Confused about my calorie intake

[Ashly 1]

Hey everyone,

Ok so i've been banded for almost a year now and i am at a stand still. The day I went to my first seminar I weighed 352lbs. Today I weigh 295lbs. So i have lost a total of 57lbs. I am happy with that but i am getting upset and discouraged because i have been at a standstill for the past month. I talked to my nutritionist after i had surgery and she said no matter what i do to keep my calories at 1000 a day. So that is what i have been doing and it worked for a while but now its doing nothing. On top of all of this, i didn't exercise almost at all my first year. I would walk and do the treadmil a little bit but i was lazy and i only did it maybe 2-3 times a week and only for about 20-30 minutes. It wasn't enough effort on my part at all. Well this past month I have gotten extreamly motivated and started exercising for 2 hours a day 5 times a week and 1 hour of cardio on the other 2 days. So i'm pretty much exercising 7 days a week and i'm still eating my 1000 calories a day and i'm not losing anything! i'm yoyoing between 290 and 295 and i always end up back at 295. I have a clean diet so i really don't think that is it. I don't eat bread or Pasta or rice because it gets stuck. I keep my carb intake lower then 40 grams a day, my Protein is over 70 grams a day and my sugar is less then 25-30 grams a day. I drink Water, although i should drink a little bit more, i haven't quite gotten to 64 oz a day of it i'd say i drink about 40 oz or so. I don't drink sugary drinks either and i eat a lot of veggies and make sure they aren't the starchy kind like corn. I'm not sure what to do. i was thinking of adding to my calories but when i asked my nutritionist she said no to stay at 1000 and just keep doing what i'm doing and possibly drop to 950 or 900 and see if that helps. She wont listen to me when i tell her that i don't want to drop my calories anymore. I always thought that when you drop your calories too low then you are only going to burn off muscle and i dont want to lost muscle, i want to stay strong. I already feel so tired and run down. Can someone please give me some advice to help me out here.

Thank you!

[susan73 2]

try a personal trainer if you can afford one? some are experts at getting your body to burn fat efficiently. an efficient workout not just a lengthy one. best of luck to you.

[Ashly 1]

I wish i could but my husband and i are not able to afford a personal traner. I'll keep looking for something though. Thanks!

[byrd 28]

Hey, you may have to go to 1200 calories... I had to because the scale wasn't moving. i have been on 1200 calories for 5 weeks, i walk 2miles 3 times a week and 4 miles 2 times a week i have lost 6.2 lbs . You need at least 1 day off to shock your body

[Corrigan 75]

Here's an article that might help ease your frustration: Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of Water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet.

As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a sabertooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

I hope this helps.

[Shelley64 26]

I'm in a similiar boat so I feel your frustration. I've lost 30 lbs but have been the same for probably 3 months. I eat about 1200 cal a day and I do a Zumba class 2-4 times a week. I too watch my carbs and sugars and need to do better on my Water intake. I think it all boils down to metabolism. Our bodies are pretty smart and some of us have really efficient systems. I've tried mixing up my diet by raising or lowering my calories by 100 from day to day but I haven't seen much change. I'm going in next week to have a BMR study at the hospital. My insurance will pay for it so I decided to do it. It figures your basal metabolic rate. The number of calories you burn just by being alive....breathing, organ function, digestion, etc. Once I know exactly how many calories I'm burning at a resting state, then I think the nutritionist will be able to help me with a correct calorie count. I think your case could be your're not eating enough calories. I know that sounds weird but your body may think you're trying to starve so it hanging onto your fat reserves. The last thing you want to do is lose muscle and your body will give that up before it gives up fat! I'd try eating a little more for a few days, stay off the scale for a week and then weigh yourself. I'm going to post after I have my BMR study so keep an eye out. If it works and I figure out the secret, I'll scream it from the roof tops!

