Concerns about calorie intake

[OneYearLater 14]

Hi folks, I was sleeved September 7, 2017 and after about 5 months out (March), I hit a stall that I couldn’t get out of. Months and months go by....nothing. Granted, I didn’t gain any weight either, but haven’t been able to lose any. I’ve had some other challenges as well...around the time of the stall, my gyno put me on hormones for pre-menopausal stuff. I have stayed at about 1,100-1,200 calories and work out about 4 times a week doing cardio for 30-45 minutes and light weights. Still haven’t been losing. Went to see a nutritionist who said to up my Fiber and Water. Still nothing.

I’m getting close to my 1 year and really want to get this weight off before then, so I took my doctors advice and went back to basics eating like when I first had the surgery. I’ve FINALLY started to see pounds drop. Yay!

I’m hoping this is just a stupid concern and unfounded, but I’m concerned about my caloric intake. Back to eating this way, I’m taking in about 700-800 calories a day. I’m finally losing, but after a period of time, is this caloric intake sustainable??? I want to lose the weight but eventually I’m going to start feeling hungry again, right? I am worried about messing up my metabolism so much that if I eat more than 800 calories after I reach my goal, I’ll be stuck at such a low caloric intake that will just be impossible to continue with and eventually start gaining weight back.

I guess I’m looking for some folks that have been at this for a while to get an idea of what kind of caloric intake you were at while losing and what caloric intake you are at to keep from gaining? Thanks for any advice you can give.

[redhead_che 824]

I’m 7 months out and I’ve never ate more than 700 calories a day. Aside from a few week stall where I played with the same two pounds, I’ve consistently lost. I’m not super far in my journey yet I guess, but I’m only 12 lbs from goal now and never had issues with low calorie intake—I just get my liquid and Protein daily in less calories. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[BostonWLKC 806]

I’m only 6 1/2 months out but like redhead_che I hover around 700 calories a day. Losing about 1-1/2 lbs a week.

I guess it depends on how much you’re trying to lose

I’m not hungry on Protein dense 7-800 calories

[OneYearLater 14]

Thank you for the responses! I’m just wondering if after “hunger” starts to come back if people are still staying at that low of caloric intake. I don’t have too much of a problem with it now, I’m just really worried about once one year, two years hits. I know some folks that had the surgery many years ago and gained a significant amount back and can eat a lot more than when the first year passed, so I’m concerned because I certainly don’t want to go down that road!

[allwet 868]

7 hours ago, ElectricGypsy said:

have stayed at about 1,100-1,200 calories

so this number is your maintenance number and you will need to stay just under this to lower your weight .

Hormones are the driver of weight loss so your changing medical condition will have an effect that you will have to work to overcome.

do your workouts include resistance training. The best way to maintain your metabolism is to increase muscle mass so that you burn more calories on a daily basis as well as the from the workout.

good luck

[Losebig 508]

I was at that level for my first 5 months or and now (6.5 months) hae about doubled that as I approach goal. Eating that level I was losing 3- 4 lbs weekly, now it's 1 - 4 lbs depending on activity level. I don't think you have anything to worry about

[OneYearLater 14]

14 hours ago, allwet said:

so this number is your maintenance number and you will need to stay just under this to lower your weight .

Hormones are the driver of weight loss so your changing medical condition will have an effect that you will have to work to overcome.

do your workouts include resistance training. The best way to maintain your metabolism is to increase muscle mass so that you burn more calories on a daily basis as well as the from the workout.

good luck

That makes a lot of sense. My doctor said to stay about that in calories but I guess I’m different and need to be lower to lose with that being my maintenance intake. I’m just hoping it doesn’t lower too much continuing to eat this low but it doesn’t sound like it does from what you guys are saying. Yes I do resistance and weight training along with my cardio. I can probably increase that some as well as I’m going along to stay safe with my metabolism. Thank you!

[OneYearLater 14]

12 hours ago, Losebig said:

I was at that level for my first 5 months or and now (6.5 months) hae about doubled that as I approach goal. Eating that level I was losing 3- 4 lbs weekly, now it's 1 - 4 lbs depending on activity level. I don't think you have anything to worry about

This is encouraging...thank you! I don’t plan on going back to eating the way I was which got me into this mess in the first place with the weight gain, but I also don’t want to stay at a cal level this low for the rest of my life if my hunger starts to come back some!

[Screwballski 540]

You’re worrying about hunger you’re not feeling! ;)
Enjoy where you are and do what works to get where you want to be. When you live one or two steps ahead inventing what ifs based on others peoples experiences, you aren’t free to enjoy the moment.
Best wishes!

