Counting Calories and Resting Metabolic Rate

Lightweights:

I hate to bother you with more questions, but I've been in a bit of a stall for the last few weeks and nothing seems to help me with dropping pounds.  I have lost inches, but I decided to investigate further and had a "BOD POD" test done a little while ago.  They told me that I  have a Resting Metabolic Rate of 1240 calories and that I needed to take at least that many calories a day.  At almost 8 weeks out, I'm currently only consuming between 750 - 1050 calories a day.  The tech told me that if I didn't get at least that many calories I would burn muscle instead of fat.  I can add a protein shake or two, but my doctor didn't really want me consuming calories if I wasn't hungry.  I'm burning between 400 and 1,000 calories a day with my cardio activities and some strength training.  I thought all this protein would build muscle.  I don't want to lose it but I would like to lose the pounds.  Any suggestions would be appreciate

Suzanne, when was your surgery and which one did you have...that will help us help you.

My surgery was 1/14/2013 and I had the RNY.

Okay, so you are JUST two months out...at two months I was managing about 500 calories a day...mostly protein shakes with soft food to go with it since my sleeve was still swollen. I bet your pouch is still swollen and picky...fluids and protein is what you need to focus on right now, not calories...

The Bod Pod is great for those who have not had surgery, esp the first year.

And many times, you will lose inches and not weight...the weight will start dropping again. Just keep to your plan...pushing fluids and as much protein as you can manage. Protein will help you heal as well.

Some muscle loss is normal...but is it muscle loss or is it that you have lost the leverage that weight gave you? I'm as strong now as I was pre-op, but I no longer have 70 extra lbs to put behind it as leverage.

Liz

I think my intake was about 600 calories at this point.  Just get your protein in and don't worry about it. 1200 calories is more of a maintenance range.  You may lose muscle, but it will come back during the maintenance stage.  Keep exercising.  It will help with your weight loss.

We were not to count calories, ever actually.  Protein and fluid in the beginning.  If you follow your plan, you will be fine.  You may have a stall or two.  I never did but I kept my protein level high.

I did lose muscle while losing weight, even with the protein and limited exercise (bad knee, now have a replacement).  but I also lost heft like Liz said.  It is different moving a 50 lb sack of feed when you weigh 200lbs than it is at 100 lbs.  I have been doing weights for a while now and I am much stronger than I ever was, but still lack the weight to put behind some things like I used to be able to do.

Exactly, Price...a 50 lb sack of feed when you weighed 200 was only 1/4 of your own weight. At 100 lbs, it's HALF and most of us can not lift half our own weight.

I have a 42 lb bag of cat litter (when it's unopened) and I'm doing good to scoot it across the floor now. Before I lost weight, I could lift it enough to get it in and out of the car, etc.

I notice it more when trying to hold wood still so dh can cut it...I typically have to sit on it now. Before I lost all the weight, I could hold it. And I am as strong now as I was before...actually stronger in that I am doing more.

haha...I even have trouble opening doors now because I used to be able to put my weight behind the pull but now the doors seem so heavy and it takes a lot of effort to open them.  Thank goodness for young people who were brought up to open doors for us old folks.

The guy running the BodPod doesn't know anything about WLS. Listen to your program and your surgeon. 

(Not to mention he's wrong even for normies but let's not go there. LOL)

WE LOVE QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!  Where else could you learn from and get advice from than  those of us who have walked the walk.

First off....stalls happen!  It doesn't matter if you are eating perfect every day or not. Your body needs to rest or catch up. Sometimes they last for weeks but during that time you usually lose  a lot of inches.

I NEVER took in 1000 calories until I was to goal.  I averaged around 500 at 8 weeks out and increased gradually as I added more Protein  in.  At 4.5 years I still only consume around 1300 calories  and over 400 of those calories are from Protein drinks.

Getting advice from someone who has never experienced Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is probably not the best route to go.