jewelwithin

A lot of good points here that I won't repeat. I just wanted to let you know that I, too, average about 1,100-1,200 calories per day. I track everything I eat on 411fit.com and the site calculates an average. I am doing vigorous cardio (boot camp) 4-5 times/week, so I am losing. Like BlackBerry, I can't go more than 3-4 hours without eating. On the rare occasion that I do it's scheduling craziness. And then I have to watch when I do eat because I'm so hungry I want to eat fast, which only serves to give me a bad belly ache. What I've learned to do during those occasions is to start by eating something that my tummy will tolerate if I eat a little quicker just to get rid of the stomach pangs -- for me it's yogurt or an unjury Protein drink/broth. Then in an hour or two I can eat something "solid" slowly the way I know I need to. Also, because the 1,100-1,200 is an average, that means I do have the occasional day when I eat only 700-900 and those when I eat more like 1,300-1,400. I find that my hunger evens out, i.e., if I happen to have a low-cal day I tend to be hungrier the next day, and visa versa.

Good point MissDiva! I have sort of modified own my own after reading lots of posts and doing other research online, but checking in first with my doc prob would have been a wiser approach!

Peacequeen -- my surg date was right about the same time as you (12/29), and I have had the same experience. It was either major nausea or bad pain -- or both. I have med from my doc (ondansetron) for nausea, which I have used at times 2-3 times/day. That and laying down for 30-60 minutes was all I could do. I have worked on all the things folks here (and my doc) have suggested just as you have: eating slowly, chewing WELL, and no water 30 min. before/after. Now, the pain/nausea occurs about 50% of the time, so it's still there, but not as much. I just posted a question about it asking others if their pain ever stopped, and I'm hearing that over time it will continue to get better. I have had to remind myself daily (especially if I have a bad episode) that even though my energy has pretty much returned and I look & act like the pre-op me now, my insides are still healing and because of this very much a work in progress. I think the advice to back off foods that you have a particularly bad reaction to for a few weeks is good. I've even had a couple days where just for my own comfort and sanity I stuck mostly to protein drinks, yogurt, soups. (I should mention I moved to foods a little quicker than some).

Lacie -- I had very bad pain the first time I tried eggs, which was during my second week. Now, two weeks out, the pain is much less, and a couple times I've had none at all. I do think the suggestion to back off of foods you have a particularly bad reaction to is a good one. Try again a few weeks later.

Thanks, all! Diva -- encouraging... : ) Sleeve for me -- yes, eating slowing and chewing fully has been a new habit, a GOOD one I think. I shoveled things in so mindlessly pre-op. Now I find I actually savor food more! MegIn -- thanks. I am doing exactly as you suggest in terms of backing off any food where the pain is more than moderate. I'll try again in a month or so on those! My doc didn't recommend an acid reducer?? I had bad reflux pre-op, but also had a hyatal hernia repaired at the same time, which was the prob. Maybe that's why?

Oh, yes, my tummy lets the world know EXACTLY how it's feeling and what it's doing -- from being very hungry to working extra hard at digesting what I just ate. It is what it is, I guess!

Officially, my surgeon's reco was: - 1 week clear liquids - 1 week full liquids - 1 week mushies Move to "real food" However, I moved to mushies/real food about 2 weeks out. I've noticed on the posts here that just as our bodies are all different, surgeons' post-op diet instructions seem to be all over the board. Because there didn't seem to be any consistency from doc to doc, I've been allowing my own body to supplement my surgeon's directions. This is one of the reasons I moved to mushies/real food earlier. I was simply WAY too tired and hungry all the time on 100% liquids. In fact, I was even consuming what I felt were a lot of calories based on what I've read here -- like 1,500-2,000/day! Now I'm satisfied with 3 meals and 2-3 Snacks a day that wind up in the area of 1,100/cal/day. One month out & with exercise I'm down 20 pounds. For me (just as you've prob read from others), the key is chewing extremely well and eating very slow -- both good things that I didn't do pre-op. I do have tummy pain still about 50/50 of the time. For now, I practice avoiding foods I suspect my tummy isn't ready for based on how it responds. I'll try them again in a few weeks.

