& How far out are you?

I know many WLS plans (including mine) encourage not counting calories and instead focusing on the macros... but I'm wondering if I'm eating too few calories and if its negatively impacting my weight loss 1.5 yrs post op and I'm generally eating 600-900 calories. Today I'm at 638, and I have a hardboiled egg if I get hungry later so I'll probably wrap up at 700 for the day. I was traveling over the weekend and did a pretty good job of sticking to my plan and tracked absolutely everything I ate (I promise! every single bite!) but ate 1186 and 1204 calories on Saturday and Sunday respectively and gained 3.6lbs! Hoping it's bloating or something because that seems really excessive, especially when if I were "normal" for my height/weight I could probably be eating around 1500 calories and still be losing weight. So yeah. Just wondering if my caloric intake is normal, and what you guys are at.

I'm in the same calorie area as you . Today I'm at 709 calories. I'm 2 months post op with a duodenal switch. I haven't gone over 1000 calories. I'm eating well and not holding back. Just eat until I'm satisfied.

1000-1200 per day:) I'm six and a half weeks out. My team believes in resetting the metabolism at maintenance calorie levels instead of starvation levels....and losing weight steadily over 18 months....instead of fast loss followed by slow loss. We are encouraged to try to eat up to 1000-1200 as soon as we comfortably can at our one week checkup. I hit this goal at week 3.

Many surgeons still follow the tried and true oldschool protocol of restricting calories severely in the first year after surgery.

I'm thankful my group doesn't do this. I am enjoying my normal calorie intake and losing weight well:)

Edited January 19, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

Note that these instructions are for Phase Four...which begins (for most people) at the end of the second week... Pureed/blended/mushy.

Note the calorie goal. 1000-1200 calories.

Lot of people think I'm making this up...I'm not.

My group's protocol was created by a research hospital that studied outcomes 5 and 10 years down the road. People who eat more calories quicker lose weight slower than calorie restricted patients.....but they lose an identical amount of weight at 18 months post-op....and at 5 and 10 years post-op have less regain. Researchers believe it might have to do with metabolic reset.

Whatever the reason, I'm glad I can eat a little more. I'm never hungry, and my weight loss has been steady. I really like my diet and think I can live with it for a lifetime. I don't feel deprived. I feel moderate, healthy and like I'm avoiding extremes.

Edited January 19, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

And um...we also eat carbs:) No refined sugar, but beans, potatoes, whole wheat breads, protein pasta, oatmeal....low glycemic carbs that don't cause sugar spikes and boomerang hunger...I eat them daily. Fruit, too:)

Bariatrics is an emerging field. There are some new ideas out there, and lots of old ones. Time will tell which ones work the best long term. And like everything else...I'm sure some plans work better for some people than others.

Edited January 19, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

3 hours ago, elliekay said:

& How far out are you?

I know many WLS plans (including mine) encourage not counting calories and instead focusing on the macros... but I'm wondering if I'm eating too few calories and if its negatively impacting my weight loss 1.5 yrs post op and I'm generally eating 600-900 calories. Today I'm at 638, and I have a hardboiled egg if I get hungry later so I'll probably wrap up at 700 for the day. I was traveling over the weekend and did a pretty good job of sticking to my plan and tracked absolutely everything I ate (I promise! every single bite!) but ate 1186 and 1204 calories on Saturday and Sunday respectively and gained 3.6lbs! Hoping it's bloating or something because that seems really excessive, especially when if I were "normal" for my height/weight I could probably be eating around 1500 calories and still be losing weight. So yeah. Just wondering if my caloric intake is normal, and what you guys are at.

1200 at a year and a half out is in range for weight loss mode. Give it more time at that calorie level. Make sure you are hitting your protein and macro gaol. I hope the scale moves soon.

I'm less than a week away from being 9 months out and I get about 650 calories in each day. Sometimes I get about 200 extra calories in, just depends on where I am and if I'm "treating" myself. Otherwise, it's 650-700. Usually the lowest amount...

But if you're 1.5 years out then you should probably getting in around the 1200 range. I'm just eating what I can and when I'm not hungry anymore, I stop.

