As we know, extreme calorie reduction diets result is slow metabolism. Has anyone considered actually trying to get more calories in during the weightloss phase to slow things down? Help let the body adjust a bit slower and avoiding extreme calorie reduction side effects such as hair loss and loose skin?

Any pros and cons?

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What I've found with these surgeries is that after the initial rapid weight loss, the weight loss for most actually evens out to more 'average' rates of loss like with conventional diets. Mine wasn't fast by any means.

I also found when my weight loss would stall, increasing calories would not only break the stall, but jump start my weight loss again. I did that periodically the first year until I was at 1200 calories and hit my goal weight. To maintain my weight, I then upped my calories to 1300. Doing that also helped set my metabolic thermostat so I wasn't stuck having to eat 800 calories for the rest of my life.

I've said it before, but I really think these surgeries mess with our physiology. The 'ol "calories in/calories out" adage seems to go out the window, and most of the time in the losing phase INCREASING calories is the key to steady, healthier weight loss. Once our metabolism adjusts, then things seem to go back to normal when too many calories will result in weight gain.

That being said, from the hundreds of posts I've seen and in my own experience, there is little to nothing we can do to prevent hair loss and most loose skin. Sure exercise, age, heredity etc has a lot to do with skin elasticity, but once certain areas are stretched out, there's just no going back without surgery. And hair loss is truly the luck of the draw.

hair loss is often caused by a lack of adequate protein! It is hard to keep Protein above 70 grams a day on low calorie diets unless one eats a lot of turkey, chicken or fish.

As we know, extreme calorie reduction diets result is slow metabolism. Has anyone considered actually trying to get more calories in during the weightloss phase to slow things down? Help let the body adjust a bit slower and avoiding extreme calorie reduction side effects such as hair loss and loose skin?

Any pros and cons?

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Some people think the hair loss is a reaction to the surgery itself, not necessarily the weight loss, but who knows?

I do know people who have lost large amounts of weight without surgery, at a regular pace, and still have lots of excess skin. It really depends on how much you lose and where you carried the weight.

hair loss is often caused by a lack of adequate protein! It is hard to keep Protein above 70 grams a day on low calorie diets unless one eats a lot of turkey, chicken or fish.

Most people add unflavored Protein powder to their food to get daily protein up, especially when on the liquid or soft diet phases. Pretty impossible to get enough at those times without supplementing.

Telogen Effluvium

hair loss from surgery/anesthesia itself. Though I'm sure nutrition can have an impact as well, some of the hair loss is unavoidable.

Ditto skin. If you lose faster it doesn't shrink back as quickly as you lose, but will catch up to the degree it was going to after you stop.

Fast loss didn't slow my metabolism, so I don't know about the premise in your opening statement. I have seen mixed things on that, some articles say yes some no and I have seen no empirical research that it's a given.

hair loss is often caused by a lack of adequate protein! It is hard to keep Protein above 70 grams a day on low calorie diets unless one eats a lot of turkey, chicken or fish.

This is a false statement.

I ate protein up the wazoo (80 grams a day) and still lost hair. It's a combination of several things to do with the surgery, and almost impossible to prevent.

What I've found with these surgeries is that after the initial rapid weight loss, the weight loss for most actually evens out to more 'average' rates of loss like with conventional diets. Mine wasn't fast by any means.

I also found when my weight loss would stall, increasing calories would not only break the stall, but jump start my weight loss again. I did that periodically the first year until I was at 1200 calories and hit my goal weight. To maintain my weight, I then upped my calories to 1300. Doing that also helped set my metabolic thermostat so I wasn't stuck having to eat 800 calories for the rest of my life.

I've said it before, but I really think these surgeries mess with our physiology. The 'ol "calories in/calories out" adage seems to go out the window, and most of the time in the losing phase INCREASING calories is the key to steady, healthier weight loss. Once our metabolism adjusts, then things seem to go back to normal when too many calories will result in weight gain.

That being said, from the hundreds of posts I've seen and in my own experience, there is little to nothing we can do to prevent hair loss and most loose skin. Sure exercise, age, heredity etc has a lot to do with skin elasticity, but once certain areas are stretched out, there's just no going back without surgery. And hair loss is truly the luck of the draw.

I agree.

I found with working out 6 days a week, my 900 cals a day were slowing my system down, and I slow to stopped weight loss for weeks. Not till I increased to 1200, then to 1500 cals a day, did my weight loss begin again, as well as most of it was fat, and not muscle. Everyone is different and has different activity rate, but for me too low cals did have affect on me, as well as my energy and workouts are so much better now.

