A little OT ... maintenance calorie levels...

 Thanks for the input!  It sounds like your exercise routine is great!

I don't have a good answer for this because I'm just coming out of the plastics metabolism boost.

Before plastics I ate 1000-1100 and exercised 6-7 hours a week to maintain 149 pounds.  More calories or more carbs than 40-50 and I gained weight.

Post plastics I've eaten more carbs and haven't exercised or fanatically tracked calories.  My scale is up two pounds so I'm back to limited carbs and keeping calories below 1100 to get them off.

The honeymoon period allowed me to eat more and less carefully than I have in two years and I have to admit that I loved it!  But that's all over now at 8 weeks post op. *sigh*

I want to keep my weight to 140 which is my lowest since junior high. 

 Wow, those maintenance calories seem very low - especially with that workout routine.  I thought that women weren't supposed to go below 1200 calories a day even when dieting to maintain a healthy body composition. Do you think that possibly your weight is too low for you to maintain healthily?  I really hope you don't take any offense to this, that caloric intake is just a little worrisome for me.  I'm sure you have consulted a dietitian and doctor and they have said it is okay, however, if you haven't you may want to :)

Thanks for sharing! 

The head of my Bariatric program, one of my two surgeons told me that 1000 calories, if they are protein and veggie based is not too low. He said that some of us just have very slow metabolism and have to exercise like crazy and eat small amounts.  I'm 61 with years of messed up metabolism.

This is just my reality.  Hopefully things will change and I'll be able to eat more!

 I figured you had checked that with your doctor... just wanted to make sure :).  It is crazy how metabolisms can vary so much in individuals.  Good luck!  

 Thanks!