Confused.

You can't compare people who have had bariatric and metabolic surgery with those who haven't. Two completely different things.

This is a good reminder that our bodies are more than just our weight. I certainly don't want issues w/ my heart, gallbladder, etc if I can avoid it so will definitely take that into consideration when the time comes as well.

Thanks.

Yeah re-reading my post I should have done a better job of highlighting that that "cheaper" comment was supposed to be a joke. :D My own fault for thinking I'm funny LOL

I'm still pre-op but I'm in the insurance required diet stage and I am honestly already seeing the food budget going down, mostly from not going to restaurants 5x a week or more. Which is really good since my Dr. budget is through the roof right now.

What I'm really wondering is once I have the surgery is there an actual benefit to trying to push yourself to get above 1000 calories a day. Or asked another way, is it detrimental long term if you don't eat 1000 calories a day as long and your getting in your required protein and taking your vitamins etc.

Thanks for the response.

My surgeon wanted me to eat 1300 calories a day at 4 months out just about now. A lot of people say otherwise at that, and to keep it lower. I've tried to reach 1300 the first day after the surgeon said to, and I felt absolutely miserable. I feel amazing right now at about 600 calories a day, give or take a hundred, so for now I am staying at that. I know I will probably eat more calories in the future as I get to a year out and then on. Most people seem to adjust to a healthy normal body calorie intake of like 1200-1400. If the surgeon thinks 600 calories is fine, then they shouldn't worry about it too much. He is an expert in what our bodies are meant to have in order to lose weight.

JACOB- If I could give you some of my sage (another word for OLD people) advice:

While I understand your desire to soak up ALL the knowledge, in the universe...as you SHOULD...and I COMMEND you, for it...

TRY not to weigh yourself down...no pun intended...with stuff, like this...

For everyone you ask, you will probably get a different answer, depending on where that person is, in their personal journey...And that will be true for just about EVERY question you ask...

So, just get prepared

Some more advice: Follow the SCIENCE...Julie is a GREAT source, for this...Also, "Vets" AKA Peeps, who live the post-op life (here, at OH, generally recognized to be 5 yrs or more-when REALITY sets in) can be real pains and "meanie pants", but you won't find better sources, of info, if you want brutal truth, and want to be HEALTHY and SUCCESSFUL

Oh crap...What was the question...

Hi Gina

Thanks for the bit of sageness! I can always use more advice.

The science is really what I am interested in. I know (or at least think I know ?) that once I have the surgery I'm going to have to listen to my body as well as the good advice I get from the folks here. But when I hear something that doesn't make sense to me I ask because it bugs me when I don't know something lol. I promise to try not to get too hung up on it though.

I will say I much prefer honest and genuine to soft and fake so bring on the meanie pants lol.

I got the joke... I snickered...you are indeed funny far as I can tell.

There was a few weeks in this process where I kind of freaked out and thought I should 'try' to eat more. Then I stopped stressing and it turned out I didn't waste away. Then I saw other people getting to around the 9 months - 1 yr mark posting a "oh goodness...will I waste away?" posts...then they calmed down and also did not waste away. I know there could be a person who has trouble holding a minimum weight but it is really not very likely based on the statistics in the research I've read about WLS outcomes.

Personally I am always happy to notice "oh hey I am low on calories today...lucky me! I will eat an apple (or whatever snack I had planned)." I have not had to 'push' myself to up calories. It seems like for me that could lead to a bad place pretty quickly. Tracking is key for me.

When I asked my surgeon about losing too much he said, "It is always easy to gain...add a few bites here or there and it will happen." That said recently I underwent my second surgery for internal hernia repair. The surgeon stated that my near zero body fat is causing my organs to move around too much. There is no fat layer to hold everything in place and so he recommended that I stop losing weight and try to add a few pounds back. So...I guess from my anecdotal personal experience...it is possible to get too thin.

I now plan to test the other axiom and find out if it is possible to be too rich. It is for science after all and I will be sure to report back.

~E

>>I got the joke... I snickered...you are indeed funny far as I can tell.

Thanks :) too bad looks aren't everything Ba dum bump Tip your waiters, I'll be here all week :D

Sorry....I tried to resist LOL

The more and more I research the more I realize that I'm just going to have to wait and see what my body does. I find this hard because I am definitely a researcher. I like to know exactly what is going to happen. That being said, all the places I look tell me 60-65% excess weight loss is a success and I refuse to believe I can't do better than that. If the cost of that is being "too thin" or having a messed up metabolism well then I'll take it, but it seems like that is going to be quite unlikely. LOL

Now as too being too rich...count me in. Just be sure to remember the not too little people who had absolutely nothing to do with getting you there. :D

*edited because most of my post didn't show up

Just remember... statistics are not people.

And to get the average, lots of people are above it and lots of people are below it.

65% of my EBW is 85#. I'm sitting at 99# lost at 9 months post-op. And I've been fighting chronic illness flare-up and/or medication side effects and haven't been able to go to the gym or even just walk around the block since mid-December. I haven't been perfect, far from it. I have found it incredibly difficult to stick to my eating plan when I feel physically horrible. But I've done the best I can to eat my protein first, and listen to my body, and while my weight loss has slowed to a crawl the last few months, it's still on a downward trend. We also think we've gotten to the bottom of the latest issue, and I'm cautiously hopeful to be back in the gym (well, just the pool) next week and get back to a workout routine and get back to solid eating plans.

I have another 30# or so to lose, and I'm determined to do so. I refuse to be a statistical average.

There are many, many people on this board and others who have lost 100% of their EBW. The only limits on what you can do are in your head.

Weight loss aside (which is awesome btw!!) I really hope that you have gotten to the bottom of the LAST issue. Chronic illness is such a hard nut to crack and affects EVERY thing. I'll have my fingers crossed for you and hope for good healing JUJU of whatever particular flavor you prefer.