How low is too low?

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as long as you have stored fat to burn, there really isn't a "too low."how much protein are you getting a day?

You're only a couple of months out. My surgeon wanted me at the 1,000 kcal/day range by around 6-8 months, which is a lot higher than a lot of WLS vets say they were at during the entirety of their weight loss period. But I'm also pretty tall. I'm finding that my maintenance level is around 1,500-1,600 kcal/day.

But at a couple of months out, she didn't advise tracking calories, only macros. She wanted me working hard to get my protein in first and foremost, and said there's not much room for anything else if you're getting your protein in, and that was indeed my experience.

Because I can't do ketosis, I aimed for my carbs to be in the 60-80g range, and was shooting for 80+g of protein a day. I didn't worry about fat at all. Every meal was protein focused, and I'd get a couple of bites of carbs after I'd gotten most of my protein eaten. I was probably 8 months out before I was consistently getting in around the 1,000 kcal my surgeon wanted, and even then it wasn't every day.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you're taking a good multi and getting in your protein and fluids, your body will get everything it needs, and pull energy from your fat stores, which is the point.

The only concern my surgeon had about staying too low for too long is adaptation to the very low calorie diet... and that concept is highly debatable. (Search "starvation mode" on this board for a LOT of geeky science talk about whether or not it's a real thing.) I'm not saying that she's right on that or not, I'm just saying that's the only concern she had. Nutrition-wise, a good multi and hitting your protein and fluid goals is enough.

Thanks! This was very helpful

Counting your protein is more important than counting calories. A day you choose shrimp should be lower than a day you choose steak. But I wouldn't worry either about choosing shrimp more often just to be lower calorie. I think variety is good and gaving a calorie range is fine.

I agree with everyone else. As long as you are keeping your protein up, the calories can fluctuate without much worry. My NUT wants me at 1000-1200 calories by one year (which happens to be tomorrow ), but I still am getting between 800-1000, and still losing.......slowly but losing.

Keep up with your water, vitamins and protein, keeping any carbs low and you'll be great!!! Oh wait....you are already great because you took the first step to the best of your life!!!

Pat

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Hi Nora, I track everything I eat in my fitness pal and consistently stay between 500- 550 calories a day. I get 80 to 95 grams of protein a day.

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I am a little over 3 months out. I actually emailed my NUT today with this exact question. I am getting 60-80 grams of protein in a day. In the first 2 months I lost 51# (most due to a complication) This last month I had hit my stall. The one thing I did notice though was on days that my calories were higher, I lost more weight that particular day. I am getting less than 600 calories per day on a "normal" day. On days I feel like I am eating way more, I am getting 700-900 and those are the days more weight comes off.