Question:
Long Time Post-Ops - How Many Calories?
I checked out a website someone mentioned in another question which has weight maintenance and other weight related calculators. It's pretty cool, but it really makes me wonder how will I ever stop losing. I thought I knew, but now I'm not sure. <p>It says for my height (5'9"), and goal weight (200 lbs) I will want to maintain, that I will need 2035 calories a day to maintain with a sedentary lifestyle, and as much as 2442 for a moderate lifestyle. I cannot imagine I will ever be able to eat those kinds of calories with the small pouch I have, even if it stretches way out. I am within 73 lbs of my goal weight and over 2/3rds (down 169 lbs) of the way to goal, from where I started, 442 lbs. I am eating on average 800-900 calories with some days less and some more but max 1000-1050. I am still losing weight but much slower which is to be expected at this point. The thought of doubling or tripling my food intake from what I eat now scares me to death. <p>Are there other long term post-ops, similar in height, having to eat calories in that range to maintain? If so what percentage of that calorie intake is protein, carbs, fat? I was assuming I would be living on like 1200 calories for the rest of my life. I realize if I got down to an ideal Met Life height/weight chart then the 1200 or so calories would probably maintain me but I do not see myself ever getting to or wanting to get to 153 lbs. This whole thing is just perplexing. Any input from you long timers would be appreciated. — zoedogcbr (posted on September 19, 2003)
September 19, 2003
Hi, I want to know exactly what you are asking to. Could you tell me the
site you found how many calories we need to maintain. I am interested in
that too. You could email me if you like. My email is on my WLS under the
name Sherry S
— tatterpuddin
September 19, 2003
Sherry, Here is the site
"http://www.weightlossdietzone.com/womencalc.html". It was
posted by Alison Denner (thank you) in a question asking about how many
calories we need to maintain. It's got all kinds of good info.
— zoedogcbr
September 19, 2003
Hi Chris: I know several post ops personally, and only one of them had any
thoughts of worrying about losing too much weight. I personally never got
quite to goal and then steadily gained some back. When I went to my
surgeon he said that some people need very little calories to maintain
their weight after WLS, and I was unfortunately able to eat too much. So
maybe that information on the link you're talking about is more geared
towards a person without WLS? I haven't checked it out so I don't know.
Even on this site (AMOS), I've only seen maybe 10 people who have
complained about complications from being too thin. You see many, many
more people who complain about regain than getting too small. I haven't
kept a running total, but it seems like the majority are doing ok at
maintaining, not too much not too little. Even if I had limited space and
couldn't eat as much I can, personally I don't think I would have a problem
with upping my calorie intake if I was worried about getting too little. I
may be totally misinformed, but it seems all you'd have to do is reverse
the information the rest of us are told to do, i.e. eat high fat foods like
peanut butter, nuts, fatty meats etc., if you don't dump on fats. If you
aren't sensitive to sugar then it'd be easy to get your calories up. I
personally wouldn't go there unless I was dangerously thin because I know
once I get on sugar I can't stop it easy. You read all the time that
dumping is only true to what a 1/3 of the RNY people? And I know from
personal experience that you do build up a resistance to dumping. If you
were losing too much and you didn't dump then it'd be a breeze to keep your
calories up with sugar. You could also drink while eating or if that makes
you sick at least right before and soon after. You get where I'm going
right? I think people might worry a bit too soon. Even though I didn't
get quite to goal I did look a bit sickly and maybe thinner than the scale
indicated. Had I gotten on the too small size I wouldn't have worried
until I started having medical problems, because I do think the majority of
us gain at least a little back. I think it'd be better to get a bit below
goal, and then sneak up a bit over the next year. I'd only worry if I was
truly have real problems. I know 2 years ago there was a woman on here who
was in the situation where she was WAY under weight and having serious
medical problems. I would joke and say I wish I had that problem, but of
course it's not true. I felt awful for her or anyone else who was in that
position. But honestly, I think it's a really really small percentage. I
think the whole diet and weight thing is perplexing. I mean to an extent
it is a matter of calories in and calories out and if you don't burn it it
stores as fat. But I'm pretty sure it's not just that. It seems some
people burn more calories than others with the same intake, and some of us
are genetically proned to holding onto fat more. I'm not sure how much of
it is what, so it is hard to give a definitive answer. But I think you
should enjoy the weight loss now while it's working for you and not worry
yet. If you get down to where you're not happy with your weight then you
can do research and worry about it then. My prediction is you'll get down
to about the right size and stop losing. Best of luck. S
— sherry hedgecock
September 19, 2003
