itstheamarie

I can barely eat my BMR (1600 cal) right now at almost 3 months out, and I'm sure I'd be burned at the stake for mentioning that I tried (added protein bars, but it got the scale moving again)! I don't plan to go this route until I'm further out and closer to goal. My trainer won't do much weight training with me until I can eat more. I have been gathering the info, but I am in by no means an expert. I should be asking you how to lose! lol What is your email address? I will email you the document with step by step guidelines and FAQ.

Please keep me posted on how things are working for you! You're already wildly successful! I know they always say to ease up the cals slowly. Most people gain some when they start upping but will begin to lose again once the metabolism levels out. This whole thing has SO many theories, but I guess we just have to do what works for us. One thing- I had my body fat measured at the gym the other day and realized that at my BF%, It's not likely that I will be able to get down to my original goal without losing a good bit of muscle, so I went with the one this spreadsheet gave me for my desired BF% https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE

That's great! I recently increased my calories while maintaining my workouts and started Losing again. I hope it continues, because I feel so much better working out. I can't live on 600 cal and watch my muscle waste away with the fat. I'm starting to see that leaning how to make better choices that I can stick with for life is MUCH more valuable that losing all my weight super fast along with my muscle. Not saying I don't wish it weren't going faster, but at least it's moving! You are doing AWESOME!! I've been reading a lot about BMR and TDEE. I plan to go that route when I get closer to goal. Eatmore2weighless.com

There are several factors such as age, weight, height, bodyfat % that play into these numbers. Activity is factored in to TDEE. This is the number of calories you should eat to maintain at a particular weight/activity level. Note that eating at huge deficits alter these values over time, but it is a principle that many people use to maintain a "healthy lifestyle" long term. A lot of people have to do a metabolic reset, as Susan mentioned, to restore their bodies back to these values. To us, these numbers are HUGE compared to our initial post op diet, so it is different for everyone. The principle is the opposite of what most people on here do. It means eating more (feed your body) and work out in moderation, focusing on lifting & strength rather than eating little and racking up cardio. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/What is BMR? Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the minimum calorific requirement needed to sustain life in a resting individual. It can be looked at as being the amount of energy (measured in calories) expended by the body to remain in bed all day! What is TDEE? TDEE is the common abbreviation for Total Daily Energy Expenditure which is a metric to calculate the amount of calories your body needs to function in a day. This is quite similar to BMR -- in fact, you need your BMR to calculate your TDEE -- but your TDEE accounts for your average daily activity as well to give a figure truer to your specific situation. Basically, the TDEE calculation relies on categorizing your daily activity into one of the metrics' predetermined groupings.

Also, when we count calories in restaurant dishes, remember that they grill/sauté with tons of oil! Don't be afraid to ask for fajitas, eggs, or anything else to be cooked without oil. The calories add up in no time even with small portions.

http://www.healthydiningfinder.com/home Plug in your zip code and it suggests restaurants as well as some healthy options with nutritional facts and how to order.

5#/week is NOT SLOW! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise! We have the opportunity of a lifetime to make changes that will last for a LIFETIME. What a great time to focus on fixing our relationship with food and ensuring that we never go back! I'm sure it took more than 6 weeks to gain it, so I would be more than happy with the loss! I've lost 24 in 11 weeks, so you're blowing me (and most people) out of the water. Just because those of us who lose at a more moderate pace don't post about it doesn't mean that you're alone! As you can see from my numbers, you are far from slow!

LOVE body pump!

I got mine the day after surgery (2/8) and haven't seen her since...... NO CLUE where's she's at! I don't miss it, but I can't help but think that it must be related to the drastic slow down of my weight loss since her first missed appearance. who knows...

I agree with most of the others who say it depends on if the person has realistic expectations. Although it comes easily for some, most vets will tell you it is the very hard to maintain, because lifetime maintenance is based more on the behavioral changes that occurred during the losing phase. Even though the sleeve is a TOOL, there is a chance that it will not actually work FOR you. It will work WITH you. After a few weeks out, we could all eat around the sleeve by consuming nothing but candy and milkshakes. It's all about compliance and how your body handles the changes- mental and physical. :-) But there are always exceptions to both sides of the story!

Ya! I went to my first Stars game last night- so much fun! Stumbled upon some cinnamon glazed pecans that ended up giving me a head/tummyache. no bueno

I'm about 9 weeks post op, and I'm facing new challenges now that I am released to a regular diet. Being in on the road frequently with business lunches, dinners, buffets plus social situations with bday cake and such is presenting a challenge. 1. I find eating slowly very difficult when I am talking and around others who are eating fast. Plus the "last bite syndrome" when I know I should stop. It's easier to eat the correct amount when I prepare and measure the serving at home. At restaurants, I still focus on protein, but I end up spitting up most of the time, even when I think I did OK. 2. At bday parties and sporting events, my brain gets all fuzzy around sweets. I fixate on them and even when I KNOW better, I KNOW they have no nutritional value, but I just want a taste. I rarely give in for a taste, but it gives me anxiety. 3. I am more obsessed with food now that I ever was. It's nice to focus on making healthy choices rather than eating everything I used to want, but it is constantly on my mind.

It's been over 2 months since I've had a cycle! I'm starting to get scared. It's just a reflection of how screwed up my hormones are. I wonder if it's related to my stall... *Sigh*

I'm in! Even though I haven't started drinking yet lol. Is there anything in Dallas that doesn't revolve around eating/drinking?!

Congrats! It sounds awesome to be in control. Unfortunately, I only lost hunger for a couple weeks and am now more obsessed with food than I ever was. It's in a different way- all about healthy choices and such, but I don't have that freedom from the cravings and head hunger.

Me! Addison

Looks like your loss is going well! If it ain't broke, don't fix it :-) My doc's office advised that number of protein= number of carbs, but since I've been stalled for the past 3 weeks, I'm dropping carbs to see if being in ketosis will help move things along. Good luck and please keep us updated!

I bought mine at Walmart near the diabetic supplies.

I remember the nurses after surgery complimenting me on my desire to get up and walk constantly. I was confused, because that's what we were told to do! They said that more often than not, bariatric patients wake up expecting to be skinny and have no desire to follow the guidelines. I was shocked to hear that, considering the risk, but some of the posts on here really prove it's true! The good thing is that they are on here trying to learn. The bad thing is that some give BAD advice to each other, and it's hard to tell who you should listen to until you've been around a while.