Not enough food? Minimal progress this past month

Hello everyone. I'm approaching my 3 month mark (Aug 9 surgery date). At 2 months, I had lost a total of 30#. Between month 2 and going towards month 3, I've maybe lost 2 pounds! I started tracking my food intake on MyFitnessPal, and I am eating between 600-800 calories a day, and sometimes more. But I'm also walking (slow pace) and burning anywhere from 300-500 calories a day.

I'm eating 3 meals, and usually 1 or 2 snacks (cheese stick, quite often). I have 1 protein shake every day (30g), and get 80-100g protein a day. I'm taking my vitamins, but sometimes low on calcium. I know I don't drink enough (36oz usually, plus the 11oz protein shake).

Am I eating enough? Why am I not losing? I'm sure more drinking would help-- I feel like I'm constantly drinking, and my stomach really doesn't like water, but I try to get it down.

Thoughts?

Take this with a grain of salt, but this is what worked FOR ME. You say you are eating between 600-800 calories a day and sometimes more. That tells me that you may not be weighing your food on a digital scale. If you weigh and track your food meticulously, you will know exactly how many calories you are getting in. At 3 months post op, I was around 500 calories a day, never 600 to 800. You can't eat back your calories from exercise, and honestly if you are walking at a slow pace you are not burning that many calories. I know it's tempting to add food back in to compensate for exercise, but if you are serious about getting the weight off, you should plan on a daily calorie goal and measure and track your food to stay within that goal.

Please up your liquid intake too! It will help, I promise. I get 100 oz a day. I know some people have trouble with water after surgery - don't like the taste, only like it room temp, only like it freezing, only like it with flavored sugar-free drops added - whatever works for you, sip, sip, sip! You are likely dehydrated on a daily basis.

What do your three meals consist of? At this point your priority should be DENSE protein with maybe one bite of vegetables. No fruits, no mashed potatoes, no applesauce, no crackers. Eat chicken, pork, ground turkey, fish, shrimp, tuna...what are your proteins of choice?

Everyone should follow their surgeon's plan, but too many of us on here *****ached our goal weight were given guidelines from our nutritionist that included empty calories such as crackers and oatmeal and potatoes and there is literally zero benefit for your body from those foods. Eat dense protein, healthy fats (avocado) and you can do this. I went from 351 lbs to 160, so it's not hopeless, I swear!

Water is so important... I drink most all of mine with flavor drops added, and my pouch doesn't like it too cold, so it's almost room temperature. I get a minimum of 100oz, and often even more.

Don't fall prey to the whole 'starvation' mode. It simply isn't true.

Everything DCgirl wrote here is so true! I followed what she said to a T during my weight loss and it worked wonderfully for me.

You can do it!

How do you get so much water intake? I have troubles doing it with having to stop drinking a half an hour before and after meals and during meals.

I start the morning off with a 24 ounce container on my way to work. Then I drink 16-20 ounces of decaf when I get to work before I eat.

I have a 32 ounce glass on my desk that I fill up at least twice during the day.

I don't stop drinking for 30 minutes prior to eating, as from what I've read on here, it's not necessary (I do stop for maybe 5 minutes), but I am very good about going 30-45 minutes after I eat and during mealtime, that part is critical to keeping the food in your pouch.

I drink through a straw, it's easier for me rather than just the glass - just my own quirk. I drink more that way.

After dinner I have a 16 ounce glass of water, and often another 16 ounce decaf, and then I use my bathroom cup and have maybe 4-6 ounces after I brush my teeth.

I carry a bottle of water (a big one, 24 ounces) EVERYWHERE with me on the weekends, and now I am to the point that I actually panic if I leave it at home.

Once you get used to it, it's really not hard.

I second what Pammieanne said. I never break the no liquids with food or until 30 minutes after eating rule, but I'll drink right up until I take my first bite. Liquids run right through, so there really is no need to stop drinking 30 minutes before you eat.

I also drink through a straw. I have a tall plastic cup from starbucks that I use at work. I make sure I drink 2 of them before lunch, then 1-2 more before I leave for the gym. That along with my bottle on the way to work gets me 110 oz.

I use a 32 oz Camelback thermos thing with a straw built in. You can find them at Marshalls or Ross for a fraction of the normal price. Since I fill it up 3x a day, I know I get in my 100 oz of water. I normally try to have one before lunch, one between lunch and dinner, and at least one after dinner. I find that if I use a normal drinking glass from the kitchen, I drink wayyyy less since I somehow just don't make it to the sink to fill it up ten times a day. By packing the thermos with ice and water, I can literally measure my intake but it only takes three refills. I used to use Crystal Light add-ins to jazz up my water but I honestly like plain water just fine.

I have never liked flavor water, and I use to be great at drinking water until years ago I was told to cut down because my sodium level was low.but I was a gulper before surgery, i could drink 16 oz in 2 minutes. Not being able to gulp has been difficult for me, but I don't like the pain. I always have water with me, just can't get myself to drink enough anymore

stopping drinking after meals and 20min while you eat adds up to roughly two hours of of the 12 hours a day we are usually awake.

The other 10 hours you have to slam the fluid down and I mean slam,by guzzling small amounts CONSTANTLY and I mean CONSYANTLY.

You have to experiment and find something cold warm flavored or not but something that you can drink constantly during the awake hours. That is the only way to do it.

You may feel full but you really are not cause the pouch is like a funnel and liquid run right on out.

If you have a sleev3 the pyloric valve opens automatically when liquid is introduced into the stomach so it runs right through too.

You do NOT need to eat more.

I agree with Dcgirl. Weigh and log every bite. Don't go over 800 calories. And double your fluid intake. You need water to process fat.

Do those things, then be patient. Long term, you will lose. And one month is very short term.