Do I have to eat 1200 calories for the rest of my life?

[extraonme 4]

My last fill was 6-10-11. I am tight and I want to keep it this way as it allows me to only eat what I should and all other foods do not work. I like that the band is working for me, but I am tight and strict with my food. I have been losing about 6 pounds a month. Starting August 1st I hired a personal trainer and see him at the gym three times a week and go myself two other times and do a class or yoga. I have not missed a session or gone over 1200 calories since that day & mostly stay at about 1000 calories. I log daily and have not missed a day. It is odd to me I have not lost faster, I average the same 6 pounds per month. So last Friday I decided I will log my food but if I go over 1200 calories no big deal, just log every bite. Well HUGE deal! I ate about 2500 calories each day and gained 4 pounds in three days. I weigh myself daily! So with that brief experiment does this mean I have to eat 1200 calories a day forever? I was hoping when I reach my goal weight I wouldn't have to obsess and log and eat without counting. It doesn't seem like this can happen. Any ideas?

[TKW 501]

If your band is that tight how did you eat 2500 calories?

I don't think you will have to eat 1200 calories for the rest of your life. I think once we reach our goal we will be able to eat more and maintain our weight. I think it will always be a matter of making healthy choices. I mean, If I'm going to have a daily cappachino and a daily icecream, I am probably going to gain weight back. But if we keep filling up on healthy foods my thoughts are we will have to eat more than 1200 cal. to stop losing weight. I think the answer will be, everything in moderation. We can have those splurge days but need to eat sensible most of the time. Just my thoughts, I've wondered this too...

Continued good luck to you. Sounds like you are working your butt off at the gym!

[extraonme 4]

If your band is that tight how did you eat 2500 calories?

It was easier than I thought. I had three bags of Veggie Straws, two veggie burgers with cheese no Buns at dinner. chicken Noodle Soup. I did eat M&M's those are really bad. I had some red wine and to top it all off frozen yogurt! Oh and I also had two eggs for Breakfast with organic whole grain toast. Saturday that all stayed down, but Sunday nothing stayed down. Even the Tomato Soup came up. So I log it even if it doesn't stay down. I won't do that again as I can't stand it coming right back up as soon as I swallow. YUCK!! So needless to say lesson learned on my part, but 2500 calories wasn't hard to reach I completely agree everything in moderation! I am working to mentally change my mind into not being obsessed with counting when I hit my goal. The mental thing is the toughest. I was also hoping exercising like I am would keep my mind focused, plus the financial aspect of it to keep me accountable

[helen098 33]

congrats on the weight lose

i am so jealous i can only eat 1000 calories for well i guess forever

the metabolic test shows if i eat 1200 i will gain weight , major bummer

i am just starting this journey but it seems to be that we will still have to think about food for the rest of our lives

i thought the band would eliminate it

[cheryl2586 3,053]

1200 calories is what normal people eat more or less. If you cant keep down Soup you are too tight. I dont understand why you would need to eat more than 1200 calories when that is normal intake. Just sayin.

[TKW 501]

If 1200 is normal calories why are all nutrition lables "based on a 2000" calorie a day diet? I was thinking 2000 calories was a normal day??? No wonder the world is so fat.

[healthychange 1]

I think that for a lot of us, 1,200 calories max is all we'll be able to do most f the time. Maybe a day or two a week we can do more, after we get to goal. It is kind of sad, huh? Years of dieting have messed with our metabolisms. I am very active, and even when I trained for and completed a full marathon, I didn't lose s single pound pre-lapband. At least having the band makes eating only 1,200 calories so much less miserable than it was before the band.

[CNP28 1]

My surgeon allows me up to 1000 calories day but prefers that I don't hit that mark. Ive been able to keep it at 600 to 800 calories a day. I haven't had a fill yet and don't think I will at this point. I couldn't imagine eating 2500 calories a day and my band is empty. Wow! What does your surgeon say about it?

[reverie 49]

1200 calories a day is what "normal" people eat? LOL!!! Are you guys nuts?! Note: I burn 1400-1600 calories laying in bed all day; put that into perspective. Normal people eat much more. I can eat 2400 calories a day and not gain a pound.

