Hi,

I am confused. I have been reading that people are consuming 1000 to 1200 calories..How are u guys managing to do that with a band? I thought the whole point of a band, was to cut back on the calories....Can someone please help me with this...

Thanks...

You need to remember that the band restricts the quantities of food that you can eat not the calories.Compare a cube of cheese with an apple. the cheese is smaller but much higher in calories. It would be fairly easy to eat a large quantity of cheese wheras apples would be more difficult.

The band is a tool that helps to control your hunger you still choose what you put in your mouth.

You need to choose your calories wisely. Pick foods that are high in nutrients and dense so that they will fill you up for a long period of time. Proteins are generally the best e.g meat, chicken, eggs etc.

Avoid "slider" foods. Slider foods are foods which are high in calories, low in nutritional value and slide through the band easily. things such as chocolate,cookies,cake, icecream,milkshakes. The band will not stop you eating these you have to have the control not to eat them.

You have to realize that most people preband have been eating in excess of 2500+ calories every day. So eating between 1000-1200 calories is a dramatic cut in the amount of calories eaten :thumbdown:. Therefore, the band is doing exactly what it is designed to do.

You need to remember that the band restricts the quantities of food that you can eat not the calories.Compare a cube of cheese with an apple. the cheese is smaller but much higher in calories. It would be fairly easy to eat a large quantity of cheese wheras apples would be more difficult.

The band is a tool that helps to control your hunger you still choose what you put in your mouth.

You need to choose your calories wisely. Pick foods that are high in nutrients and dense so that they will fill you up for a long period of time. Proteins are generally the best e.g meat, chicken, eggs etc.

Avoid "slider" foods. Slider foods are foods which are high in calories, low in nutritional value and slide through the band easily. things such as chocolate,cookies,cake, icecream,milkshakes. The band will not stop you eating these you have to have the control not to eat them.

Great reply!!!! I would have never thought to use that example of the cheese and apple! Perfect comparison!

1000-1200 calories is a severely restriced amout of calories for people who are 100lbs overweight .

The apple/cheese comparison was absolutely fabulous! When I started dieting after I had my daughter, I was MISERABLE trying to keep a diet of around 1500 calories. Now that I am post op and watching everything like a hawk, I am lucky to get in 1000 calories. And, I would also agree with the statement that most of us were eating over 2500 calories (or way more) before the band. So, this is a huge lifestyle change.