Hey guys, hope all my fellow sleevers are doing great! I have a question though... This is week 5 for me and my dietitian wants to bump my calories to 1000-1300. I've been eating between 500-600 calories for the last couple of weeks and anything over 800 seems like a lot to me. I've been getting in enough protein with the amount of calories I eat now and I'm worried if I bump them up too much that it will either slow down my weight loss or end it completely. I seem to be over obsessive with food and my scale so maybe I'm looking into this too much... Please let me know how many calories you're getting in daily and how far out you are; any advice would help. Thanks and many blessings!

Be careful not to get into that mindset where you don't want to eat because you're afraid it's too many calories. 1000-1300 isn't too many calories. Especially if you're getting in some type of calorie burning routine.

If it slows down the weight loss, that's ok. This isn't a race... you have taken on a lifestyle change and now you have the rest of your life to get to where you want to be. In fact I always say, don't think of how you'll turn out next month. Instead consider yourself one year from now. It's much more realistic... relax a little bit. Again, this is for life... and since you've taken the steps to be healthier, you just added on a whole lot of years of living!! Enjoy it.

Be careful not to get into that mindset where you don't want to eat because you're afraid it's too many calories. 1000-1300 isn't too many calories. Especially if you're getting in some type of calorie burning routine.

If it slows down the weight loss, that's ok. This isn't a race... you have taken on a lifestyle change and now you have the rest of your life to get to where you want to be. In fact I always say, don't think of how you'll turn out next month. Instead consider yourself one year from now. It's much more realistic... relax a little bit. Again, this is for life... and since you've taken the steps to be healthier, you just added on a whole lot of years of living!! Enjoy it.

Thanks LilMissDiva, you always have such encouraging words on here (:

My surgeon said dont count calories, just worry about the Protein and dont eat too many carbs. They follow the 70/70 rule. 70 of protein and not more than 70 of carbs. I ate about 400-600 calories for the first 5 months and then it just naturally went up to 800 as I could eat a little more at 6-7 months. I would not force food to get a calorie count! My dr. said eat protein first and stop when you are full. If its 600 calories a day, so what! We are not here to count every damned thing. We did this so we can eat good healthy food and STOP when we are full. I am afraid if you are comfortable with the 600 calories and full, if you try to stuff in the other calories, you will do damage to your sleeve, stretch it some or God knows what. If you are eating protein first, you are doing the right thing. Just stop eating when you are full and dont worry about the calories. The weight will come off. Some people have a low metabolism, like me, and if I crammed in 1000-1300 calories a day, I would not lose weight. I would literally have to eat snickers as Snacks to get that many anyway. If you are eating healthy food, its hard to eat that much that early out. I would not push it. It will increase slowly in time and by the time you are a year out, you will be able to eat more. This is your golden weight loss time and I would embrace my restriction while I have it this good.

I know there are sleevers out there that can and do eat that many calories a day and that works for them but my sleeve is small and he said "hell no, we wont go" to more than about 800 calories a day at 7 months out. Im sure I could eat 1300 calories of junk slider food, chips and candy bars but thats not why we got sleeved, right? Just my 2 cents.

"I know there are sleevers out there that can and do eat that many calories a day and that works for them but my sleeve is small and he said "hell no, we wont go" to more than about 800 calories a day at 7 months out. Im sure I could eat 1300 calories of junk slider food, chips and candy bars but thats not why we got sleeved, right? Just my 2 cents."

^^^^^

Love this Forensikchic haha. You're right, I'm not going to push it and just eat the amount that my sleeve is comfortable with. Thanks so much for the advice

I refuse to get sick just to eat the calories set down by the doctor. I eat what my sleeve will allow me to eat and not a morsel more. I eat Protein first then veggies and I still get in a low fat treat (popcorn,ice pop). I am only 13 weeks out and can only manage about 600-700 calories a day out of the 1100 they want me eating.

I agree don't push it just eat what your sleeve will let you without getting sick and with out eating junk. Don't worry about calories worry about protein.

The sleeve won't stretch, but that is sure a lot of calories. It's true they told me only to count Protein and keep the carbs down, but that would stall my weight loss I think. I am eating quite a lot of very good food and only managing 600-800 calories and I am 8 weeks out or so. I'd have to literally eat butter if I wanted to get to 1300 calories. There is just no room in my sleeve for 1300 calories of healthy foods.

