Surprise surprise, my NUT for sure said it was ok lol. You were all right! It's kind of upsetting that they don't know this for sure, especially since mine works for the surgeon. Her services are part of the surgery so I was relying on her expertise....I guess not :/

Faster is better at this point. We need to optimize the weight loss while we can in those first 12-18 months and the best way to do that is to keep the calories low and I target 800 calories still at 15 months. I go up to 1000 calories occasionally and when I do it ****** me off lol! If you're working out I would ensure that those 800 calories are some dense protein but besides that I would try to stick to the 800 calories and I'm guessing your weight loss will be strong and steady!

Nutritionists don't always give the best info. Qualifications and training vary WILDLY between practitioners, and they don't always have appropriate experience with bariatric patients.

During the loss phase, most people here average 600 - 800 calories during loss, and 1000 - 1200 in maintenance. This can vary from person to person, but it's good to check with your surgeon for his/her opinion.

Estimates for calories burned are notorious inaccurate and frequently over-estimate. It's generally wise not to "eat back" any exercise calories, unless you're doing extended effort (running a marathon, cycling 40 miles, otherwise being constantly active for 2+ hours).

An uptick in hunger can be caused by many things. If you're having any carbs, they can make you feel hungrier. An uptick in stomach acid (if you're not taking a PPI) can cause this as well; I used to have reflux trouble when I started doing long bike rides. If you're not getting enough water when exercising, dehydration can also mimic hunger.

Track your loss compared to your exercise and food intake. If your loss slows down or stops at 1000 calories, as it seems to for many posters here, then you need to reduce the amount you eat.

^^^^  What Julie said x 10

Do everything you possibly can to maximize your weight loss for as long as possible.   Losing weight slowly is not healthier or better for you, despite what others may say.  Bariatric surgeons encourage their patients to use this time wisely and be as compliant as possible.  It's never going to be easier than right after surgery to make significant changes to your weight.

WLS is a game changer and it's important to use the honeymoon period to your advantage.  It's truly best not to eat back any calories you think you may lose by exercising.  It's very easy to put ourselves into maintenance by adding calories, even in small amounts.  If you feel you must have something, stick with protein and avoid carbs.

agree - I have struggled with the recommendation that I increase my carb intake at the suggestion of my Nut. I have not done so , still work out and am doing well. I do get hungry at times, so have added a Protein shake immediately following workouts.

Do you compensate for calories burned? I do not currently do that, even though recommended by my Nut.

Nope, I don't make up my exercise calories. Only exception is when I'm out on my bike for a couple of hours and do 20 - 30 miles, then I'll have a peanut butter sandwich or some M&M's or something halfway through so I don't "bonk" and have blood sugar trouble.

I have good luck with string cheese after exercise. When I'm thirsty I tend to chug, did that with a shake once... not pretty. So do my water, wait a few, and then a little block of cheese works really well!

I wish I could run after your bike. It sounds like we would have fun.

Could you carry my dates for me?  I dont have enough pockets...

I guess I have been when I look back on my app for tracking food and exercise. The days I work out, I eat around 200 calories more which i a bit less than how much I burn from working out. I didn't realize that would make me hang on to the weight. 

What she said..

So glad for this post!! Still working on finding my own groove (does that ever happen??) and at not quite 2 months, I finally got the protein part down - but then I wondered about the calorie part, especially since my first month I lost a lot, but this month - not so much. So the 600ish calories sounds about right for how much protein I now am taking in.