal to maintain my weight. I can go a bit higher on heavy exercise days. Although that does give me incentive to exercise regularly, though.... -
Calories at maintenance shock
NickelChip replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
If you are at 1000 calories now, 1500 would be an additional 50% of calories. If you look at it like that, it's a lot more than what you're eating now! It's like going to work and getting a 50% raise! You just have to make sure you choose wisely how to spend those extra calories. I'm on the other end of things, waiting for surgery and working on improving my nutrition in the meantime. Honestly, one of the biggest things that has helped me in the past few months has been following the advice in Dr. Weiner's A Pound of Cure book. I had gotten into some really bad habits, like white toast for breakfast and a sandwich with lots of cheese and mayo for lunch, and I was constantly hungry and snacking on pretzels and other simple carbs, or candy (my biggest weakness). I hardly ever got much protein or veg and fruit. In July, after my doctor recommended surgery, I bought the Pound of Cure book and made the decision to incorporate a pound of veggies every day into my diet, and to follow the other guidelines as I was able. I stopped buying the junk food and reduced my dairy and wheat intake significantly, plus eliminated all artificial sweeteners and most added sugars. Now I have a smoothie in the morning that has just under 400 calories and 40g of protein in it, and gives me 2-3oz of spinach. At lunch, I make a salad that is around 450 calories with 30g of protein and literally weighs more than a pound of veg, beans, and seeds. I usually add a couple ounces of smoked salmon or turkey breast, but I've been skipping the dressing in favor of lemon juice and a spice blend. I usually have around a 400 calorie dinner that is mostly protein plus 4oz or more of veg, and I'll have some fruit or nuts if I need a snack. This stuff is so much more filling than my pieces of toast with butter or my sandwich ever was that I find I'm really not that hungry much of the time. In fact, I feel like I'm eating way more, and I'm not craving snacks the way I did, yet I'm rarely above 1500 calories on a regular day. So if you choose wisely, you will be amazed at the volume of food you can consume for under 1500 calories. I know I've been really surprised by it, and I've managed to lose around 15 pounds in 2 months without really feeling deprived. I know for me the biggest risk would be to fall back into the old habits, so I'm trying to keep things as simple as I can to make it less likely. But not feeling hungry all the time really makes a difference. -
You are right it is a long term thing. For a little perspective - You will be eating something for the rest of your life. The choice is do you eat something that will nourish your own body or eat empty calories that do nothing for nobody and make your body be sick and have to struggle through life? You got this. Pick yourself up and rejoice in life. Start a new hobby or make a new friend. Do something that you enjoy that doesnt involve copious amounts of food. Having the sleeve is just another stepping stone. It will provide you with more skills and more control with food. It will be worthwhile. Health is a long term goal. You wont see changes every single day but they will happen if you take care of the body that helps you get around in this world. The days turn into months and the months turn into years. If your are trying to heal your emotions with food you will fail every time. Decide. You really can do this. A year on from having the bypass - I can go for walks. I sleep much better. I can buy clothes in a normal store. I am more confident and I now more active in community groups. I have made new friends. I can take care of myself and not need to rely on others. I feel so much better in my own skin. You really do want to give yourself the gift of life. You got this.
