I feel like I need this much food. I'm hungry enough for it. All healthy choices, lots of Protein, eat about 5-6 x per day. Is this too much?

I am not cleared for exercise yet, but my normal exercise routine includes 2 days crossfit, 2 days strength training and 1-2 spin classes.

I have lost 25 lbs in past month (including 2 wk preop diet) but haven't lost in about a week.

Thoughts? I don't feel like I need to lose super fast, but I want to keep losing!

I am 2mo out and eat 1000-1200 a day, and losing. My dr had me back up to 900 a day by week 3.

How am I sabotaging my sleeve if I am eating heathy Protein and vegetables, plus my shakes and Vitamins? I do not eat until I am overfill. Maybe I'm counting my calories wrong. Maybe I'm not actually eating that much. I have had Refried Beans a lot because they go down easy. And eggs and low fat string cheese. Plus shakes.

I eat 1/4 cup of veg and 1/4 of protein at 3 meals.

What vegetables and fruit can you suggest while on mushies that are good for you?

Do what works for you! If you're losing weight at 1200 cals then that's perfect. I eat/ ate more than most sleevers too. I was up to 1200 cals around 4 months. I Made goal around 9 months post op- it was a very modest goal (169 at 5'4") I'm nearly 2 years out and have maintained at 1800-2000 cals a day. Adjust your cals if you are not losing, otherwise keep doing what you are doing! In another post a girl asked me rudely why I had the surgery if I was just going to eat "that much" I replied I didn't have the surgery to not eat a lot. I had surgery to lose weight and be healthy. And I did! -Lisa

I don't count calories or fat, just eat less than 20 carbs most days. But if I add it up I eat about 800-1000 a day. 11 weeks out down 30.

I am at 14 weeks and only get in about 700- 750 calories daily.

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WOW! I'm also 3 weeks out and I'm lucky if I see 500 in a day! And my doctor told me not to worry about 60-80 grams of Protein a day' date=' because it's not possible this early in. I would check with your doctor. You should be eating 1200 calories maybe a year out...Hope you're not sabotaging your sleeve.[/quote']

I agree my surgeon said 70 is the minimum protein intake!! N your right she can stretch her sleeve by eating to many calories..and my nut said to do the powdered protein because the shakes require you to drink more for the same amount of protein intake..like one premade shake is 14 oz n has 25 g of protein but for a powder one with Water you can do 8oz for 25 g of protein..if a sleeve is done right you should only be able to hold 6-8 oz of food until swelling is down that why they make you do liquids n mash for so long..

I'm fur months out and eat 1000-1200 calories a day. All healthy. Losing just fine. Definitely feel hunger when I'm too low on calories.

I wouldn't worry so much about the amount of calories, its the portions of food. As long as you are not making yourself sick, and or eating the wrong foods, then feed your body. It will tell you if it cant handle it. If you are as active as you say you are and are willing to loose it slower, then you should be fine. I would check with my doc just to make sure he/she has no problems with it.

I am 6 weeks out tomorrow and hit the dreaded stall, the only way I could get past it was to up my calorie and protein intake to 1200/70. As a taller women my body needs the extra calories and protein! As long as you are feeling good, suffering no pain, and knowing that each surgeon/dietitian and sleever is a bit different, then all should be well. My current intake is the correct amount according to my surgical team here in Sydney!

N your right she can stretch her sleeve by eating to many calories..

You don't stretch your sleeve by the number of calories you consume, you stretch your sleeve with the QUANTITY of food you consume.

I have always been confused by the low cal requirements given for most, other than understanding that you cannot consume an abundance of food because of the size of your new stomach. But I always thought why not consume higher calorie foods that are good nutritional calories, low in quantity, and have the ability NOT to force your body into starvation mode, as well as NOT cause those things people experience, like: hair loss, fatigue, dizziness, and out of whack metabolism.

I see my Nut next week and I'm definitely having this conversation.

