6 Month Post-Op Calories

I've did some searching and found that the average for 6 month post op calorie intake is 800-1000 calories. I'm 5 month post op and that's usually the range that I fall in. My question is, is the calorie recommendations for NET calories? For example, I eat 900 calories and when I do my 50 minute work (5 times a week) out I burn about 600-700 calories. Should I be eating more to compensate since then I'm only netting 300? Or am I okay with eating in that range *regardless* of how much I exercise. Thanks friends!

Just my opinion - but I don't count workout or exercise into the calorie total.  Most of us "guestimate" the serving size of many things like salad dressing, size of an apple (3in vs 4inch), size of a potato,meat, etc.  you get my drift, when we add up our calories for the day - SO the total may not be quite accurate.  We also may not count the bites and 3 M&M's we pop into our mouths into calorie totals either.

  Also, my (5ft 1in - 120 pounds) walking two miles burns a different amount of someone else walking 2 miles.  It is just an average and I just consider any exercise I do a "cherry on the top" to my day.

Just my 2 cents.  Besh wishes, Penny

I was told NOT to eat my calories, so I do not. Also, without proper testing, you won't really know how much you are burning. The rates for most sites are 'vanity' calories. I have a friend who SWEARS she is burning 983 calories each day on her elliptical and can't figure out why 35 minutes of exercise is not equating to rapid weight loss. Well first of all, she eats those calories and secondly, I'd be it is more like 200 calories. 

The amount you are eating at each point post-op should be based on guidance from your nutritionist. I am hovering close to 700 at 10+ months out, though I am working to add a few more carbs and hit 727 yesterday and should be at 720ish today as well. My nutritionist would like me to be at 800 by my 11th month anniversary in April but through complex carbs. Got a great tip to add some beans for the carbs and have been doing that with success the past two days. 

I am training for a half marathon and not eating my calories, however if I were training for a full marathon and at goal, I would be eating SOME of my calories, but not all. 

HTH!

I didn't count the exercise or what I burnt. If I ate 1,000 calories, that's what I ate, regardless of how much I burnt that day.

I was told to eat 800 while losing and work up to 1000 calories for maintaining and exercise 4-5 times a week for 45 minutes a day.  Calories burnt do not come into play with my doctor or program.  I was told to track my intake so I use myfitnesspal.com.

Uh oh I may be

doing something wrong then. I will be nine months out 3/29 and I use my fitness pal it has my calorie max at 1200 cals! I might be eating too much. I am going to lower my intake to 1000 cals a day.

I lowered MFP to 1000 calories also, and don't eat my fitness calories. I don't trust the treadmill or MFP so just track fitness for my own info that actually did something each day.

Uh oh I may be

doing something wrong then. I will be nine months out 3/29 and I use my fitness pal it has my calorie max at 1200 cals! I might be eating too much. I am going to lower my intake to 1000 cals a day.

Oh dear, I hate to bad mouth anyone.  But MFP doesn't really know she is doing :)  It is just an equation based on a one size fits all theoretical model.  They have no idea what your resting metabolic rate is, how much you are malabsorbing, or how much you burn when you exercise.  If what you are doing is working for you, then to hell with what MFP says.  For example, MFP says that I need to eat 1750 calories a day to maintain my weight.  Well, that really isn't true.  Currently I need closer to 2000.  But there was a time a few years ago when my metabolism was all wicky wacky that I needed more like 1100 a day to maintain my weight.  So if you are set at 1200 and are losing or maintaining or whatever and are happy with what you are eating then that is probably just right for you. 

Regarding the exercise, I don't eat more to account for regular exercise (an hour here or there).  I do eat more when I engage in endurance exercise.  If I am vigorously hiking for more than about 4 or 5 hours a day I will eat a bit more.  If I am vigorously hiking for 18 hours a day I eat A LOT more. 

Well I guess that's good to hear about MFP I am still losing but in the back of my mind I always think should I be losing more. And you are right about eating and vigorous exercise.  I noticed when I run I eat so much more but when I do HIIT or lift weights I don't eat as much.