To answer OPs question, no, you will not have to eat 1200 calories for the rest of your life. I will say, however, you're more than likely downgrading your metabolism so when you do opt to eat more than 1000-1200 calories a day, you'll more than likely see a gain. You're eating under your BMR along with exercising which is..very unhealthy. But, to each his own.

Side note, I eat 1800 calories a day, with exercise, and have lost 1-2lbs a week.

[Jachut 487]

Normal people dont eat 1200 a day but we're not normal people.

I am tall, 140lb, very active - I run an hour about five days a week, go to a couple of body pump classes a week and usually throw a spin class or two in there as well. I'm a teacher so I work on my feet, I run around all day, our school doesnt have a phys ed teacher, so I even teach my kids sport. I'm also a mother of three with the busy lifestyle that entails. I cant afford to eat more than about 1800 a day to maintain my 140lb. All the charts say I should be eating about 2500 or more! There is absolutely no way, that's the sort of calories I was eating to become obese enough for weight loss surgery!

I lost well on about 1500, although it was very slow at the end. I find I cant drop below that, I do the odd 1200 calorie day, but my body just drives me to eat around the band if I try to sustain it. 1500 to 1800 is comfortable for me and allows "normal" eating.

I've maintained my 120lb loss for about four years now, and I'm sorry to tell you this, but you WILL always have to live like this. Your body simply isnt "normal" in that you can get away with what naturally thin people do and for some reason, our bodies will always want to return to the weight we let them get to, which is why diets on their own just dont work long term. You will be fighting it forever, you must always exercise and you always have to watch what you eat. However, you'll no doubt be able to eat a *little* more than what you can to lose and that can be the difference between the drudgery of a diet and being able to enjoy eating socially and treating yourself occasionally.

Dont get me wrong, i went out for dinner last night with friends and had two glasses of wine, some gnocchi (only a few pieces) and then a huge piece of flourless hazelnut chocolate cake WITH cream! I enjoyed it thoroughly. But I moved heaven and earth to fit an hour's run in between getting home from work, getting the kids fed, organising the house and going out for dinner. I will do a spin class and a body pump class today. And today and tomorrow will be at the 1200 calorie end of things. You have to choose your indulgences - yes, I could do last night, but if someone offers me chocolate today I'll have to say no thanks.

You get used to it, believe me. Its not as depressing as it sounds. I really love exercising, its something I do for fun, its not a chore.

It also has a lot to do with what you want to weigh - I'm 5ft 10 and 140lb so I'm at the very low end of my healthy weight range, and it takes a lot of work to stay there. I could eat 2000 a day which is pretty much normal intake, and I'd maintain a bit higher - I wouldnt balloon to over 200lb but I'd probably weigh 160 or so. I'd absolutely hate to be that plump and chunky again, even though its a healthy weight. To me, thin is beautiful, I'd rather go for elegant clothes horse than curvy (I dont get curvy, I just get flabby, just my body type). So I choose to work hard to stay at a BMI of 20. Higher, but still healthy weights are a bit easier to maintain. Especially if you're one of the lucky ladies that does have curves at a slightly higher BMI - if your breasts are nice and full your hips round and you look good and sexy, enjoy it and dont bust your butt trying to weigh nothing. For me, sadly, my ass just drops when my weight goes up, nature designed me to be bony.

[LapNYC 3]

I agree that it depends on what you want to weigh. I'm 5'7" and very muscular and weigh 150 lbs. You'd describe me as thin and I think I'd look bad at 130, but plenty of people at my height weigh 120 or 130 and look great. I also exercise heavily and regularly and chase after three kids, but I am also not very strict with my diet. I eat tons of calories, but they tend to be "good" ones more often than not. Not that good, really. Think an 85% cocoa dark chocolate bar rather than cheesecake, tons of almonds all the time instead of chips and red wine versus a margarita. I don't count calories but I'd guess I approach the 2000 calorie mark. If the exercise were to slip I'd have to head right down to the 1200 calorie zone, so remember that if you're willing to run your ass off, you do get to indulge like others can't. Maybe your trainer isn't working you hard enough and you're not doing enough cardio? Do you spin or run?

