Question:
Is there a calorie or fat limit we should not exceed?
Hi, losers (in the best sense)! Well, I'm still confused about just how few calories we should be eating. I read a post in which a man said he was doing LOTS of aerobics 6 days per week, weights and other "gym stuff," at least twice a week, and wasn't taking in more than 400 or so calories! This seems excessive on the workouts, but the calorie count makes me afraid he's not going to stay healthy! On the other hand, I'm 4.5 weeks post R-N-Y, and the weight is coming off SOOOO slowly! It worries me because I'm doing what I'm supposed to do--it's frustrating! My weight goes up and down as much as 5 pounds!! How many (or few) calories should we be consuming in a day? I'm at around 700 or a bit less, am am walking every day. Thank you sincerely! — Cattykit (posted on July 7, 2009)
July 7, 2009
The fluctuation is probably water weight. How often do you weigh? You
normally fluctuate during a day. Do you have a dietitian you can talk to? I
culled the internet for diets and none specify calorie intake. They just
say low fat and sugar free.
— wbearwolf
July 7, 2009
That can be really frustrating. I did the same thing. I lost 40 lbs.
quite quickly, then for 3 weeks I stayed the same. I wanted to throw my
scale thru the window. But all of a sudden it started to move again!, I
kept thinking, what have I done. I went thru all that and all I'm going to
lose is 40 lbs. I think the trick is to only weigh once a week, I had to
put my scale away so I wasn't weighing everytime I walked by it! So hang
in, keep the fats and calories and sugar low and it will eventually even
out for you!
— aliclaire
July 7, 2009
If you go too low your weight-loss will stop as your body goes into
starvation mode. Id try to keep it between 800-1000 per day. Keeping up
with your fluids helps greatly. I am 19 months out and hit many many
plateaus. Some lasting a couple months. Don't give up!
— lesleigh07
July 7, 2009
At 4 weeks and still actually they have me at 600-800 calories a day.
15-20g of carbs a day. 64 ounces atleast of water. fat 3g and below per
serving and sugar 5g and below per serving.
— Julzizhr
July 7, 2009
Hi,
I'm the idiot working out and taking in the 430 cal per day average. :) I
work as an emergency room doctor which isn't terribly physically vigerous
but is stressful so I need the workouts for mental health. Everything was
normal on my 3 month labs and I have more energy now than ever. My surgeon
and nutritionist reccomend 400-600 calories per day but stress that we
should shoot for the least calories within that range that get us
60-80grams of protein per day. My average is 71grams of protein per day. I
am not living on 430 calories per day. I am living on 430 calories per day
plus what my body is drawing out of my fat storage. I am exercising in
order to hang onto my muscle mass during this early (rapid) weight loss
phase.
With you taking in 700 calories and walking daily you are doing great!!!
You will have weight fluctuations that are mainly fluid weight changes but
with that level of caloric intake an exercise you are also withdrawing from
your fat storage calories every day. The bottom line is to follow what your
surgeon and nutritionist reccomend for YOU. It doesn't matter what someone
else is doing or how fast or slow they are losing you need to follow your
plan and it will come off. Good luck with your continued weight loss
success. Kevin
— hapkidodoc
July 7, 2009
There's one other factor: men lose faster. God bless them. It's just the
way they're wired. Men and women can do the exact same thing in regards to
diet, excercise, calorie intake, and wls, and the men still lose faster.
As much as I love the male sex, this is the only thing that drives me up
the wall.
— Kathleen W.
July 7, 2009
Hi! Everyones answers are different because everyone is different. My
nutritionist told me to stay between 400-600 calories that early on.I am
12.5 months out of RNY. I was working out at curves for an hour and walking
for an hour. I was a slow loser, but lost 110 lbs in 10 months. It came off
quicker in the end for me..go figure. My daughter is 3 weeks out of
RNY..they told her to consume between 1-2 ounces per meal and try to stay
below 600 calories in a day. We are working out at a gym, she just started
and doing 30 mins right now. I hope some of this helps. Just to let you
know..I am maintaining and consuming 4 ounces 4 times a day and my calorie
intake is between 1200 and 1500 a day. I get around 75 grams of protein and
atleast 70 ounces of fluids. If you are doing what was told to you to do,
you will be good. Make sure you get your vitamins/calcium..I have always
been good on my labs. I weighed myself once a day..right after getting up
and going potty...sometimes the scale was stuck at a certain weight, but
the inches kept coming off..thats what kept me going...Best of luck! hugs n
God Bless, Kim
— gpcmist
July 8, 2009
Everyone is different! Do what your doctor and nut say to do. I've lost 108
lbs. in a little over a year but I'm losing more inches now than anything.
There were many times during this year that I seemed to stop and stay still
for a week or two. Don't give up. I eat three 4 oz meals and 3 snacks and
it's still coming off - maybe slowly but we didn't put this weight on in
one week and it's not going to come off in one week. Stay the course. When
mine started slowing, I upped my exercise. I walk a mile and a half or two
most every day and go to Curves 3-5 times a week or more. I'm happy with
myself for the first time in years and I don't care about what others think
anymore. I weight once a week at the same time of day because that's what
my surgeon suggested and it works out better that way. The chains are gone,
I've been set free, after all - it's up to me.
— SLittle1
July 10, 2009
If you are eating 2:1 ratio of protein to COMPLEX carbs and getting in
exercise and water...you should do well as long as you are not over eating
(feeling full everytime you eat) You only have about a year of rapid weight
loss and during that year you start at eating only a few tablespoons of
food...and eventually work up to eat about 8-10 ounces depending on your
metabolism...You should not be eating enough that you should have to worry
about how many calories you are eating...But how many grams of protein you
are getting and how much water as well as taking all your vitamins and
getting in some good workouts...You should be eating lower fat BUT don;t
cut out good fat as you need fat to absorb those fat soluble vitamins in
the foods you eat! (Vits ADEK) So avocados and olive oil and omega 3's are
all good fats...Eat vegetable oils over animal fats! Eat high protein and
fiber and low sugar and sat fats...and eat 2:1 ratio of protein to complex
carbs and those are the basic rules...Don't over eat or aim for a full
feeling. Eat only til you are not hungry any longer...You should not eat
more than a few ounces of dense protein per meal the first year...YOU
CANNOT eat too many calories if you are only eating 2-4 oz (depending how
far out you are) of meat and half that in complex carbs...With those
amounts, you are within correct calorie limits...UNLESS you are snacking
all day on junk and sugar and wasted calories that are fat/sugar or starchy
foods/drinks...I can tell you that at 4.5 weeks I was NOT eating near 700
calories a day...It was just impossible for me to eat more than a few bites
of food per meal...so you might want avoid eating much more than that the
rest of the first year to insure you lose your weight...If you continue to
eat more and more, which your body will probably insist on...You better get
in serious workouts to burn those calories! Once that rapid weight loss is
over...It's back to regular dieting to lose any weight and it's sooooo much
harder than even pre-op just to lose a few pounds once you start gaining...
Also, watch your sodium...cheese is protein, but it has animal fats so eat
low fat when it comes to cheese...and eat more dense meats rather than soft
proteins like cheeses and other dairy...In the firtst stages though, those
are good to start...DRINK water too...all day! That helps your body flush
the "junk" you are losing and keeps you hydrated so you do NOT
retain those water weight fluctuations! I hope that helps! Good luck!
— .Anita R.
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