[OneYearLater 14]

59 minutes ago, Screwballski said:

You’re worrying about hunger you’re not feeling!
Enjoy where you are and do what works to get where you want to be. When you live one or two steps ahead inventing what ifs based on others peoples experiences, you aren’t free to enjoy the moment.
Best wishes!

TRUE! I need to just be grateful for right now when I can still eat this low of calories and not feel the hunger and enjoy every moment of it instead of worrying about what it might be like later. I’ve always been s planner so it’s hard to get out of that mode, but you’re right. I need to just appreciate the now.

[FluffyChix 17,410]

Live today. You do you. There is NO cookie cutter solution to weight loss even post surgery. You must find a style/type of eating that you can do long term the rest of your life. It needs to be extensible, meaning that you have to be able to do the short term weight loss mode and then convert it down the road to maintenance level macros. Take care of your food and exercise every day and the future will take care of itself. If what you're doing today isn't working? Reprogram and move forward.

The end. Tomorrow ALWAYS takes care of itself one way or another.

I'm almost 5 months out and I average between 600-750 per day. I get 65-75g of Protein daily (90% of that is from food); eat around 25g net carbs; and healthy fat like avocados, seeds, olive oil fills the balance of the calories. I eat ALMOST a pound a day of leafy and low glycemic veggies and have 1 serving of berries daily. I eat extremely healthy and nutrient dense mostly whole foods without being fanatical about it. I'm a mid-hedonist meaning that I do employ the help of some small amounts of super low/no cal, super low carb/no sugar, super low/no fat prepared dressings, sauces, marinades, and gravies (no it's not ice cubes).

I tried raising my calories to 800-850/day in order to "be like everyone else" on here who spout about 1000-1200 cals per day. And I personally can't do it. My monthly weight loss was cut in half from about 14lbs/mnth to 7lbs/mnth. I don't know about you, but I did NOT just rearrange my innards only to be satisfied with losing 6-7lbs per month! Plus, why do I need to artificially "supplement" my diet with extra calories or fat I don't need -- I have plenty of fat stores on my ass -- or "empty junk calories" from treats that I don't crave anymore? If I'm hungry I eat. But I'm rarely if ever hungry. If I don't eat by the clock, I would accidentally skip meals.

I eat schedule "meals" - rarely is a meal over 200cals--RARELY:

B-protein coffee (about 3oz of Premier Protein mixed with 3oz of Silk Cashew Milk which has Calcium, vit D for 25 cals/cup) spread across 3 cups of decaff brewed coffee

Second Brekky-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens

Lunch-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens and raw veggie or cooked "green soup"

Dinner-protein forward meal with some kind of cooked veg + avo/tomato salad

BS-If necessary, anything I need to complete my food plan for the day. Or just a sf popsicle.

Good luck finding your way! You will do it!!!

[GreenTealael 24,896]

On 07/04/2018 at 08:35, FluffyChix said:

Live today. You do you. There is NO cookie cutter solution to weight loss even post surgery. You must find a style/type of eating that you can do long term the rest of your life. It needs to be extensible, meaning that you have to be able to do the short term weight loss mode and then convert it down the road to maintenance level macros. Take care of your food and exercise every day and the future will take care of itself. If what you're doing today isn't working? Reprogram and move forward.

The end. Tomorrow ALWAYS takes care of itself one way or another.

I'm almost 5 months out and I average between 600-750 per day. I get 65-75g of Protein daily (90% of that is from food); eat around 25g net carbs; and healthy fat like avocados, seeds, olive oil fills the balance of the calories. I eat ALMOST a pound a day of leafy and low glycemic veggies and have 1 serving of berries daily. I eat extremely healthy and nutrient dense mostly whole foods without being fanatical about it. I'm a mid-hedonist meaning that I do employ the help of some small amounts of super low/no cal, super low carb/no sugar, super low/no fat prepared dressings, sauces, marinades, and gravies (no it's not ice cubes).

I tried raising my calories to 800-850/day in order to "be like everyone else" on here who spout about 1000-1200 cals per day. And I personally can't do it. My monthly weight loss was cut in half from about 14lbs/mnth to 7lbs/mnth. I don't know about you, but I did NOT just rearrange my innards only to be satisfied with losing 6-7lbs per month! Plus, why do I need to artificially "supplement" my diet with extra calories or fat I don't need -- I have plenty of fat stores on my ass -- or "empty junk calories" from treats that I don't crave anymore? If I'm hungry I eat. But I'm rarely if ever hungry. If I don't eat by the clock, I would accidentally skip meals.

