How many calories are you getting in?

[So Cal Kurt 32]

When I met with my dietitian at my 8 week post op visit and she told me that I would need to eat 1600-1800 calories a day eventually. I wondered how i was going to ever get that much in. Well here it is 10+ months post op and I am probably getting 1500 or so a day in. I am thinking I am at where I should be in weight loss, BMI is still 27 but I am starting to look a bit on the thin side. That being said, I hit goal 6 weeks ago and have lost another 7 lbs since. I am eating 4-6 times a day, 3 meals plus 1-3 good Snacks a day. Still following the Protein rules and hitting the gym 3-4 times a week. All of my lab work is perfect and I have no health issues at all. Do I worry about my final weight or just go with it?

[Tiffykins 673]

I say just "go with it". I fell below my goal weight by 20+ pounds, and it took awhile for me to get my weight stabilized. I have to eat 1700-1800 calories a day, and the only way it's possible is to rely on mushy/soft foods for 2 meals. The BMI chart is a bit skewed as it can not take into account our bone density or skin weight. I'm only 5'2" (on a good day), and was bouncing between 125-130 for a year before pregnancy, and that put me at the top of the BMI chart. Anything below 125lbs, and I had bones protruding (spine was poking through without hunching over, my sternum was protruding, chronic inflamed tailbone) which made me look a bit sickly. Plus, my PCM encouraged me to gain a few pounds for conception purposes. He thought I was too thin for my frame.

[NJMOMof2 17]

I was wondering what happens when you reach goal. Do you just stop losing weight or do you have to increase your calories???? I obviously not near that phase in my journey but I always wonder!

[So Cal Kurt 32]

That is a good question. I am expecting that I am going to have to increase calories. I am planning on getting my body fat percentage checked either today or tomorrow so I have a better baseline than BMI to go off of. My ultimate goal is 18% body fat. Puts me right in the upper middle of the healthy range for my age. If I can by some chance make it to 13 or 14%, that will be good. I have been noticing increased strenghth and muscle size so that is actually gain of lean mass, coupled with weight loss. When I had it checked last I was at 24% at 207lbs, I calculated that at 191 I would be at 18%, I am actually thinking I am a little leaner than 18% that now. The calipers will tell. A BMI of 25 would be 179 lbs for my height. I am withing striking distance but don't know if the is where I really want to be. I feel great and what more can I ask for.

[Lakelady 2]

So I'm at goal and now under by about 10lbs. It's so easy to just eat the food plan to lose weight that I've kept doing that. People are really starting to comment negatively because I've really never ever been this thin. I, myself, think I don't really want to go lower. My size 8 Gap jeans are way to big now! I dipped down to 128 in the morning the other day and that sorta freaked me out. I've been eating more frequently and been trying eat more carbs and Kcal in general. I can actually get more food down than I was but now I'm a little worried. I'm worried that I'll gain and I'm worried that I'll keep losing! Thanks for all the advice on the thread. I just hope that if I start eating more I don't stretch my sleeve so much that if I gain I cannot cut back to maintain.

I've been busy at work and all my weight lifting is basically not happening. Maybe I can start that again and gain some muscle weight! I'm sorta babbling but clearly I'm at a new stage and I'm figuring it out.

[MICHELLE LEE 19]

My initial goal was 145. Im at 150 now and in a size 8 jeans. While I know I could still stand to lose a few pounds, the comments from other about being too thin are unsettling. Maybe its just because they havent seen us so small. Personally I feel great. The only complaint I have is that the "girls" are droopy and I have excess skin arounfd my lower tummy. Nothing a little bit of Mommy makeover wouldnt fix. I guess my question is, how do we deal with the naysayers ? And when do we know we've lost enough?

[Lissa 2,631]

I'm between 800 and 1000 calories a day, but I am still in full-on weight loss mode. I've actually been "stalled" for a week or so, but I have added weights and treadmill to my routine. I know I'm building muscle and my clothes are getting looser, which tells me that I'm getting smaller physically.

I am thinking 170 for my goal right now, but will definitely be reevaluating that as I get closer. I'm 5'8, so I may look too thin at 170...or I may still need to lose more, depending on how well I tighten up.

Right now, I'm just enjoying the journey. I want to get to goal, but I am not in a huge hurry as long as I am medically safe from my co-morbidities.

[june13sleever 223]

How is everyone on this thread doing? As this started some time ago and the months have certainly passed by!

[Lakelady 2]

Funny somebody should post here because I stepped on the scale this am and sorta got worried. I've been 120-122 for about 3-4 months now which is already 20 lbs less than my goal. This last weekend I exercised twice-walk/run/weights/elliptical and now I'm 118! I really feel just fine but this skinny was never my intention! In addition to excellent Protein choices yesterday I had McDonald's fries, potato chips, a builder's bar (270 Kcal) and Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia yesterday! I know I just need to add Snacks with high quality fats. Sugars (like yesterday's ice cream) make me feel crashy and my pulse race. I never have followed the "no liquids at meals" rule nor have I stopped drinking diet coke which i love love love.

[New_Hope 54]

Funny somebody should post here because I stepped on the scale this am and sorta got worried. I've been 120-122 for about 3-4 months now which is already 20 lbs less than my goal. This last weekend I exercised twice-walk/run/weights/elliptical and now I'm 118! I really feel just fine but this skinny was never my intention! In addition to excellent Protein choices yesterday I had McDonald's fries, potato chips, a builder's bar (270 Kcal) and Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia yesterday! I know I just need to add Snacks with high quality fats. Sugars (like yesterday's ice cream) make me feel crashy and my pulse race. I never have followed the "no liquids at meals" rule nor have I stopped drinking diet coke which i love love love.

How much have you lost all together? Your tracker shows you have lost about 70 lbs an that you are 21 lbs under target. Did you have the surgery with the plan of only losing 40 or 50 lbs?

[Dee 39]

Since I have gained some I am not worried about being too thin. I did this to be healthy and stop the yo-yo down 40 up fifty...So I quess I am a light weight, but my struggle is the same. Each of us has our own path. That being said I am now 1000-1200. I use sparkspeople to track, my main goal right now is to get enough Protein in. I am positive that is way I gained carbed out way too much. I don't obsess about the scale. My jeans were way too tight. That is what got me to be serious again.

Dee

[ToDream 18]

I would say that I'm around 1000-1200 cal a day on average. It's hard for me to get in the calories I'm supposed to even at this point and as a result, I too have had the freak out where I think I've lost too much and can't stop. I haven't lost anything in nearly a month so I'm hoping thinking that I won't lose anything more. I have started exercising (weight training only with a trainer) as well so it could be that I'm finally regaining some muscle and that's why, even with exercise, I haven't lost any more this last month. I hope that's the case as I really would like to NOT get below 130!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Ugh, my my Lake Lady, how lucky you are.

[june13sleever 223]

I am at my Dr's Goal, and i don't want to lose anymore as I really think this is a nice place for me, but I am going to lose more. Not sure when it will stop. There is alot that could still go, but I really like where I am. As usual I am scared.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I shoot for 1200 but often get above that... on some days it might be around 1800. I could eat even more. I am not at goal yet, and cant imagine getting there. I am pretty happy with where I am... I just don't want to gain more.