I just had my first fill last week and have some restriction. I was just wondering how many calories you are eating daily? Today I have eaten less than 1000 calories today and while I am thrilled that I am not hungry, I am also worried that I am not eating enough. My trainer wants me eating 1200 calories/day and I am not even close.

I'll be interested to see replies to this as well. I'm 9 days post-surgery and on day 2 of mushies and not really feeling a whole lot of restriction. I've been trying to figure out how many calories I should be aiming for until I get my first fill and hopefully feel more restriction. Everything I read online today indicated that 1200 calories a day is not enough and I should aim for 1500. That just seems like so much to me, but I want to be healthy and eat enough to keep myself nourished, and I also don't want my body to start storing fat because it thinks it's being starved. I think that's what happened to me during my first post-op week on 500-700 calories a day of liquids (gained 1.5 lbs.).

The entire time I was trying to lose weight I would eat between 800-1000. My exercise was mild between August and January but then I really upped it and still didn't eat more. My "band mom" ate between 900-1100 and she had similar weight loss. I would try for 1000 and if you are a little under or a little over that should be okay. If you are finding that you are not losing weight, try upping to 1200, especially if you are exercising. The first instinct is to drop calories if you are not losing but if you are working out with a trainer (who may or may not understand that band) you might need to up the calories. I don't normally advocate drinking Protein drinks after getting your first fill, but that would be a quick way to get in a few extra calories if you need too.

BTW...how many calories did your doctor/nutritionist say to eat?

I'll be interested to see replies to this as well. I'm 9 days post-surgery and on day 2 of mushies and not really feeling a whole lot of restriction. I've been trying to figure out how many calories I should be aiming for until I get my first fill and hopefully feel more restriction. Everything I read online today indicated that 1200 calories a day is not enough and I should aim for 1500. That just seems like so much to me, but I want to be healthy and eat enough to keep myself nourished, and I also don't want my body to start storing fat because it thinks it's being starved. I think that's what happened to me during my first post-op week on 500-700 calories a day of liquids (gained 1.5 lbs.).

500-700 is really low. Though one of the ladies on here Wasabubblebutt stayed at 600 the entire time and she lost very well. I don't advocate going that low, but I would stick to around 1000 as previously posted.

500-700 is really low. Though one of the ladies on here Wasabubblebutt stayed at 600 the entire time and she lost very well. I don't advocate going that low, but I would stick to around 1000 as previously posted.

I range between 1200 to 1500 / 1800 per day,but no real excercise, and know that you have been excercising and being strict, i thought i was going great but not as good as you,got to get the excercise in even if dont cut the calories, i have lost 74lb since 18 sep 2007.

I range between 1200 to 1500 / 1800 per day,but no real excercise, and know that you have been excercising and being strict, i thought i was going great but not as good as you,got to get the excercise in even if dont cut the calories, i have lost 74lb since 18 sep 2007.

thats it the more i think about it, going for a walk now, not going to keep puting it off!

COSkinny, I think it is different for everyone and I'm struggling with this same issue myself. I had my first fill on Tuesday. When I spoke to my doctor, he said he felt that counting calories is a good thing to do and he recommended 1200 - 1400 calories a day. That sounds reasonable, but if you are supposed to be restricted and can't consume more than 1 cup of food at any meal and you are making smart choices, how do you get that many calories in? I am still trying to figure out if I feel restriction. Friday night I definitely had too much to eat when out to dinner and all I had was a cup of Soup and 1 crab cake from the appetizer menu. I had this overfull, uncomfortable feeling. Yesterday, I didn't really feel full at any meal and even found myself hungry after a reasonable meal.

As far as the calories go, you can only see how it works for you and adjust from week to week.

Good Luck.

Alice

Try eating 5-6 times a day. I find it helps keep me satisfied during the day, and its easy to get my 1200-1300 calories a day in. My guidelines are:

25 grams fibre

80 grams protein

35 grams (good) fats

160 grams carbs

1200-1300 calories in

250 calories burned in exercise daily.

