exactly how many calories aday is a post ob of 5yrs aloud

hi everyone I had my gastic bypass in 9/03. I started out at 404 and now weigh 165. been noticing I have been eatting alot wrong foods lately and want to put a stop to it before I start gaining. I just have no Idea how many calories I can have. I have a pretty streghous job and work weird hrs. when I work a 10 hr day I get up at 12:45 am I start at 2:30 am and work till 12:30 pm. never hungry when I get up but when I get to work  about hr later I am. Need Ideas  for packing lunches to  thank you all for your help

The "How many calories am I allowed a day?" question is kind of like that old joke about where an 800-pound gorilla sits --- "anywhere he wants." "Anywhere that works for *you*" would be my answer.  People's calorie intake varies so much with individual activity, metabolism, type of foods eaten, age, etc.  If you have a strenuous job I'll bet you can consume more calories than me, because my job is as sedentary as you can imagine. You have been incredibly successful with your surgery, so you must already know how to do a lot of things right.  Just go back to what was working for you before and cut out the stuff that you know is likely to lead to regain (because it's not healthy stuff, or you're eating it too often, or it's making you want to eat more overall, etc.). You could have a protein shake before you leave in the morning and bring a hard-boiled egg or two for breakfast later in the morning when you get hungry. For lunches, do you have access at work to a fridge and microwave?  I usually bring my lunch.  Turkey chili with green beans is good, or turkey barbeque.  Mozzarella cheese stix with turkey pepperoni (maybe with nuts, if the calories are okay) and a few crackers are an easy snack.  Protein shakes as a snack are good too for controlling appetite (I just blend the powder with cold water and shake it up in a plastic container).  I also like black beans with cheese -- very filling.  If you don't have access to a fridge or microwave, maybe you could pack "wrap" sandwiches -- much lighter than using regular bread, and you can put some lunchmeat, thinly-sliced cheese and lettuce in them.  If you're rushed when you get up, you can prepare all these things before you go to bed so you can just grab them out of your fridge and go. I hope you get more ideas -- good luck!  Amazing work! Suzy C.

I would suggest you go and have your resting metabolism tested so you have  good idea of what it should be.  Mine is 1681 just living breathing sitting still, doing nothing else.  I can eat upwards of 2300 calories to maintain supposedly.  I gained some by eating even more than that when I was off track so now I am keeping it around 1400 and losing again steadily.. I also run 3 miles a day and incorporate circuit training in my workouts. Try google searching leaf technology.  Find a center near you using their zipcode locator where a fitness center would carry thier technology. Runs around 75 dollars the first time then 20-30 for retesting bc u have the mask and equipment already.  Hope this helps!  Everyone is different.. depending on age, muscle mass, height, activity level and exercise amount and what types of foods you eat.