Question:
year post op and wonderign about food intake?

Hi I am now a year post op from having lap rny and very happy with my loss so far! I am down 147#, but now I am having some food issue problems. I now am finding myself wanting to eat more at times and I was wondering if any of youguys are going thru the same problem this far post op and also how many calories are you getting in at this stage? I am getting probably about 1200-1500 calories in now is that way too much and how do you guys deal with the hunger problems especially with sweets, I now find myself wanting more sweets even if it is sugar free and I can't hold that much. I just don't want to gain any weight back that is what scares me the most if you can help please give me some advice thanks so much!    — Melodee S. (posted on February 17, 2004)

February 16, 2004
Melody, I am 9 months out and feel I can eat more now too. I think our calorie requirements vary individually. If you work out regularly with cardio and weights, I think 1500 calories may be appropriate. 1200 calories is definately OK in my book, and sometimes I don't lose eating that little. I need energy in order to do any kind of aerobic exercise, and going a bit over that usually does it for me. As far as sweets....I'm still doing SF jello and SF frozen fudge bars. They have about 45 calories, and really hit the spot for a sweet treat. If the chocolate bug is really biting me (usually pre period) I have some SF chocolate pudding made with carb countdown FF milk, and a scoop of protien powder mixed in. That way I'm getting something nutritious and sinfully good at the same time. I hope this helps... I'm not that far out but close. Hugs.
   — Happy I.

February 17, 2004
I don't think 1500 is too much for 1 year out. I wouldn't worry about food as much as exercise. Make sure you are getting 5 hours of cardio a week and 2 hours strength training and you will continue to lose, even on 1500 a day.
   — mrsmyranow

February 17, 2004
Melodee, I make this comment to quite a few so don't get offended, but why haven't you updated your profile? Its the first thing some of us longer term post-ops do to try to gather info in order to provide you with our best advice. Without knowing if you are still losing or at maintenance, I don't know if 1200-1500 is OK. If at maintenance and you don't want to lose anymore, its pretty easy, if still losing, up the daily calorie intake and if not, maintain, or if gaining, cut back. Each individual will have a different # of calories they need to take in depending on their height, weight, exercise/activity and metabolism level. As for hungering/craving sweets, I'm with you. I decided to give in to that craving and incorporate sweet treats into my daily diet. It means though that at 2 years post-op, I have to exercise regularly and eat good healthy small meals in order to also have my chocolate. Sometimes I do gain, and when I do, I cut back on the treats or up the exercise or both. But for many post-ops they cannot have any sugar because a little leads to alot and they recognize that they do not have control. If this is you, then put down the sugar and back away! As for wanting to eat more, perhaps what you need to do is eat less at a meal but add more meals or snacks to your day. I try to eat every 3 hours or so or frankly whenevr hungry. If I let myself get too hungry, I then eat too much, too fast and often the wrong things. By eating just enough to be satisfied and eating often, I usually make the right choices.
   — Cindy R.

February 17, 2004
My food issues raised their ugly heads at around 6 months, so you're doing well to get to one year! I've found that it's not as much the calories, as what the calories are FROM that affect my weight gain/loss. If I'm hungry, I have a protein snack. Protein calories seem to be "free" for me (I know, it goes against the old thinking, but it's what works for ME). I don't count calories, but if I eat refined flour and sugar products I gain. If I concentrate on protein, I lose or maintain... so go ahead and have a snack if you're hungry, just make a low fat protein one!
   — mom2jtx3

February 17, 2004
In my opinion, if you are working out a lot, then 1500 is jusitied, if not, 1200 would be the max. Of, course, just my opinion. I don't get hungry yet (at 22 months) and water load, stay extremely busy when I used to be prone to snack (meaning evenings).<br><br>Does your clinic have a "MedGem" machine? It can measure your "Resting Metabolic Rate" and tell you and your nutritioniast what you really are burning at rest, and what you need to consume each day to maintain - and what you need to consume to lose safely. Using it helped me out a lot!<br><br> BTW, Cindy - you rock. If you can find a way to tell the truth here and not offend even one person, I hope you let me in on the secret! If I said the sky was blue I'd make at least one person mad. :) LOL<br><br> Best wishes for all, shelli
   — kultgirl