Thanks everyone for the info. My doctor also says btw 1200 and 1500 if I can get it in. I also go back and forth with restriction. I went out to lunch today and ate well, but too much and I am still full 5 hours later. I probably won't even eat dinner. I am just not hungry. I honestly never thought that would happen! I am just going to try to keep making good choices and eat what I can and hopefully my body won't go into starvation mode!

At my 2 week visit, my dietician said I was eating too much at 700 calories! She said I should be having more like 500 at this stage. Since I'm following their food plan exactly, I am not going to worry about it. I feel great, I'm losing weight, and I don't see you can put one number of calories on everyone. We are all so different in activity, health, age, fitness. My daughter, who is a nurse says she was taught 1000 calories a day is minimum. Weight watchers decides it by weight, and I was at about 1500 there. I really don't want to count every calorie every day, but I check it once a week or so. From every diet plan I've been on, read about or dietician I've seen in 30 years of dieting, everyone agreed that nothing under 1000 calories is effective or healthy. I've heard "biggest looser" also agrees on this point. The bottom line for me is 2 things. I feel good, I am losing weight. When that changes, I'll reevaluate.

At my 2 week visit, my dietician said I was eating too much at 700 calories! She said I should be having more like 500 at this stage. Since I'm following their food plan exactly, I am not going to worry about it. I feel great, I'm losing weight, and I don't see you can put one number of calories on everyone. We are all so different in activity, health, age, fitness. My daughter, who is a nurse says she was taught 1000 calories a day is minimum. Weight watchers decides it by weight, and I was at about 1500 there. I really don't want to count every calorie every day, but I check it once a week or so. From every diet plan I've been on, read about or dietician I've seen in 30 years of dieting, everyone agreed that nothing under 1000 calories is effective or healthy. I've heard "biggest looser" also agrees on this point. The bottom line for me is 2 things. I feel good, I am losing weight. When that changes, I'll reevaluate.

I totally agree with you...and am beginning to think that nutritionists are crazy. Mine just recently told me to stop exercising! No kidding. I think 500 is too low...especially when you are healing from surgery! Keep on doing what you are doing!

I'm 3.5 weeks post-op and on mushy foods. The sheets I have from my doctor and the nutritionist there both say I should be eating 500-800 calories each day.

However, I've done the math and added up their recommended food choices and it's just barely 500 per day if you manage to get down every bite of every meal.

So, to my point, I'm getting in around 400 per day. And I've not lost a single pound in over a week. I go back on June 2 and plan to ask lots of questions about this way of eating. It doesn't seem to be doing me much good and I'm concerned that the calories are just too low.

On the upside....I was filled to 4cc (8cc band) at surgery and I have had only a few bouts of true hunger.

I'm 3.5 weeks post-op and on mushy foods. The sheets I have from my doctor and the nutritionist there both say I should be eating 500-800 calories each day.

However, I've done the math and added up their recommended food choices and it's just barely 500 per day if you manage to get down every bite of every meal.

So, to my point, I'm getting in around 400 per day. And I've not lost a single pound in over a week. I go back on June 2 and plan to ask lots of questions about this way of eating. It doesn't seem to be doing me much good and I'm concerned that the calories are just too low.

On the upside....I was filled to 4cc (8cc band) at surgery and I have had only a few bouts of true hunger.

I really hope you are taking a good multi-vitamin because there is no way you are getting enough nutrition to heal on 400 calories. My nutritionist is a whack job, but she still wanted me at 800-1000 calories. It is good that you are not having hunger though. Please do ask lots of questions because they will be very helpful to people. I always refer people to what their doctor says (not always their nutritionist) on terms of what TYPES of foods (ie mushies/liquids/soft) but I honestly think that 400-600 is low. I know one lady stayed at 600 the entire time, but she was INCREDIBLY picky on what she ate to make sure that she had the correct nutrition. Your body will go into starvation mode that low...in my humble opinion!