Calorie intake...hurting or helping?

[onmyway11 43]

I saw the nutritionist this week. Along with the Protein first talk we discussed caloric intake. I'm on week 3 she said 600-800 calories. Which is fine but really? I only lost a pound this week and I'm thinking maybe it's too low? I know I know don't rush it I will get there but after a week of quarter cup servings of food a scale victory would be nice right?

So my question is...do you really believe you need to eat more to lose more? Or is it best to stay so restricted?

[IamKim 1]

I'm at week three as well and was wondering the same thing.

[brenda62 47]

I sis 800 for my first five months and now allow myself up to 1000. When I am at a stand still I eat more for a few days and take a day of from exercise and it does the trick!

[onmyway11 43]

Wow! That's interesting! I do find that excercise slows me down on the scale( although helps me everywhere else). Do you mind if I ask how your weight loss had been the 5 months on 800 calories?

[amiller1010 2]

I eat between 600 and 800 calories a day and have lost 68 lbs since June 20th. I think you just have to figure out what works for you though.

[Texasbandit 8]

Thank you OP!! My dr says the same darn thing. People keep telling me to eat more. I have lost anything in almost a month.

[Lisa1967 0]

I have been on a see saw lately. I gain a couple I lose a couple. I work out 3-6 days a week. I had recently gained 3lbs. I weighed myself this morning and lost the three. I also haven't worked out since thursday. So there is a lot truth to what others have posted. It's frustrating though it seems I'm not getting anywhere. I'm hoping for a fill on wednesday to see if that helps. I have nothing in my band right now and am almost 8 weeks post op.

[Jachut 487]

I think you do whatever you find works for you! Even if it makes no logical sense.

I was very successful with the band and the way people say that they're eating really low calories and not losing and that suddenly they eat a bit more and weight loss starts - I dont know, I find the less I eat/more I exercise, the more weight I lose. Simple, logical, what you'd expect. I wonder, did I find success relatively easy because my body works the way science says it should? Am I lucky that I've got a "normal" metabolism or something?

I suspect so. I never dropped anywhere near 600 to 800 though, so I cant really say. Maybe I would have found the same thing if I'd eaten so little.

You've got to appreciate true fat loss v weight loss too though. I do find I can drop a little weight wise if I dont exercise for a couple of days. But all that is is Fluid changes in the body - exercise damages your muscles (which is what makes them grow) and they attract a little Water and swell a bit.

[Texasbandit 8]

I do believe that body composition and weight loss are connected. I'm still researching but I wonder if those who have a hard time losing despite doing everything have lots of belly fat. My fat is mostly in my mid section. I've found that those few people I know with saggy stomachs have a hard time losing.

I also believe that most people have normal metabolisms and can lose if they stay under a certain amount of calories. Then there is us who work out and eat right and don't lose or in my case gain. I eat around 1000 or less.

Before I had to go up and down on my calories every few days. It was unhealthy. I starved then binged every few days. I don't want to go down that road but I've gain 2 lbs in a month.

[shakey88 37]

I eat between 900-1200 calories a day, but also workout at least an 1.5 hours a day. I have read that your body gets used to the exercise and the calorie intake which slows down the loss. It is good to flucuate your calories and change your workout routines at least every 4 weeks (that is what my PT tells me). I have started to switch things up and I have noticed that it is helping with the weight loss. I have lost almost 67 pounds since June 20th and this is just something that has worked for me. Hope this helps a little!

[Julia_N 2]

If you'e only 3 weeks out, you're still healing and it's not unusual to lose slowly until you get your first couple of fills. Took until my 4th fill before I started losing in earnest. I don't know how many calories I eat, but I get 80-100g of Protein daily.