Hw-273
Sw-226
CW-142
GW-130
Size- 4 or 6, Small in sweats. Small in shirts. depends on how it's cut or made.
Bra Size- 38D

Surgery Date- April 26th, 2017
RNY
"Only those who try will become" FFX

@elliekay I also think the question has to be asked about the quality of your 1100-1200 calories. What did it consist of? Was there alcohol involved?

I generally think that you're traveling so you may have fluid retention in your limbs. You may also be full of poop!

But...if it were me, and it has been this past year...I would go back to your 600-900 cals until your weight comes back down. Then start slowly and emphasis on SLOWLY raise your cals with lean proteins, healthy fats (avocado, butter -- yes, butter, etc), and low glycemic veggies and a tiny bit of fruit. I raised cals at first 50 cals per week, then later 100cals/1-2 weeks, then lastly 200 cals/2weeks. I went from eating liquid diet at 300-400 cals/day to eating at 1500 cals that way. The weight loss did level off and I'm basically in maintenance at 1500 cals which is where the surgeon wants me right now.

If I had done it quickly though, I would have gained badly. Also, just 1 drink of alcohol makes me instantly put on 2lbs overnight. So it's just not worth it...

Hope you get it figured out!!

Edited January 20, 20188 yr by FluffyChix

I’m at 650-800 calories a day. I’m trying to get to 1000 calories a day by three months but it’s actually kind of tough. I just can’t eat a lot. I can definitely hit my protein goal now without shakes tho, which is pretty nice.

I am seven weeks out.

I’m 2 and a half years out and now I’m at the point where I’m just now making my life style change it’s a shame but i lost 85 pounds got down to 135 but i recently gained back 30 I’m on adipex and lipo pills prescribed and i work out every other day for a hour and a half

I’m kind of shocked at some of your low calorie amounts. I’m just 6 months out and I followed the Rec of one of the successful people here, forgetting her name now, who said for the first 3 months, around 600-800 cals, then after that 800-1000 cals, and around now, 6 months, I would raise it to 1000-1200. So I do get around 900-1100 cals a day. Over 50% fat. I try to get 60g protein. And keep carbs to as low as possible and only healthy carbs, not processed. And I lose every week. Slowly but it keeps happening.

ive had a few days of 800 cals when I didn’t feel like eating for some rare reason. But I have not eaten a 600 cal day in a long time and I wouldn’t want to. I’m surprised you guys can exist on such low cals. I was tired and weak when I was eating that much only, after surgery.

I am 8 months out and have lost 126 lbs including 10 day pre surgery liquid diet

In the first 3 months I probably averaged about 600 Calories day. Around 6 months it was about 800-900. Now I am closer to 1000.

I work out, work long hours and have no issues with my stamina (although that was not the case in the first 4 nonths).

I do try to Vary my calorie intake every few weeks by doing short term spikes and then lower calorie days. My weight loss progress is pretty consistent with a CICO approach.

This is something I’ve tweaked over the past several months which I think is critical. Different people respond to different things.

I’m five and half years out. I eat in the 1800-3000 range daily and maintain a 135 pound weight loss. I do exercise a good amount and those are the 2400+ days.

I ate in the 300-500 range for six months gradually increasing to 600-800 at a year.

I lost my weight in almost exactly a year

Oh and I was never tired and weak at those calories. I ran 20 miles a week and did 4-5 hours of intense yoga.

I'm 13 months post op and average between 1100-1400 calories a day depending on if I hit the gym and honestly my time of the month I need my calories a bit higher or I feel completely exhausted.

My NUT said she wanted us getting 1200 by 6 months post op and maintain that until a year out then gradually increase calories once we want to stop losing. I'm 9 pounds from goal and losing about 1-3 pounds a month.

On 1/21/2018 at 8:11 PM, jess9395 said:

I’m five and half years out. I eat in the 1800-3000 range daily and maintain a 135 pound weight loss. I do exercise a good amount and those are the 2400+ days.

I ate in the 300-500 range for six months gradually increasing to 600-800 at a year.

I lost my weight in almost exactly a year

Things look different as time passes. No way you can eat like a bariatric patient if you are have an above normal fitness level.