I am not eating enough!

And i have picked up a caffeine habit on the way. In fact i barely drink enough... when i am  stressed i really just don't eat at all. I have bad pouch days where my pouch wants nothing to do with food i can tell immediately upon waking up. I thought my calories were high my max i get is 1,000 a day usually but typically more like 800. She said for being 6 months out i am WAYYY to low. She said i should be at 1,000-1,200 calories by now and with an added protein shake specifically on workout days where i am burning 800+ calories. But i typically just never catch up on those days calorie wise it's impossible. Today i have eaten some cheese, 2 containers greek yogurt and have a meal from a restaurant i got earlier beef pot roast and veggies i still have most left and ate this for 2 meals today. I did have a stressed out day today though. I cannot force myself to eat anymore without getting sick... apparently i am allowed no starches, or breads, pastas, etc.. also need to up calories, and i cannot eat microwaved meats my dietician think that is what may be getting me sick.. constant nausea. So much for those leftovers i eat it cold or don't eat it. How much was everyone else getting calorie/protein wise at 6 months post-op is my calories really that low? Water for me is anywhere from 32oz-64oz day and i count my caffeinated beverages as part of this number. Any advice?

I don't understand how microwaved meats can cause nausea.  Did she tell you why?

I very rarely use a microwave to reheat anything. I would rather let someone else eat the leftovers if they want. It was great when my teenage grandson was in school, he would show up and eat everything in sight.

I know that microwaving dries out meats even more. I tell my husband to put some water in a container when he is reheating his food at work. He doesn't seem to have a problem, he said. He has a regular stomach, though.

I did not miss having a microwave when ours died after 15 years. I know how to cook and it seemed that the microwave was just a convenience for heating up liquids like water for tea!

You will do a lot better if you get something less dense in you in the morning. I have a hard time with eggs so I am not suggesting eggs unless you like them. It is problematic for me. I ate two soft eggs what I call dropped eggs with a bit of butter last week and tonight I could not eat a mini quiche homemade that was a 2/3 cupcake size. It was from a recipe that I made with 4 eggs, a cup of ricotta cheese, cheddar, parmesan cheese, chopped ham, onions and green pepper divided over a twelve cupcake tin. My husband ate three and finished his salad before they were done cooking. I had three tiny bites of this and done.

Your dietitian is going to recommend things, and your stomach is going to say no. Do what you can.

I love the Fage 0%  plain yogurt. I either put in NSA strawberries or just a tad bit of a protein powder. Not too much or it will be gritty and I do not do extra grit in my yogurt. I am not fond of the flavor or fruit added yogurts. I do at times have them but it is usually when I want something sweet. I store them in the bottom of the fridge and hope my grandchildren will eat them. You know that you have to tame your brain and at times it roars and says give me something sweet.

I am still pre op but for the coffee Why don't you get the coffee based protein shakes. i tasted one the other day it was like a latte from Starbucks .. best of luck 

I am still pre op but for the coffee Why don't you get the coffee based protein shakes. i tasted one the other day it was like a latte from Starbucks .. best of luck 

I see my Surgeon, NUT and exercise physiologist on the 12th.  My doctor told me in July that I wasn't losing as quickly as he anticipated. He anticipates that this is due to me sluggish metabolism.  He advised me to drop my calories from 600-800 to 500-600 per day, focus on protein and exercise more. How funny that we are at the same point in our journey but our Surgeons have such a radically different take on calories? I only eat three meals per day. I cannot eat any refined sugars or carbs, no beef at this point or pork.  I only eat low fat cheese if I eat cheese at all.  For breakfast I have a high protein shake like chike, nectar or premier protein. For lunch I'll have a tuna pouch or some canned chicken breast or eggs and a few bites of a low carb veggie if I have room. For dinner I'll have 3-4 oz of chicken breast or fish and 1/4 cup of a low carb veggie (if I have room). I too have those days where my pouch is grouchy. Those are the days I eat a yogurt (yoplait greek light and fit), have a shake and try to eat one meal with protein like deli chicken or turkey slices.  My pouch doesn't like anything fried or breaded. Even one bite will have me dumping. All my meats are steamed, grilled or baked.  I am drinking 80-100 oz of fluids per day. Usually about 16 ounces of that is iced tea. Not decaf with splenda. I'd say you could up your water intake. Focus on eating the protein. Measure out your food to ensure how much you are getting for accurate calorie and protein counts. I wouldn't be able to get my protein in unless I have at least one shake daily. I have tried the coffee flavored protein shakes. Chike coffee shake is too sweet for me. The Atkins ones are pretty good but not high enough in protein for me. ( I aim for a minimum of 20g protein in a shake) I like the Click ones the best. I only have those every once in a while because they have quite a caffeine kick. Try eating your leftovers warmed on a griddle pan sprayed lightly with some olive oil spray. That's what I do. Best wishes on your journey :)

Many of us were only eating 800 calories at 6 months out. I could not eat any more than that. I think it's pretty typical. By a year out I was at about 1000-1200. Do your best to get in more water. I have to play games with myself. I do not "allow" myself to eat until I have had 16 ounces of water. I love to eat so this works for me.

Same here, my husband just got off 800 a month or so ago and he is a year out in 5 weeks. 800 is the max I would be taking in at 6 months.

Many (not all) RNYers don't do breads/starches/pastas on the regular, so this is not unusual. I've also heard some RNYers that couldn't tolerate microwaved meats, at least early on, b/c it dries out the food too much. Don't stress yourself out too much about calories - you'll get there when you get there - and it sounds like stress is becoming a feedback loop for you! But please do get your liquids in, esp when working out!