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Calories at maintenance shock
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I'm almost 15 months out from my original surgery and 3 months out from my revision. These numbers are where I was at when I hit around 10 months out and I've pretty much stayed here because I'm used to it. I was told I could go up if I want, and I may go up to 1200 on non work out days and 1400 on workouts since I'm doing heavier and longer workouts now. But with the smaller stomachs that we have, and the frequency we're supposed to eat, and the kinds of things we're supposed to eat, it is actually a lot easier to stay at the lower calorie amounts. You definitely shouldn't be anywhere near 2000 per day. -
Calories at maintenance shock
Hope4NewMe replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Those calorie amounts are still in your losing phase right? Or are you planning on staying at that amount for life? I agree that I haven't even tried seeing how filling an extra 400 calories is so it might end up being a non issue in the long run but it was just a shock mentally. I always though the goal was to become average/normal but it doesn't seem to be the actual goal and that switch surprised me. -
Calories at maintenance shock
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to Hope4NewMe's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Actually, that's higher than mine. I stay around 1100 unless I'm working out, then I'm at 1300. If it's 1300-1500 for you, split the difference and try 1400. You would be surprised how filling another 400 calories actually is. Just make sure you're eating them and not drinking them. -
I'm a year out from my surgery and at my last dietitian meeting we discussed maintenance calories which I have been looking forward to that discussion for forever but I was really shocked and I can't believe I didn't know this after all of my research before and after surgery. He said my calorie goals for life should be between 1300 and 1500 and I had no idea that was going to be so low. I honestly went into surgery thinking that the average calories a person eats is 2000 so I must be eating 3000 or more to be so over weight and I just needed to get back to normal. I thought that I would be able to use the surgery and lack of hunger to eat super low calories and lose the weight and since month 3 I've been at 1000 a day. My hunger is back and 1000 is a struggle now and I'm using all my years of diet experience to fill up on low calorie food as well as hitting all my protein and water goals. I thought that soon I'll be able to eat more so it's just a temporary situation, but now I'm worried about long term success. If I'm hungry at 1000, I don't think 300 more calories is really going make a huge difference. So now I'm wondering if the reason why so many people gain the weight back after surgery is because to keep it off we have to keep our calories so low forever? Also, why do we have to keep our calories so low? Why is the average calories 2000 but for bariatric patients 1300 to 1500 is the goal? I always thought that anything under 1500 wasn't a safe number but when I asked my dietitian all of these questions he didn't know. He just knew that to maintain the weight loss, that's the normal goal and that if I wanted to eat more I could exercise more. So did everyone else know that the calories after surgery were going to be low for life and I just somehow missed this important fact? Anyone know why our average doesn't match the so called normal average? I was really excited to be close to goal but now I'm scared because I can see now how easily it can all go away.
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Food Before and After Photos
ms.sss replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
i literally wolfed this down in like 5 minutes. was soooo hungry and now that its in my tummy i already know im going to regret eating it so fast very, very soon 😭 262 calories. sorry, body. it was yummy at least. -
Starbucks Coffee or Latte's
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to MegProctor84's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I live in Denver, and we have a Starbucks on nearly every corner, and none of them offer any sugar free options except vanilla. I love Jordan's Skinny Syrups. They have white chocolate mocha syrup that's no calories, no sugar, no carbs and it's AMAZING. I love all their flavors. I was told no caffeine because it dehydrates you, and we have to be very mindful of our hydration. Especially if we deal with constipation. But if I find I REALLY need the pick-me-up, I get it from tea or from Arbonne natural caffeine energy powders (absolutely LOVE them). -
Fat Free Salad Dressing for the Pre-op?
