Hi guys,

I've been reading a lot of posts about daily calorie intake, and the people I've seen post have been saying that they are eating about 1000-1200 calories a day and are about the same amount of time out that I am. The only problem here is I usually only make it to 600 calories a day at most. Maybe 700. I only eat when i'm physically hungry. Is that normal? I had surgery 12/28/17 and will be out 3 weeks on Thursday. I guess i'm just a worry wart. Anything helps

You are doing fine. Listen to your doctor's/nutritionist's instructions. I hit 1000 calories on week 3...but everyone is different and some doctors encourage patients to eat less.

My group wants 1000-1200 as soon as possible....but they don't start pushing you to make this goal until you're 6 weeks out or so. They just encourage you to do your best. Take your time, listen to your body. Do your best to make your fluid and protein goals first, then worry about calories. Best wishes!

Edited January 16, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

Thank you so much ♥

I am in the same boat as you. Sleeved on 18 Dec and down 11 lbs.
My surgeon told me to eat at least 800 calories a day and let me tell you, I struggle with this as I am not hungry and the weekends are the worst!!
Today I am starting fresh and getting all my Requirements in, protein, water, calories etc.
I think it will make a difference in my weight loss also.



Sleeved: 18 Dec 2017
SW: 248
CW: 218
5’8

Everyone is different, but definitely defer to your doctor. I'm 7 weeks out today from my Sleeved date, and my binder plan still says 400-600 calories, which I think is WAY too low, especially since I have such an easy time eating now. Most days I'm between 700-900 calories, which is perfect and satisfying for me. It says the calorie goal ups to 600-800 between months 2-6 and then it goes up to 800-1000 between 6 months and 1 year, and 1000-1200 after a year. It's a general guideline.

At my three week check up, I told my doctor I was at 500-800 calories a day and she said that was good. They were more concerned about protein and fluid intake.

36 minutes ago, AmyP619 said:

Everyone is different, but definitely defer to your doctor. I'm 7 weeks out today from my Sleeved date, and my binder plan still says 400-600 calories, which I think is WAY too low, especially since I have such an easy time eating now. Most days I'm between 700-900 calories, which is perfect and satisfying for me. It says the calorie goal ups to 600-800 between months 2-6 and then it goes up to 800-1000 between 6 months and 1 year, and 1000-1200 after a year. It's a general guideline.

My binder that they gave me doesn't give me a number! so your post makes me feel a ton better.

21 minutes ago, LilaJane20 said:

At my three week check up, I told my doctor I was at 500-800 calories a day and she said that was good. They were more concerned about Protein and Fluid intake.

This makes me feel so much better!

I would feel so much better if all of our surgeons landed in roughly the same place, but the recommendations are all over the freakin' place!!!

And my "binder plan" says 1000-1200 calories per day as soon as possible. LOL:) Ya can't win.

They're different.

Why are they different? Because bariatric endocrinology is an emerging science.

My doc is part of a group that is studying the effects of longterm low calorie eating on metabolism after WLS. They've found that people who are on the traditional lower calorie diet the first year....lose weight faster, but lose comparable total amounts to people who eat 1200 calories over the first 18 months. Further....people who eat more in the early stages have less regain at 5 and 10 years post-op than people whose calories were very restricted early on. The theory is that you should avoid starvation levels of calories when resetting your metabolism.

Those who are told to eat lower amounts of calories the first year....have doctors who are following the traditional tried and true bariatric program that has existed for years.

Those who are eating more in the first year and are encouraged to reach 1200 as soon as they can....tend to have doctors who have been following the new research on better long term outcomes.

Neither are wrong. It just depends on the beliefs of who you are working with.

My group's protocol was developed by a research hospital and is being adopted by Cedars Sinai and Bethesda this year.

Edited January 16, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

@Creekimp13 May I ask what your pre-op diet was? Bethesda = Walter Reed? I'm in Maryland, my surgery in Annapolis, but I am keeping an eye on Hopkins' requirements, too.

Avoiding ultra low-calories for an extended period makes a lot of sense.

My surgeon's one unique insight at our orientation is that sleevers lose as much as bypassers at 5 years.

He is allowing us to eat low carb (I've calculated 800 cals) for our pre-surgery diet: 3 meals with 4 oz protein, 3 fruits and/or yogurts, 2 T salad dressing, some nut proteins, and veges.

Edited January 16, 20188 yr by Apple203

28 minutes ago, Apple203 said:

@Creekimp13

Avoiding ultra low-calories for an extended period makes a lot of sense.

My surgeon's one unique insight at our orientation is that sleevers lose as much as bypassers at 5 years.

@Apple203 My surgeon is in Texas and shares your surgeon's opinion. She really wanted me to have the sleeve until my EGD came back with so much GERD damage in my esophagus.

2 hours ago, Creekimp13 said:

And my "binder plan" says 1000-1200 calories per day as soon as possible. LOL:) Ya can't win.

They're different.

Why are they different? Because bariatric endocrinology is an emerging science.

My doc is part of a group that is studying the effects of longterm low calorie eating on metabolism after WLS. They've found that people who are on the traditional lower calorie diet the first year....lose weight faster, but lose comparable total amounts to people who eat 1200 calories over the first 18 months. Further....people who eat more in the early stages have less regain at 5 and 10 years post-op than people whose calories were very restricted early on. The theory is that you should avoid starvation levels of calories when resetting your metabolism.

Those who are told to eat lower amounts of calories the first year....have doctors who are following the traditional tried and true bariatric program that has existed for years.

Those who are eating more in the first year and are encouraged to reach 1200 as soon as they can....tend to have doctors who have been following the new research on better long term outcomes.

Neither are wrong. It just depends on the beliefs of who you are working with.

My group's protocol was developed by a research hospital and is being adopted by Cedars Sinai and Bethesda this year.

Thank you for this!!! I thought 400-600 was pretty extreme since my preop diet was also that on top of liquids only. That's a long time to be eating barely anything. There are days I freak out over eating 800 calories worried I'm eating too much until I step back and remember that compared to a "normal" diet that's still pretty low lol. I eat healthy, I just don't starve myself.

For whatever reason in my program they don't want us to worry about calories and focus on hitting the protein goal. They do have us low /no carb though, so it would be pretty hard to overeat given how hard it is to eat dense protein. In practice eating just protein to get to my goal I'm 800-1k calories, though they say it can take folks several weeks to get there.

3 hours ago, Apple203 said:

@Creekimp13 May I ask what your pre-op diet was? Bethesda = Walter Reed?

My pre-op diet was a mix of Mayo Clinic diet and Mediterranean diet.

Yes, Bethesda Naval...Walter Reed:)

Edited January 17, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

Eating 1,000- 1,200 calories at 3 weeks is craziness.

Im roughly 8 weeks and im JUST starting to hit around 1000 calories a day.

I think being 500-800 calories a day is perfectly normal for several weeks. Just make sure to get your protein and listen to your doc of course