Should we be counting calories? I know proteins are important and I am counting those and getting as many as I can in, but I am having a difficult time eating more than about 400-550 calories a day. is that enough? I am almost 4 weeks out from surgery and try to eat enough calories, but find it tough. My protein is about 40 to 50 a day,, but that is difficult to get to unless I drink it.

At 4-weeks out, counting calories was the last thing on my mind. At this point focus on protein as that's most important to allow proper healing (and drinking it is fine if you can stand the taste!). I didn't worry about calories until my 2-month post-op visit. At that point my dietician recommended 1000cal/day minimum, and it still took me about another two months to work up to that.

Focus on protein now, and then around two months post-op you'll probably want to start thinking about gradually making your diet more balanced. But, remember, its a gradual, slow process. Don't rush it, just enjoy the journey!

I think for 4 weeks out you are doing pretty well. I'm pretty sure around that time I started to try to up my Protein, and I, too, used Protein shakes.

I often hear of people aiming for 600-800 calories, although it wasn't until about 3-4 months out that I got past 600 calories.

I think there are many different ideas about how to make this work for you. Good luck!

I have always monitored my food. I have an app on my iPhone that I record my daily intake. I started pre-surgery when my NUT asked me to start keeping track and I just haven't stopped. I don't think there is any hard and fast rule about it. It just keeps me sane. I can't imagine NOT doing it now. I'm sure you are doing great!! If there is one thing I could do for everyone who is only a few weeks or months out it would be to help them worry less. I wish I would have worried less myself.

Thanks everyone! I have an app on my phone too...which I have been using since well before surgery to keep track of my intake. Maybe I need to take a break from it and concentrate on protein amounts!

I could only get a few hundred calories per day at your stage and now I can easily eat 1500 at 6 months! However, I try not to!

I am 5 weeks out and doing the same as you. 4-500 calories per day, 60g protein and 64oz of water. This is what is recommended by my dr. I suppose if you go low fat and eat 1/4cup size you will automatically have 500 cal. Once we move up to 1/3 cup it will increase.

I feel good except very low on energy. How about you?

I measure my calories as a ratio to my Protein. I try to keep my total calories = or < 10 times total grams of protein consumed. This works great and is an easy way to balance the foods you eat.

For example my Protein shake delivers 20g protein for 100calories. If I drink 2 of these a day I have 40g protein and only 200 calories, but I was allowed 400cal, so I "bank" those 200 calories for later in the day, that way if I want something that doesn't have much protein I have 200calories I can "spend" without breaking my diet.