Can someone or all of you, tell me which is best to really watch to help take weight off - calories, carbs, fat, sugar? I'm totally confused - if I watch my calories there's too much fat, if I watch my fat there's too much sugar. Help please! Also, I had my surgery in August and still have not gotten a fill since i lost a pretty good amount of weight at first, but I feel as though I'm eating too much now. What can I do? Thanks for any help!

Calories in & calories out.....that's the thing that counts the most by far.

Good carbs are OK, bad carbs are bad!! Nothing white: try to limit your sugar, white flour, potatoes, rice, Pasta.

Fat's really OK in my book... but good fats like olive oil and avocados are much, much better for you than butter and trans fats.

If you are eating too much then go get a fill! Sounds like you're due!

I believe in calories in/calories out too. And avoid too many bad carbs - but you could eat nothing but donuts and lose weight. Its just not the healthiest way to do it.

And make a big part of your calorie deficit as a result of exercise because that also turns you into a fat burning machine.

high protein low carb is the best way for me to lose and maintain weight loss.... i put ground flax seeds in my food and take vitamins . drink lots of water. takes 4 water molocules to metabolize one fat molocule... L-cartinine is an amino acid you can by in liquid from health food store. it helps metabolize fat and carry out of the body. keep up the good fats and fiber..... good luck.

You should always be aware of the quality of your food, but the caloric content is very important. I keep my daily intake around 800 and 1200 and that works for me. Logging your food on a program such as FitDay, SparkPeople, etc. is an OUTSTANDING way to get in the habit. All these years I thought Weight Watchers was "full of it" for trying to drill into everyone to log log log log their food intake. It was a pain and I would start and do it for about two days and then blow it off. Then suddenly some switch in my brain clicked on after my banding and I got the message 100%. WOW!!!! All these years they were RIGHT!!!!!

Calories in vs. calories out for me!

i think everyone is different but ultimately it is cals in / cals out.

i get best results from extreme low carb (less than 20 grams total a day)

What do you mean, cal in / cal out? can you explain? I 've never heard of that. Please someone explain.

What do you mean, cal in / cal out? can you explain? I 've never heard of that. Please someone explain.

Sure. You want to limit the number of calories you take in to be less than the number you burn per day.

Low calories and low carbs works good for me. On days when I get a little too many carbs, I take a few extra laps to work them off.

I don't pay much attention to calories because I watch my Protein and carbs very closely. If you keep them in check, then your calories won't get out of hand.

Most of the very successful wls patients I know do the following:

80-100 grams protein/day

Less than 30 grams carbs/day (and those are good carbs, not starches)

you might want to good "net carbs" or "impact carbs" if you're not

familiar with this concept

No starches.....potatoes, rice, Pasta, white bread, etc

64 oz water/tea

Exercise

Fitday.com or something similar is a great way to track your intake and to learn your food values.

takes 4 Water molocules to metabolize one fat molocule

I believe that is glycogen vs. fat.

WeightWatchers.com - Weight-Loss Plateaus - Visitor

Thanks everybody - one more question. How do I find out the right amount of calories for me to take in per day - is it based on my weight?

Thanks everybody - one more question. How do I find out the right amount of calories for me to take in per day - is it based on my weight?

Nooo, not based on weight. Usually your doc will give you a number. If he didn't or you don't recall, ask him.

My doc suggests 800 daily, some suggest 1000. It varies. I have no idea what your doc suggests for you.

Dave01 - when were you banded? This year? You already lost 70 lbs??? Please tell me it isn't so, cause if so I've got alot of work to do!!

Sweetpea I think that's different for everyone. Science will tell you one thing, that based on your height, weight and activity level you should eat X calories - that's easy info to find, google it, you'll come up with a million sites to work that out, and your doc will no doubt use the same type of formula.

For me personally, that's close enough, all the formulae tell me I should be able to lose on 1500 a day and I do.

But one thing that's very obvious from hanging round here for 3 years is that some people's bodies defy science. They eat what they are told they should and they dont lose and have to eat much less. Hopefully you wont fall into that category!.

YOu have to fine tune these things for yourself.

And many people find dieting life lots easier on lower carbs, they seem to have fewer cravings that way and cutting out a food group is a pretty sure fire way of decreasing calories too. It doesnt seem to make much difference to me, I can eat plenty of carbs and lose, but again, that's something you have to figure out for yourself.

Thanks everybody - one more question. How do I find out the right amount of calories for me to take in per day - is it based on my weight?

what i had to do was experiment. and it still is a flux of cals/carbs based on what i do that day. i dont want to stay the same cals so i can keep my body confused and the metabolism going ... also, if i am working out (especially running) i need to up the cals a bit so i dont get light headed.

good luck!