How many calories do you suggest ?

Hey Guys !!

Some of you guys remember me - Some do not lol.... I got my surgery back in 2013 and have a question -

Been trying to lose a regain, weighing everything I eat and getting loads of protein -

Since I'm so far out, obviously calorie malabsorption has lonnnng gone bye-bye ... So my question is, how many calories do you think I should be going for, since I am trying to lose. I've been averaging appx 800-1100 calories each day (usually towards the lower end) and getting 80-110 grams of protein... Below is today's menu for an example --- Am I eating too many calories in order to lose ? Thank you !!!

We are all different. That looks like a good place to start. I would stick to this a week or so and see what happens on the scale. Do you know how many calories you were consuming before you cut back?

I am 10 years out and generally eat around 2000 calories a day to maintain. I cut back to 1500 per day to lose (I know I could cut back more, but for me, this is what works and helps my mental state). Right now I am working on losing 10 pounds of regain. I lose about 1 pound a week this way, which I am perfectly happy with.

Mo! Good to see you around!

I second what Laura said.

Track and weigh everything. A 500 calorie daily deficit is one pound per week. So, watch your food log and the scale, and you can adjust calories.

Keeping carbs low keeps my cravings away. And fighting the scale is all about beating crabings.

Of course, hanging out with us will help you too.

Thanks Laura & Grim :)

I've been diligent for the most part, some slip ups here and there... but the scale seems to just go up & down, instead of down down lol. Maybe it's just my impatience of how slow it is to lose but quick and easy it is to gain

It is a reality check when we go to lose and it doesn't fall right off of us like it did when we started out right after surgery.

Losing is possible just takes a lot longer

Just curious, how much are you drinking a day? I find that I need to keep my fluids well above 100 oz.

Come by the menu thread.

My support system recommends against counting calories. They all focus on profile eating. For me that's under 100-110g protein/30 to 40g fat/ under 60g carbs. Above that is overeating for me. Period. That would translate to about 1000 to 1100 calories for me. But the focus is more about food profile/quality and managing what I need. I could eat a piece of cake at 600 calories and a lean cuisine and a yogurt and meet the 1100 calories goal - but that would be an epic fail for the day nutritionally. I find I drift above my needs some days by eating 140g of protein - so that target range helps me keep losing. I'll adjust more fruits/veg and nuts as I get closer to goal to maintain.

What is "profile eating"? I've never heard the term.

Counting macros vs counting calories. Protein + Carbs + Fat = total daily intake. So pretty much the same thing, just a different way of looking at it. I think it's common early post op for a surgeon to say to target 60-80g of protein and less than 30g of carbs. If you stay in those numbers you're pretty well bound to have 600-800 calories per day.

Thanks Erin. I need to educate myself; I'm not even up on how that whole macro thing works. Time for a visit with my good friend Google =)