Will I ever be able to eat normally again?

[Phobia42 6]

I'm 2 weeks out from my gastric sleeve, so am obviously going through all the cravings and panic moments of never being able to eat normally again. I've read a lot of similar posts on here, but everyone seems to interpret "eat normally again" to mean going back to eating the way I did before surgery. What I mean is that when I calculate what a normal, healthy, active person at my goal weight should be eating each day to maintain that weight, it's around 2,400 calories a day (I'm a 6' male with a bigger frame). The impression I've gotten from my surgeon and nutritionist is that I'll likely be averaging 1,000 - 1,200 calories a day for the rest of my life. The surgery doesn't change the way your body uses energy, so the only way I imagine that working is if your metabolism slowed waaaayyy down, and that doesn't seem healthy to me.

Does anyone have any experience, after a few years and achieving their goal weight, eating like a normal, healthy person again? Thanks!

[Introversion 1,876]

I'm a vertically-challenged female in my mid-30s who stands 5'1" tall and maintains in the 118 to 122-pound range. I consume 2000 to 2300 calories daily.

Here's a disclaimer...I'm fairly active. I run 20+ miles weekly and lift weights 3 times a week, so I'd definitely not be eating as much as I currently do if I lived a more sedentary life.

[hmills653 365]

I'm 5' 4" and 3 mos post op and have to be careful to stay under 1,000 calories a day per muy surgeons recommendation. It's easy to go over for me if I didn't watch my calories and what I eat.

[Lannie 135]

My surgeon said that long term I would eat approx 1200 - 1500 daily. That is within the "normal" guideline for a woman my height (5'5). Of course that is an average range so the actual for maintenance will depend on activity level, etc.

1200 for males of your height sounds low.

I'm at 12 weeks post op, so it will be a long time before I'm up to that calorie count. So I can speak from experience

[Supernovae 34]

I think people seem to forget that some foods can be crazy high in calories. If you wanted to maintain at 2000+ calories then you'd just find foods that get that into you. Especially if you wanted to start building muscle and such. I've been ignoring all this calorie crap to be honest. I'm 5'11 and young so obviously what other females on here eat isn't going to work for me. Listen to your stomach. If you're full, stop eating. In a few months you'll be able to eat more. If you go on Instagram and put in #gastricsleeve you can see people 6+ months out posting their food and they're not tiny portions! They're just healthy and balanced and they look DELICIOUS

Sent from my LG-H850 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Berry78 4,259]

Even though the stomach is tiny, you can fill it up a bunch of times a day. So if you can fit in 240 calories each time (not hard), then you eat 10 times.. bam! You've got it. It IS easier to drink calories though.

I've been consuming 1200 calories since about 12 weeks postop. I don't want to consume more, but see how I could if I needed to.

Low calories during the weight loss phase is good (you should aim to get to 1000- 1200 asap postop though).. and by time you hit goal weight a year or so out, you'll be able to eat more.

One thing we are all excited by is getting your bmr/rmr tested. Maybe before surgery, then every 6 months after. That way you can see how many calories you actually need, and see if it changes over the course of your journey.

[DaleCruse 756]

I'm 6'1 & was sleeved three years ago. I consume about 1,200-1,500 calories a day. If I eat more than that, I gain weight.

One of the best things I did for myself is to eliminate the word "normal". For me, what I experience post WLS IS normal. And it sounds to me like what you're going through is normal too. Good luck!

[Phobia42 6]

2 hours ago, Berry78 said:

One thing we are all excited by is getting your bmr/rmr tested. Maybe before surgery, then every 6 months after. That way you can see how many calories you actually need, and see if it changes over the course of your journey.

My doctor didn't do any kind of official bmr/rmr testing with me, I've only done it through calculations I've found on the internet. Is there an official method to determine this number for an individual? If so, what's involved? I'd love to monitor that so I know my body isn't slowing down too much. I've always struggled with my energy levels, and the last thing I want is for my metabolism to get to used to "provide only enough energy to keep you alive" mode. Thanks for all the great responses!

[Phobia42 6]

1 hour ago, DaleCruse said:

I'm 6'1 & was sleeved three years ago. I consume about 1,200-1,500 calories a day. If I eat more than that, I gain weight.

One of the best things I did for myself is to eliminate the word "normal". For me, what I experience post WLS IS normal. And it sounds to me like what you're going through is normal too. Good luck!

Yeah, I've know everyone's different, and ultimately I'll just have to wait and see. The thing I'm struggling to get my head around is that I'm somewhat knowledgeable about nutrition and physiology, and I still can't understand why someone undergoing the surgery, who achieves a certain weight, would be able to function on a lower calorie count than an identical person who didn't do the surgery, unless their metabolism was slower.

The only thing I can think of is if there is some complex hormonal reason that the metabolism can no longer be raised beyond a certain point, causing those additional calories to get stored, instead of the metabolism raising to use them. My nutritionist hasn't been very helpful on providing insights in this area though.

I've also heard a few stories (although they might be the rare cases) of people who raised their calories, put on weight, but kept it up and eventually the weight came back off at the new calorie number. I might experiment when I get there, but that's a faaarrr way off.

[Berry78 4,259]

1 hour ago, Phobia42 said:

Yeah, I've know everyone's different, and ultimately I'll just have to wait and see. The thing I'm struggling to get my head around is that I'm somewhat knowledgeable about nutrition and physiology, and I still can't understand why someone undergoing the surgery, who achieves a certain weight, would be able to function on a lower calorie count than an identical person who didn't do the surgery, unless their metabolism was slower.