LindsayT replied to BrooklynHearted's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Skinny Girl makes some really good salad dressing. I think it's like 5 calories for 2 tablespoons. The balsamic and raspberry vinaigrette are my favorites. -
Bloodwork showed type 2 diabetes
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to Theia103121's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I'm no longer diabetic. My A1c is now 5.5 and my glucose tends to stay between 107-112 when checked. I'm no longer on any of the meds I was on because all of my numbers are normal. For a sugar substitute, I use monk fruit sweetener. I can't stand anything else. I hate the gross taste of everything else. Sugar free foods are actually really good these days. I don't use veggie curls to substitute pasta. There are keto pasta noodles (and keto bread, which is really good) that I prefer. Normal calorie intake is 2000 calories. I would work on getting yours down to 1600 by surgery time. You will eat A LOT less than that after the surgery, but lowering your calories and carbs will help you drop the weight you need to qualify for the surgery. I would also work on getting your carbs down to 70-80 per day by surgery day. Again, you will be consuming a lot less than that after surgery, but getting them down now will help you later. -
Bloodwork showed type 2 diabetes
Theia103121 replied to Theia103121's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
This part here is where I struggle and where I have always struggled with diets. I can't stand sugar substitutes. And now, if I want to enjoy many of my favorite foods, I have to deal with them. And while I don't eat a lot of bread or potatoes, I do enjoy pasta- and veggie curls are not the same. I'm sensitive to texture and smell, and a lot of the substitute-oriented foods, whether it's protein drinks with artificial sweeteners or cauliflower pizza crust, are just texturally different than the real deal. How is your blood sugar now that you've had the surgery? Are you still considered diabetic? I usually go through 4 18 oz bottles of water a day as well as 2-4 12 oz glasses, so at least my water intake is good. I've eliminated coffee except for an occasional treat because I have tachycardia, and coffee just makes it worse. As a general rule, I'd rather eat my calories than drink them. I've started keeping a food log, and I'm trying to keep to under a certain amount of calories a day- about 300 less than I was eating when I first started keeping the log. I know I've got a long way to go; I just was hoping that what I was doing would be enough to allow things to go more slowly. I'm at the very beginning of this process; I have to do six months of a medically supervised diet and lose 30 lbs to qualify for the surgery. -
Bloodwork showed type 2 diabetes
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to Theia103121's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I actually had diabetes when I started the process. My A1c was around 7.6 or so and my glucose levels were usually around the 160-170 rang when I would test. I was on 3 diabetes meds, a cholesterol med, a blood pressure med, 2 anti-inflammatory meds. Not only did having diabetes not delay things, having comorbidities actually helped speed up the approval process for me. I know you wanted gradual changes to your eating, and to a certain extent you can still have that. But it's important to start getting your mindset and habits changed at least a little before surgery. Once you have it, you have to make drastic changes pretty fast. Better to start now. I would start by eliminating soda and anything carbonated. Get caffeine from coffee (the kind you can make at home) using sugar free sweeteners and low/no calorie creamers (or almond milk) and tea (personally, I prefer tea). Swap out regular chocolate, candy, popsicles, pudding, etc to the sugar free kinds. Start lowering your carb intake and try cutting down on pasta, bread, potatoes, etc... There's keto versions of bread that taste fantastic. Look at the way the bariatric diets require you to eat (protein first, then veggies, then carbs) and try to plan your meals around that (protein helps you feel full longer). Practice getting in at least 64oz of water now so you can be used to drinking it a lot. You can still eat yummy foods, just change the way you do it. It's less jarring if you start the process now. -
Will you always have *that feeling* while eating?
BabySpoons replied to Penguin733's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Bad situation...great line. LOL At 5 1/2 months post op, I am finding myself getting less nauseated and my tummy tolerating things way better. I can eat more too which is a bit concerning but I'm not experiencing the foamies lately and realizing I haven't had to use my barf bags in a good while. I am stalled ATM, which is OK. It's to be expected. I had a good long run without one. The restriction is still there but not as painful if that makes sense. If I don't finish a meal, I set it aside and eat a bit more later. That can get some people in trouble, so I stay mindful of how many calories I consume in a day. I hope mine is. I need that reminder to stop. But it definitely gets better to where you can enjoy your meal but know when to put the fork or spoon down. GL -
How did you lose the weight to get the surgery?
AmberFL replied to Theia103121's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I just went in Tuesday, Weight was 290 and was told needed to lose 15lbs to get to the next step. Once I get there I call to do the next step which I assume is the psychological part of it. So I downloaded MyFitnessPal app and am sticking to 1600 calories, making sure I hit protein and staying with the range of fats, carbs is impossible I ate broccoli and cauliflower and my carbs went over by a ton! So I think no one has gotten fat by eating veggies so I am not going to stress out about that. I weighed myself this morning and I dropped 4.5lbs. I'm sure that is the salt and water weight, but 15lbs seems very attainable. I will start incorporating walks next week since my energy is going up. I have a goal of doing this surgery during my kids winter break so my mindset is pure focus! We can do this!! I am more than happy to be an accountability partner if you need one! -
Does anyone have any recommendations for someone who really can't stand artificial sweeteners and Stevia?