Don't push it. Eating too much makes me sick - I mean really physically sick.

There are different opinions on here. If you can get your protein in I would personally stick to eating the lowest amount of calories. Your portions will get bigger naturally over time and if your skin is going to be saggy I also believe it doesn't matter how fast you lose it - It will still be saggy even if you lose it slow. To me it is a race. I can eat WAY more than I could in the beginning. I am glad I couldn't eat anything the first 6 months. My body had more than enough reserves to manage organ function and I got enough fluids in. My body is not starving. I am probably eating about 1000 calories a day now. I TRY SO HARD to EAT LESS, but there is no way. I figure in another couple of months I should be around 1500 calories. That is a good place for me to be in maintenance - hopefully.

I refuse to get sick just to eat the calories set down by the doctor. I eat what my sleeve will allow me to eat and not a morsel more. I eat Protein first then veggies and I still get in a low fat treat (popcorn,ice pop). I am only 13 weeks out and can only manage about 600-700 calories a day out of the 1100 they want me eating.

I agree don't push it just eat what your sleeve will let you without getting sick and with out eating junk. Don't worry about calories worry about protein.

How are you doing with the popcorn? I miss it, but everybody has a dire warning that you should wait 6 months. I eat nuts and seeds and everything else under the sun. Just wondering if there is anyone out there that caused a leak or abscess caused by popcorn roughage.

The sleeve won't stretch, but that is sure a lot of calories. It's true they told me only to count Protein and keep the carbs down, but that would stall my weight loss I think. I am eating quite a lot of very good food and only managing 600-800 calories and I am 8 weeks out or so. I'd have to literally eat butter if I wanted to get to 1300 calories. There is just no room in my sleeve for 1300 calories of healthy foods.

Don't push it. Eating too much makes me sick - I mean really physically sick.

I like this post...

I just want to clarify... I was not conveying anyone should PUSH to get in 1,300 calories, especially early out. I couldn't do it, I wouldn't expect anyone else to either. Definitely DON'T eat more than you can just to get the calories in. I was referring to not worrying about it so much to where it becomes obsessive. We will all be able to eat more in time.

Protein first, complex carbs next and if you can fit more in then everything else last.

Our sleeves won't "stretch" rather they will become less swollen over time, thus allowing more room in.

Just eat what you can, and make it the most healthy choice possible. That's all.

I like this post...

I just want to clarify... I was not conveying anyone should PUSH to get in 1,300 calories, especially early out. I couldn't do it, I wouldn't expect anyone else to either. Definitely DON'T eat more than you can just to get the calories in. I was referring to not worrying about it so much to where it becomes obsessive. We will all be able to eat more in time.

Protein first, complex carbs next and if you can fit more in then everything else last.

Our sleeves won't "stretch" rather they will become less swollen over time, thus allowing more room in.

Just eat what you can, and make it the most healthy choice possible. That's all.

Thanks. I know you didn't mean to push it, but sometimes nutritionists seem to be pushing at times. The mostly protein, veg and fruit and then good carbs (high protein bread/crackers) seems to be working for me.

Glad we have you folks that have met or exceeded goals here to give us the benefit of your experiences. Hope you all stay for years to come so we can squash the idea that there are no long term examples of successful sleeve patients.

How are you doing with the popcorn? I miss it, but everybody has a dire warning that you should wait 6 months. I eat nuts and seeds and everything else under the sun. Just wondering if there is anyone out there that caused a leak or abscess caused by popcorn roughage.

As for the popcorn I have no upper teeth so all I can do is suck the popcorn and spit out the hulls (roughage). I had not seen the WARNINGS about popcorn hmmmm maybe better rethink it then.

I am still between 600-800 calories a day, and am about 7 weeks out. I am not losing as fast as I'd like, but this is the amount of calories I can get in, so this is what I eat....I think probably when I can eat a bit more my body will be happier, but it's a process, right?

I had been wondering about calories as

Well. I can only tolerate 400-600 a day. I am 5 weeks out. I see my doctor and nutritionist this week and they better have enough time for me cause I have tons of questions. Lol

I have been eating a minimum of 1300 cals a day since 2.5 months post op and I'm 6 pounds from my goal!! :-)

thanks everyone for the replies and encouraging words.

sleeve of steel, when did you have your surgery?