Question:
How Do You Do It??
Hi Friends! I have a puzzling question to ask you. Do we, as formerly morbidly obese individuals, have permanently screwed up metabolisms? And, is caloric intake and weight loss different for us than it is the average person? The reason I ask is this: I started a weight loss plan to get rid of 15 pesky pounds that crept back on over the course of about 2 years. I mentally prepared myself for 3 whole months and did not choose a fad diet or crazy plan that would make me nuts. Just a low calorie, healthy, balanced diet. I've lost 9 pounds! I lost 5 pounds in the first 2 days so we all know that was just fluid. So - if you take that 5 pounds out of the equation I've lost 4 pounds in just over a month. I have cut out refined sugar completely (except for 1 small piece of Birthday Cake and one time when I ate a small amount of Reese's Pieces - that's it for 35 days) A typical days meal for me would include: Oatmeal with Splenda and s/f Caramel flavoring for breakfast - 200 calories. 2 Healthy Choice Hot Dogs for lunch - 290 calories. Protein Shake - afternoon snack - 160 calories. Healthy dinner (whatever the family is eating) 400 calories. Protein Shake - 220 calories. That's 1270 calories. Every once in a while I'll throw in some Smart Pop Microwave popcorn or a Banana or something. I'm trying to stay well within a normal balance of protein/fat/carbs/calories. No milk - no sugared beverages - no grazing. I'm drinking 80+ ounces of water, crystal light, etc. every day. With this healthy eating plan I am doing well and am emotionally healthy too (not crazy like when we do some fad diet!). Every day I walk on the treadmill and burn 250 calories. So my total daily calorie consumption -including calories burned - would be around 1000 to 1200. When I look up how many calories it would take to maintain my weight it tells me something like 2133 calories per day. If I ate that much I'd blow up like a balloon! Still, I am not not losing the 2 pounds per week that ALL the information I am reading says I should be losing. It's pretty early in the game for a plateau as well. Let me clarify that I'm not complaining. I'm very curious about this. I wonder if all the yo yo dieting has permanently screwed me up and if it will take a unrealistically low amount of calories per day to lose the rest of the weight. I've heard this can happen because we've messed up our metabolism. I'm also still wanting to lose 15 pounds in spite of my current 9 pound loss because I can't see it in the mirror (can we ever? LOL) and it has not affected my clothing in the least. At my highest weight 9 pounds wouldn't have made a difference but at this weight 9 pounds should at least be recognizeable in some way. Having rambled on and on - what's your thoughts on this? I can't be the only long term post op wondering about this. I actually have heard stories of people having to eat 600 or 800 calories a day to lose or even maintain their weight just because all the dieting destroyed our metabolisms. Could this be true? (If so you can bet I'd be one of them - ha ha) I'm anxious to read your replies. Thanks!!! — ronascott (posted on February 7, 2005)
February 7, 2005
Rona, girl, you've expressed my sentiments and also saved me some typing on
this one. I'll wait and see what the responses are! I'm exhausted as fas as
answers are concerned at this point. Hadiyah, a.k.a. ~~~
— yourdivaness
February 7, 2005
I have no answers for you but am experiencing the same dilemma here.
According to the charts I too can eat 1800 cal and maintain. But I do not
lose on 1500. I thought about trying 1200. I am trying to drink some skim
milk and up the calcium. I was trying to eat about 100 gm of protein and I
think it was way too many calories for me. I would still like to lose about
30 more lbs.
I will be anxious for more replies.
— Rita B.
February 7, 2005
I too am struggling to get the last 20 lbs. off. I eat between 1200-1400
calories a day. I find that if I don't exercise I don't lose. With 45
minutes of exercise (elliptical machine) six days a week and the calorie
intake I have been lucky to loose 1 lb. per week. I had a set back over
the holidays and gained 7 lbs., but I just managed to relose that. I
stopped exercising between Thanksgiving and New Years and 7 lbs. crept back
up on me.<p>
Almost 9 months ago I had this test done at a local hospital called a Med
Gem where it measures your resting metabolic rate. All the charts were
telling me to eat around 1900 calories, but after taking the test it showed
that just to sit on the couch and not exercise I needed 1600 calories to
maintain my weight, which was 30 lbs. heavier then. The nurse said that
meant I needed to stick to 1200-1300 calories to try to lose the last of my
weight.<p>
It is definately a struggle to get the last of the weight off and I find
myself watching what I eat and exercising like a "normal" thin
person. This is what my sister does and she has always weighed around 125
lbs on a 5'4" frame. You might want to call your local hospital and
see if they offer the Med Gem test that measures your resting metabolic
rate. It cost me $85, but it was worth it.
— ckreh
February 7, 2005
In answer to your initital question, my belief is yes. Simple, huh? But
we were ALREADY messed up and that's why "sensible eating" and
even strenous diets NEVER worked for us. We always were differnet, always
will be. Surgery doesn't make us normal by any means. I don't think it
even levels the playing field, for that matter. Just gives us a fighting
chance. However, you know I maintain my wt with protein shakes, so that's
all I know how to do. 4 meals, 6 shakes. I have no idea how many calories
I get. Yes, I am distal, but plenty of my contemporaries have regained as
much as 100%. And you know me. It sure isn't about will power or any of
that silly stuff.