Sherry, I was never worried about losing too much till I saw that weight
calculator which factors in age also. You are right it's calories in =
calories burned to maintain. I guess my concern with needing to eat that
many calories, if it ended up applying to me, was how do I do it and follow
the rules - mostly protein, then veggies, fruit and other carbs. I do not
want to ever get out of that mindset because so far I've been able to eat
this way for the most part. Sometimes eating too much is an issue but it's
still in this order. It would be nice to know exactly how those calorie
intakes are calculated. I won't worry much now but I am struggling with
how to advance my portion sizes etc. from now til maintenance. I eat on
average 4-5 ounces per meal (3 meals) and sometimes as much as 6-7 but not
too often. I already am hitting 80-100 grams of protein a day and that's
on like 5-6 ounces. I do not use protein shakes so it's all from food or
maybe part of a protein bar. I think that most people talk about eating
around 100 grams of protein at maintenance, so I would have to up the carbs
and fat to even get to 1200 calories, but that scares me. I'm afraid it
will wipe out my weight loss. I am so protein focused and it's worked so
well for me so far that I'm afraid to eat a larger portion of carbs. I
assume I should be and slowly transitioning to maintenance, but I'm
uncomfortable with eating more carbs till I am WAY closer to goal. My
surgeon's plan does not address eating past about 4 months. I guess it's
just assumed we will progress it somehow and have learned everything by 4
months - NOT. I just feel I'd like some guidelines so I don't end up
eating too much all together or too much protein etc. Just call me sort of
lost in WI.
— zoedogcbr
September 19, 2003
According to Weight Watchers, about 1500/day.
— jen41766
September 20, 2003
I suspect every person will be different regarding how many calories are
needed to maintain because every metabolism is different. I don't think
you should put a lot of energy into worrying about how to maintain until
you get there. You may find that you have to make few adjustments to your
eating habits once you get to your desired weight. I also strongly
recommend hooking up with your dietitan again if you are not in regular
contact. S/he can help you figure out how to eat enough to maintain your
weight. Some of it will be trial and error, and professional guidance and
reassurance can be invaluable. Best wishes.
— Vespa R.
September 20, 2003
Thanks Vespa, The dietician is precisely the problem. The one who sees
people pre-op has no use for us or this program. It is clear she was told
to do it. It clearly comes across in her attitude. She doesn't even give
out all the correct information to the pre-ops and is inconsistent. She
works for the hospital the center is at. There is another dietician but
she usually only for inpatient care. I would gladly pay out-of-pocket if I
could find a dietician that truly understands the life of an RNY post-op.
Their training is 180 degrees from this life and most have a heard time
changing their ways of thinking. It is the only part of my surgeons
post-op care this is thoroughly lacking. They know it but have not found
the right person to hire. The bariatric nurse from the hospital knows a
lot but not the same as a bariatiric dietician. So I really am finding my
way on my own and consequently have questions. I guess I'm just not even
sure how to progress from now till maintenance. Do I just keep eating this
amount till I get really hungry? But on the other hand if I had guidelines
I would know if I'm advancing too fast and getting too many calories at the
various stages. Just wish the docs would have given more guidelines or get
a darn dietician hired soon.
— zoedogcbr
September 20, 2003
I'm not really a long-term post-op, but I'm 15 months out, at or past goal
for about six months now. To my surprise, yes, I do have to eat in that
range (2000-2200 calories daily) to maintain, so far. I don't know what
percentage of anything is that I eat, anymore (thank goodness). I tracked
what I ate every day on fitday, from month three to month twelve, and once
my weight mostly stabilized, I *stopped* doing that. It was a great tool
at the time, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back to it to get on track, but
personally, it wasn't helping me live the way I thought I'd be living in
the long run (i.e., not writing down everything I ate every day for the
rest of my life). At some point, it was time to put down the weight loss
pack and see if I could really handle maintenance. I still use my protein
shakes, and I'm very mindful of whether I've eaten enough protein meals (or
too many junky things), but somewhere along the line, I really think you
gotta let things be a little less restrictive in order to live with this
surgery. I'm not saying eat whatever bad stuff pops into your head, but I
think the adjustment to maintenance can be made that much harder if a very
restrictive diet is followed too long during the weight loss phase.
Keeping it off is the point, even more so than losing it. It's really
*not* an all-or-nothing kind of thing (high protein, low carb verus
festival of sugars). The middle ground is where it gets interesting, and
the most challenging. JMHO.
— Suzy C.
September 22, 2003
I eat about 1800 calories a day (give or take) and I'm 22 months post-op.
I haven't gained or lost.
— Patty H.
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