This is a really good review by the National Institue of Health, that surprises the heck out of me. With all the "fad" weight loss theories our there, they have concluded that over the long term for weight loss, it make absolutely no difference where you get your calories from. Ie. You could be primarily carbo based, fat based or protein based, and it doesn't matter. It is just calories. Period.

Quite surprising given the plethora or supposed good advise out there, but it goes right back to pure math. Calories in, expenditure out. Everything else in pure Voodoo.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246357

8 hours ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Trust your professionals and follow your own plan. Enough said.

People either don't trust their team enough because there are so many different protocols out there and they wonder if their treatment team really offer "the best plan" or they compare themselves to other patients and then start questioning their own plan because it kinda seems to work but not good/fast enough compared to other patients. Or they can't cope with their plan mid/long term and are looking for alternatives.

I think all of this is understandable. There is so much/too much information out there. Paralysis by analysis and/or getting in a panic about doing everything 110% right to guarantee success is unfortunately not uncommon.

3 hours ago, Darktowerdream said:

While muscle (I don’t remember exactly) I think burns 50 calories per lb.

I wish.

It's more like 7 up to 10.

I personally feel there's no one size fits all plan to weight loss.

I was given 'guidelines' by surgeon and dietitian but that's what they are guides; I've personally done things my way; I didn't feel comfortable moving thru the stages so I've stayed with shakes for the most part and it has worked really well for me.

Sure I've tried different soft foods and some worked others didn't agree with me.

I've been satisfied with my high protein shakes and most days I actually don't crave anything else.

If I do crave a little sweetness I've got high protein. Sugar free yoghurt in the fridge :)

I didn't like the dietitian anyway she had no idea what it is like to be obese nor was she specialised in bariatric patients;

I told her I'm happy doing things my way plus I've got over a years worth of knowledge from reading 1000s of posts on here and other sites.

I've actually done really well by being strict from day 1 and not making any excuses.

most days I actually don't even feel that hungry but if I do the protein in the shakes keeps me going.

sure there's days where for a moment I wish I could grab a juicy burger but then I remember why I went through this surgery and then I'll go have a nice cold shake :D

I enjoy coffee everyday and I keep myself occupied so that I don't even have time to think about food.

I understand that everyone is different and feels the need to have variety but personally I'm pretty easy going!

all I can say is what I've been doing has given me amazing results and I couldn't be happier!

Thank you.

5 hours ago, Superman84 said:

I keep myself occupied so that I don't even have time to think about food.

Amen to that

5 hours ago, summerset said:

I wish.

It's more like 7 up to 10.

5 hours ago, summerset said:

While muscle (I don’t remember exactly) I think burns 50 calories per lb.

Sorry ... what I get for writing a message at midnight and not checking my typing when my vision is blurry to boot. i meant to say around 10 calories per lb of muscle the 50 calories per lb is a myth.

so I’ll write it correctly this time ...

Muscle tissue will burn seven to 10 calories daily per pound. And since fat burns two to three calories daily per pound, replacing a pound of fat with muscle helps you burn an additional four to six more calories each day

I guess my point was that exercise isn’t for weight loss. You are burning energy your body needs to function. Unless you are doing key resistance to build muscle or to lengthen and make the muscle stronger ie Pilates or barre.

that is if you are lucky and are able to exercise.

though I’ll never understand people that calorie load and then workout hours upon hours a day ...

I guess my point is our body composition also effects our calorie burn rate or resting metabolic rate.
(Mine just happens to be crap.)

This has been fascinating reading. It would be nice if it was a simple "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie", but that just isn't true. The source of the calorie, be it protein, carb or fat, has an immense effect on the metabolism in the body, and the body processes them differently with different reactions to the type they are, so the kind of calorie really does make a difference.

13 hours ago, Superman84 said:

I personally feel there's no one size fits all plan to weight loss.

I was given 'guidelines' by surgeon and dietitian but that's what they are guides; I've personally done things my way; I didn't feel comfortable moving thru the stages so I've stayed with shakes for the most part and it has worked really well for me.

I stick to very simple things, I’d have stuck to shakes for breakfast but because of dysphasia thinner liquids aren’t going off too well for me but I still do the occasional Koia RTD and I my evening coffee so I’m trying to figure things out.

I like to do PEScience protein powder in TwoGood yogurt. I don’t need big variety. But change a few things up as I can get them or are available to me. and keep them handy either shelf stable or freezer. I’m a creature of habit.

Not much food appeals to me. I keep it simple. Some days it’s small meals some days it’s just protein powder and yogurt and maybe some juice flavor protein. I did start to add 2.5 oz veggie burger and BariatricPal has protein mashed potato that pair well with it. I haven’t ordered it again yet. So I made a 2.5 oz veggie burger with a egg on top. just to add some veg.

I just track my protein calories and weight each day and what I eat. I think we need to learn what works for our bodies and do it on a timeline that works for us. Slow is better than going too fast and rushing into “normal food” my nutritionist and surgeon were like why aren’t you eating normal food yet. Well A. I have medical issues and B, I’m not ready and C. I’ll do what I feel comfortable with.

we all need to keep In sight why we went into this and not fall into habits that got us here. And slowly learn the new way of life for our bodies. Also I find it weird that some guidelines allow for a lot more carbs and sugar and moving faster into “normal foods” which can easily lead to failure ...

my relationship with food is tenuous at best with having lost my proper ability to taste food years ago, weird food allergies, now dysphasia, issues with my damn sensitive esophagus so I have to eat foods that are easy to chew soft and I have very little energy to chew. I’ve been totally turned off by meat especially chicken. But salmon sashimi with wasabi was actually pretty good. I’ve always had issue with nausea ... I like vegetables but my body doesn’t seem to.

I guess I will shut myself up. When we go on this weight loss journey we take a good hard look at our selves and we can’t just climb right back into our old way of doing things. Food is not everything.mits not the be all end all of existence. We eat to live not live to eat and it’s a hard lesson to learn. But yes we can allow our selves little things here and there. Like I put a little sf land o lakes whip on my yogurt ...

but there’s no need to rush to “normal” rather, learn what your new normal is. And sometimes that changes moment to moment and day by day.

I don’t think that’s true/ in fact there are tons of data that says the exact opposite. Especially when it comes to your microbiome. It’s baloney bec a calorie is not a calorie- I have seen that even with my very own body.

18 hours ago, Darktowerdream said:

though I’ll never understand people that calorie load and then workout hours upon hours a day ...

Binge/purge behavior ("exercise bulimia").

Ok ok, let me add something more to discuss about to the whole metabolism and calorie thing:

"Fat burns in the fire of carbohydrates!"