how many carbs and calories for maintenance?

So who is still food journaling and counting calories and carbs in maintenance? I am. Think I will for ever. Doing more like 1000 cal per day and 40 to 55 g carbs. Sleeve won't hold a lot more if I get the protein in. Talked to amy about carbs and she said mainly fruits and veggies but to be really cautious. For those of you still journaling this, and i hope you are, how many are you getting in? Never would have believed that 1000 calories a day would have been enough food for me but its plenty if i choose the right stuff. Ah, the power of the sleeve. May have to up the calories a little more as I think i am very very slowly still losing a bit.  CAn't afford another new wardrode now that i spent a lot on new stuff!      Diane

Mornin glory!

I still do log everything (well, cept not right now on vacation!  whooot!) but since I use the Dietpower and do different exercise all the days, its an ever changing target (calories) it can be from 1600 (probably when I get home and start logging, cuz we have been active, but that's different than purposeful active) up to 2600 when I have been purposefully active and eating all my calories.

Carbs are usually always less than 50 unless I have had an anything goes meal. 

Fruit alone makes me bingey, and I could/can/want to eat way too much of it.  I can do the moderation in moderation in action, but in my heart - I WANT IT ALL!  :}

I'm out a bit further than you guys, and I find I don't journal my food as religiously as I used to.  After about 2 years, I journal when I need to refocus myself.  It does help to keep me in line though.  I try to keep my calories around 800-1000 during the week so I have a cushion for my weekends.

Wow ... I was losing on 1200 calories and 50-75 carbs a day.  I've just now upped it to 1500 calories and 80 carbs to see how I do at maintaining.    And, I haven't been very good about exercise - I am definitely more active, but not a regimented routine or even a treadmill on a consistent basis.

Wonder why the difference?  Think it's going to "catch up" to me?  I don't know how I would be able to go back to 1000 calories a day.  Yikes!

You have to remember we ALL are so DIFFERENT and everyone's metabolism is different as well.

I don't count calories unless I am really trying to figure out why I am not losing. I count protein and carbs and try to keep my carbs around 30.

I no longer count calories, but I have a pretty good idea of how many I take in daily-- between 1,500 to 2,000.  But keep in mind that much of that is whole foods and whole grains.  I noticed that if I eat 1500 calories of junk/processed foods I gain weight, but I can eat 1800 calories of whole grains and minimally processeced foods and not gain.

Personally, I think the whole nutrition thing is much more complex than we realize.  That thing about "a calorie is a calorie" has not been my personal experience.  My experience all along has been that certain foods help me lose weight and other make me gain, regardless of their calorie content.

~Rana

I've been on maintenance for about nine months and am still tracking for now.  I almost quit a couple of times, but so far I'm afraid to let it go.  I'm very worried about regain, so I want to stay conscious of everything I'm eating for now.  My relationship with food has definitely improved post-op, but  I would still not define it as completely normal or healthy.  I still love to eat.

Currently, I usually keep my calories around 1800-1900 calories/day.  I don't count carbs (I just try to limit them to whole grains, fruits, and vegetables), but according to my food tracker, my carbs are usually just over 200 grams/day.  My protein is usually 115-130 grams/day though, so the carb total doesn't worry me as long as I meet my protein and calorie goals.  Over the summer, my calories were more like 2000+, but I haven't been exercising much lately, so I've cut back a little to compensate.  It seems to be working well so far, but I'm staying vigilant.

In truth I haven't been tracking for a while now.  I eat mostly healthy meals on a daily basis and keep a hawk like eye on the scale.  If things go back up, I would track again to see what is not working.  Right now all is well so there doesn't seem to be a need.

Sounds like you really have got the right habits going Elina. Dr. C says sucessful people after awhile don't do all the journaling because they have a good feel for what they can eat and can't eat and it just comes more naturally. I think i have a pretty good idea of this too but still journal as a way of keeping myself on course and mainly to make sure I get the protein in which I have a tendency to get low on if I don'****ch it. So I guess I will keep tracking for now with the idea of someday being like you and jus****ching the scale which is, after all, the final judge of all things. So good you have found an equillibrium here. Thats what we are all striving for on this maintenance group.  diane