As I was getting a fill this morning, we were discussing the virtues of strictly eating 3 times per day vs. 5 - 6 times per day.

My doctors wants us to eat only 3 times per day....no Snacks - which can then be difficult to get your calories in to stay out of starvation mode and get your Protein count in for the day. Other doctors say to do the small meals spread out through the day.

1. What was your doctor's guideline?

2. What do you really follow?

3. Do you feel that the doctor's rules are too broadly sweeping and should be more of suggested guidelines *follow what works best for you & your loss*?

My answer:

I think it is a very personal thing and you adapt to what works for you. I mostly eat 5x/day to keep the hunger down and stay within 1200 - 1500 calories consumed per day. My basal metabolic rate is 1750 & my maintenance calories = 2361/day....to lose 2 lbs per week with my 3x/wk exercise, I need to eat 1361 average per day to lose at that rate. You can calculate your rate here: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm Maintenance calories - 500 calories per day for each pound you want to lose in a week = daily calorie intake. 'Calories in/Calories out' has worked for me, thus far.

I think the doctors should encourage with providing guidelines and not hard/fast rules. It seems to be very confusing for people who are just out of the gate with their band and they have a lot of misguided information that is confusing them. Especially when you see people that are plateaued because they are not taking in enough calories and their body is in 'starvation mode'.

I've been told 3 meals, and one snack if needed.

My doctor says the same thing, 3 meals a day and one snack if needed.

My doctor said 3 meals,

I go 3-6 small meals a day, it keeps my metabolism up

Wow, Chris, did you lose 76 lbs and you just got banded in July?

3 meals a day here too.

edie

Re: "I think the doctors should encourage with providing guidelines and not hard/fast rules. It seems to be very confusing for people who are just out of the gate with their band and they have a lot of misguided information that is confusing them. Especially when you see people that are plateaued because they are not taking in enough calories and their body is in 'starvation mode'"

I disagree: if you read a lot of the threads and posts here you can see that a lot of confusion comes from not enough specific information from the Dr's accompanied by hard and fast rules. I do agree with proper guidelines, that is absolutely necessary, and they need to include a component of sample menus so that the visual can make an effect. I have read time and time again where a banded individual has been confused with the info given them by their Dr's regarding the eating plan post-op.....they receive "wishy washy" guidelines which leaves too big a risk for error. Mostly this is about what, how much, and how often can they eat....I've seen it go the other way....rather than not consuming enough calories and going into starvation mode, they are consuming too many with all the wrong foods and left still feeling hungry. Unfortunately I read answers to these posts and I clearly see them being given incorrect and damaging information at this site, which tells me that too many bandsters have also received insufficient guidelines from their Drs.

We all operate differently...some of us are confident enough to seek out the information and experiment to find what works best for us, but then there are the others who can only be successful by following hard and fast rules so that they know exactly what is expected of them. Not all of us understand, or even care to know the theory of thermetics.....we want someone to tell us how to do it right and set it out for us...that is what the Dr needs to provide. What works for you may not necessarily be right for others.

I can not eat in the morning, not even a shake....my band won't allow it....so I have two substantial meals a day and two Snacks......that is what works for me.

Carol

3 meals im coping fine on that !