I am 2 months and my NUT said I should aim for 1000 calories a day. It was hard getting that many in, but I added nuts and it's easier. I feel better now that I am getting more calories in. I was getting like 700 and felt week and felt like I was in starvation mode. I had a stall a couple weeks ago, which ended shortly after I upped my calories. I lost 5 pounds in a week.

Having been there and done that, I think the whole purpose of having such a small stomach is to eat a very reduced amount of food(and calories) so that you can lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. As time goes on you WILL be able to eat more food and calories. If you start off eating more as in 1200 calories in time your weight loss will slow and you probably will then be eating too much. Your metabolism does not go out of wack. During my weight loss phase I ate between 600-900 calories and never felt hungry. I now can consume more and stick to healthy food choices to maintain. Those that are successful in the long run eat less the first 6 months for sure as this is when you will have optimum weight loss. Those that have not, from what I read don't reach their goal weight, not what we are hoping to do. Definitely do what works for you but remember that the low calorie is not forever but you want your weight loss to be!!

I agree with SleeveOfSteel, in that it's perfectly safe to consume more in order to feed your daily functions. Everyone has a different energy expenditure, so the round numbers don't work the same for everyone. Do a 350 lb man and a 190 lb woman need the same number of cals? That's why we see so many people comparing themselves to other's losses. If you take the more balanced approach, it's likely that you will be able to establish habits that will last long term. However, you will need to accept the fact that you MAY lose slower. But if you're truly doing it for health, then it won't matter! Stay focused on your goal, and continue to seek support. Moving up to 1200 so soon may have you thinking a month from now, oh, I need 1500, then 2000 and it will continue to go up and up as the swelling goes down and you can consume a larger quantity. The easiest way for us to wreck the process is focusing on things that "go down easy." Nearly anyone can get cals sky high if we turn to sliders (especially long term as we lose the newbie motivation to make healthy choices). If we follow the "rules" of protein first, we will continue to feel restriction/fullness even if you eat small quantities throughout the day. At this point, going that method would still land your cals pretty low. It will be a journey, but you will constantly have to ask yourself if you're making changes that you can maintain for life? If you are, then you'll be fine! Keep up the great work, and congrats on your losses so far!

I am at about 1000 calories daily, on average at 4 months out. I am getting 70 g p daily. I think you won't bottom out your metabolism by eating very low amounts of calories and your hair won't fall out.

I am around 800 a day and I feel fine. I am losing weight and I eat with my family. I pretty much eat what they eat but I am still on soft foods so some things I have to substitute.

If you eat too much at one time all of the time you can stretch your sleeve but it will NEVER be the same size that it was prior to surgery. I actually have videos of what you can expect a stretched sleeve to look like here http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/blog/2407/entry-6050-the-size-of-your-new-stomach/

Something to keep in mind is that not everyone's sleeve is the same capacity longer stomachs will become a long sleeve and this may allow for one person to comfortably eat a higher than normal caloric ratio when compared to others. If you are eating healthy, the calories consumes should not be a problem. Keep following your DR & NUT's guidelines.

Just curious how many of you actually think 1200 cals a day is too many for a healthy weight loss diet. I just think going too low is asking to screw up your metabolism. A 1200 calorie weight loss diet is totally normal, even low, for an active woman who has not had this surgery. If I am willing to lose a little slower than average, what's the problem? Maybe Ill save myself some skin issues, wont loss my hair, won't feel deprived, etc.

Idk, I just have a hard time with the whole 500 calories a day thing. That is a starvation diet. I did this surgery to improve my health. My BP is lower already, I've been losing.

But I do appreciate the comments. I'm trying to assess what others are doing and figure out what's best for me. I admit, I do need to slow down and practice the 30-30 rule better. But I still think 800-900 cals is as low as I'm willing to go.

Again, thanks to everyone who commented.

Sleeve or no sleeve, weight loss is about calorie intake and energy expenditure. So if you burn enough calories to create a negative balance at the end of the day, you'll lose weight. Truthfully though, most American women don't burn enough calories to justify 1200 calories. But if you're a truly active person and track your calories vs. exercise, I see no reason why you couldn't eat 1200 calories daily. Like you said...you'll probably just lose more slowly.