Ok here is my problem. I am completely stuck and not loosing... i average between 1200 and 1500 calories a day usually in the 1300's. every time i look at a magazine they have all the formulas that try to tell you how many calories to eat to loose weight... mine are all around 2000 or more... am i not loosing because i'm eating to little? i'm going crazy my brain can not handle that... i'm just wondering if any one has been told by a dr or had sucess with a specific amount of calories to shoot for?? any sugestions? I am not really restricted so i feel like i am dieting on my own and it is not working.

Sounds like you need a fill since you say you're not restricted ... when was your last fill?

Whenever I hit a plateau and stop losing, I change my "routine" and usually the loss will pick up again.

As far as the amount of calories you should be eating, I would definitely talk to your doctor and see what he/she recommends. I looked up one of those charts online and according to it I could eat 2000+ calories a day and still lose 2 lbs a week ... yeah right! I try to stay between 900 - 1200 per day.

Best of luck to you!

I really believe that you have to find your own level of calories, nobody can do that for you. Not the doctor, not the nutritionist and not the little calcs you find online.

Based on my body size, weight, level of activity etc, I technically need 2,600 calories a day to maintin my 154lbs.

Right. That's why I became obese on that sort of an intake. I ate plenty of crap, for sure, but I was never a MdDonalds for breakfast, KFC for lunch, Italian pasta pig out for dinner, 4000 per day kind of eater.

I am now 154lb after being banded, I run for an hour five times a week, I have 3 kids and am active at home, lots and lots of shopping, housework, on my feet all day kind of stuff. And I need about 1800 calories to maintain. Any more than that and I start to gain. Which means I can eat 3 solid meals a day but really need to watch the extras like in between meal snacks, wine, chocolate etc.

So I listen to my own body, not what someone else calculates for me. Its the only way. If you're not lising on a reasonably healthy intake of 1300 or so then perhaps you need to tweak it a little, I'd suggest slightly less food (for which you may need a fill) combined with slightly more exercise if that's doable, purely so you can continue taking in reasonable nutrition.

thanks, oddly enough i think my last fill is kicking in... I had it at the beginning of July and was just about to schedule another fill when i started having trouble eating all of my usual food... could only eat half a sandwhich that i could have easily finished the day before... it seems to be getting tighter and tighter so i am holding off again... still not loosing though.

Get a fill first. Eat 800-1k, no more than 1200 a day and you will lose.

made my apt for next friday ready to get a fill.. been aiming for 1200 cal now.. but way to hungry hopefully this fill will help.

What your current weight ..I think 1200 to 1500 is to much if your not working out daily

i'm at 238... i do work out daily but its still just creaping off... i know i am probibly eating to much but i just eat when i'm hungry and stop when i am comfortable... i'm sure i have not had enough fills added. I just don't know what to expect to be eating when i do.

I don't have a scientific base for what I'm about to say, but it holds true every time for me, and I have heard others on this board say the same thing.... It's been my experience that if we stick to the same routine and same diet, same foods, same calories, same exercises day in and day out, our body seems to settle in and get used to it. I've found that if I'm in a rut, about every 7 days or so, I change it up. Sometimes a liquid diet for a day. Or do an all protein day.. Or I consume considerably more healthy calories than normal (for me 900 to 1200). I bump it up to 1500 for a day, or add a good carb like a sweet potato or even a little sweet treat. Or I ride a bike or walk instead of my normal water aerobic routines. Almost every time, I will see a loss within two days. It's like our body gets used to HO HUM and needs a little variety. It's wierd, but it seems to work.

i have heard that before too, i just never thought about trying liquid... i have added more calories before, but that didn't help lol. hard to take away less than what i have because i am still not really restricted. will have to try the liquid before my fill... thanks :thumbup: