How many calories do you consume on an average day? We all have different caloric intake based on the day, I'm asking about average calories.

Well??? Is it working for you?

Hmm, it is baffling isnt it?

One thing I guess is that many people are obese becuase there IS someting wrong with their bodies, this does become apparent when people get banded, lower their intake, up their exercise and still fail to lose.

It's also shown by the fact that I know for me, with the level of exercise I do and my size and height, my daily calories for maintenance is something like 2,800. That is patently ridiculous, I would regain all of my weight back in a few months eating like that.

I lost well on 1500 a day but now I maintain well on 1500 a day too - I definitely think once you've dropped your calories there's no going back really. When you think about it, a 5ft 10 169lb woman who runs for an hour a day maintaining her weight on 1500 calories a day does not make mathematical sense either. I should be able to eat a lot more than that.

All a great argument for not dropping your calories too low if you can possibly avoid it.

Like, I may be 169 lb and I'd really really really love to be 154. But I'd rather drop to 1300 calories and take a freaking year to lose that weight (or just accept being 169 for ever, which is quite a nice healthy weight)than drop to 700 and lose it in a few months and be stuck at eating 700 for ever, because it really seems to work that way.

You and me both!

I used to get frustrated when I hit plateaus, but lately, I kind of get a kick out of knowing that plateaus are now just that, and not a pause on the way to regaining my weight. Nice glass ceiling....

I went to the first Spivak support group and the 3 moderators, who were at goal weight, say they eat around 600 calories a day. To me, that sounds like it's unhealthy. Does anybody know if because of our morbid obesity,we are so efficient at processing food that 600 calories will actually sustain us? Even 800 calories.....Doesn't that seem unhealthy too? Actually, I'm thinking of doing it, if someone can tell me that that makes nutritional sense....

Anything above and beyond basic nutrition (in our case) is maintaining fat. You can eat more, you'll just lose slower and there is no law against that.

I stick to 600 daily most of the time and I have plenty of energy. Fat is stored energy. My doc suggests 800 calories.

I want the fat chapter of my life over with, quickly.

I guess the real question is this, if you are getting your nutrition in (the reason we eat), what is the value of anything above and beyond this? I don't personally advocate anyone eating so few calories they are hungry all the time, but with verrrry wise food choices it can be done quite well.

and lower your metabolism permanently

Says who?

I agree. 800 calories a day sound about right. Anything more, you will lose slower.

Hehe, there's NEVER going to be complete agreement on this one is there? I think that its great that at least we can all respect one another's opinions.

To me, there's more to food than nutrition. Its social, its custom, its ritual and it still holds an important place in my life. I dont think that's a "fat" attitude, it no longer holds an OVER important place in my life.

Its like I said in another post - for me, this was a journey to health and that included mental health as well as physical. I wouldnt personally consider my journey to be successful if I were still counting calories and keeping them to what I personally believe to be dangerously low, if I were morbidly afraid of carbs, if I never ate another really good piece of cake and I'd SERIOUSLY consider the surgery a failure if I had to live on 600 calories for evermore. Truly, I would rather have the weight problem I had.

But I think that's totally personality dependent. Some people love to be structured and rigorous like that, its not in me. But whilst I cannot say I am right or you must not do this, nor can you say that its the only way or the right way to lose weight, there's loads of people here would never want to or never need to drop their calories below 1000 to 1200 a day.

Scientific arguments aside - my theories are only my theories, I dont make any pretense that they're anything other than that. They're just what I believe. I just think that if your BASAL metabolic rate is 600 calories a day you're either 2 feet tall and 20lb in weight or there's something drastically wrong with the way your body is operating. Eating 600 to lose is one thing, you can get nourished and your body will find its energy from its stores, but to maintain? That's just not normal. Once you've burned your fat stores, where will your body look? Directly at your lean body mass.

I agree with Jachut that your body can adapt/get used to whatever situation (calorie wise) its exposed to. I don't think however it will be a long term "memory" for your metabolism that you will gain weight at anything other than the low calorie amount you were losing on.

I do think (from personal experience and absolutely zero data) that varying your calories (some days I'm 700 others 1500) is the best way to avoid plateaus. I try to keep my week's deficit where I want it to lose 2-3 lbs but some days are more relaxed than others

I agree. 800 calories a day sound about right. Anything more, you will lose slower.

I have to make one point here. Your post allows me to do that. :eek:

I agree with you about the 800 calorie a day thing but the point I want to make is that I don't see anything in the world wrong with losing slowly. I just don't want to do it. I want this phase of my life OVER. I want the fat chapter closed for good.

I have a personal goal, I discovered the band existed on 11/6/06, I had surgery 12/6/06, I want plastic surgery completed 11/5/07. Discover the band, have band surgery, lose weight, have plastics all in one year. That's my goal, that's the light at the end of my own personal tunnel. That's what keeps me motivated and that is why I stick to 600 daily on the average.

My doc suggests 800 daily too, btw.

Hehe, there's NEVER going to be complete agreement on this one is there? I think that its great that at least we can all respect one another's opinions.

