Oh fellow geniuses I have a niggling question in my brain that's been keeping me up. I track every meal (even blts- bites, licks, tastes) in my Jawbone Up fitness tracker and and on a sample day I ate 658 calories, getting in 83 grams of Protein. I walked 7, 376 steps for a total burn of 1,771 calories. I guess what I'm wondering is the calorie total seems awful low now. What's going to happen when im off the shakes (I want off the shakes- I don't feel they are healthy and would like to eat clean high protein low carb but those numbers are gonna be hard to match. Weight loss has been going great but once I eat something real, won't I, ya know, blow right back up? Even if I keep it at 1200 a day that's still a jump. My husband has been analyzing my work out numbers and he seems to think it will all be ok but I want to ask the experts (YOU GUYS). I'm so confused... Am I worrying to much about numbers??? Full disclaimer I dont do well with numbers- my kids FaceTime daddy when it's math homework night so yeah... When we are able to eat more is that it?? Boom? Should I try to get calories up more now?

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At first, nothing much. You won't be able to eat much of anything so you will continue to lose weight. However, months after surgery you will find that you can now eat more. That's when problems can develop if you eat too many carbs or junk. I'll be a year out of surgery on the 12th and I still incorporate the shakes. I like them. I found the best one for me is Body Fortress that you can buy at Walmart, chocolate and vanilla. The strawberry ones are gross. They help me keep my Protein requirements.

At this stage, I do think you're worrying too much about numbers.

I had surgery on Jan 12. My calorie goal is between 650-800. My nut said anymore than that I will quit losing. Your major focus should be your Protein intake. My protein goal is 100 gr. As well as keeping your liquid intake to 64 oz.

Ideally your protein should come from food..not shakes. However at this stage I can eat so little, I have to incorporate shakes into my day. This may last a while for you as well.

It's incredibly important to get your calories up as soon as possible post-op in order to maintain your metabolism. If you have too large of a calorie deficit daily, your metabolism will slow. And a recent study from another post showed that if your calorie deficit is too high as you lose weight, your metabolism will never fully recover.

Is it possible your weight loss will slow as you increase calories? Yes! But as long as you maintain a deficit, you will continue to lose. Also, it's better to create a deficit with increased activity, versus cutting keeping intake too low. Increased activity, especially building muscle, will help increase or maintain your metabolism.

I'm not sure how far post-op you are, but I pushed my calories up over 800 as soon as I was able with soft and solid foods. Once I was cleared for intense exercise, I worked hard to get my calories up over 1100. By the time I reached goal I was trying to eat 1400-1500 calories a day. And now, in maintenance, I need 2000-2400 calories a day in order to maintain my weight with my current level of activity (I run a lot).

I have seen posts on these forums from people who kept their calorie intake way low through their entire weight loss phase and now they can't eat more than 1100 calories a day in maintenance because their metabolism is wrecked.

Here's what I was advised about calorie intake by my medical team.

The first four months or so it's difficult for most people to average much more than 800 cals/day. At least, that was true for me.

But after four months post-op, my surgeon's Physician's Assistant who is wonderfully conversant with all the latest research about bariatric surgery and nutrition, strongly advised me to start raising my daily calories to keep my body's metabolic rate from stalling. She advised that I raise my daily calories to 1,000 for Months 5 and 6 and then raise my daily calories to 1,200 thereafter until I reached my goal (150 pounds), which I hit at 8.5 months post-op.

I then used my own My Fitness Pal calorie records, which I'd kept since 2.5 months pre-op, to estimate that a maintenance calorie budget of 1,700 calories would keep my weight stable. I gradually raised my daily calories up to that level, which took a couple of months. Interestingly, during the next 8 months I lost another 15 pounds. And now I'm maintaining at 135 pounds while averaging 1700 - 1800 calories a day.

I always know that things could change. I weigh myself every morning and still plan and track my daily menus in MFP, which takes no more than 5-10 minutes a day. I figure this is a lifetime dealio, and that doesn't bother me at all.

BTW, I was sleeved at 68 years of age and am now 70 years old. I'm a lot more active than I was pre-op, but I'm not a gym rat. Most of my "exercise" is achieved through walking, hiking, housework and gardening. I do a little yoga / stretching / weight resistance, too.

BIG CAVEAT: People's bodies vary a lot in their caloric needs after WLS. But no matter what it is, it is what it is. If you read the recent NYTimes article about what happened to the 2009 (Season 8) Biggest Loser contestants' metabolic rates as a result of their participation on that program (ugh!), you know that their extreme caloric deficits while losing weight made their metabolic rates fall dramatically, and they've never come back up. For that reason, I am so grateful that my weight loss rate was less than heroic and that my surgeon's P.A. advised me to raise my calories gradually while I was still in the weight loss phases.

Very best to you!

Oh wow... I'm actually printing all these out as they come across. I feel like I have my own personal team! I can't thank you enough for taking the time to respond and with such clear, concise answers. I'm still a newbie but I hope I can be here for you guys in some way if ever needed. Ok, off to the surgeon for my 2 week check! XO Jennifer

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I recommend that you try Premier Protein shakes. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, and only 1 gram of sugar. I drink one a day. It's a great way to supplement my protein for the day. They have more protein and few calories than any other shake I've seen.