So I have been getting involved with fitness (both personally and strangely as a research subject, I'm an academic) right as I am launching back into getting the most out of my lap band. I eat about 800 calories a day (per my original directions from my surgeon and her NUT) and get at least 80g of Protein. The thing is, I'm getting a lot of information from elsewhere about the importance of not having too large of a daily deficit in calories (recommended seems to be 500, but I'm doing well over 1000) from your maintenance level (using BMR and TDEE to calculate). The 800 calories help me lose weight, and I don't have trouble with hunger, but is it safe in the long run?

I also understand that many of us are an exception. If we kept living the way we were before WLS, the consequences could be quite severe or even deadly. The WLS is a surgical intervention. I think the lap band has saved me from a terrible future. I'm willing to cut huge deficits for as long as it takes.

Maybe I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around the double standard. Thin people at 800 are disordered, but a heavier person is sticking to their diet? I get so much input from the people around me. Do I just need to focus on myself? It's all so confusing!

Do you have thoughts on this? Do you ever wonder whether your ultra-low calorie diet might be unsustainable or even damaging in the long run? How do you deal with people trying to help you by saying you're eating too little? How do you deal with straddling two different ideologies when it comes to diet and exercise?

At almost 2 years out, I'm at 1400 calories and maintaining. My PCP said for a woman my age and activity level, that is perfectly acceptable and healthy. I really think the key is to not continue the calorie deficit for too long and slowly increase calories as the weight comes off. That way you're not setting your metabolic rate at 800 calories to maintain a healthy weight. I know some that are maintaining on 1800 calories or more depending on activity level.

At 2 1/2 years, I am maintaining at 1,000 calories. That is because of orthopedic issues that hinder increasing my exercise load. I am sure that if I could be more active, I could settle in at 1400-1500 and be fine with it.

One thing I realized is that the human body does not need near as much food to survive and I thought it did.

@@Basicwitch

Check in with a dietician. Your calories will increase with time. If your fitness level is above the norm a sports medicine dietician will make a big difference in what you eat.

Do you ever wonder whether your ultra-low calorie diet might be unsustainable or even damaging in the long run..

You will only be low calorie in weight loss phase. In the long run mainlining look very different .Absolutely sustainable and healthy.

How do you deal with straddling two different ideologies when it comes to diet and exercise?

I do what historically works..I listen to my gold standard bariatric medical team

How do you deal with people trying to help you by saying you're eating too little?

Seriously, This is not their choice to get healthy its yours...The only input you need is from you and your team..

In the Weight Loss phase, the three most important things are meeting your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirement. food is secondary because your body is converting stored fats into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. So as long as you meet your protein, fluid and vitamin requirements, you should be O.K. at 800 calories a day.

The approach in the Maintenance phase is different. Here is a short article about my perception of the Maintenance phase. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

So I have been getting involved with fitness (both personally and strangely as a research subject, I'm an academic) right as I am launching back into getting the most out of my lap band. I eat about 800 calories a day (per my original directions from my surgeon and her NUT) and get at least 80g of Protein. The thing is, I'm getting a lot of information from elsewhere about the importance of not having too large of a daily deficit in calories (recommended seems to be 500, but I'm doing well over 1000) from your maintenance level (using BMR and TDEE to calculate). The 800 calories help me lose weight, and I don't have trouble with hunger, but is it safe in the long run?

I also understand that many of us are an exception. If we kept living the way we were before WLS, the consequences could be quite severe or even deadly. The WLS is a surgical intervention. I think the lap band has saved me from a terrible future. I'm willing to cut huge deficits for as long as it takes.

Maybe I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around the double standard. Thin people at 800 are disordered, but a heavier person is sticking to their diet? I get so much input from the people around me. Do I just need to focus on myself? It's all so confusing!

Do you have thoughts on this? Do you ever wonder whether your ultra-low calorie diet might be unsustainable or even damaging in the long run? How do you deal with people trying to help you by saying you're eating too little? How do you deal with straddling two different ideologies when it comes to diet and exercise?

I personally think 800 calories is extremely low, especially if your activity level is high.

My priority is protein (at least 100 grams a day) and fluids. I avoid, for the most part, added sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup), starches, and fried foods.

Eating too little can keep your metabolism artificially low.