Calorie intake question?

 Hi All
I have a question that maybe someone could answer.  I am dong the 1 cup of food thing as directed in Red Deer,but I also started track my calories on my fitness pal.  So my question is how many calories should I be taking in a day?   The my fitness pal says I should be taking 1430 calories ,but with the 1 cup thing I am taking in 600-800 calories a day. I am eating healthy foods and I feel not hungry.  I am also exercising once a day some times twice a day and when I enter it into my fitness pal , it sometimes says I have burned every calorie I ate for the day and says I need to be taking in more calories.  Should I be worried about my calories or should I just continue the cup thing?  I don't want to put my body into starvation mode and not be able to lose any weight!!!

Mona

 I asked that at my appointment on Wednesday because I run and exercise too and I was concerned about not having enough fuel to do these things. I had a trainer and was always taught to have protein after for recovery for your muscles. Anyway... Dr.g and Christine both said one cup no matter what. If I thought I was starving and going to die I could have 6 almonds or a weigh****chers snack but only on occasion. 

Hi All,
  I haven't been on here much lately but was checking in today and thought I would add my thoughts on this.  Just to be clear...I have never been a strong supporter of the 1 cup rule from the Red Deer office.  It is safe to say that 600-800 calories per day will never be enough to sustain you in the long term, especially if you are exercising.  Your resting metabolism will consume that alone.  I believe the intent behind the 1 cup rule is for you to demonstrate committment to losing weight and lifestyle change.  If you are not consuming enough protein in those meals you will begin to lose muscle, not fat!  I am now almost 5 months post op for the VSG and I still have issues some days consuming enough.  Is there a dietitian attached to that program at all?  I can't imagine this would be medically indicated as best practice.  You are also right that your body will try to adjust to consuming so few calories and will store everything, you will begin to feel tired, and eventually you will be hungry...we have all tried diets like that and know that in the long term they have not worked. 
Just my opinion but if you consume planned, healthy meals that are within a range that are medically suggested you can still lose weight and you are more likely to succeed.  Track what you eat and consult a dietitian if you can.

Just my thoughts...

Hi Mona,

I have also been tracking my caloric intake on an app called Lose it.  I average 600 - 800 calories a day too.  I am on day 11 of the one cup diet.  I am exhausted. I want to sleep as soon as I get home from work and I usually end up going to bed early.  I haven't started my workout routine yet because I have no energy.  I have to suck it up soon and just do it. I think I will have to work out in the mornings so that I can have something to eat afterwards. 

People close to me who have a better knowledge about training and healthy eating have told me that my body is just getting used to the diet.  That is why I am so tired.  My brother suggested I wait a bit to get used to the diet and then work out.  I too worry that it is not enough in calories to work out and do the one cup diet.  Someone suggested that I up the calories but that worries me as well because I don't want to gain weight and defeat myself.

Just a little insight for you all. These programs will tell you that you should be taking in a certain amount of calories but it isn't always right.
While going through the weight wise program before surgery I was told I should be able to consume 1400-1500 calories a day and be able to lose 1-2 pounds a week. After months of following the program to a T, I didn't lose any weight and was so depressed. They finally recommended 6 months in that I have a metabolic test done, which could be done right there in their clinic. When I had it done the results shocked the Nutritionist as well as the head surgeon Dr. Sharma. The results were to maintain I could only eat 1130 a day. To lose 1/2-1 pound a week I would have to cut my calories by 500 a day which would be drastic. I also have PCOS which is a metabolic disease so it did affect the numbers and weight lost. My diet after the test was really strict and I got most of my calories from protein then I ate fruit or veggies to bulk up my meals. It was hard for a while but my body did adjust.
Now 16 months out of surgery I am eating pretty good but still low calories. I range anywhere from 600-1000 mostly, I do have the odd treat or take out and of course on those days it will increase a little but I'm still losing and feeling wonderful.
On the days where I know I'm gonna workout I have higher proteins or if there is a day when I know I am going to eat out I usually have more fruit and veggies to keep my calories in the range where they should be. I still have great restriction and am hoping to drop at least another 10 pounds. We'll see what happens.
Good Luck Everyone with your journey and know you are never alone.

Kee.

Hey Kee,

What is involved in the metabolic testing?  Did they have to "DO" something or was it just something they worked out on paper.

Just trying to figure out if they've done this with me as well...or I might ask them to do the same if they haven't! 

Dreena

Dreena,
I was put in a room in a nice comfie chair with the lights turned down low and relaxing music was playing in the background. They inserted a mouth piece into my mouth and I had to just lay back and relax and breath into this mouth piece for 15-20 minutes
It was simply add easy and this machine hooked to the mouth piece did this graph charting thing and they were able to figure it outt from there.
Jope that helps.

That's bizarre!  Nope, I've never had this done!
HMM!

Sounds like a sleep apnea test almost hey? 

I'm going to ask about this!

Thanks hun!

Dreena

Totally different from a sleep apnea, the mouth piece is gross kinda like getting an x-ray done at the dentist where you have to bite on that stupid piece.
I don't know if it's something that they do after surgery cause I had mine done before surgery. But it would definitely be something to look into too. I also wish they would do a body composition after surgery, I would love to see a comparison picture.

Kee.

I dont fully believe in the dietian route. I went to a dietian before I started the program cause I heard he liked you to go to that. Well I gained 30lbs seeing her. That is what put me at 310 lbs when I got in to the dr's. I started on the 1 cup of food and I lost 20 lbs first month and then little increments. When I had surgery I weighed 276 and now i weigh 160. Last week was my one year surgivarssary. I was concered after surgery and I only ate 1/2 cup about not getting enough, I talked to the drs and he said that not to worry focus on protein so thats what | did, I had my blood work in Jan and it all looked great and I'm doing great. I went down 150 lbs in one year !! Got my referal sent in to plastics and now just another long weight!! I have been maintaing now for about 3 months. I eat a bit of everything now and have not gained. Everything is ok in moderation, I now can eyeball my food and I focus on protein when I do eat.
 I do feel like i do not get enough calories as well and have slowly been increasing them and not gaining weight.  He has had so much sucess with the program that I dont question it. At my year check up I was discharged from the program as I am doing so well. Wished they had more do as good as I have.

So 150 down and 92" lost!!