I eat schedule "meals" - rarely is a meal over 200cals--RARELY:

B-protein coffee (about 3oz of Premier Protein mixed with 3oz of Silk Cashew Milk which has Calcium, vit D for 25 cals/cup) spread across 3 cups of decaff brewed coffee

Second Brekky-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens

Lunch-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens and raw veggie or cooked "green soup"

Dinner-protein forward meal with some kind of cooked veg + avo/tomato salad

BS-If necessary, anything I need to complete my food plan for the day. Or just a sf popsicle.

Good luck finding your way! You will do it!!!

I'm not gonna lie I skim read (or as Gladwell calls it microsectioning) and all I saw was the word cookie and I knew something wasn't right so I read the entire thing lol, congrats on finding what works for you

[jess9395 5,448]

I never ate more than 900 during the losing phase... closer to 600 most of the time. At five years out I am quite active.... I run 20+ miles per week and do yoga 3-4 hours a week. I do get hungry but not at all like before. On a high mileage day I can eat over 2400 calories and maintain. On a day I don’t run I’m more like 1800. Some days I splurge and eat 3000. It evens out. But I maintain and didn’t wreck my metabolism at the low calorie range.

Other posters have different plans and Creek is part of a long term study by research doctors on getting patients up to a higher calorie diet quickly to study the metabolism effects of that.

[OneYearLater 14]

12 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

Live today. You do you. There is NO cookie cutter solution to weight loss even post surgery. You must find a style/type of eating that you can do long term the rest of your life. It needs to be extensible, meaning that you have to be able to do the short term weight loss mode and then convert it down the road to maintenance level macros. Take care of your food and exercise every day and the future will take care of itself. If what you're doing today isn't working? Reprogram and move forward.

The end. Tomorrow ALWAYS takes care of itself one way or another.

I'm almost 5 months out and I average between 600-750 per day. I get 65-75g of Protein daily (90% of that is from food); eat around 25g net carbs; and healthy fat like avocados, seeds, olive oil fills the balance of the calories. I eat ALMOST a pound a day of leafy and low glycemic veggies and have 1 serving of berries daily. I eat extremely healthy and nutrient dense mostly whole foods without being fanatical about it. I'm a mid-hedonist meaning that I do employ the help of some small amounts of super low/no cal, super low carb/no sugar, super low/no fat prepared dressings, sauces, marinades, and gravies (no it's not ice cubes).

I tried raising my calories to 800-850/day in order to "be like everyone else" on here who spout about 1000-1200 cals per day. And I personally can't do it. My monthly weight loss was cut in half from about 14lbs/mnth to 7lbs/mnth. I don't know about you, but I did NOT just rearrange my innards only to be satisfied with losing 6-7lbs per month! Plus, why do I need to artificially "supplement" my diet with extra calories or fat I don't need -- I have plenty of fat stores on my ass -- or "empty junk calories" from treats that I don't crave anymore? If I'm hungry I eat. But I'm rarely if ever hungry. If I don't eat by the clock, I would accidentally skip meals.

I eat schedule "meals" - rarely is a meal over 200cals--RARELY:

B-protein coffee (about 3oz of Premier Protein mixed with 3oz of Silk Cashew Milk which has Calcium, vit D for 25 cals/cup) spread across 3 cups of decaff brewed coffee

Second Brekky-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens

Lunch-protein forward meal with some kind of leafy greens and raw veggie or cooked "green soup"

Dinner-protein forward meal with some kind of cooked veg + avo/tomato salad

BS-If necessary, anything I need to complete my food plan for the day. Or just a sf popsicle.

Good luck finding your way! You will do it!!!

I agree! I went through this extreme because I wanted to get good weight loss that I couldn’t do on my own without this tool. That why it’s been so disappointing losing NOTHING for all those months. I’m starting to see some results now that ex lowered my calories to about 800-875, but it’s starting to stall again I think. I’ll have to see how things go because some days I do start to feel a little weak from my blood sugar levels getting too low (type 2 diabetic).

[OneYearLater 14]

10 hours ago, jess9395 said:

I never ate more than 900 during the losing phase... closer to 600 most of the time. At five years out I am quite active.... I run 20+ miles per week and do yoga 3-4 hours a week. I do get hungry but not at all like before. On a high mileage day I can eat over 2400 calories and maintain. On a day I don’t run I’m more like 1800. Some days I splurge and eat 3000. It evens out. But I maintain and didn’t wreck my metabolism at the low calorie range.

Other posters have different plans and Creek is part of a long term study by research doctors on getting patients up to a higher calorie diet quickly to study the metabolism effects of that.

Boy am I glad to see your response! Since you are a few years out, it really helps me to see that you are maintaining at a significantly higher calorie amount than when you were in your losing stage. That has always been my concern that I would be screwing up my metabolism so much by being a low amount of calories for a long time and eventually I would get hungry again and would fail trying to stay really low with hunger. Thank you! You give me hope!