How many calories a day do you eat?

[chicamam1 1]

i do question the starvation mode esp with the band. Because like for me, eating 1.2 cup and healthy food choices ( most the time) i only get at most 800 cals a day. but.. from what i understand the band tricks the body. we get the sensation sent to our brain we are full so in essence why would our body think its starving? I truly think its all metabolism that the body gets normalized on a certain amount of calories and learns to adapt.. we are pretty smart after all. and so are our bodies. I only intake that much and have plenty of energy to exercise. if it was not helpful to lose weight why would doctors encourage 3 oz at a meal? I think its more complex than starvation mode but that is just me.. I lost weight really good just up until recently only having 42 pounds to go. now if i dont exercise i dont lose. I dont see how i could eat more than i do and i don see how im too tight either. I think the closer u get to goal the much harder it is to lose weight

[MamaLadybug 0]

i do question the starvation mode esp with the band. Because like for me, eating 1.2 cup and healthy food choices ( most the time) i only get at most 800 cals a day. but.. from what i understand the band tricks the body. we get the sensation sent to our brain we are full so in essence why would our body think its starving? I truly think its all metabolism that the body gets normalized on a certain amount of calories and learns to adapt.. we are pretty smart after all. and so are our bodies. I only intake that much and have plenty of energy to exercise. if it was not helpful to lose weight why would doctors encourage 3 oz at a meal? I think its more complex than starvation mode but that is just me.. I lost weight really good just up until recently only having 42 pounds to go. now if i dont exercise i dont lose. I dont see how i could eat more than i do and i don see how im too tight either. I think the closer u get to goal the much harder it is to lose weight

My issue was that I was "sticking" so much I was sick on everything I ate, even Protein shakes would make me sick. I had lost about 35 pounds and then since about November, nothing. I also was suffering from a crazy amount of hunger issues. It was awful for me and add to it the fact that I was not losing any more weight added to my frustration.

I got some Water backed out on Saturday and I am eating for the first time in months. I do not know "if" I was in starvation mode or not. To be honest with you I think that if I was starving I would of been losing weight too, SO, I was obviously getting down more then I thought. Thus the fitday.com to help me out. At least for now, I am not hungry and I am eating between 1000 and 1200 calories a day so we will see what is to be.

Thanks for your input. I feel good knowing I am not alone on this journey.

[bambam31 168]

i do question the starvation mode esp with the band. Because like for me, eating 1.2 cup and healthy food choices ( most the time) i only get at most 800 cals a day. but.. from what i understand the band tricks the body. we get the sensation sent to our brain we are full so in essence why would our body think its starving? I truly think its all metabolism that the body gets normalized on a certain amount of calories and learns to adapt.. we are pretty smart after all. and so are our bodies. I only intake that much and have plenty of energy to exercise. if it was not helpful to lose weight why would doctors encourage 3 oz at a meal? I think its more complex than starvation mode but that is just me.. I lost weight really good just up until recently only having 42 pounds to go. now if i dont exercise i dont lose. I dont see how i could eat more than i do and i don see how im too tight either. I think the closer u get to goal the much harder it is to lose weight

First the disclaimer... Everything hereafter is just IMO....

Nearly everyday here on LBT you'll encounter a post about a person eating a very small amount of calories (less than 1000) yet they aren't losing weight. Undoubtedly there are a few who aren't using a calorie counting tool - rather are estimating - and are wrong. Others are genuinly eating very few calories and not losing weight. Why?

You can call it "starvation mode" or "adaptation" or whatever you want. But from my brief studies of successful "losers" combined with my own personal experiences, this is explainable for many people. If you eat a set number of calories and do a set amount of exertion day after day, week after week, your body will adjust to it - and you won't lose fat - band or no band.

Digesting food and converting it into energy burns calories. The more you eat - the more you burn. Being significantly active and staying away from simple carbs reduces the liklihood of fat storage. For me, I've found it's a very complex meshwork of factors - and it's a bit different for everyone. All I can say is you'll know when you get it right.

