Keto And Calories

Just more Keto Questions. If we are to limit our calories to around 500-600 calories, what will happen when our sleeves eventually stretch and we are able to handle higher volumes and likely higher calories? When we are able to handle 800-1000 calories after our bodies have become adapted to functioning on 500-600 calories, we will gain weight, won't we? After our sleeves stretch, we won't feel restriction or be satisfied with 500-600 calories unless we just stuff ourselves with vegetables for bulk. It seems that eventually we will slide out of ketosis. What am I missing?

Why will our sleeves eventually stretch?

Do you plan to force extra calories in just because you think you can? I'm not sure what you're asking. Even if you eat more calories than 500-600, that has no effect on ketosis. I stayed at about 700 calories for over a year, until I lost all of my weight. I did very low carb for the majority of that and only now eat carbs more freely once I have protein needs met. Ketosis is from low carb, not low calorie.

It seemed that some who answered my other thread about Keto advocated controlling calories. They seem to make the distinction between low-carb which doesn't control calories and Keto which tries to control calories and just keeps carbs as a small percentage of those calories. Our sleeves will eventually maybe not stretch but relax to allow more food in. At that point, maybe the restriction goes down. I don't know if the hunger hormone Ghrelin increases at that point as well. Whenever I lost weight before the sleeve, as soon as I would finish my diet program, my body would make sure that my appetite increased so that I would think about and require food all the time. Of course my metabolism went to negative numbers. I'm a binge eater and always needed to feel pain before I would stop eating, so it's scary what might happen when I no longer have restriction from the sleeve. I wasn't mentally ready to go for gastric bypass. I do tend to over worry. I'm staying in ketosis pretty easily. Figuring out percentages for strict keto seems complicated but I might gradually get into it. I'll just try to enjoy the sleeve restriction while I have it.

I wouldn't focus on keto. Our sleeves relax, yes, but not really stretch unless you continuously abuse it. Just focus on meeting your protein goals, keeping calories low and carbs low :) strict keto is unnecessary for early out, and difficult. I never did strict keto, and wouldn't now at almost two years out.

For your binge eating I hope you are able to see someone and take something for those issues. Reading what others have written about it, I know it is hell. Just remember that you had this surgery for a better you and you have to do everything you can to keep yourself on the right track.

I'd like to chime in with the advice to seek treatment for the binge eating. Please talk to your doctor about this - there is help. Eating to the point of pain is unsafe. and binging WILL derail you. There's no reason why you can't have sleeve restriction forever.

I say this as someone who a) was diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder, b) takes Vyvanse for it, and c) still feels restriction 4.5 years post-VSG.

Who can prescribe the Vyvanse, a surgeon, a psychiatrist, or can it be any doctor? Is the Vyvanse something that you have to take every day, or can you just take it when you have the feeling of wanting to continue eating?

I was originally diagnosed by my PCP and she prescribed Vyvanse for me. Then I got the diagnosis confirmed and treatment continued with a psychiatrist. It is something you take every morning.

Thanks!

WLSers who do low-carb DO count calories.

It is impossible for your metabolism to go to "negative numbers."

You will always have sleeve restriction as long as you eat lean dense protein, instead of trying to fill up on carbs.