[AngelMyI 1]

My dietician that I see at my doctors office told me that you can eat to few of calories. I was eating about 900 a day. I am 5 weeks out of surgery and has lost 32 lb since surgery and 54 since my simanar in May. I have up my calories to about 1200 and I average about 4 lb a week and that's with working out 6 days a week I know that weight loss is different for everyone you just have to find your sweet spot..hang in there

[Jess55 97]

If you're exercising 2 hours a day, 1000 calories per day is not enough, You need to eat more. I don't cre what your nutritionist says. You are already in a calorie deficit by eating 1000. Possibly over your deficit, and working out that much is just leaving you with nothing to live on. Also, definitely don't exercise 7 days a week, you need to give your body a rest one day at least. If you're feeling tired and run down, that is proof you need more nutrition. One of the trainers at my gym recommended I eat carbs, they just have to have 3 grams of Fiber or more. (Not sure if you can eat them though, not sure if you have stuck issues, I have no fill so I don't)

But I guarantee if you up your calories you will lose. But if you just started working out, it could take a week or 2, for your body to adjust.

[Kellysue 7]

I am in the camp of up your calories. A lot of people will cycle their calories and have two days a week where their calories are much higher and it tricks your body. Especially if you are exercising, it's a good idea. Try it, I am positive you won't gain exercising that much. Also, you can expect to not lose while working out for a while then all the sudden you will wake up and be 5 pounds lighter. Your body does not want to get rid of the fat.

[brenda62 47]

another vote for more calorie intake! I did well with 800 for months and then when I hit the that dreaded standstill I moved up to 1200. I walk two miles 5 days a week and go to curves 5 days a week. on day 6 I walk 4-5 miles and the 7th is my day off! When I started feeding my body more it started responding and my metabolism speed up. I eat every 2-3 hours on a normal day (6 times a day) Good luck and keep it up with the Water, I used to hate water and now I crave it!

[Jachut 487]

I agree with Corrigan, keep at it, just do the right thing, dont worry if its 1000 or 1200, its all just a deficit, keep exercising (but dont kill yourself doing it) and eventually, the scale will move. Plateaus are a part of weight loss, they are going to happen regardless of what crackpot method people have as surefire ways to break one, it will happen when it happens. The basic truth is if you eat less than you burn, over time, you WILL lose weight. You cant control the rate or sequence of it, and you need to accept that. Just have faith that in a year, you will be much thinner than you are now.

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

I am 2 weeks shy of being banded a year. Typically I eat 1000 calories per day. I have lost 140 lbs. I have 77 to go. I just finished 3 weeks of hell. 3 weeks of not seeing the scale move..... I tried to drink more Water....nothing. I upped my calories.... nothng. Today I got on the scale as I do every morning and I was down 4 lbs.

We can disect it all we want...but I really believe the body gets comfortable and hangs onto weight as some sort of a security blanket. Then every once in a while when it doesnt need it....it will give it up. LOL

Just remember you will loose weight if you expand more calories than you take in. that we all know is true. Eventually.

[rosstheboss 21]

900 to 1000 calories seems low especially if you are working out, I would increase to 1200 with Protein and Veg. Keep up with your Water and your Vitamins are you taking a good Multivitamin, Calcium with D etc. This is all needed to keep you health. I am also a slow looser, a few months after the band I joined a gym and a workout - Weight loss program. They increased my calories from 1200 to 1600 and I lost a bit but was basically remained steady. I would change up my eating every so often and would loose like in 10 lbs increments than just stay their for months. the body is a strange thing and it is so hard to get that scale moving. Good luck to you, you are doing great!

[Ro-Jae327 4]

You have to up your caloric intake it you are working out that much. If you exercise for like 2 hrs and burn 400 calories and you've only eaten 1000 calories, then that means that you only ate 600 calories that day. My doctor told me your net calories cannot go under 1000. Just eat more because your body needs something to burn off if you are working out a lot. Good luck, Good job on the weight loss.

[xavier 153]

I disagree with most of the posters here and here's why. First I would say keep everything exactly the same for at least a month or 6 weeks, you just need time to break the plateau. The thing about more calories to lose weight has no scientific basis and for those who have experienced it their weight loss was due to continued calorie deficit. They just needed more time so if they had stayed at a 1000 or gone up to 1200 they would still have lost weight but they ascribe the success to adding the extra 200. Either way, even if you add a few you will still be in a deficit and eventually it will come off.

I dont think theres any reason to reduce your calories but since you are in the neigborhood of 75 -100 pounds overweight you are not in jeopardy of losing muscle by doing so..this is another myth. But I advise against going down to a calorie level unless you can live with it forever and less than 1000 seems unrealistic for a dude.

Simply said keep doing exactly what you are already doing...the body does resist change.