For those who are at maintenance...

What did your calorie ranges look at every stage? I'm nearing completion and it's tough as hell to drop these last pounds (ticker not accurate, haven't updated!)

I work out at the gym 5 days a week, cardio and weights. During the first year I kept things around 800 calories. It's been over a month now and the scale will not budge. My gym/lifting buddies say I'm not going to see any more loss without bumping up my calories. They are recommending somewhere around 1450. This terrifies me, as we all know this game is very mental and the thought of eating more is scary for us. Is there validity to what they're saying, given that I am active?

Just a few random comments on your situation.........

Since you didn't mention it.... I'm gonna guess your eating in the 1000-1200 calorie range right now........

In four years I've never seen anyone raise calories to lose the last weight.....it's always been the other way.... not saying it is impossible...... just not what I've seen.

If I were to give a blanket broad stroke recommendation on how to lose the last weight.......

- Get your cals under 800 (mine was closer to the 600 for the last 20lbs.)

- Protein up over 100 

- Fluids over 100oz.

- Carbs below 40

My suggestion would be to try this for a full seven days to the "T" and see what happens.....

Hope this helps

frisco

Thanks Frisco. I've got the protein and fluids down. Carbs hover around 50-60g due to my preference for greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I can cut them down though. I'd say I hit 800-1000 a day on most days. Some days I don't even reach 600, though. That's why this has me so baffled. Even on stretches where I don't eat anything but a plain chicken breast, nothing happens.

We'll see how the next week goes keeping it at a strict 600.

I suppose what is most confusing is that with all the research I have done on fitness, it claims to be impossible to not lose weight when eating at the calorie deficit I have been (taking into account BMR/TDEE). So what gives? I can't defy thermodynamics.

My calories steadily rose until I hit goal, and I had no issues.  I ended up at around 1200 during the last months of loss.

Well...... that makes "one"

The difference would be that the OP has slowed/stopped losing weight where yours continued just fine.

1000-1200cals for a typical VSG patient is a baseline start into maintenance.

Several things seem to be a factor for people getting away with higher calorie WL.

- Age..... the younger ones sometimes can consume more.

- Physical size..... a 6' person can sometimes consume more than a 5' person.

- Activity level that would be considered Athlete level.

frisco

Day one update to make you chuckle, Frisco. I'm at 700 cals for the day. Protein/water/exercise all normal, above where they need to be. All I did was drop 300 calories and if that scale doesn't move tomorrow morning I will be SHOCKED. That 300 calorie difference was huge. I've felt starved all day. Crazy.

Stay with it...... 7 solid days..... it gets better....

Eat dense protein..... chicken.....will stay in your stomach/sleeve the longest.....

Add a snack of under cooked veggies..... broccoli stalk or raw celery, radishes.....

This is the fight..... doesn't come easy..... but winnable..... it's personal now !!!!

Get old school crazy !!!

frisco

Weight loss is calories in, calories out. Eating more is not going to give you weight lost on the scale. I agree with Frisco that I've never seen someone increase calories to lose the last bit.

In maintenance, I averaged 1400 calories a day. Losing 600-800, and now that I'm working to lose pregnancy weight, I'm right back to my losing strategy eating plan. Less than 40gr of carbs (I've been averaging less than 30), 100gr of protein and a gallon of fluids. I have 22-23lbs to ditch and it's hanging on for dear life at this point, but I'm losing at over 3.5 years post-op.

Thanks much for your input. Great to see the usual personalities are still here and doing well. :) I suppose the way I've been eating at 1kcal  is my body's maintenance level, and even a 300 cal reduction ought to work.

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