The only thing I can think of is if there is some complex hormonal reason that the metabolism can no longer be raised beyond a certain point, causing those additional calories to get stored, instead of the metabolism raising to use them. My nutritionist hasn't been very helpful on providing insights in this area though.

I've also heard a few stories (although they might be the rare cases) of people who raised their calories, put on weight, but kept it up and eventually the weight came back off at the new calorie number. I might experiment when I get there, but that's a faaarrr way off.

You are writing EXACTLY what goes through my head. And I do have a theory about that last paragraph.

Insulin is a building hormone. When insulin is present, lots of work gets done building lean body mass...hormones and muscles, and the like.. but it also puts fat into storage. So you gain fat weight as well as structural improvements. The idea is once those structural improvements are finished, then there is more lean body mass, which increases the metabolism, and assuming the caloric intake stays the same, the fat that was stored can burn back off (because the increased metabolism now needs more calories than are being consumed.) Once the excess fat is burned off, then the appetite increases, so that you are eating the right amount to maintain your lean body mass. Obviously increasing lean body mass needs exercise (like weight lifting) to really pack on a lot more lean pounds to REALLY raise the metabolism.

And keep in mind that even Protein can raise insulin levels.. not just carbs. So all those body builders pack in the protein to build those muscles, and my theory still holds.

I re-wrote that like 3 times to try and make it make sense. Let me know if I was successful! Lol.

As for where to go for RMR/BMR.. you'll have to go look for it at an exercise physiology lab type place. They charge for the service.. something like $100-$120 as far as I know. Sometimes colleges have those labs, etc. Maybe do a google search for your area. I haven't had mine done yet, hope to in the next couple months.

[Phobia42 6]

No, what you said was well written and I understand exactly what you mean. I think you're right and it works a lot like that. Even if I don't wind up committing to enough weight training to keep on significant lean muscle, I'm hoping to eventually get my metabolism to a point where I can maintain at the same calorie level as anyone else who is active, but not necessarily dedicated to constant weight training.

To be honest, I'm only 3 weeks out, so a lot of my food addictions and cravings are still in full force. I wouldn't be surprised if this changed after my year of better habits and significant weight loss, but as of right now, my goal is to eventually return to a more normal life. I want to be able to have a slice or pizza, but just not 3. I want to have some Pasta, but not half the box. I'm shooting for eventually being able to still enjoy the things I used to, but in much more moderation, and much less frequently (with good, healthy habits most of the time). I just want my metabolism to be in such a state that one slice of pizza doesn't comprise 1/2 the total calories I'm going to be eating for the whole day. We'll see how I feel as time goes on. Thanks.

[Berry78 4,259]

Ok, thanks for clarifying where you are coming from. That helps me formulate an answer for you!

I also was (am?) all about pizza/pasta. At 3 months postop I had my first slice of pizza. The slices were very small, but one quickly turned into 2. Apparently pizza is going to be a problem for me.

My thinking at this point is to limit its consumption. To tell myself I'll *never* have pizza again is unrealistic, so it's a matter of thinking.. how much/little can I consume that item without messing up my physical or mental program. 4 times a year seems like a reasonable amount (first day of each season).. it would be a heck of a lot better than 4 times a week!

Pasta is easier. Bean noodles have a ton of Protein and Fiber and low carbs. Put a little pile into an 8oz bowl with the tomato-based sauce, and I'm golden. Totally on plan. Can have weekly if I want. (I prefer chili though..using actual Beans instead of the noodles).

As you can see, it's about substitutions and limitations. We HAVE to change our behavior around food, or the surgery won't have lasting benefits.

As for gym time, you only need to lift weights once or twice a week to maintain muscle mass. Building muscle takes ... I dunno.. lifting 2-4 times a week I suppose.

The 6 week healing period is going to take away a significant portion of your preop muscles. It's amazing how quickly muscle mass can be built AND lost. So even if you don't want to be a gym rat, you should plan on lifting weights twice a week once you are medically cleared and have the energy.

"Lifting weights" can be as simple as doing pushups or yoga or the like. I prefer gym machines since I don't have to be creative.. just move from machine to machine.

[Berry78 4,259]

These are the bean noodles my local store sells.

[heyvcom 22]

I get my numbers up a bit by drinking some calories everyday. I agree that the basic physiology is not changed with surgery.

For myself, the sleeve is a way to not have to suffer hunger while dieting. It works on Portion Control only, and I have to work at the rest of my food choices consciously.

[Brandeis 401]

I hear what you're saying, but here's something that might help wrap your mind around it.

Take two identical-appearing people -- both, say, 5'9 and 150 pounds. One of them has never been extremely overweight. The other once was 320 pounds, and lost a lot of weight to get down to 150. Feed them the exact same meal every single day, the same number of calories, the 2000 "suggested" by general nutritional info. The person who was once fat will in fact process those calories more and might in fact gain weight, while the person who never was obese might be perfectly fine.

If you have ever been fat, there are certain hormones your body creates more of, that changes the way your body works on a fundamental level. You will need fewer calories for the rest of your life -- even if you get down to weight -- than people who never had that excess weight.

Here's another fun fact. Related. The number of fat cells in your body never decreases, but it can increase. This means that when you put on a lot of weight, you increase the number of fat cells in your body -- and then when you lose weight they don't go away, they just shrink. This means that for the rest of your life, your body will more effectively store fat. You have more of a warehouse to fill, and so your body squirrels away more fat in it.