Confused! Calories high or low...?

[racinrays 0]

So I am 3 months and 1 week out from my sleeve and when I see my Nut she says I need to eat more calories... When I seen my surgeon he said that I am eating too much, said that I should constantly be in starvation mode until 6-8 months... He told me not to eat more than 550 a day and to continue working out to put me in starvation mode....

[Recycled 2,182]

Just goes to show you, everybody's got an opinion. So who's do you follow?.

I'd just try and see what works for you. The body has a funny way of doing what it wants. You just have to find out what that is and beat it at it's own game.

[Teachamy 1,042]

Do the NUT and surgeon work together? Do they communicate? Maybe you should call your NUT back and tell her what her colleague said. Maybe they can make 1 firm decision and get back to you! How aggravating!

[belunos 93]

I've lately been thinking a lot of this is guesswork on all sides

[SlowlybutSurely 73]

Is the Nutritionalist one that specializes with Bariatric patients? It doesn't sound like it. As far as the starvation mode, after surgery, how can you tell if you starving when you're never really hungry? I literally have to remember to eat a little something every 3 or so hours and even them I'm doing good to remember around the fourth or fifth hour.

[NMJG 1,266]

Wow, I feel for you. What to do!

Personally, I was around 550 - 600 calories for the first three months, then at 800 for a couple of months. I'm still around 800-900 but I don't think I could stay at 550 at this point, but that's just me. At 800 I felt good and had plenty of energy. Started working out with weights for strength training recently and am upping it to 900 a day - scares me to do it, though, but I'm finding 800 not enough with the weight training.

I haven't heard of anyone on the board that is still at 550 calories a day at 6 months. If you fit this description, pipe up!

[Miss Mac 6,262]

At 4 1/2 weeks out, my surgeon has moved me to the solid food phase. The printed materials that I have say 800-1200 calories. That is an awfully wide range. In the past, I could not lose weight on 1,000 calories no matter what, because of medical issues that made me sedentary.

Even though I am allowed to test solid foods, I really am in no hurry. I had some steak the other day and could eat so little of it (because of capacity), it was hardly worth the cooking of it. dinner today will probably be beef stew made with ground round instead of stew meat.

It is curious how we all manage this process so differently.

At 40 pounds down now, I feel better and can do exercises and strength training. So, with all that and limiting myself to 800 calories, I have broken through a stall and am on the way down again. Losing this weight is a freaking lot of work - even with my new tummy. Others might be able to eat more and still lose, but I know where my limits are, now.

I agree that since your surgeon and your NUT seem to be on different planets, you need to speak up and ask for one plan to follow. Wishing you good luck and good health.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

550 a day at 6 months? Hells-to-the-no!

From day one, after I'd got through the first 6 weeks, I was told to aim for 800-1200. I am still on that now at over 4 months.

The only thing I count is Protein, the rest I leave in the hands of fate (don't worry, I'm not chowing down on chocolate, ice cream, etc.) I do it this way, because if I'm hitting my Protein targets, there's not much room for anything else!

As it stands and notwithstanding the obligatory stalls, I'm averaging a 2lb weight loss per week. A pretty good and sustainable loss.

I felt crap-a-doodle-do on 500 calories. I also had to concede that a few carbs were necessary for me, too. On discussing this with the Nutritionist, he said 'Yes, younger people tend to need a few carbs and eat more regularly than older patients'. If I didn't get a few carbs in, I would fall as flat as a pancake and couldn't sustain myself energy-wise.

As has been said, it is a very fine balance and you have to find out what works for you. What I was told from day one, however, is that 'you have to eat to lose'... Consequently, living off very few calories, in the end and as I was told, works against you.

I'd be tempted to err towards the advice of the nutritionist myself. A surgeon is a whizz with a scalpel and can piece together (a stomach) or an engine - like a mechanic would. A nutritionist, should (and I emphasise the 'should'), be the guru who knows what to put into that engine to get the absolute best out of its performance. A corny analogy, but one that works in my head.

Best of luck

[WombatVSG 56]

The differences in what the surgeons have us do is really interesting! My doctor says no steak until after week 9. I'm at 4 weeks and am still not supposed to have chicken.

At 4 1/2 weeks out, my surgeon has moved me to the solid food phase.... Even though I am allowed to test solid foods, I really am in no hurry. I had some steak the other day and could eat so little of it (because of capacity), it was hardly worth the cooking of it. dinner today will probably be beef stew made with ground round instead of stew meat.

It is curious how we all manage this process so differently.