Curious - what is your calorie intake after plastics (while recovering)

Most of us getting plastics are in maintence and many of us are still following certain calorie/protein guidelines to make sure we keep the weight off.  I am curious to know how calorie intake changed - or didn't change - as you recover from surgery.

I was eating about 1200/day for  maintence.  I've found myself more hungry than usual as I recovery from my first round of plastics (aside from that first week where I ate less than usual).  I am eating more like 1500 calories a day now - and I've tried to make sure those extra calories are protein.  I've done this because I've felt hungry and thought my body might need some extra nutrients to aid in healing.

I worry that this is dangerous thinking and that I may have trouble getting back down to my normal 1200/day when this is all said and done.  But I guess I will deal with that when the time comes.  I have my ETT in less than two weeks (eeeeek!)  so I'm not going to make any drastic dietary changes right now. 

So... please... tell me about how your diet changed for recovery.  Did you up calories or protein or carbs?   Did your PS give you any advise on this?  My PS wanted me to eat a bit more than usual, and based on his advice and what my own body was telling me, I did... but it still feels "weird" to be allowing so many calories in a day!

Thanks in advance for anything you are willing to share!! :)

I stopped tracking because I didn't want to not get enough protein in because I was worried about calories.  I feel like I've been eating like a horse, but I'm probably really around 1500-1800 calories a day - and the increase has all been protein.  It's easing up now, but for weeks after surgery, I was hungry, and I was hungry for protein.  My doc's experience is that the  surgery temporarily revs your metabolism and the extra protein is needed to heal.

I admit, I was nervous when I first got on the scale about a month out because of the extra eating.  But I had dropped 8 lbs, and they've stayed off.  I plan on keeping higher than normal protein and calories for another month, then start moving back into normal maintenance.

You were probably very wise to not be tracking while recovering.  I wonder if i should do the same when it comes time for my ETT recovery.  But tracking is such a habit now - I don't know if I can stop!  LOL! 

Thanks for sharing your experience!

My Dr. told me too that my metabolism would speed up due to the healing process. I found that in the last 2 weeks that I wasn't that hungry, however when I do eat I make sure it is protein based.  I haven't been keeping a close track of my calorie intake, but I do know that it isn't as high as it should be. I have been craving vanilla greek yogurt, so I have been eating it 3 times a day!

I wouldn't be too concerned about eating 1500 calories a day. Like our Dr's mentioned, our bodies are working over time when it comes to healing. It's actually better I think that you are eating more, it's probably helping to rev your metabolism. Where I am probably slowing mine down with not eating enough! I'm gonna work on that!

Lesley

Thanks!  You might be right that eating too little would slow down the metabolism.  I do hope I've had a metabolic boost from all of this, but with the swelling it is really hard to know the true number on the scale.  I guess I will have to wait many months to really know were I stand with my weight... but I'm trying not to worry to much about that number.  It's hard...  :)

I normally eat 1,800 calories per day on a non-workout day, and 2,000 on workout days.  I didn't change my diet, but I'd guess I was mostly eating around the 1,800 mark each day...and if I felt hungry, I ate something, generally Greek yogurt or cheese and crackers. I'm 4 months out now, and have probably lost a grand total of about 5 lbs post plastics, but the change in inches is dramatic.  I had to buy all new pants.

Wow, you are fortunate that you can eat 1800 a day - that's great!    You must have a lot of muscle! :)   Hopefully someday if I can build more muscle I will be able to eat a bit more, but for now I'm afraid my calorie needs (even with daily exercise) are pretty low. 

And you make a good point, I should focus on the change in my shape rather than the number on the scale!   Thanks for your feedback!

I eat 1700-2000 calories a day to maintain. Post-plastics I ate around 3000 calories a day and still lost weight. About the 3 month mark I had to cut back to my usual 1700, dang it!!

You must also be a super fit person!  I tell ya, you all make me want to work harder to build up some muscles so I can maybe get my calories up! :)    For now, though, I really need to stick to 1200 a day (normally) to not gain weight - and that's with daily exercise.   So... yeah, I am really hopefully that I am getting a metabolic boast from the PS.  Even if it is temporary, it would be nice to eat a bit more without fear of regain.   This is the first time I've actually felt hungry since getting the sleeve surgery!

3000 calories a day - woo-hoo!  That must have felt like a crazy amount of food (normal for me, though, before WLS!)   Was it hard to cut back to 1700 once you realized your metabolism had returned to normal? 

Yes, it was hard cutting back on my calories, but I did enjoy the extra while I could. As soon as I saw my weight jump up 3 pounds, I cut back. I'm a daily weigher.