I keep hearing about increasing calories and it helping. I am going to try it. Seems to me that this journey is trying this and that till you find your own combo that works. Whole new lifestyle!

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I keep hearing about increasing calories and it helping. I am going to try it. Seems to me that this journey is trying this and that till you find your own combo that works. Whole new lifestyle!

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The key for me is to try small steps in calorie increases, and measure how my body responded. For some a small increase works well. and major increases at one time may prove to be too much and cause weight gain, which is discouraging.

Good Luck

I have been actively trying to up my calories every day. Yesterday, I got over 700 calories and over 80 grams of Protein (and half of the protein was from "real" food). I was in the middle of the "three week stall," and I have finally shown a 1 pound plus loss each of the last two days. I think that the extra calories helped me here.

Being able to add scrambled eggs this week really helped. And I can add fish on Sunday. That will hopefully make a difference, too!

This is a false statement.

I ate Protein up the wazoo (80 grams a day) and still lost hair. It's a combination of several things to do with the surgery, and almost impossible to prevent.

False statement? I hate to sound mean, but you have a reading comprehension problem. I never said there weren't other causes, I just mentioned that a lack of protein can cause problems. Instead of calling me a liar, you might do some web searches on the subject of hair loss and protein. How your body reacts to surgery relates to your case, but their are others who would have done better had they followed the recommended diet plans.

Imo my siblings who had other tyoes of surgeries all experienced moderate hair loss from the surgery itself.

I get lots of Water, tons of Protein and take max amounts of Biotin and I swear there is a puppy that got into my drain when I take a shower.

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@@labwalker

hair loss is often caused by a lack of adequate protein! It is hard to keep Protein above 70 grams a day on low calorie diets unless one eats a lot of turkey, chicken or fish.

This is simply NOT true. I know this because i hit my protein goals from the beginning, had my nutritional panel tested and was perfect. I lost 2/3 of my hair volume and saw several doctors who told me the following:

1. Some people react to surgery by loss of hair (I am NOT one of them, have had more than 10 surgeries in my life and never lost my hair) - it got dull but never fell out

2. Massive weight loss can cause hair loss and the hair loss will not stop until the massive weight loss slows down - This is exactly what happened to me according to several physicians

3. You can see some hair loss if you are not getting proper nutrition including protein.

4. If you are going through menopause, this can add to the hair loss issue - I am going through menopause

Everyone is different.....for me the good news was all of my hair came back, i swear it is even thicker than it was before and my hair was quite thick and my hair came in very very curly.

My hair started falling out around the 3 month post op and progressively got worse as time went on. It stopped at around 13 months post op but the whole time new hair was growing in as well.

Please do your research and understand there are many things happening to your body at once. You may or may not experience this. If you do, dont freak out.....your hair will grow back. Also know as long as you are getting proper nutrition, there really is nothing you can do to stop it from falling out. You can take Biotin which might help with regrowth. (i am not conviced of that nor are the physicians i spoke to.)

This is a false statement.

I ate Protein up the wazoo (80 grams a day) and still lost hair. It's a combination of several things to do with the surgery, and almost impossible to prevent.

False statement? I hate to sound mean, but you have a reading comprehension problem. I never said there weren't other causes, I just mentioned that a lack of protein can cause problems. Instead of calling me a liar, you might do some web searches on the subject of hair loss and protein. How your body reacts to surgery relates to your case, but their are others who would have done better had they followed the recommended diet plans.

No where did she call you a liar.....at least I certainly did not see it or read it.

you have to remember that many many people read these posts. The concern is that they get all of the information and your statement only gave a small portion of the picture.

Also.....There are many on this board that would argue about getting 70 grams of protein from the very beginning. 1 shake in a day can give you 30 grams all by itself. And yes, dense meats will give you great protein but so will Beans, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, luncheon meat, etc.....

Maybe the first week or two is difficult but after that you should be able to get to your goal every day.

Not getting your protein should not be the reason your hair falls out. there are several other reasons or any combination of them that can cause this.

I am just trying to clear this up for people who may not know or understand. I know there are alot because the hair issue comes up several times a week and there are probably 1000's of posts on the subject.

I am thinking of adding 100 calories a day, see if there is a change...if so, I'll eventually add another 100, but I see my dr in a couple weeks, so I'll check in with him and my NUT. Thanks for the advice!

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