If you're happy with your results - kudos - don't change a thing. OTOH, if your not then it's time to tinker with the variables.

Brad

Edited February 28, 2009 by bambam31

[MamaLadybug 0]

First the disclaimer... Everything hereafter is just IMO....

Nearly everyday here on LBT you'll encounter a post about a person eating a very small amount of calories (less than 1000) yet they aren't losting weight. Undoubtedly there are a few who aren't using a calorie counting tool - rather are estimating - and are wrong. Others are genuinly eating very few calories and not losing weight. Why?

You can call it "starvation mode" or "adaptation" or whatever you want. But from my brief studies of successful "losers" combined with my own personal experiences, this is explainable for many people. If you eat a set number of calories and do a set amount of exertion day after day, week after week, your body will adjust to it - and you won't lose fat - band or no band.

Digesting food and converting it into energy burns calories. The more you eat - the more you burn. Being significantly active and staying away from simple carbs reduces the liklihood of fat storage. For me, I've found it's a very complex meshwork of factors - and it's a bit different for everyone. All I can say is you'll know when you get it right.

If you're happy with your results - kudos - don't change a thing. OTOH, if your not then it's time to tinker with the variables.

Brad

Fitday.com is working for me so far. I am amazed at how much food it takes some days to get to 1200 calories. BUT if I make bad choices WOW, do I shoot up easy and I am left with few calories for the end of the day. Noticing calories on food items, and keep a record of them makes me much more acountable. I have NOT gotten on a scale since my Dr backed some of the Water off, however, I am feeling so much better having food again.:tt2: Walking, walking, walking building my way up to 4 miles a day is my goal. Between those two things I am optimistic that the weight will start comming off again.

As always I am glad to have a group like this to share my thoughts with and get feed back and support.

Doing it a step at a time.

[SweetCori 0]

I'm so glad I came to read this thread tonight. I talked to my nutritionist a few days ago because I've been feeling like I wasn't getting enough calories in my diet. Well, she said I should be getting about 1200 calories. I know there is NO way I'm getting that much. So I started on dailyplate yesterday and after 2 days, I'm kind of discouraged. I stayed between 450 and 600 calories both days. That doesn't seem right to me. But I"m full after eating. I haven't had issues with not being able to work out either. I worked out 4 times this week instead of my normal 3 and I'm planning on making it 5 times a week in a couple weeks. I have Cerebral Palsy on top of the weight, so I'm gradually moving forward. I'm not feeling week and malnourished. The only concern I have is, as time progresses, I don't want to start having those kind of issues because I'm not eating enough. I get full while eating. I'm getting my Protein in. I'm just worried about the future. I've lost a total of 34.5 pounds since I started my pre-op diet on 12/20. So I've lost a good chunk of weight. Almost 25% of what my total goal is. I just want to keep the weight loss steady.

[trudeip 0]

I try to stay around 1100 calories a day, sometimes it goes down to around 1000 or up to 1200 but I definitely try to not go above that.

[trudeip 0]

Also--Breakfast. I am not as hungry in the morning and am really tight. So I would skip Breakfast. But now I have some hot green tea, wait a half an hour and just eat very slow and have a scrambled egg with some turkey sausage.

I can't eat breakfast first thing in morning either, I fixed my kids breakfast here at home and when I get to work around 8am I fix my oatmeal and then slowly eat it - usually takes my around 35 minutes to eat. Now don't get me wrong I am hungry when I wake up but I know I can not eat without getting stuck so I don't try.

[amandawv 0]

This is awesome to know how many calories everyone is eating. I am 185 and want to lose 30 more lbs. So I started counting my calories recently eating between 1,000 to 1,200 a day. Hoping this will work. I want to get this weight off so bad. Good luck to everyone.....

[Gus-Gus 0]

I had a fill last week and was having problems all week with keeping food and liquids down. couldn't get past mushies. I went in today and has some taken out and of course now I once again feel like I'm not filled enough. ARrgh its so frustrating.