— vitalady
February 7, 2005
I have learned that to lose I need to eat 1800 calories or under 1200.
Nothing in between will work for me. I don't know why. So yes, I think
our metabolisms are messed up, especially considering we bypass some of the
calories we eat!
— mrsmyranow
February 7, 2005
I am still in my honeymoon phase and I am no expert so here is my take.
Don't our bodies get used to lower calorie intake to where you won't loose
as when we are early post op? Maybe upping the intake will cause your body
to burn more with exercise. It is like doing the same exercise routine your
body will get used to it and no longer burn the fat effectively as it did
when you first started. Maybe start small and a couple hundred calories
and try different work out routine. Maybe add more strength training to
build more muscle so you can burn more fat and calories.
— davesband1
February 7, 2005
Rona,
My Dr told me in my six month check up that for WLS patients to just
maintain weight I could not eat more than 1200 calories....Where a normal
person meaning without surgery would need 2000 calories to maintain. So I
am thinking I must need less than 1200 to lose. I see I have hit plateau
land and I have to get back to diary for I have lost all balance of
calories...although I track protein in my head. This fact bothered me....I
wish I knew this before than I could have mentally made a plan how to
attack this problem. I am not complaining about the loss so far but I am
still so far away from where I want to be....I have 110 lbs more to go. It
seems like it will take forever to get to goal with that number. Although
I have had compliments now that I look healthier. Makes me happy to hear
healthy!
I guess we all have to face the music that we have to get in tune with our
bodies to figure out what works and what doesn't. I am not looking forward
to this phase of the journey....Can we bring back the honeymoon?
— dcox94
February 8, 2005
Hi Rona,
This is a million dollar question for me. Wish I had the answer! However,
my take on it is as follows: I had surgery 14 months ago with a very
strict surgeon. His regime was to eat 3 times a day, portion to fit in a
medicine cup, lean meat and green veggies only. Man, it was hard to cram
both meat and veggies into that cup! When I realized his philosophy was to
basically starve yourself for 6 months and live on 6 tablespoons of food
and Flintstones, yes, enabling you to lose 100 pounds in 6 months, but
totally screwing up any metabolism we have left, I followed my own
"rules" based on what I learned from methods of other doctors, on
this site and through nutritional/personal trainer input. BTW, he had no
nutritional knowledge or support after his surgery, basically, just
"do what I say and you will lose the weight."
I had read in a medical/nutrition article that it takes 2 years to
straighten out a messed up metabolism (as from our yo yo dieting or my
doctor's starvation) and I was not willing to do this to myself, even
though I may have slowed down my "honeymoon" phase by taking a
better long-term nutritional approach to my weight loss. I stuck to high
protein, low carb, 64+ ounces of water, vites, calcium, etc., but my intake
of calories was around 1000 early on, then 1500-1800 in later months. I
add to this a complete fitness program of cardio and weight training and
feel that this is the long-term key to successful weight loss.
Now, I am a SLOW loser and literally have been since day one. I lost only
80 pounds in one year after RNY, and would still like to lose 20 more,
however, my lean body mass, skin tone and overall health is so much better
than the typical RNY result. There are days that I wish for the 100 pound
loss in 6 months, but I know the overall long-term benefit outweighs the
short-term gratification.
Back to your calorie intake question...I personally think that the
calculations they use to come up with the numbers are out of whack. They
all tell you that the resting rate plus the activitly level equals for me
way over 2400 calories a day. I have thought of eating that much to test
the theory, but I have been too scared to.
So I guess I beleive that it will take a few years of exercise and
nutritional eating to build the metabolism back up.
Lisa G
— saltybichon
February 8, 2005
Yes, we do mess up our metabolism--no matter what we do it seems...our best
bet is to count the protein, and cut back on the carbs--those hot dogs have
nitrates in them which will hang on to water and really aren't in your best
interest...and what do you eat with them????onion? mustard? ketchup?
cheese? chili?
TRY tuna with mustard...it sounds worse than it is.with a thin slice of
onion and 1/2 a slice of whole grain bread. Tuna/fish will take off the
weight faster and leave your skin much nicer. Also, if you are eating much
beef, replace it with chicken. Let me know how you do. [email protected]
— Dee Z.
February 8, 2005
studies have consistantly shown that most people underestimate their intake
by aproximately 30%. I think that is the answer for many people. Maybe try
measuring everything and see if that helps. I would question the nearly
400 calories in protein shakes. I know some people swear by them , but you
are probably getting enough protein in your diet from food. In my honest
opinion, a calorie is a calorie and if you are taking in too many well....
we all know the consequences. Maybe those am & pm snacks could be some
veggies. Also consider, are you trying to hold a weight that is not
comfortable for your body? If my body wants to be 130 and I want to be 110
I am just setting myself up for failure and struggle.
— **willow**
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