To me, there's more to food than nutrition. Its social, its custom, its ritual and it still holds an important place in my life. I dont think that's a "fat" attitude, it no longer holds an OVER important place in my life.

Its like I said in another post - for me, this was a journey to health and that included mental health as well as physical. I wouldnt personally consider my journey to be successful if I were still counting calories and keeping them to what I personally believe to be dangerously low, if I were morbidly afraid of carbs, if I never ate another really good piece of cake and I'd SERIOUSLY consider the surgery a failure if I had to live on 600 calories for evermore. Truly, I would rather have the weight problem I had.

But I think that's totally personality dependent. Some people love to be structured and rigorous like that, its not in me. But whilst I cannot say I am right or you must not do this, nor can you say that its the only way or the right way to lose weight, there's loads of people here would never want to or never need to drop their calories below 1000 to 1200 a day.

Scientific arguments aside - my theories are only my theories, I dont make any pretense that they're anything other than that. They're just what I believe. I just think that if your BASAL metabolic rate is 600 calories a day you're either 2 feet tall and 20lb in weight or there's something drastically wrong with the way your body is operating. Eating 600 to lose is one thing, you can get nourished and your body will find its energy from its stores, but to maintain? That's just not normal. Once you've burned your fat stores, where will your body look? Directly at your lean body mass.

I agree with you for the most part. If I wasn't so dead set on my own personal goals I'd be okay losing slowly but it is my goals that keep me running daily. I don't expect to count calories for the rest of my life, but during the weight loss phase? You bet I do. I count everything that goes into my mouth including water. I don't think eating 600 calories to maintain is normal either. But I'm not in the "maintaining" stage, I'm in the weight loss stage. I do expect I'll either count carbs or at least be extra aware of carbs because when I eat too many carbs I just don't feel well. I am a big fat slug on my couch. I have TONS more energy and I just feel better not eating many carbs.

I don't think I ever have said that my way is the only way or my way is the right way. Okay, the one issue that is an exception is when someone eats chicken and chewy candy on day #4 after surgery. That makes something in my head pop. I know how dangerous that can potentially be. As for everything else the only question that I am starting to ask people is "says who?" when they make claims. Starvation mode, permanently damaging your metabolism by strict caloric intake, double your calories and you'll lose weight faster. Well.. says who? Let's identify what is an outdated myth vs. fact.

There is sooooo much wrong info out there, do a Google search on ANY diet issue and the opinions will vary with the author and they ALL claim THEY have the facts. Well, do they? I want the facts. I have really worked hard at undoing the weird stuff in my head regarding justifying more food for any given reason. I have based my work on science and facts. When something comes along that I always used to go along with previously, I want to know where the facts are. Where is the science? Where do people get their opinions? From other dieters? Or from research and facts?

That's kinda where I am coming from.

Oh Bubble, I didnt mean you said that or implied it, I just meant there's any number of ways to skin a cat and none of them are 100% right. Actually I like conversing with you. I can be stubborn and get annoyed when people dont agree with me, but I never get pissed at you for some reason. I think its because you have thought about your way of doing things and you stick by it.

What really amazes me though - like you say - 600 to maintain. Eeek. That is just asking for osteoporosis, fractured hips, cracked vertebrae, dowages humps, teeth falling out, thinning hair, wasted muscles etc To eat like that for years and years and years - that simply CANNOT be the expected outcome of lap band surgery.

What really amazes me though - like you say - 600 to maintain. Eeek. That is just asking for osteoporosis, fractured hips, cracked vertebrae, dowages humps, teeth falling out, thinning hair, wasted muscles etc To eat like that for years and years and years - that simply CANNOT be the expected outcome of lap band surgery.

Whoa.. I never said 600 calories to maintain. I said I agreed with you on that point, 600 calories to maintain would be insanity. I wrote that I was doing that for the weight loss phase. I think either I blew it when I was writing or you misunderstood me. Not that MY writing style is ever garbled or anything! HA!

Whoa.. I never said 600 calories to maintain. I said I agreed with you on that point, 600 calories to maintain would be insanity. I wrote that I was doing that for the weight loss phase. I think either I blew it when I was writing or you misunderstood me. Not that MY writing style is ever garbled or anything! HA!

*giggle*, no I wrote that wrong, lol. I know you were agreeing on that point.

Jeez, lucky we're not talking about launching a nuclear missile, lol.

*giggle*, no I wrote that wrong, lol. I know you were agreeing on that point.

Jeez, lucky we're not talking about launching a nuclear missile, lol.

If I had to do 600 calories to maintain I do believe I would have to dig my eye out with a rusty nail in sheer frustration. At least now I know there is an end in sight. I really don't mind for the time being even though I borrow from tomorrow's calories or make up for not enough from yesterday. So I don't mind for now but forever? Gahhhhh :eek:

I think I would EAT my eyeball after I dug it out!

I stopped counting several months ago, however in the beginning 800-1000, then the last six to eight months around 1500-1600 a day.

Its worked extremely well for me. In my two year, four month journey

I have gone from a portly 430, and a BMI of 55 to a butt kicking 200 pounds, with a 22 BMI, (6ft 2). and have had no problems maintaining.