Not enough calories?

[Mariasha 3]

So I was banded this past Monday and am feeling great.

I seem to be one of those guys that feels restriction just from the band without even having a fill. I feel full all the time and haven't felt the least bit hungry since my surgery 5 days ago.

I am able to drink liquids by taking small sips. As soon as I drink a little I feel full. I am making sure to stay well hydrated by drinking small amounts throughout the day.

My question is if there is any concern that I may not be getting enough calories?

Almost everything I have been drinking this week is zero cal and I have had less than 100 calories every day this week.

I feel great but just wanted to make sure this is not a problem.

Thanks for your feedback

[btrieger 21]

You have to consume more calories than that. Even if you aren't hungry; drink a few Protein shakes a day.

You can screw up your metabolism by starving yourself.

Your hunger will return but if you stay positive if won't be as bad as some people whine about.

[Mariasha 3]

You have to consume more calories than that. Even if you aren't hungry; drink a few Protein shakes a day.

You can screw up your metabolism by starving yourself.

Your hunger will return but if you stay positive if won't be as bad as some people whine about.

Thanks, I'm going to try that.

Yesterday I managed to get down about a half a shake and then I felt full.

We'll see how it goes today.

[HappyMom 1]

I agree with btrieger.....you need to try to take in more calories. I was just like you and wasn't consuming more than 300-calories a day during the first couple of weeks. My metabolism just stopped and I lost very little the first 3 weeks after banding.

Don't worry about you not being hungry.....your appetite will definitely return after a month or so!

[Mariasha 3]

I agree with btrieger.....you need to try to take in more calories. I was just like you and wasn't consuming more than 300-calories a day during the first couple of weeks. My metabolism just stopped and I lost very little the first 3 weeks after banding.

Don't worry about you not being hungry.....your appetite will definitely return after a month or so!

Thanks HappyMom.

My only concern is that I don't want to try and eat to much and then throw up.

I'm trying to balance that with making sure I get enough calories.

As soon as I take a couple of sips I feel very full and start getting the hiccups. I'm scared of trying to have any more after that.

[nursesandy 0]

I too feel your pain. I was banded June 4th. I felt a lot of restriction for the first week. Second week a little less and now in the 3rd week a little less. I get my first fill on July 7th. I am so nervous about stretching my pouch out that I think I am carrying it to extreme. I had 300 calories the other day and knew I had to have more so I made my Protein shake with ice cream. Not that I am recommending that, but I had to do something to get some more calories. I did Weight Watchers in the past and did really well with that as long as I ate all my points even if that meant eating some milk and Cookies at the end of the day. If I didn't eat all my points, I would quit losing. I haven't lost anything in the past week. It is frustrating, but I keep telling myself that the first month is for healing, not for losing. This is a learning process. I joined the dailyplate today and saw that I am getting no where close to the calories I am supposed to be getting. I am a work in progress, both physically and mentally.

I agree, maybe you should add some Protein shakes. I was allowed to have anything you could drink on the full liquid stage. This included sugar-free Jello, sugar-free popcicles, cream Soups without chunks of meat, mushrooms, etc.

[HappyMom 1]

I had that same tight feeling the first couple of weeks after banding. Once the swelling goes down you will be able to drink a lot more and faster. That uncomfortable pressure feeling in your mid-chest will ease up and swallowing will be much easier.

My surgeon told me to not worry about stretching the 'pouch' in the beginning. He said that a 'pouch' does not actually exist until you are restricted. Until that point everything is just passing through to the lower stomach. I am definitely not advocating that you eat an entire pizza to test this theory, but I wouldn't worry about liquid stretching anything. I am very firm about keeping my foods to the recommended quantity, but I do guzzle a lot of Water and iced tea during the day.

I am so like nursesandy in that I need to a certain amount of calories to lose weight. When I eat too few my body goes into a starvation mode and doesn't let go of any weight. You would think that eating 300 calories would make you lose weight, but for me it really doesn't!

Good luck to you!

[Mariasha 3]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

Today was much better. I got down two shakes and some Soup. I think my body is getting used to the band.

Just wondering, is there any way of knowing or being able to calculate at what point a persons body enters "starvation mode"?