NickelChip replied to curlygirl74's topic in Protein, Vitamins, and Supplements
It's wicked expensive, but Ka'Chava protein shakes are sweetened with coconut flower nectar, which does add a bit of sugar but within the guidelines I was given (I was told no more than 10g sugar per serving, and calories no higher than 10x the grams of protein, so ). I haven't tried it yet but did order a bag. I've also ordered a sample pack of Truvani protein powder flavors to try. Those are sweetened with monk fruit, and also on the pricey side, but made without artificial ingredients which appeals to me. I've been trying so hard for the past several months to clean up my nutrition and get rid of artificial stuff, so it pains me to think I will be spending months drinking shakes filled with artificial junk. -
Food Before and After Photos
ms.sss replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
thought i was a genius for putting this concoction together: leftover home fries from 2 days ago, leftover buratta from yesterday, some fresh mozzarella, a bit of cheddar (for saltiness) and a soft boiled egg. turns out it was not that delicious, haha. original bowl estimated at 503 calories, updated to 276 calories for what i actually ate (basically just ate the mozzarella, cheddar and the egg) will probably be rummaging thru fridge for something else to eat in an hour or so... -
I can eat virtually anything or any amount of calories. The downside of overeating is pooping it out multiple times in a day, along with gas and sometimes bloating when I eat too much fat or dairy. To be fair, as absolutely fantastic and awesome as I look for an old fart, I have the downside that anyone who loses weight has: 1) You look anorexic and cancer like for at least awhile, maybe forever. I'm in the middle somewhere. 2) Loose skin - anything north of 100lbs is a guarantee of wrinkly loose skin in many places. I have it but it's not as bad as many others experience. PLastic surgery to remove it is always a possibility if it bothers you. 3) I take vitamins daily, but no where near as much as any Hess DS patient.
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protein question after visiting non-bariatric dietician
ChunkCat replied to New To This23's topic in Pre-op Diets and Questions
Though you may be an unhealthy weight, you still have to fuel your body with protein and vitamins for that size or you will lose muscle mass. Losing muscle mass is enough of an issue post surgery when you are super restricted so you don't want to induce it before the surgery does. Does that make sense? I have found some dieticians to be very erratic when t comes to what they advise you from meeting to meeting. I have no clue why. I'd ask her for a print out of what macros she advises you to be at and follow the percentages, aiming for over 100 grams of protein. This should keep you at a healthy balance give or take a few grams of protein. The sad truth is that many obese people are nutritionally deficient because we've restricted ourselves down to 1200 calories or lower which shuts down our metabolism. But we do it because we gain with anything more! Our bodies are rather broken metabolically. Don't stress yourself out. If you are losing at a steady rate and feel good with consistent energy and aren't starving between meals you have probably found a decent balance. As for the scale I have the same issue from place to place. It is so irritating. In the end go with the scale you will be weighed on for the insurance company (which is probably the surgeon's scale). Then weigh yourself in one consistent spot at home and calibrate your scale to match. This should get you in the right neighborhood... -
Food Before and After Photos
ms.sss replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
1/2 a McDonalds cheeseburger and some ketchup. 162 calories. Ate it all. -
Weight gain/stall 1 month pist
Arabesque replied to Justkeepslimming's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
As everyone has said, stalls are very common. They actually are Dan important part of your weight loss. It’s when your body takes stock of your constant needs & readjusts things like your hormones ( hunger, satiety, etc.), metabolic rate, etc. The stall will end when your body is ready. You can’t force it, let it take the time it needs. Still frustrating though. Fluctuations are also perfectly normal. We all fluctuate. You’ll eventually work out your usual fluctuation swing. Mine is about 2 lbs. Some are greater, some are less. Fluid retention, constipation, diarrhoea, hormones, etc. all contribute. I mean you don’t eat & drink exactly the same foods & fluids in the exact same quantities every day either. Nor do you the exact same activities to burn calories. Congrats on your weight loss so far. Yay!
