The Maintenance Thread

[GreenTealael 24,856]

Here's my online BMR calculations, but who knows what I'm actually eating (because I can't track accurately these days , it feels like so much extra work 😥 luckily I dont feel like i need to right now since I eat the same things over and over again 😳)

[ms.sss 14,656]

Here's mine using the same calculator as GreenTealael.

Numbers seem about right based on my own weight and intake records....

[GreenTealael 24,856]

I wonder if these calculators are even accurate for our population?

[ms.sss 14,656]

1 minute ago, GreenTealael said:

I wonder if these calculators are even accurate for our population?

Hmmmm...I think any body composition calculator found online would be inherently inaccurate (for anybody). Anything that gives you results on something sight unseen is something that should be made wary of.

[sillykitty 10,705]

4 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

Hmmmm...I think any body composition calculator found online would be inherently inaccurate (for anybody). Anything that gives you results on something sight unseen is something that should be made wary of.

One would think Dexa would be more accurate, but not in my case.

[ms.sss 14,656]

19 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

One would think Dexa would be more accurate, but not in my case.

Correct me if I'm wrong: doesn't DEXA mesaure body composition only and therefore would only provide BMR, as in how many calories you need to maintain your weight if just sat on a couch all day and merely breathed?

It doesn't take into account your activity levels, your heart rates at different levels of activity, how your body handles lactate production, etc...

You could probably just lay down and be fed 1200 cals intravenously (you couldn't feed yourself, cuz that would expend energy, lol) and you wouldn't lose nor gain a single ounce. BUT, you do move, and your body seems to be burning fuel at a very high level since you can maintain at 2000 cals in reality. You one of the fortunate ones, lady

Edited November 5, 2019 by ms.sss

[FluffyChix 17,409]

1 hour ago, AZhiker said:

Amazing how much Fluid is lost with activity.

You lost most of it through expiration. Just nerdin' out for a minute.

Congrats on your ride. Boo on the potty stop. You're doing great!

[GreenTealael 24,856]

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

...doesn't DEXA mesaure body composition only and therefore would only provide BMR, as in how many calories you need to maintain your weight if just sat on a couch all day and merely breathed...

I feel attacked 😂

[sillykitty 10,705]

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

Correct me if I'm wrong: doesn't DEXA mesaure body composition only and therefore would only provide BMR, as in how many calories you need to maintain your weight if just sat on a couch all day and merely breathed?

It doesn't take into account your activity levels, your heart rates at different levels of activity, how your body handles lactate production, etc...

You could probably just lay down and be fed 1200 cals intravenously (you couldn't feed yourself, cuz that would expend energy, lol) and you wouldn't lose nor gain a single ounce. BUT, you do move, and your body seems to be burning fuel at a very high level since you can maintain at 2000 cals in reality. You one of the fortunate ones, lady

I think you are over estimating how far my dry cleaners is from my house, or how often I need clothes dry cleaned. 🤣

[AZhiker 2,251]

4 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

You lost most of it through expiration. Just nerdin' out for a minute.

Congrats on your ride. Boo on the potty stop. You're doing great!

Thanks. It took most of the day to feel recovered - this is sooo much work, but I feel I need to keep setting goals to keep myself engaged in meaningful activity. After this bike "race" (over 7,000 riders last year! with 100+ mile, 50 mile, 25 mile, and 5 mile events) (My goal is just to FINISH!), I will start swimming again, since it will be so dark when I get off work. Also starting to work on hiking segments of the AZ trail - the plan is to do the lower, hotter segments in winter, and the higher,mountainous segments in summer. Grand Canyon segments next October. Woo hoo!

And you are right about the Fluid loss through expiration! I rode a new route today with some steep, challenging hills that had me really puffing - so I think I lost a LOT on those hills!

Edited November 6, 2019 by AZhiker

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

3 minutes ago, AZhiker said:

Thanks. It took most of the day to feel recovered - this is sooo much work, but I feel I need to keep setting goals to keep myself engaged in meaningful activity. After this bike "race" (over 7,000 riders last year! with 100+ mile, 50 mile, 25 mile, and 5 mile events) (My goal is just to FINISH!), I will start swimming again, since it will be so dark when I get off work. Also starting to work on hiking segments of the AZ trail - the plan is to do the lower, hotter segments in winter, and the higher,mountainous segments in summer. Grand Canyon segments next October. Woo hoo!

And you are right about the Fluid loss through expiration! I rode a new route today with some steep, challenging hills that had me really puffing - so I think I lost a LOT on those hills!

Hey AZ

Glad you found cooked Cereal doesn’t cause dumping. What is working for you to fuel as an athlete?

