How much food 1 year + post op?

[Meryline 546]

So I'm 15 months post op in a week and a half. I'm at goal, technically, and I'm fairly happy. I have retained a lot of muscles and lost mostly fat.

I have noticed lately that way too much sugar has crept it's way back into my diet, and I'm working hard on correcting that. I have gained few lbs from my low low at 1 year post up, but it's more a fluctuation than a gain. I know thought, that I have to watch out so it doesn't turn in to a gain if I don't watch out. ( I can't really eat chocolate or ice cream, it makes me sick, but sadly Gummy candy is no problem at all)

My surgeon had us at food just a few days after surgery. It wasn't much, but it was solid (had to be chewed to puree before swallowing. After a few months we should be at about 5 oz. Which I did. Now I can eat a lot more. Which I know is also normal. I can't eat a normal portion, for sure, but I can also eat a lot more than 5 oz, a little depending on what it is. Like I can eat a lot salad with Protein, than I can eat just plain chicken breast.

My NUT wants each meal to include protein, veggies and complex carbs. That means I can often eat 7-10 oz. at a meal. I don't eat until I'm stuffed.

I know I shouldn't compare myself to other people, but when I see people at 1 year post op eating 4-5 oz, which I was doing at 4-5 months post up, it makes me wonder.

I am still drinking one shake a day because my protein lvl are too low, even at 120-150g of protein a day.

How much are you eating at 1+ year post op? How much does your NUT want you to eat? Are you still doing shakes?

[Creekimp13 5,840]

I'm nearing goal, so I just talked to my nutritionist about this.

We go by calories. At my clinic most women do 1200 calories per day for weight loss, but maintenance can vary quite a lot depending on activity level, etc. My nutritionist suggested adding 200 calories per day if I want to stop the weight loss, and adjust up or down to find the sweet spot.

Different people will have different metabolisms. I know folks my size who will gain on 1300 calories per day. When I was in pre-op...(granted I was a larger person then, but not as active as now)...I had no problem losing on 1600 calories per day. Younger people can eat a little more generally. Diabetes makes it harder. Lots of factors to explain the differences.

Best wishes and congrats on reaching goal!

[RickM 1,750]

This doc gives a pretty good progression of how your meal volume, on average, will tend to increase over time, and it is pretty consistent with my experience. What I like about this guy is that he is one of the few bariatric surgeons that I have seen that addresses this issue and offers a prescription to mitigate its effects. You may or may not get along with his recommendation (I don't agree with everything he, or anyone else for that matter, says) but it is something to think about in planning your next few years. I have evolved into something akin to his program, as in being fairly veg heavy, but I'm not as grain averse as he is and I do think that his Protein recommendations are a bit on the scant side for most.

[Meryline 546]

15 hours ago, Creekimp13 said:

I'm nearing goal, so I just talked to my nutritionist about this.

We go by calories. At my clinic most women do 1200 calories per day for weight loss, but maintenance can vary quite a lot depending on activity level, etc. My nutritionist suggested adding 200 calories per day if I want to stop the weight loss, and adjust up or down to find the sweet spot.

Different people will have different metabolisms. I know folks my size who will gain on 1300 calories per day. When I was in pre-op...(granted I was a larger person then, but not as active as now)...I had no problem losing on 1600 calories per day. Younger people can eat a little more generally. Diabetes makes it harder. Lots of factors to explain the differences.

Best wishes and congrats on reaching goal!

Thanks for your input.

Whoever came up with 1200 kcal for women *shaking my head* (not directed at you, but at the number 1200kcal)

My surgeon and NUT don't go by calories. Never have. I also have a BMR of 1495 (at goal, it was almost 2000 before surgery). Already at 6 months I was eating 1500 kcal and loosing. I walk everywhere, lift heavy weights and I'm a spinning instructor. I would keel over if I eat 1200 kcal a day. (now, not right after surgery when I obviously was eating way less than 1200kcal)

My question wasn't so much about kcal as it was about volume/weight of food.

Thank you, and good luck at reaching your goal, you can do it.