calories

I am an accountant.  To lose a lb of body fat I have to eat 3500 calories less than I use.  Essentially my body will eat 3500 calories of it's own body fat to lose 1 lb.  If I maintain 185 lbs. on 1850 calories then I burn 10 calories per lb of me.  If I eventually want to weigh 165 lbs then if I eat 1650 calories a day I will get there...very slowly... but I will get there.  Right?  When I eat much less than 1650 calories for a couple of days  (my doctor wants me to eat 1100 calories) I lose control and eat more after a few days resulting in my average calorie intake to be higher than 1850 calories.  Thus the yo yo dieting for my whole life which I am trying to not do post RNY.  Is this correct?  What is your opinion?  thanks, Linda

Wow, you are an accountant! You are talking about a 200 calorie a day defecit, assuming that your base calorie needs is 1850.   What if your base calorie needs change? What if one day you are sitting around on the couch all day, with the remote in hand & not doing anything - on that day, do you need 1850 calories? What if you are running around all day, cleaning house, running errands - on that day, do you need 1850 calories? The answer is that weight loss is dependent on the calories in vs. calorie spent principle.  On a given day you may burn more or less calories.  A calorie defecit will result in burning stored fat.  If you feel good at 1650 calories, but not less - you can promote weight loss by making sure your activity matches that calorie level (to maintain, not gain) OR you can increase your energy spent through exercise and lose weight. The added benefit to exercise to manage weight (in addition to calorie control) is that an increase in muscle will make your body burn more calories even at rest - because you have more "metabolically active" tissue present.  So, if you build muscle, you spend more calories just sitting at a chair and breathing... Why not also take a look at what you are eating to get to those 1650 calories.  Are you eating fruits and vegetables, avoiding refined grain products, getting in adequate protein and fluids?  Make sure that your nutrients are there (vitamins and minerals) and that you are getting adequate fiber, low fat, etc. Make sense?

thanks for your quick response.  I swim 30 minutes 40 lengths free there and breast back.  Always after lunch or it screws things up.  I eat 6 meals: meat. veges, fat and bread 3 times a day and milk and fruit 3 times a day.  I am learning to swap out occational junk carbs for good food because moderation has never been a strong suit of mine and I am not perfect all the time.   I am a diabetic that has been a type 2 diabetic for 27 years since I was 26 yo and maybe longer.  I have been on most pills, long and short insulin and lantis and byetta.  I lost 110 lbs pre rny and gained back 35 before I had surgery.  Then I relost the 35 the first 2 months following my RNY.  Then over the next 9 months I gained back 20 lbs.  Finally I decided I am aiming for 165 and that is that...  I am 5ft 3 or 4 inches and I can't eat less than 1650 calories even with NO junk food.  I am off all diabetes and blood pressure meds.  When I eat less than 1650 calories my blood sugar goes low...frequently to the 60s, once to 21 and almost to 400 when I eat badly.  By eating 1650 it is quite stable and normal.  Although I would love to have a normal BMI I just don't see it in the cards for me.  this past year since my RNY my A1Cs have been 6.1, 5.8, 5.8, and5.8 and I have not had any meds since surgery.  I am now just under 170 lbs again but still losing very slowly.  take care, Linda