Hello Peeps,

I have a female friend from church that was sleeved around the same time as me. She has lost a ton of weight and looks like a totally different person. I asked her how she has been been so successful, is it diet? or exercise? counting calories? counting carbs? She told me that she only counts her calories and that she only takes in 800 calories per day. How is that even possible? I dont understand how you can take in that few of calories and not be hungry throughout the day. What do you guys think about that? Doesnt that seem like it would be hard to do?

On 12/13/2018 at 23:35, elcee said:

3000 calories is one heck of a lot. What are you eating?

An average woman needs to eat about 2000 calories per day to maintain, and 1500 calories to lose one pound of weight per week. An average man needs 2500 calories to maintain, and 2000 to lose one pound of weight per week.Jul 6, 2018

I think a better question is, what am I not eating. If any of you want to DM me some ideas as to what your day consists of, I would be very grateful. There used to be a user on here that had lost a ton of weight and he said he had to eat the same thing every day in order to be successful. I am thinking of trying to go that route.

On 12/13/2018 at 22:29, GreenTealael said:

The problem is you can't give up food completely like other substances that are abused. Have you looked into OA further? I'm curious how they help.

I hate to make this comparison because it feels tacky but salads can be used like methadone (too far?)

Naw, your joke about methadone is not offensive. I am not some fragile person that cannot take a joke. The only drug I ever struggled with was weed, I still love it. But sadly I cannot use it or it will consume me, all I will want to do is get high. And I don’t mean just a little high, I mean like semi coma high. I am an alcoholic to the bone, I cannot even have one drink or I will drink every day after that. The only option I have is to abstain and stay sober.
I used to go to OA about 10 years ago.
I never got really that active into it, but liked the meetings. I have found a meeting near my house, but haven’t gone yet. I am a food addict for sure, I will abuse food just like a drug.

55 minutes ago, Walter.Sobchak said:

Naw, your joke about methadone is not offensive. I am not some fragile person that cannot take a joke. The only drug I ever struggled with was weed, I still love it. But sadly I cannot use it or it will consume me, all I will want to do is get high. And I don’t mean just a little high, I mean like semi coma high. I am an alcoholic to the bone, I cannot even have one drink or I will drink every day after that. The only option I have is to abstain and stay sober.
I used to go to OA about 10 years ago.
I never got really that active into it, but liked the meetings. I have found a meeting near my house, but haven’t gone yet. I am a food addict for sure, I will abuse food just like a drug.

Walter. You've been so honest with us. Thank you for sharing your struggle and triumph. YOU have great power inside you to figure this stuff out and not be a victim to your addictive nature/genetics or whatever it is that predisposed you towards these substances!

Please, please, please work on getting to the point where you are just sick of continuing sliding down the slippery slope and regaining all your hard lost weight? PLEASE? I know this is the last area that you get to control. And there must be some part of you that is wanting the high that comes from medicating with food (dopamine/seratonin rush). Why not talk to your surgeon or PCP about prescribing I think it's something like Contrave? Or naltrexone? They give it for food addictions but also to help curb alcohol and drug cravings. Then start working your OA program, just as you work your AA program.

Don't let having 3 kids give you the excuse to cave to the craving. You don't want to be obese. I think you don't. Right? It's hard, but you can do it. Someone mentioned a book that is really helpful and free on Amazon for Kindle called Never Binge Again. A dude wrote it and you might relate to it. It really is a helpful book. I have used it for years to help with my BE behaviors.

You got this bro. Just take that 2nd step now that you've taken the 1st step!!!

I have that book, I downloaded it but never read it. In addition to all my addiction issues I also suffer from OCD and Major Depressive Disorder. Pretty awesome combination of mental illness and addiction issues. I don’t know how my wife has stood by me for 8 years.

1 minute ago, Walter.Sobchak said:

I have that book, I downloaded it but never read it. In addition to all my addiction issues I also suffer from OCD and Major Depressive Disorder. Pretty awesome combination of mental illness and addiction issues. I don’t know how my wife has stood by me for 8 years.

Not surprising. All of this goes hand in hand. You self-medicate to get past the depression and OCD is one thought? Do you work with a therapist? Cuz you KNOW you should. ((hugs)) And she stands by you cuz she sees the person you are deep down and loves you. You are worthy of love.

