Poll: 11 mos out - how many cals were you eating?

Hi all, I am nearing goal and hope you don't mind me asking you this question or more of a poll.. How many calories were you eating at 11 months out?  Were you at your goal?  Did you exercise?  if so what type of exercise did you do? I realize everyone is different but I am 3 lbs from goal and I am eating around 1100 calories a day and now loosing much slower all the sudden but I expected that as I was eating this much last month and lost 11 lbs and knew it couldn't stay at that rate.. down 3-4 for the month now but closing in on goal so I suspect this is right.  I run 2-3 miles about 4 times a week and do some light circuit training as well.  I have gotten lots of opinion from others that my cals are too low but my doc actually says 1000 to one year (yes I go over that now) and 1200 for life.  Sound right? Thanks so much!

It sounds like you're doing great to me!!! I was eating around 1200cal at that point and things definitely did slow way down for me at the 1yr mark. I had lost 160lbs at 11mths out and was 3lbs from drs goal and 15lbs from my personal goal. The closer you get to goal the more things will so down too b/c you don't have very much to lose so I would say it sounds like you're very normal. I generally work out 5 days per week~high intensity cardio m/w/f    weight lifting t/t   sometimes I throw in another cardio on Sat. With my workout routine there is now way I could do 1200cal right now~when maintaining I usually eat around 1800-2000cal daily and if I'm trying to drop a few pounds then I cut back to 1400-1600cal (I am almost 3yrs out and have been maintaining for about 1.5yrs). Caloric intake needs are different for everyone and I have found that there's alot of trial and error before figuring out what works for you. Good Luck and Congratulations on your weightloss!

You have done so good on your weight loss Tracy and to be 1.5 years out and maintaining I only hope that for myself to do as good.  You sound like you work your tool hard and have figured out exactly what you need going in calorically speaking vs. out, I hope I also can get a good idea on this.  I love to run now and will do it 3-4 times a week otherwise I walk and do some light weights.  I enjoy exercise but I also don't want to set the bar TOO high for fear I can't always maintain this level for whatever reason, so I like the routine where I am now if I can just figure out maintenance calories.  My doc swears on 1200 for life but I feel that is too much of a "blanket" statement when I know good and well they aren't telling anyone calories but me b/c I pried it out of them, they are very vague and I see a lot of his postops gaining.. well I wonder why, we need guidelines on things in order to maintain ya know?  All they says is how many grams of protein and move your duff 30 mins and take your vitamins, don't drink with your meals yadda yadda.  I love my surgeon to death.. but I wish they had better postop restrtictions, etc.. I learn most everything I get info wise here on OH.. thank goodness for OH and people like yourself that can help us along who are following in your footsteps.  Congrats on such an amazing accomplisment, you are beautiful! Hugs!

I'm a little over 3 years post-op and I rarely hit 1200 calories in a day.  My daily average is actually [hold on - pulling up my FitDay.com program to check.....]  898 calories.   I guess I don't eat a lot compared to everyone else; but then I've never had any weight gain issues either.  I'm maintaining without any efforts or struggles.    This works well for me.  I'm not hungry or starving.  I don't obsess about food - but avoid anything high in fat or sugar.  There are a few foods that my picky pouch doesn't like, so I avoid those, but I eat pretty much anything else in very small amounts. 

Hi there thanks for taking the time to answer my questions!  Hey whatever works for ya and if you are satisfied on it then great.  The only thing about keeping the cals too low that concerns me is the body kinda gets used to what it is given (or so I was taught in nursing school) and so by keep it low it will always want you to remain low.. or so I was told like I said.  But again, if you are ok with that amount and it is working for you then that is wonderful, 3 years post op and maintaining.. a beautiful thing.  Congrats!

I think your surgeons calorie levels are only guides...if you hit goal..and are losing weight at 1200 calories a day..then obviously you will need to eat more calories so you don't starve to death...literally.  Everyone is different...I think terry on the RNY forum says she has to eat about 2500 to 3000 calories a day to maintain...she is extremely active, and that is what she requires.  I had the DS, at 11 months out, I was eating 3000 calories a day and still losing.....currently at 20 months out, I eat about 4000 to 5000 calories a day on average...some days up to 6000 and am maintaining......again it's very individualized.....and you'll have to decide what works for you. If you are jogging miles and miles a day...then no 1200 calories is way to low...... I exercise regularly and have since I ws 3 months out....I do mostly resistence training, although at 11 months out I was still doing a lot of cardio.  I do cardio 2 days a week and resistence training 3 days a week...because of my training schedule I have to eat more protein then most DSers do on a daily basis.  Again, I'm doing what is working for my body.... I hope this helped. Scott

You are doing terrific Scott, congratulations on your success! Thanks for the input, looks like I will have to toy with it to get it right.  I mainly  burn off about 350-500 cals a day that I work out which is approx 4 times a week here lately so it isn't CRAZY amounts but its something.  I will have to look more closely at it, I got 3 lbs to goal and the scale just isn't budging.. a first for me in a long time.. of course it wants to get stagnant now!  For pete's sake.. lol.    Thanks again, I value your thoughts!

I'm getting 1100 to 1440 on average these days and, as you know, am about 10months and a week out. My surgeon recommended 600-800 for the first year but that just aint's happening. I exercise moderately--daily walks, gym a few time a week but nothing major. i'm down to 129.5 now (at 5'4) so i'm not feeling that guilty about the cals anymore as long as i keep loosing (on;y 14.5 lbs to go:)   you are doing great, honey, ahng in there. you and i are so similar in our current situation/goals, i'm so greatful tp have you as a friend. hugs, nat

You too Natalie, I love having u as a friend and you are such an inspiration!  Thanks for all the support, you are awesome!

Melissa, you're obviously doing something right. I haven't changed my routine much over the past few months. I'm supposed to get between 1200 and 1400 calories a day, and I usually end up in that range. I eat six times a day, just a little at a time, and try to make the right choices (but sometimes something else sneaks in there). I've noticed that if I increase my activity, I get hungrier, but I think I just need some more fuel and it doesn't seem to cause any weight gain. I've lost about 20 pounds since I was 11 months out (almost 4 months ago). I was told you can estimate weight loss for 18 months (a big loss the first 6 months, half that the second six months, and half that the third six months), and I'm right on track with that. I lost 105 the first 6 months, 53 the second six months, and I still lose a pound every now and then. I'm not a runner, but I walk a good bit and do some resistance training when I can. I could probably stand to do some more. And I don't think anybody would mind you posting on the grads board - you're close enough. :)