I'm 1mo post-op and tracking my caloric intake on myfitnesspal. After eating and exercising for the day it tells me if I don't eat the recommended 1200 cal a day, my metabolism will slow down and I may face malnutrition. I can only eat 500-800 cal a day and am burning 400-550 cal a day exercising. This leaves me with 200-300 calories intake. I haven't lost weight in 6 days but I think I'm losing inches (after losing a pound a day post surgery). Advice please?

My Fitness Pal tells me the same thing but I just ignore it. I go by what my doctor told me. I am only allowed 1000 calories per day. This was at my 6 week appt. Up to then I was allowed 800 calories. Sometimes I go over & get 1100 calories & other days I only get 800 calories. I keep a food journal & that keeps me on track. Good luck.

When I went for my 1 month check up i was told to add snacks because I wasn't getting enough (about 600-700, I think). I was told to shoot for 1000 calories a day and no more than 1200. Eventually, I was able to increase my intake to that range and lost weight well on 1000-1200 calories per day. I was exercising 1 hour on a stationary bike (reasonable effort @ 500-600 calories burned) 5 days per week. Those numbers kept me in a calorie deficit over the course of my loss phase. Now that I'm in maintenance, I take my BMR and add back my exercise calories to get my number. That is working pretty well. I'm a bit under my goal now, but still well within the healthy range and feel like my metabolism is in a very manageable place for lifetime maintenance.

I wonder sometimes if that's why my weight is coming off so slow. I'm averaging 550 a day. I'm 7 weeks out. Maybe I should try adding a snack into my day? I try to stick to 3 meals and 1 snack a day.

Everyone is different. I've averaged about 650 calories per day since about three weeks out (before that it was much lower) and have had steady losses and no stalls. I have my Vitamin levels checked regularly and my nutritionist says they are stellar. Another friend of mine who is a nutritional sciences professor at a local college tells me that the majority of people fit in all their required nutrients per day into about 800 calories, and most of everything else we eat aside from that are unnecessary items. If your 800-1000 calories per day are packed with Protein and you are getting your Vitamins in, there isn't much to worry about. Don't try to increase calories just for the sake of meeting some arbitrary number goal.

Ok...I have a question. This is a sample day for me. I am a mth out. The first 4 weeks I was on full liquids. Did well on that. Was getting about 600 to 700 cals a day and about 60 oz of fluids. This week I was moved to food. I take fusion Vitamins 3 times a day. So, my day:

Protein shake with 1/2 banana.....260 cals, 21 protein

1/4 cup of tuna mixed with very little lt. mayo.....100 cals, 7 protein

triangle of laughing cow cheese....35 cals, 2 protein

2 ozs chicken and about 2 tbsps. mashed up green Beans.....200 cals, not sure but about 10 protein

greek yogugurt.....100 cals, 12 protein

If I'm lucky...2 bottles of Water

This is all I can eat..I'm stuffed all day. That's only 695 cals and 52 grams protein and 40 oz of Fluid. I cant get in anymore food or water! And....I miss vegetables!

Is this okay?