I have that book, I downloaded it but never read it. In addition to all my addiction issues I also suffer from OCD and Major Depressive Disorder. Pretty awesome combination of mental illness and addiction issues. I don’t know how my wife has stood by me for 8 years.

Knowing this, can I encourage you to look into good mental health hygiene habits. Because I wouldn't be surprised if as[mention=323408]FluffyChix[/mention] says you've probably been using food etc. to self medicate for the OCD and depression.

There's lots of evidence that the following really really help with good mental health and you may find with that improving, or becomes easier to work your healthy eating plan:

- good sleep is #1!!!! No electronics in bed (reduce blue light exposure before bed); go to bed before midnight and get a solid 7-8 hours.

- sunlight/fresh air exposure during the day, preferably before afternoon (helps set your circadian rhythms)

- regular exercise = go for a walk outside and you kill two birds with one stone

- take fish oil and Vitamin D supplements (something to do with good brain functioning)

- hug someone you love for at least 50 seconds for oxytocin release in your brain!

It sounds hokey but it really helps me with my bipolar.

How big is she? I just looked through my baritastic app and I was eating 800 calories by week two. I eat 1800-2000 now with plans to eventually cap out at 2400. I am 6’6” with 220 lbs of muscle mass according to my body composition scale. So my BMR at my ultimate goal weight would be about 2400.

To me, 800 calories sounds way too low and I would be shocked if she wasn’t malnourished unless she is short and super skinny.

I have a therapist and a psychiatrist, I take numerous meds and supplements. I have started to identify things that make my depression worse such as diet soda and gluten. I have not tried fish oil yet.

On 12/14/2018 at 17:48, MeanSleevedMachine said:

How big is she? I just looked through my baritastic app and I was eating 800 calories by week two. I eat 1800-2000 now with plans to eventually cap out at 2400. I am 6’6” with 220 lbs of muscle mass according to my body composition scale. So my BMR at my ultimate goal weight would be about 2400.



To me, 800 calories sounds way too low and I would be shocked if she wasn’t malnourished unless she is short and super skinny.

That’s the thing, I don’t want to sound jealous or bitter but she does look malnourished. She is probably like 5 foot 6 if I had to guess.

I honestly have never counted calories since my WLS (I did count protein for the first year). Now I'm closing in on 4 years out and I can guarantee you that I'm eating much more than 800 calories per day. I would guess that I eat ~1800 calories per day, and I'm about the same height as your friend. I don't feel deprived at all, and I'm maintaining pretty well at this level.

15 hours ago, Walter.Sobchak said:

I have that book, I downloaded it but never read it. In addition to all my addiction issues I also suffer from OCD and Major Depressive Disorder. Pretty awesome combination of mental illness and addiction issues. I don’t know how my wife has stood by me for 8 years.

Love.

Edited December 15, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

14 hours ago, MeanSleevedMachine said:

How big is she? I just looked through my baritastic app and I was eating 800 calories by week two. I eat 1800-2000 now with plans to eventually cap out at 2400. I am 6’6” with 220 lbs of muscle mass according to my body composition scale. So my BMR at my ultimate goal weight would be about 2400.

To me, 800 calories sounds way too low and I would be shocked if she wasn’t malnourished unless she is short and super skinny.

Dude. You're 6'6". You're an outlier. LOL. I'm 5'4" (barely) with normal to medium build and I struggle to lose at 800cals/day. And I can pack a CRAPTON of nutritious food into 800 cals. LOL. I'm stuck at 149-150lbs right now--so NOT skinny at all, nor close to super skinny.

We're all so different!!!

(And btw, we want to see pics!!!!)

I also wanted to drop this here because it's important to remember sometimes. We are all different. You did good , @Walter.Sobchak

Walter— you NEED to get in touch with your dr or his nutritionist and review your eating regimen and choices. Even if you weren’t dieting you should NOT be consuming 3000 calories a day unless you’re preparing for your super marathon or something.

Unfortunately I had a falling out with my surgeons office due to them screwing me and charging me three times the amount we agreed upon would be my out of pocket. Haven’t been back to see him since 3 months after surgery.