Constant Confusion On Calorie Intake

[cbreeden28 23]

My PA said that I should be eating 1000-1200 calories a day at restricition. Which I have been doing for the past month. However, over on MFP, so many people talk about that being too few calories and you won't lose weight. My BMR is 1828. By eating around 1200 a day, that's 628 cals below maintenance for me. When I exercise (3-5 days/wk), I usually burn around 400 calories. So, if I eat 1200 calories and burn 400, that leaves me with 800 net calories. Is that healthy or should I eat back those exercise calories to keep my metabolism up. My weight loss has slowed the last few weeks and I'm trying to figure out why.

There are people on MFP who are the same body size as me and they are loosing while eating 1500-1700 a day. Should I try to increase my calories a little on workout days (i.e. something with Protein and around 100 calories)? I don't want to sabotage my weight loss, but I'm trying to figure out how banded patients can continue to lose while eating so few calories. I would think that it slows your metabolism to a crawl and you wouldn't lose anything.

Any advice??

My stats:

5'4"

233

large frame

BMR--1828

TDEE--2514

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I would listen to your doctor not the people at MFP. You're a bariatric patient so your needs are going to be different than those who are just dieting.

Always listen to your doctor before anyone else, especially random advice given online

[brenty 27]

Agreed! But also take into consideration that not all medical doctors study nutrition. The most important thing is that your body is getting everything it needs to function properly.

The thing I struggled with the most for years is that when I was cutting calories, I was getting less Protein, Vitamins, and minerals (among other things). Your body needs fat, too, and often fat-free or low-fat foods add calories to add flavour lost when cutting the fat.

If your body is not getting what it needs to function, your metabolism will slow (burning less calories at rest), you will have less energy (making exercise more difficult), and snacking will become an even greater temptation, as your body tries to get the things it lacks. It's a vicious cycle.

But if all of that is under control and accounted for, just be patient. No matter what method of weight loss is used, most of us hit a wall at one point or another. Talk to your physician, get a second opinion, or ask for a referral to a dietician for assistance with your meal planning. But my guess is that your progress has just slowed, and you just need to keep up your patience and determination and you'll get there in time.

[fericito 138]

Could you bring up your concerns with the dr. and see what he recommends?

[Jachut 487]

That leaves you with a 1000 cal deficit which is about what you need to lose 2lb a week, that doesnt sound extreme to mee.

Lapband patients dont have differnt "needs". Our bodies work the same as evetyone else's - we're just better at sticking to diets