Ok so tonight I sat down to watch The Biggest Loser, whilst I sipped on my yummy chicken stock soup. There was a bit where the trainer got a bit heated with 2 contestants because they were under eating; having 825 calories instead of 1400. He went on to say they were destroying their bodies by dropping their calories so low and the body will only hold on to their fat, they won't lose it but they will lose muscle and they will go into starvation mode etc....

Basically he was saying they won't lose weight, they will lose muscle and destroy their bodies...

Now I've managed about 600 calories on liquids today and even that was a bit of a mission! I'm wondering how our bodies react with the little calories we take in and whether it's different with us because we do have smaller stomachs and that may send different signals to our bodies. However, I've never (on a diet) had less than 1200 calories so this is a bit to get used to. Any thoughts on this topic?

I do trust the bariatric team around me and know they wouldn't let us under eat. However, that trainer scared me a little!

I also saw this and wondered the same thing... my average cal intake is anything between 800 - 1200 and I have to be honest I feel bloody amazing!! I am 6+mths out now though... sounds like you are in the early stages ... It won't be long until you are eating more!

I love that show. I know the contestants are working out something like 6 hours a day so maybe with the extreme exercise there is a need for more calories to repair muscles? It is truly amazing how much weight those folks are able to lose in a short time!

I've seen that episode as well, and wondered the same exact thing. Then I told myself the reason the trainers are pushing for them to get in more calories is because they are burning calories like crazy with the 6+ hours of exercise in the gym. Our doctors put us on high protein diets before and after surgery to make up for the lower calories our body is taking in. It's the protein our body needs to keep from loosing the muscle. I am getting in on average 500-700 calories a day at this point "4 weeks out" Eventually I will be able to take in more calories. As for now the weight is coming off and my muscle tone hasn't changed at all..