Nutritionist on drugs?!

I recently met with the nutritionist in my surgeon's office (I'm 3 months post sleeve surgery), and she said I should be getting around 1200 calories?! That seems too high to me. When I said that, she said to enter my goal weight into myfitnesspal, and that will tell me how much to eat. I was like, HUH?! I'm so confused....so I try to stay around 800 - 900 calories. From reading posts and comments on here, I'm, worried that is too high this soon after surgery. I've lost 30 pounds, but have been stalled for the past few weeks. Advice anyone? Should I lower my calories? Stick with it? 

I'm not sure why so many nutritionists and surgeons recommend 1000-1200 calories/day for sleevers. Nearly everyone on this board who has been successful in losing weight have a daily intake of 600-800 calories. My own surgeon insisted on 1000 calories/day for me, but I do not lose weight on 1000. Even 800 slows my loss down to a snail's pace.

Perhaps slower weight loss is healthier, but my comorbidities are severe enough that I need to get the weight off before the comorbidities get me, and so far I've gotten my BP under control and am off medication. I've also eliminated (with my surgeon's blessing!) 2 other meds and have cut back on 2 others. My lab numbers a month ago were all within normal range for the first time in 20 years.

Those who have achieved their goal weights still keep their calorie counts between 1000 and 1500 just to maintain. Next time I see my surgeon, I plan to ask him about this question.

My advice is to find the calorie limit that allows you to lose weight at a pace that's satisfactory to you. Be sure to take your surgeon's recommended vitamin and mineral supplements.

psychoticparrot

I suspect that the recommendations are based upon RNY experience (which is where more bariatric nuts come from), which has that extra weight loss boost from the malabsorption that allows a somewhat higher caloric limit (which unfortunately doesn't last more than a year or two, so maintenance levels wind up being similar to sleevers). Another factor may be this concept of metabolic damage from our history of obesity (also known as the "fat trap" wherein we fatties/former fatties don't burn calories as readily as normal people. The idea seems to be fairly well accepted, but not fully appreciated; it hasn't really been codified, or fully characterized, so there isn't any formula to figure out its' effect. As a result, it more often than not is simply ignored even though the shadow of that elephant in the room still lurks. The official formula for resting metabolic rate for a certain individual may say 1600, but the reality may be more like 1200 (or 1400, or 1000, depending...) With these types of variables involved, many come up with their own rules of thumb, with most of the more experienced sleeve guys coming in around that 6-800 range while the RNY guys seem to come in higher, which befits the quirks of their favored procedure. Even 6-800 is too high for some outliers and that's where it helps to have a doc *****ally understands the metabolic problems, in addition to the surgical ones. My doc didn't publish a specific guideline on that in their book, (which I suspect reflects their specialization with the DS, which screws up all those calculations - fat calories, carb calories and protein calories really are different, as opposed to the claims of various fad diet promoters over the years) but tends to work more individually rather than depending upon a cookie cutter. I lost fine at 1100 (and wouldn't have wanted to lose any faster,) but that reflects my metabolism.

For what it's worth, ours didn't focus on calories - we didn't even talk about calories.  We had a protein goal, and then water (veggies/fruits/starches after protein of course if there was room). 

Honestly, I'd be a little concerned if my NUT was telling me to go by what MFP was telling me I needed.  But that's me.

Stalls happen.  Learn to accept them - your body is adjusting. :-)

I would totally ignore that advice. My fitness pal is geared toward normal eaters not those whit Wls. We can use it and do but I would stay with the 600-800 calls till goal.

We were advised 600-800 cals during weight loss.  For maint between 1200- 1500 cals a day.  Even almost a year out my capacity is rather limited, so I don't even reach 600 cals a day but I do get my water, protein and vitamins in every day.

600-800 Calories per day until you reach your goal. DONE! If you count your macros: 80+ grams protein,

< 40 grams carbs. DONE! 

Sorry, OH cuts off my posts sometimes. 

Even most RNYers are not eating 1200c at 3 months out. Everyone has a different range and it may change over time... but that sounds like too much for so early.

My daily intake at most is 900 on a special day which occurs once a month.  I definitely have the capacity 5 or so months out, but I still go between 600-800 daily.