Can't get enough calories to exercise...

[lorilove 38]

Hi, I am very concerned about exercising as I am now far enough out to be working out regularly. Prior to surgery I was walking 8 miles a day and felt I could do more but stopped at the 8 due to time constraints, life, etc.

I was sleeved July 4th and I just can't seem to get enough calories to facilitate regular exercise. Add to that the heat and Water needs.

Any suggestions? Did anyone have this problem and find a way around it? I am currently between 300-600 calories with the low end being on days I focus on water. I want to eat enough for exercise but right now I don't have enough calories to even sustain a normal day sans exercise.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[NoMoBand 278]

I'm in the same boat. A trainer suggested that I use a weight gain Protein enhancer that people use to gain weight. They are high in calories and was told to use it before my work out. GNC carries these. I have a doc appointment tomorrow and will ask about this. It makes sense, but, seems so wrong. jake

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

That weight gainer shakes seems like a terrible idea.

They are high in carbs.

You don't have to "workout" in the beginning, brisk HIIT walking on the treadmill will be enough.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I wouldn't use the "weight gain" Protein, but you should be getting more calories if you get in all your protein. Make sure you are getting in all your protein every day and then you can work on adding healthy carbs and fats. I would recommend that you work with your NUT closely to make sure you are getting proper nutrition.

[jess9395 5,448]

I did couch to 5K and then kept increasing my runs just fine when I was only getting in 500-600 calories a day. Are you struggling with energy?

[terrydumont46 1,954]

I have a lap band but am revising to bypass. I had to see the nut and she instructed me to make my menu plans with a Protein and a energy. as she called it. like fruit would be the energy. look at the menu plans your nut gave you to see what is listed. if you are only getting in Protein you may feel fatigue.

[B-52 7,113]

I go to the gym at 5:30 am, and aside form my morning coffee and Water I drink while working out, I have always worked out on an empty stomach....the theory is to use the energy stored away as excess fat that I have been carrying for all these years in case of famine for this hunter-gatherer...

I also believe in burning excess calories...not burn calories for something I just ate.

Afterward I would have a high Protein "Recovery" smoothie, low calorie.

It worked for me, I was able to burn away ALL my excess fat....

It may not be for everyone, but you can Google it...it is a popular practice.

[James Marusek 5,244]

Eight miles a day seems a little extreme. When I was young I began jogging and worked myself up to 10 miles per day and actually began to get heavier because I was replacing fat with muscle. Also 300-600 calories per day seems a little on the low side. Are you counting the calories in the Protein shakes in that number. The important thing in the weight loss phase after surgery is meeting the Protein, Vitamin and Fluid requirements. It is important to get around 30 minutes of walking exercise per day. Beyond that you might give it a rest for a while. I definitely would not use a weight gainers shake, it kind of defeats the purpose.

[bikrchk 1,313]

Avocados - In your shake will make it creamy and you won't really taste it

Peanut Butter

Full fat cheese and dairy

Add Snacks

Quest Protein bars have 200 calories apiece and low sugar 1/2 a Quest as a snack before, the other 1/2 after.

Eventually you will be able to eat a bit more and it won't be a problem but especially if you are exercising hard, work to get your calories as high as your weight loss will bear. For me that was about 1000-1200 per day. Your long term metabolism will be in better shape for it and you'll have more energy. That's just what worked for me. What does your doc say?

[swimbikerun 1,040]

If you jus tgot your surgery, why is there an issue? If you want to lose weight, just keep doing what you are doing. Get the Protein in best you can.

[lorilove 38]

The issue is I would like to exercise and I am having a hard time managing calories to sustain this. I am not trying to do eight miles a day this early on. I would like to be able to walk a mile or two without worrying I will faint. I think I am going to try to take a shake with me and drink it as I go.

Doc says try to eat more frequently and of course more calories.

I got a treadmill and I think that will help since I won't be out in the heat and I can just walk in smaller blocks of time instead of one long walk.

I just love being outdoors and I think it's zapping me right now. Hopefully this will change soon.

[Dub 9,922]

Please be careful.

Your calorie intake is so low that you are likely losing more muscle mass than you'd want to be losing.

This can only escalate with the calories burned from exercise.

I can only pause and wonder what I'd look like if I'd been walking 8 miles each day like you were while keeping my calorie intake to 1,800/day.

I'd be at my goal weight........without the surgery.

Your drive is impressive. Hopefully you'll find a way to up your Protein intake and find balance with all things. No doubt you are really dropping some serious weight.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Dub

[swimbikerun 1,040]

How much extra weight do you have to lose? 3500 calories = 1 pound. So 8 miles = 800 calories roughly. If you did that 1 time a day, that's 1 pound a week. Runners have more issues needing carbs than Protein. Getting in one extra shake is how many calories? That knocks down the rate above.

I'm still not understanding why we aren't using the regular figures and seeing whether this is an issue more so than getting in fluids and then protein/veggies. Fat is going to be burned and that's what you want.

[lorilove 38]

Please be careful.

Your calorie intake is so low that you are likely losing more muscle mass than you'd want to be losing.

This can only escalate with the calories burned from exercise.

I can only pause and wonder what I'd look like if I'd been walking 8 miles each day like you were while keeping my calorie intake to 1,800/day.

I'd be at my goal weight........without the surgery.

Your drive is impressive. Hopefully you'll find a way to up your Protein intake and find balance with all things. No doubt you are really dropping some serious weight.

Yes, I was losing weight rapidly before surgery. I considered continuing just exercise but I was at a point where I could not afford to leave room for failure.

I honestly thought I would get the sleeve and try to work my calories up to past 1000 and start building up exercise again slowly. I read a ton and still misjudged how little I might eat. The problem is (I think) prior to surgery it would not be a big deal to go long times without eating. I am now having to relearn forcing myself to sit and eat throughout the day.

I love exercise... Always have. My weight gain was after losing a child, and then a mom and sister over a span of about five years. The worst was while my mom and sis had cancer across the country and I spent those years traveling back and forth several times a month with a baby and then toddler. I ate horrible, ate from stress, and dropped off on exercise. Following all that I returned to exercise for sanity but also realized I had now been overweight for years. I am an active person and fortunately remained "fit" while being heavy in that I could still take on activities easily.

As it stands now I do have energy but just enough for playing with my son outside, work, housework, etc. I feel weak sometimes during the day and I guess I am mostly worried if I head out to exercise I don't want to crash.

I am going to try the suggestions along here. I don't want to just lose weight, but want to stay fit. I have the base from before and I love and miss my long walks, so I guess I will have to slowly work back up to them.

BTW, I was sleeved July 4 and I am down 40 pounds. I just want to make sure I am losing it in a strong way and not just by deficiency.

Hope this clarifies where I am at.

[lorilove 38]

I currently need to lose an additional 70 pounds. No rush to lose it. Mostly want to feel right.

Forgot to mention a major part of this - I had to have the surgery as I have had numerous abdominal surgeries which has led to two frighten lay large hernias. I needed to drop weight prior to having them repaired as they will need extensive work with scar removal, mesh, etc.

That's another reason why the push for the sleeve to hurry it along as it was becoming an emergency. Currently they are holding up well and even better with the initial weight loss. Beginning weight was 255. Now at 215.