I still do a training tapper, seven day carb load and only liquid carbs race day. Have you tried unflavored cytocarb added to your water/hydration vest?

can’t wait to hear about your 50 miler. You are a bad ass!

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

On 10/28/2019 at 12:49 PM, mousecat88 said:

glad i decided to click to this thread via my "losing too much" post. such a bizarre challenge to have. lol. i feel like i ate a good amount this weekend (yesterday i had 3 egg whites, 2 turkey sausages, a large yogurt... thing... (cracker barrel, lol), 4oz filet mignon, a serving of cheddies, kiwi aloe drink, a pumpkin spice chai latte w/ almond milk, and 2 servings of Zeroodle lentil fettucine w/ chunky spaghetti sauce and parm cheese) and was down another pound this morning. *head explodes*

You posted “Yesterday I ate straight JUNK knowing I would get sick but it was a lot of calories and I felt desperate in the moment to "stop losing". I did get sick, Not shocking” “1350 (give or take). Which is comical since I eat about 600-700 cals tops (and obviously a lot less today).Also cleared to go back to the gym in January post-plastics so that'll add to the massive calorie deficit. Buhhhh. I’m on that path to gaunt.”

I’m glad you checked into this thread. All of us had to increase calories, fats and carbs with tight surgery restriction. We are proof it can be done.

Tough love,

If you honestly want to stop losing weight, STOP eating in weight loss mode.

You know what you need to do.

• Graze all day to up your calories. Your restriction will be less over time. It will get easier.
• Add low glycemic carbs and healthy fats. (Don’t eat junk food to get calories in)

Are you still working on becoming a trainer? What would you tell a client that was going back to the gym to work out on 600/700 calories?

If you want different results make better choices.

[AZhiker 2,251]

4 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Hey AZ

Glad you found cooked Cereal doesn’t cause dumping. What is working for you to fuel as an athlete?

I still do a training tapper, seven day carb load and only liquid carbs race day. Have you tried unflavored cytocarb added to your water/hydration vest?

can’t wait to hear about your 50 miler. You are a bad ass!

I have read up on the maltodextrin in cytocarb and it seems that it causes dumping in some people. This just sounds scary to me. The RX bars seem to work, as long as I eat them in small increments and not overload my system with too many carbs at one time. On my next ride I am going to try some orange slices along with the bars.

Edited November 6, 2019 by AZhiker

[AZhiker 2,251]

4 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Hey AZ

Glad you found cooked Cereal doesn’t cause dumping. What is working for you to fuel as an athlete?

I still do a training tapper, seven day carb load and only liquid carbs race day. Have you tried unflavored cytocarb added to your water/hydration vest?

can’t wait to hear about your 50 miler. You are a bad ass!

PS: My cooked cereal contains teff, amaranth, quinoa, and slivered almonds, along with soy milk, so the oat carbs are getting somewhat balanced by higher Protein grains, nuts, and soy. I would never try something like plain cream of rice. I used to have very bad reactive hypoglycemia to plain carbs in my former life, so I learned to never take carbs without protein. I shudder to think of the reaction I could have now after bypass.

[Recidivist 1,141]

6 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

You posted “Yesterday I ate straight JUNK knowing I would get sick but it was a lot of calories and I felt desperate in the moment to "stop losing". I did get sick, Not shocking” “1350 (give or take). Which is comical since I eat about 600-700 cals tops (and obviously a lot less today).Also cleared to go back to the gym in January post-plastics so that'll add to the massive calorie deficit. Buhhhh. I’m on that path to gaunt.”

I’m glad you checked into this thread. All of us had to increase calories, fats and carbs with tight surgery restriction. We are proof it can be done.

Tough love,

If you honestly want to stop losing weight, STOP eating in weight loss mode.

You know what you need to do.

• Graze all day to up your calories. Your restriction will be less over time. It will get easier.
• Add low glycemic carbs and healthy fats. (Don’t eat junk food to get calories in)

Are you still working on becoming a trainer? What would you tell a client that was going back to the gym to work out on 600/700 calories?

If you want different results make better choices.

Hi, Healthy Life.

As you can see from our surgery dates, many of us are just now entering the maintenance phase. There isn't nearly as much structure as there was in the very regimented weight loss phase, and the fact that we have so many more food choices is a bit intimidating. Also, it is tough to make the mental shift from weight loss to maintenance. And yes, some of us are concerned that we continue to lose weight because we can't seem to get enough calories.

I can totally relate to what MouseCat is feeling because I'm going through the same thing. We'll eventually get where you are, but in the meantime please go easy on us and try to remember what it was like when you were making the shift to maintenance.