I'm one month out, and moved to mushies and "real food" sooner as well. I'm averaging about 1,100 calories a day now. And I eat portions that resemble yours. If there is one thing I've learned from reading posts here it's that everyone is quite different. For example, I RARELY have a day when I'm in the 400-800 cal. range. I'm hungry every 2-3 hours just like pre-op. The only dif now is that it takes less for me to feel satisfied. If it's helpful, here are some examples of what I might have for meals or Snacks... Meals: - 2 eggs (boiled or scrambled with a bit of cheese) - 2 oz. turkey + 1 oz. cheese on "mini thin" sandwich thin rounds - 1 Campbell's Soup at Hand w/protein added - 1 slice pepperoni pizza Snacks: - Container of Greek yogurt - 1 oz. potato chips (yes, once a week or so still a "guilty pleasure"! - banana or orange

Good for you, Lacie! Glad things are rolling along! (you look great, by the way!)

I'm vigilant about chewing thoroughly and eating slowly, but as I introduce new foods post-op it's about 50/50 whether I'll end up with pretty bad stomach pain. I'm assuming that weeks or months down the road this will be either much less of an issue or will go away entirely? Would really like feedback from folks down the road on what your experience was. Thanks, j

I'm with misdiva & longer life....ditch the scale for 6 days out of 7 or 29 days out of 30. If you look at any of my posts, I've had the same issue. I was sleeved at the end of last year and I've had days and days where the scale didn't move and times when it even went up -- and this while tracking at about 1,200/day plus exercising! But it IS true that your body is still doing a LOT of work healing. I have to keep reminding myself that even as I get my energy back bit by bit -- even enough to do a boot camp 3-4/times week now -- my insides are still healing. And you know what reminds me of that? Unfortunately it's that "ouch" feeling when something hits my tummy that it's not quite ready for. Even with all the care in chewing and eating slowly, it's clear that my insides are not 100% yet! But guess what -- 1 month out and I've lost 20 pounds! Now everyone is different. I cannot stress that enough. And I have been working my bootie off (literally ; ) at this boot camp. But I feel great that I am finally starting to see a payoff. Just hang in there. Do what you need to do nutrition-wise. Move as much as you can. You WILL get there!!

You go girl!!!

PDXman -- very informative. Thanks for the great info. There IS so much being bandied about with respect to the quality of calories and how that ultimately affects your body's response to them. I love data, research, and new info, so have to be careful otherwise I can drive myself (and others!) crazy. So for now, I'm just trying my best to get my 70g of Protein each day -- some days I make it, others I miss. And keeping carbs as low as I can. I use 411fit.com. Right now for the last 7 days it shows these averages: Calories: 961 Carbs: 81 Fat: 40 Protein: 70 Hydration: 63 oz. And I can also go back and run a report on my net calorie intake since I started tracking (1/10) all food and exercise. I just learned by doing so that it's a pretty good indicator. From 1/10-1/30 I have had: Nutrition in: 24707 Nutrition out: 47037 (it shows a DMR that varies slightly day by day but is around 2100 then add to this any exercise I do) For a net change of: -22330 The prediction area says that with all of this I should have lost 6.38 pounds. Just weighed in today and lost 8 pounds, so that's pretty darn close. Anyhow, obviously right now at this stage I'm a data junkie, but it is proving to be a helpful way to keep a bird's eye view on things, as they say. And more than that, it's keeping me vigilant about protein, carbs & exercise. toodles! jewelwithin

Steel sleeve -- thank you...I keep looking over your numbers since I am 5'4" with a starting pre-op weight of 245, and wearing 20/22 and 1X-3X tops depending on the maker. What tremendous progress you've made!! Congrats, congrats!! Because of our size "similarities," you're an inspiration to me. To shop for a 12 and regular size tops is a dream...can't WAIT to be able to shop for what I really like rather than being forced to select from the few things that will fit and hide what needs to be hidden. Good luck on you last 20. PDXMan -- Thank you for the info. Now I know all people are different, and we all know that men and women tend to lose weight differently, but still wanted to ask: Do you know offhand if you regularly go over your typical 1200-1400 if you will start gaining? Good luck on your training...a marathon...WOW, wow...

I'm just curious after reading Sleeveofsteel's post...how many of you ate in the range of 1,200 calories a day post-op and lost weight? AND...for those of you that have hit goal -- what is your typical caloric intake now?