Dont forget that when if the scale isnt moving that doesnt mean youre not losing weight because thats when our bodies lose inches. Thats why you went down a notch on your belt. Stay encouraged!

I'm surprised you're at 1200-1500 calories a day at 21 days out. My nut told me to stay at 600-700 calories and I'm one month out tomorrow. At 3 months out, depending on my weight loss, she said she may increase me to 900 calories a day. I know every Dr. has their own rules, but 1200 calories is more what you'd do for maintenance. And as the earlier poster said, take measurements because you will lose inches while you're in a stall.

At my 1st follow-up doctor visit, he said he wanted me to eat 1000 to 1500 calories a day. So that's what I'm aiming for. He also wanted me to walk an hour per day 4 to 5 days a week. I've managed to get in about 20 minutes of walking per day. But once my feet and hips start hurting I have to stop.

I am one week out and lucky to be getting 500 calories a day. It takes so much to get my fluids and protein in there is not too much room for food. I am on full liquids for three more days before moving to pureed.

I agree, 1200-1500 calories a day is to much. Anything more than 1200 calories at maintenance will be to much, unless you are doing high energy cardio. I would talk with my doctor and go over the program with your nut. @ walking 3mph for 30 minutes will burn about 200 calories. As we all know what got us to this place was to many calories in not enough burned. It could be you are losing inches, from what I have read stalls happen, just seems like a lot of calories.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll have to check with my Dr.

Perhaps if you are walking for an hour a day you can sustain the 1200-1500 calories a day. Otherwise, it is probably too much. If you are stalling you might try shaving down your calorie count till you start to lose again.

As far as only being able to walk for 20 minutes at a time, I have found when I first start to walk that after 20 minutes my hips and back hurt as well. When I sit down for a few minutes and take a rest, then get up and walk more it seems to help. I have found the best bet is for me to walk on a trail that is 2 miles long with a number of benches and stumps I can stop at and rest for a few minutes before I continue on. Because the trail goes through the woods it really helps me force myself to keep going. You can't get out of the woods to go home till you walk out.

Try going for a walk outside so when you walk 20 minutes and get tired you can rest then walk back home. You will find that you will build stamina, and can gain more ability.

Good luck, and keep us posted. I haven't started walking yet, but I need to. My surgery is 10 days away. The snow is deep outside, but I think that I will head over to the field house where they have a track you can walk indoors on. Living in Alaska in the winter poses some of it's own challenges for walking outside in the winter.

Most importantly have some understanding friends or family walk with you. Their support will count for measures.

I love TAB, have been addicted to it for over 40 years, Fresca not so much, LOL!!!

Hardest thing to give up for this surgery was the TAB, and then there was the TAB, and then there was the carbonation. I like the Crystal Lite Raspberry Lite, but find I can't drink too much because of my intollerance to aspertame, so it's tea for me now. I'll make it, it's so worth it. and good luck to all of you.

Love me some Fresca! That stuff rocks! Gave it and my beloved sparkling water up a month ago but still think about it!

Oh great, I just bought a big cannister of Crystal light to have post op, but I didn't know it had aspartame in it! I won't eat or drink anything with aspartame in it..UGH..

How big is your sleeve? How in the world can you eat that much this early? We have all been there and I could barely get my protein in and a hard time with liquids. Still at 4 months post op I do not get enough liquids in. My calories are 800-1000 now.

Best of luck to you but don't stretch your sleeve eating this much. You are not even healed yet.

I'm not sure, but your doctor might have put you on a higher calorie level because you are a tall man and you may just require a bit more than us shorties.

I haven't had surgery yet, but I'll die if I can't tolerate my sugar free popsicles afterwards! I'm addicted. I've been slowly weaning myself off of sodas, and now for the past two months, I have only drunk water. Good luck to you, and yes, I remember Tab.

I had no sugar free anything when I was a kid. I am older than dirt. But I do remember Tab and Fresca later on in my life.

I had to chuckle about the Tab & Fresca comments. I LIVED on Fresca in 1972 while losing 73 lb on Atkin's...(which rendered me 132 lb. and thin for 1st time ever. Of course

had not reached nearly 280 lb. back then which I did by 1998. Now recently 238 and

ready for my surgery 9/12. It never occurred to me I might not be able to eat some

things like sugarless popsicles. And I am happy for the tip to try 1/2 tsp of things at first to see how they go down...but I will remember. Thanks.