calorie intake

well i have a guestion about calories with grastric bypass i was told you you dont absorb all the calories you take in with this surgery so does anyone no how many you absord that you consume does this make sence  help

Good question....hope someone will answer it.   Did you know that the malabsorption only lasts 18 months? Our systems heal and absorb every calorie we eat?  I didn't know that until I went to a support group in Chandler.  After the malabsorption heals,  we have to watch calorie intake for sure which means measuring everything we eat.  I checked my daily caloried intake for my ideal weight and it was 1854 calories a day to maintain a weight of 130.  (I'm not there yet cause I'm only 4  and half months out of surgery) Thought this is good information.

Thanks for the info we dont live to far from each other i live in kingman im 1 1/2 year out and dont no how to figure out how many calories i sould have at 160 but i want to get down to 150 you are doing great

Congrats on your great weight loss!  Bummer about your aftercare!  I've heard great reports about those surgeon's so hopefully, yours was an unusual cir****tance? You can go to www.calorieking.com , or my favorite:  www.fitday.com (don't get succorded into buying their software when the free stuff works great with some practice)  or www.sparkpeople.com According to Dr. Simpson's book, if you cut back on 100 calories a day then you will lose 10 pounds in a year?  I always consider that when I look at those airy 100 calorie bags of "stuff".  Almost all of us can find one 100 calorie item we can eliminate in a day.  Heck, that's just like skipping Ranch dressing and opting for light vinagrette or having your chicken on a salad instead of between a slice of bread..... I'm working on my last 4 pounds.......chisel and much focus usually is required for those petrified pounds at the end of the road!

hey Joyce

how are you doing?  back to your  sunny self now?

you only have FOUR #s left to lose?  awesome!

I *only* have 35#  which for me might as well be 100

Hiya Lori!!! Thanks for asking about me!!!  ...... "Sunny Self" hasn't emerged completely yet but the weather report for the future is looking much better!  I tried out the E.R. of Gateway hospital on Sat night!  It's a  LOVELY hospital in case anyone ever needs a round of emergency tests!  LOL!  .....   I have a couple of things going on that my Doc is working hard to help me with!  .....  Always good to have a great surgeon on your side!!!.....

I understand your frustration with the 35#!!!!  ......  I've had Darcie coaching me many many times when I've been stumped!  Giver her a call and she'll have you on track with the "losing the last 30" before you know it!!!!  .......  Always looks workable on paper, right? C U soon sweetie pie???  Are you going to make it to the Seminar on the 29th?  Spring Fling that night?  ......  Weigh 2 much fun to miss!

I think I absorbed every calorie I ate. I also think I absorbed every calorie the person next to me ate also. Weight loss has been an incredible struggle. The only time I had a significant weight loss is when I was fasting or on liquids. The rest of the time it was very slow with many plateaus and it took 4 years till I hit goal. I dont think it was as difficult for most. I think I was the exception. Good Luck

Well you look really good were did you have your surgery we dont live to far from each other i live in kingnan

Holy Cow Moira!  I've been losing weight again (finally) and wondered who stole my calories!  I should have known it was YOU!  He he he!!!!  .......You are such an itty bitty success story that if you'e got some wisdom to share then I focus in on it and take notes! You are proof that the 18 month "window" doesn't have to shut things down for us! You rock sweetie pie!

This is what I understand to be true:  With RNY they bypass a certain length of your intestine. The more they bypass, the more extreme the malabsorption. There are four important aspects to this malabsorption:  1. Carbs. These are NOT malabsorbed. Every carb calorie you consume (other than fiber and maybe sugar alcohols) will land on your hips or belly if you don't use it up in the course of the day.  2. Fat. This is the biggie. If a normal person absorbs 100%, you might only absorb 70%. Your intestines will learn how to compensate for the bypassed part of the intestines, increasing your absorption, but you will always malabsorb a certain percentage. My guess because I don't have facts is that you will always malabsorb between 5 and 10% of fats.  3. Protein. This is also malabsorbed, perhaps at a similar rate as fat. This is a very essential nutrient, and it is important to get in Protein first always. If you have adequate protein your body won't steal energy from your muscles to function.... when you're losing weight you don't WANT to lose your muscles, they are what help you to metabolise and use all those calories. The fewer muscles or the less muscle mass you have, the fewer calories you burn and the harder it is to lose fat-weight.  4. Vitamins. You will always malabsorb vitamins. Make sure you take a multivitamin every day, a B-complex, B-12, and calcium citrate. A vitamin regimen of (imho) flintstones chewables and tums will result in several serious consequences: Osteoporosis as your body leeches calcium from your bones, pernicious anemia due to B-12 deficiency, Neuropathy due to thiamin and vitamin B deficiency, and even muscle spasms due to potassium deficiency. Take Your Vitamins.  The so-called Honeymoon period is the period of time when you eat the least amount of food, and you are the heaviest, so your body has to use the greatest amount of calories just to get you through every single day... since your calorie consumption is so far below your calorie needs you can possibly lose as much as 1 lb per day in teh beginning. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to function, and you eat more.... this continues to happen until at approximately 18 months the calories you can consume, even on your surgeon's plan with strict adherence, and the calories your body needs to function are even. If you have an enormous amount to lose, this could mean that you might level off at a weight in excess of what YOU want. This does NOT mean that that is all that you will ever lose. You are now more like a NORMAL person, in that if you want to lose more than the WLS will enable you to lose, you have to work at it just like the rest of the population. The tool will always be there to help you out and keep you on track, but ultimately this is not about a rearrangement of innards, it's about a re-training of bad habits during the period when we physically cannot eat like we used to. If you are successful at retraining your mind (and yes, we all slip up)... then you will be successful at keeping the majority of the weight off.  Now .... all that I wrote is based on what I've read on this site. In two weeks I'll find out how much my "book knowledge" meshes with a real-life experience.