Does Anyone Know The Limit On Carbs?

[4ALongerLife 329]

At 4 months post-op, I'm still averaging between 600-700 calories most days. I'm only able to eat about 3 oz of solid food at a time ("meal"), so its hard to get in more than that (unless I started making "bad" food choices...which I'm NOT about to do!). I have 8 oz of Muscle Milk Light at 6:30am, before the gym, and 8 oz more around 9:30am, after the gym (I typically burn 1200 calories every morning, 5 days/week). I'll have a 2-3 oz lunch (typically high-protein), an afternoon snack (usually 2 TBSP hummus and 6-7 baby carrots), a 2-3 oz dinner (again high-protein), and 1/2 a Quest Protein bar for an evening snack. I keep my carbs below 30 grams/day, and Protein between 80-90 grams.

I have a relatively predictable cycle, regarding my weight loss. I'll lose 8-10 lbs in 10-14 days, then have an "adjustment period" for 10-12 days. I don't change anything in order to speed up weight loss...I allow the cycle to run its course...because its what my body needs to do.

Unfortunately, there's no one answer to how to do this...each of us has to find our own approach, in response to what works for our own bodies.

I wish you great success!

Laura

I love that you said this about the cycle of loss for your body. Another friend of mine on MFP and I were speaking via email and she even said your body has to recalculate sometimes. It's the set weight that your body is trying to readjust to. As in when you were overweight, your body knew ok 250 is normal for me. Well losing so much in such a small period of time, the body is going yikes! Wait a minute.. ok wait... 180 is now normal. Ok I'm adjusted, lose again.

With that being said, I am 7.5 months out and nursing a leak. I had the leak originally after surgery, was fixed with a second surgery, but still had a leak. Now we've found it didn't heal and I'm on liquids since 9/3, trying to get it to heal on it's own. Except the last two weeks, I am HUNGRY. I wish I was like I think it was Lolly saying she is never hungry. Sometimes it might still be head hunger, but sometimes it's not. I am sure it's the liquid diet that I'm on and now I have another medication to take every 4 hours (but has to be 1 hour before you eat anything else and 2 hours after anything you eat... good golly that's difficult!). The last two or three days, I've just wanted to say "screw it" which a couple of times I have. It's hard to get my Water in with this schedule - especially when soon as I can, I ingest something & I choose food over Water as my tummy's GROWLING.

Thanks for posting what you did. I'm looking for answers in my own stumbles in my journey, so appreciate the words you guys share and how I can apply that to my issues.

Best of luck to you all! xx Stephanie

[mrsdaugherty 28]

For the past 2 days I have eaten more calories and I feel better!! Today when I woke up I felt awesome!! I didn't realize that I was so low of energy and tired until I woke up and felt ready to get up and hit the gym!! I also lost 1 pound so hopefully I broke my stall! I am trying to eat at least 700-800 calories and slowing down on the Protein Shakes too. I ate oatmeal yesterday so I had a little more carbs than I would have liked but was perfect with the Protein an calories. I have added a few new my fitness pal friends so I got a few snack ideas off of them. Love my fitness pal!! Thank you all so much for the help!!

[mrsdaugherty 28]

Oh yeah.... My fitness pal name is Mrsdaugherty also if you would like an extra friend.

[iggychic 1,405]

you are using as many calories as you are eating so your body is going into survival mode. you should go up to at least 1000 cals and not worry about the carbs so much as you are burning them up anyhoo. youll break the stall by fueling your body appropriately. sometimes less is actually not more

[Butterthebean 8,146]

you are using as many calories as you are eating so your body is going into survival mode. you should go up to at least 1000 cals and not worry about the carbs so much as you are burning them up anyhoo. youll break the stall by fueling your body appropriately. sometimes less is actually not more

Go up a thousand calories??? Holy guacamole!!!

[iggychic 1,405]

Go up a thousand calories??? Holy guacamole!!!

lol my nut would advise a lot more but i didnt want to freak her out

[Getting There 198]

I think Iggy said go up TO 1,000 calories, not go up BY 1,000 calories. Big difference......

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Oh crap, I read that wrong.

[doxieville 799]

Oh crap' date=' I read that wrong.[/quote']

Then I read it wrong too. :-). I'm sure she'll swing by and correct us.

[mrsdaugherty 28]

I am going to try to get closer to 1000 calories. It feels so wrong but I know it is what my body needs. I feel like I am eating all the time trying to get more calories. Also what about nuts, or almonds? Are the a good snack? I use to love the cocoa ones!!

[doxieville 799]

Nuts would be a good thing to add. Remember to stay w good carbs though. Do you know if carbs affect you? That really is a game changer.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I am going to try to get closer to 1000 calories. It feels so wrong but I know it is what my body needs. I feel like I am eating all the time trying to get more calories. Also what about nuts, or almonds? Are the a good snack? I use to love the cocoa ones!!

I eat almonds all the time. But get the plain ones. Look on the ingredients list on the flavored almonds, and all you see are 4 different types of sugar and salt.

[Ljp 157]

I was self pay also & dont have a nut. I hv been reading this post & wondering abt how I eat. Some weeks I can eat more than others but lately just a couple hundred calories a day. I dont hv a lot of energy currently. I see how so many are doing 800+ & there is no way I cld eat tht but doing a shake wld help boost my intake. Im thinking I shld prob go back on shakes. Im 3mo out.

[Livinglifeout 217]

I was self pay also & dont have a nut. I hv been reading this post & wondering abt how I eat. Some weeks I can eat more than others but lately just a couple hundred calories a day. I dont hv a lot of energy currently. I see how so many are doing 800+ & there is no way I cld eat tht but doing a shake wld help boost my intake. Im thinking I shld prob go back on shakes. Im 3mo out.

Somedays I'm really low on calories too, and the next day I feel the energy drop. Than when energy is low, I'll eat lots of Protein only and it picks me up:)

[doxieville 799]

I was self pay also & dont have a nut. I hv been reading this post & wondering abt how I eat. Some weeks I can eat more than others but lately just a couple hundred calories a day. I dont hv a lot of energy currently. I see how so many are doing 800+ & there is no way I cld eat tht but doing a shake wld help boost my intake. Im thinking I shld prob go back on shakes. Im 3mo out.

I'm 9 weeks out on Tues and there is no way I could get my Protein in w/o at least one Protein Shake a day. I'm a lazy eater so sometimes in the evening if i haven't eaten enough i'll have a 2nd shake. My NUT says it's ok to have Protein before going to bed. On the days i do that I notice that I sleep better, wake up better, and have a better morning. :-)