Near impossible to eat only 500 cals/day

I've read that this is the standard for the weight loss period, but my dietary sheets (which is all I got - no personal counseling) don't state anything about caloric intake, just what percent of your diet should be made up of protein, carbs, and fats. There were also daily sample dietary intake pages for each stage. They seemed like they would add up to more than 500 cal per day. At first it was easy to stay under 500 cals per day but now that I getting further out and can eat more things and more at a time I find myself having to go hungry for a stretch because if I eat again I think it will be over. I thought the idea behind this was that we wouldn't have to go hungry like before! I'm pretty much getting all my protein in everyday now. And the waiting around eating and drinking is so tedious it's driving me crazy I really have to decide if I am hungrier or thirstier before I make a move. Also, I have realized some things keep you fuller longer than others - usually the more solid the longer and better the full feeling but not always. Anyway I was just wondering if you guys stay around 500 cal per day and if so could you write a sample of your typical daily menu. Thanks.

Example (this was mine yesterday)

Breakfast:  Protein shake (170 cal, 25 gm protein, 5 carbs)

Lunch: Chicken salad (3 oz maybe? prob about 20 gm protein, carbs probably about 1gm)
Then still hungry 20 min later so protein bar (140 cal, 8 gm protein, 17 gm carb)

Drank water

Dinner: 3-4 oz salmon pattie w/ dill vegenaise sauce (prob about 23 gm protein, not sure on the cals and carbs), used almond four and flax meal instead of crackers

Drank Green tea

My guidelines for losing were 600-800 calories a day with 60+gr of protein, no more than 40gr of carbs, and I had zero fat guidelines that I had to follow so I ate full fat during my entire losing stage. I had to get in 64+oz of clear fluids, and that including sugar free jello, popsicles, broths, water, crystal light etc etc.

The more dense the meal, the longer it will stay with you. Carbs can sometimes cause hunger so the carb load in that "protein bar" might be a culprit. Can you switch out the protein bar with some cheese or other truly protein focused snack and if that gives you satiety? Not every sleeve patients experiences 100% diminished hunger as Ghrelin is produced in other areas of the body. There's plenty of "hungry" sleevers out there, but they report it's manageable with eating protein dense foods, and making sure they hit their fluid intake goals.

I would track your food in an online calorie tracker to really evaluate your %'s of intake and see exactly where you are with calories/carbs/proteins then try to adjust those values.

I don't think I have more than 40-50 carbs per day and I work out 30 min most days. I just get really sick of the same old really low carb foods all the time like meat and cheese!

One thing that I have learned is there is NO STANDARD diet for VSG.  There are simularities but there is no standard.  For instance, my post op plan at a month out was to get in 60g of protein and 64oz of water.  They never mentioned calories, fats, carbs. I never logged that early out but I am positive there is no way that I could have gotten more than 700 cals a day.  Stick with the instrucions that you were given.  If they do not have you staying under 500 cals then don't worry about it.  Personally I think your diet looks fine. For the hunger, like you said, try water first.  You could also try more dense protein sources if your tummy can handle it. Protein shakes are liquids and would pass quickly, chicken salad would be slider for me and wouldn't stick well. How did you feel after the salmon patty? Nice and full for awhile?  I would bet that you did stay more satisfied.

Yes, that's true, the salmon pattie satisfied me quite well! I never thought chicken salad would be a slider food, though, but apparently it was!

Totally off topic, but I had the same surgeon, 2 days later, and my take home info clearly told me no solid food for a full month, stay on purees et****il then. Haven't really had the urge for solids anyway.

Anyway, ON topic! I think 500 calories is absolutely NOT enough food for anyone! I know the surgeons want you to lose fast so you will be happy, but realistically if you are eating less than 1000 per day and weigh over 100 pounds, you're going to lose. The bigger you are, the faster you will lose. Us big folks often have slower metabolisms but still, once you get down to a normal size 1200 a day even for women my age should be a maintenance plan. Anything less, and you should lose, even if it's slowly. Right now I usually eat 550- 700 calories a day, sometimes even 800, and am losing. I have not had a 'stall", am not tired, and although I lost fater the first 2 weeks, 2 pounds a week will make me happy, even though I have lost more every week. I'd rather eat a little more, lose slower, and feel good. Hopefully, it will also help me keep my hair and energy level!