I'd also say that if you're going to go big, you could do better than veggie straws and veggie burgers. Live a little! I'd argue that the problem is that what you're eating isn't that satisfying!!!!

[extraonme 4]

1200 calories a day is what "normal" people eat? LOL!!! Are you guys nuts?! Note: I burn 1400-1600 calories laying in bed all day; put that into perspective. Normal people eat much more. I can eat 2400 calories a day and not gain a pound.

To answer OPs question, no, you will not have to eat 1200 calories for the rest of your life. I will say, however, you're more than likely downgrading your metabolism so when you do opt to eat more than 1000-1200 calories a day, you'll more than likely see a gain. You're eating under your BMR along with exercising which is..very unhealthy. But, to each his own.

Side note, I eat 1800 calories a day, with exercise, and have lost 1-2lbs a week.

I was wondering the same thing reverie. I went to the nutritionist last week and she said I am eating fine I just need to eat more. So I didn't think going over 1200 calories that she originally set for me would be the norm. I mean my personal trainer said don't eat over 1200 then she said I should eat more as I am burning calories exercising. Of course she meant lean Proteins and veggies etc...not m&m's :-) I think for each person it is different hence why we all go to Dr's and nutritionist etc...I just want to find my correct "formula" based on calories in and out. I am still way overweight so not sure what my BMR is now. Thanks for the info!

Oh and whoever said 1200 is normal for all people. No way. Log EVERYTHING you eat in one day and most go over! Calories are everywhere and 2000 to 2500 is the norm depending on you.

By the way pounds I did gain from the past weekends GRAZE fest are gone and I am down two more pounds as of today.

Thanks all!

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

My last fill was 6-10-11. I am tight and I want to keep it this way as it allows me to only eat what I should and all other foods do not work. I like that the band is working for me, but I am tight and strict with my food. I have been losing about 6 pounds a month. Starting August 1st I hired a personal trainer and see him at the gym three times a week and go myself two other times and do a class or yoga. I have not missed a session or gone over 1200 calories since that day & mostly stay at about 1000 calories. I log daily and have not missed a day. It is odd to me I have not lost faster, I average the same 6 pounds per month. So last Friday I decided I will log my food but if I go over 1200 calories no big deal, just log every bite. Well HUGE deal! I ate about 2500 calories each day and gained 4 pounds in three days. I weigh myself daily! So with that brief experiment does this mean I have to eat 1200 calories a day forever? I was hoping when I reach my goal weight I wouldn't have to obsess and log and eat without counting. It doesn't seem like this can happen. Any ideas?

[reverie 49]

I was wondering the same thing reverie. I went to the nutritionist last week and she said I am eating fine I just need to eat more. So I didn't think going over 1200 calories that she originally set for me would be the norm. I mean my personal trainer said don't eat over 1200 then she said I should eat more as I am burning calories exercising. Of course she meant lean Proteins and veggies etc...not m&m's :-) I think for each person it is different hence why we all go to Dr's and nutritionist etc...I just want to find my correct "formula" based on calories in and out. I am still way overweight so not sure what my BMR is now. Thanks for the info!

Oh and whoever said 1200 is normal for all people. No way. Log EVERYTHING you eat in one day and most go over! Calories are everywhere and 2000 to 2500 is the norm depending on you.

By the way pounds I did gain from the past weekends GRAZE fest are gone and I am down two more pounds as of today.

Thanks all!

Try http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ if you want to figure out a close range for your BMR. You'll probably be very surprised at how much you burn by just existing And having m&ms a few times won't kill you. Treat yourself..live a little as an above poster said. If you don't it seriously comes to haunt you in the end. If you're craving chocolate have a small piece, it's much better than going into an all out binge.

Good luck figuring out the calories you need to take in to continue to lose. And I completely agree that normal people eat 2000 calories +. I know males who can eat 3000+ and do just fine. It's a person by person basis.