However, while I was there, I spoke to the nurse and she said to keep things around the 1,000 calorie level and make sure most of that is Protein and to drink lots of Water.

[desertwoman 0]

I am certainly at a stand still as far as my weight loss goes. My intake is usually aroung 1200 and I do a variety of exercise but haven't really lost anything in a couple of months. I am thinking of getting my third fill and maybe that will help. I do try to eat Protein first veggies and fruit next and light on the carbs but I need some extra help now.

[lompocbander 1]

I am at a standstill in weight loss, was counting my calories and watching carefully what I ate, keeping away from carbs and sugars, and getting 800-900 calories per day. I went to my nutritionist and she went through my food log with me, and showed me how on the few days I went over the 900 my notes show how hungry I got (my margin notes say "HUNGRY!!! So Hungry!!!") She said this is typical, she sees it with anorexic patients all the time--it is the body's way of saying "hey, you're feeding me! Do this more! I NEED this!" She says, absolutely, I MUST have 1200 to 1300 calories in a day. She showed me research about how the body shuts down the metabolism when you starve it with lower calories. So now I am working hard at getting my minimum of 1200 calories in per day. I know that my weight gain has been from years of doing this to myself, eating at the wrong level of food intake, as I have always been a "starver" in the goal of staying thin (which obviously hasn't worked!)

So, 3 meals per day, all solid food (no Protein drinks, slider foods, etc.), Protein first, some carbs with every meal, and 1200 to 1300 calories per day, those are my goals. I'm still learning, though, finding it hard to get the calories up to that level.

[desertwoman 0]

Thanks for talking about your diet. I really believe that is my problem. Can't seem to get that down pat. I was under the asumption that Protein Drinks were acceptable. I have been having one for lunch to keep my Protein level up. There is just not enough time to eat a good meal at lunch time. I have been using my lap band site to journal my food intake but I find it inaccurate for calories. They seem to be much higher on the lap band site than there really are. I guess I need to record my own food journal and it would be more accurate. I just scheduled my third fill for next month. I hope I can get it all together and get back on the loosing trac. I am so tired of weighing myself and being disappointed.

[lompocbander 1]

I believe some doctors might "allow" Protein shakes, but my nutritionist, who works closely with my doctor, says that they are not a good thing for people with bands. You want solid foods that are going to fill you up, not slide through the band. That's also why you don't drink with a meal.

I haven't lost any weight since I went off the liquid diet from the surgery, but I look at it this way: I'm learning new eating habits, and it may take me some time. I'm still not at the optimum fill for my band, and that will take some time. And I am not gaining weight, and that is a GOOD thing!!! So, though I want to lose it, not gaining it is nearly as good, in my book. :tongue_smilie:

[lachdanon 0]

Getting ready to start week 3 post-op, still doing a lot of mushies but some occasional meat etc. I am doing about 600 to 1000 calories a day at this point. I track everything on the daily plate. When I get close to a 1000 calories a day I can tell. It feels like I've been grazing all day!

My doctor gave me a huge binder before surgery that they give to everyone and I've really been trying to stick to it. So far I think I have lost a good amount of weight and want to keep losing. To date I've lost about 41 lbs since starting my pre-op diet then starting the 3rd week post op =)

Craig

[Huse 0]

I was told by the doctor that I would only be able to hold about 4-6 oz of food without being very full. I cheated on my diet last week and was still able to eat a whole quarter pounder with cheese, fries and drink from McDonalds. Is that normal? I have only had 1 fill and am wondering if I need a lot more to decrease the size of my stomach. I lost 20 lbs between the time right before my surgery and the month following it, but I have not lost anything else since. I guess that is 1 reason why I cheated. I was under the impression that after surgery I would fill up VERY quickly and remain that way until it was time for the next meal. Any advice would be very appreciated as I am very frustrated!!!!