How many calories?

I will be out exactly 3 weeks Monday, and that makes me entering week 4 of my stages, which is now soft vegetables, egg salad and some beans or lentils. My surgeons list is kind of vague at best. It states that I should not drink protein drinks any longer. It says nothing about calorie intake, and I am in a stall... I think I am consuming approximately 600 calories, and cannot see how I can get in adequate protein without those shakes. I am also wondering if my body is in starvation mode.

My question is, what is a realistic amount of calorie consumption at 3 weeks out? I do have a doctor appt. on Wednesday, and will address these questions there as well. And, I am still planning on drinking one protein drink to get in a good 30 gram dose...

I was not able to get enough protein at 3 weeks out without protein drinks.  My pouch was very tight (still is) and I just could not eat enough to make it work.  Thankfully my surgeons diet plan was silent on the protien drink issue....so I still continue to use them when I need to.   Calorie wise I was about 400-600 range at that point.  I was doing 2-3 protien drinks per day and averaging 60-70g of protien. 

You're not going to overeat at this stage--stay with the protein shakes for your health. They want you to switch to food because they think we're all out of control foodaholics and you need to keep your pouch full as long as possible.  If you're in control and don't feel you have to eat, keep the shakes and aim for 100 grams a day.

--gina

At 3 weeks out, I was getting about 450-500 calories. I actually went back and figured it all out -- what I was eating and how much I was exercising vs. how much I lost -- because this question comes up so much.

http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2010/07/calories-protein-carbs-exercise-weight.html

The stall is because of water retention. Don't worry about it as you are still losing weight - it's just not showing up on the scale.

The whole idea that you will not lose weight if you don't eat enough calories is a big myth anyway. In studies of starvation, the people in the studies lost weight no matter how little they ate. (Now they turned into raving lunatics obsessed with food, but that's another issue entirely.)

I'm over 2 months out and I still couldn't get all my protein in food.  I do one to 2 drinks a day depending on my food intake.  You really shouldn't have to worry about calories unless you are eating stuff you shouldn't anyway **** cream, heavy cream, mayo, etc)  If you look on Miles and menus, you can see what some of our calorie intakes are, but most of us are further out than you are right now.

Thanks girls. I thought so. I WILL get in those shakes for my health. Although I do consider myself a food aholic, I am by no means out of control with this new tool. I am choosing as healthy as I can. And, am really wanting to make this new puppy work its miracle on me, which is more in the long term, as I am a professional dieter. On another note, I just bought my son's vanills birthday cake (He's 21 today!) and picked up some fresh strawberries to slice up and to add. It is the 1st time in 3 weeks that something "sweet" is appealing to me. YIKES!!! I have 3 sons so hopefully they are all home tonight to help destroy that cake!