Diets are all over the map for VSG patients, but here's what I'm eating and I've lost 115 lbs. in just under 5 mos. 

I drink the exact same breakfast every single day - an Unjury protein shake in 8 oz. 1% milk.  I also count the SF creamer I'm going to use in my mid-morning coffee - total breakfast: 242 cal.  Boring, right?  That's the trick - my a.m. "mini-meal" is a total no-brainer - no food decisions to worry about in the a.m. except which flavor of Unjury to use.  (Before I hit 100 lbs. lost, I used double scoops of Unjury in the 8 oz. of milk; that's a 48 gram protein boost to start the day - ignore naysayers who caution that "the body can't absorb that much."  It's worked fine for me, my friend who lost 165 last year, and our dietitian and surgeon agree 100% w/it  b/c it works.)

Lunch and dinner are whatever I decide - w/protein first and foremost - 4 oz. piece of chicken, ham, salmon, + fresh fruit & perhaps a veggie.  Usually hits about 300+ calories.
Dinner last night was 4 oz. chicken (gotta love Costco/Sam's cheap chickens) & about 3 oz. baked potato w/skin & 1/3 cup of green beans.  My wife and I eat the same foods for dinner about 95% of the time now, only difference is portion sizes.  Chicken, chili, shrimp, scallops, soups and stews - what's not to like.  I'm loving asparagus season and anxious for more fresh fruits and veggies to be locally available.

I have a 4th "mini-meal" 4 hrs. after dinner - sometimes popcorn, SF pudding, LF cheese stick, yogurt, almonds or a combination of these - but always something.  Another 200-250 calories.
 
My daily calorie count (I am more honest than Jesus when I log everything on Myfitnesspal.com) is 1100-1200 per day - rarely more and sometimes down as far as 900.  My intake now is a bit more b/c my energy level is soaring as I lose more weight -  but again, I'm strict about keeping it at about 1200 calories per day.  Lots of carb-Nazis on this board, but I'm not one of them.  I focus where I've been pointed by my program:  high-protein, very low sugar, low fat, low sodium, and moderate carb intake.  (I agree with the "carbers" to the extent that I don't eat bread/crackers and I eat little pasta/rice.)

I exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY - no days off, ever - and I burn a minimum of 500 calories, sometimes more.  I DO NOT SNACK EVER.  It's hard sometimes, but that's the rule I've agreed to  follow.  (I make necessary adjustment  to accommodate specific situations - travelling, golfing, events, dining out, etc., but I've found it quite easy to make adjustments.)
 
I feel fantastic - better than I have in 20 years - and I've lost diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and what wifey calls "general grouchiness."  (My grouchiness is much more specific these days.)  As a formerly grouchy old fart, I signed on to the VSG program and I made a solid committment to do the work that is necessary.  It is hard sometimes, very hard occassionally, and worth it always.  Others will offer different strategies, but at 65, I was pretty certain that no magic weight-reduction fairy was going to sprinkle anti-calorie dust on my ass, just b/c/ I had VSG.  The sleevie thing works on the inside - it's up to me to do the work on the outside.  Hope some of this helps you on your journey.
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Thanks! I don't have one of those fairies either! LOL

Autumn,

You are doing excellent dear! Try not to stress so hard.. the majority of your stomach is gone now so you likely will not overeat unless you are eating "slider" foods that are high in calories and soft.  I agree with the lady above.. keep it under 1000/day and you will lose. Just try your hardest to avoid as many carbs as you can.. they make you feel more hungry.. I swear they are the devil  

and my friend Michelle had VSG in september and she eats whatever she wants (with the exception of junk food) and she has lost 60 lbs..and you are almost half way there in 1 month