Help?

Muscle doesn't burn protein. No fitness machine or wrist band or app can accurately gauge how many calories you burn during a workout. At just over two months out I suspect the OP still has a lot of fat stores that her body will burn for fuel.

I'm in maintenance, I workout almost always 5 days a week, and then do 5-6 kms brisk walk 3 times a week at lunch.

I plan my menu to be around 1300 calories. I do not add extra because I went to the gym or went for a walk. You are asking for trouble if you start thinking about net calories or adding extra calories because you worked out. Plan the calories in your menu around the times you will need extra fuel for a work out.

Cool

Hi Stacey, the foods you listed that you are eating 6oz of are mostly slider foods. Most of us can eat more of those. This is one of the reasons that the vets tell us to eat dense protein because it fills us up. You are still early post-op and you are still healing. I know it's hard, but you have been through too much and I don't want you to do damage to your pouch. The nerves are still healing and post surgery we don't get a normal "full feeling". Even today at 4 years post-op my cues that I have had enough or overdone it are sneezing, hiccups, and food backing up. These are not signs I rely on, they are signs that I haven't been paying attention and I ate too much.

I do agree you shouldn't eat the calories you burn while working out specifically. It leads some people to think they can "reward" themselves with extra food.

But, I also think the most important thing is to listen to your body.

600 calories isn't very much, especially if you are working out. I'd up a bit - with protein first of course. Try to focus on lower cal protein (like chicken) which can give you a good amount of protein with limited calories.

Yes, I would limit myself to the 4oz. Don't chase the full feeling. You're just a little over 2 mos out. Not all your nerves may be healed yet so you feel nothing!

Stick to what the plan says, measure your food and stop when you're done. It also depends on what your eating. I highly doubt that you could eat 4 oz of dense protein never mind 6.

I definitely can't eat more than 2 oz of protein really but when I have soup and chili, for example, I could eat close to 6 oz.

Those are slider foods....they go right on through. Again at two months out it should be PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN. If you are full on 2 oz then good, stop eating. Your body is still healing and protein should be first and foremost on the menu.

*** Edited to add: Just because you could, doesn't mean you should.

Here is your answer.

These foods are sliders. We can eat those all day long --

Focus on DENSE protein. Do not add calories to account for exercise.

You are on the right track, and it sounds to me you have the rare nutritionist that gives good advice about not replacing calories for work outs.

When you are hungry, eat dense proteins. It's better to eat 2 oz of them when you are hungry than to add non-satiating calories.

If you were in maintenance you might need to add a few calories on heavy workout days... as you don't have the fat stores you used to.

You still have fat stores to depend on at this point.

You may need more protein, and you may need to time your food around workouts.