My 600 Lb. Life

Options
ChrisRendon1128
ChrisRendon1128 Posts: 103 Member
in Chit-Chat
Lately, my husband and I have really been into "My 600 lb. Life"... The doc puts these patients on 800-1000 calories a day.

So that being said, it technically is safe/healthy to run on less than 1200 calories, right? Or is he asking them to do that to drop weight as fast as possible?
«1

Replies

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Options
    Under a bariatric (weight loss) physicians care these diets are ok. Wouldn't recommend unless morbidly obese. Most people can still lose and eat more than 1200 calories.
  • ChrisRendon1128
    ChrisRendon1128 Posts: 103 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone.. Your responses make sense.. It made me feel like I was eating too much when I heard that calorie intake. Mind you, I am still in the "obese" department (5'3", 211 lbs.). But damn I love to eat lol.. So I eat about 1300-2000 calories, depending on my activity for that day.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,136 Member
    Options
    ChrisRendon1128 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone.. Your responses make sense.. It made me feel like I was eating too much when I heard that calorie intake. Mind you, I am still in the "obese" department (5'3", 211 lbs.). But damn I love to eat lol.. So I eat about 1300-2000 calories, depending on my activity for that day.

    I don't watch this show, but I am assuming that my 600 pound life is pretty literal. Realize if the subject is 600 pounds they could lose 2 of you to get go a reasonable weight. What is correct for someone like that is far from appropriate for someone who is only 211 pounds.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    Options
    Just FYI: Many smaller people (particularly females) will have to eat 1200kcals per day or less to lose 1 lb per week.

    I haven't watched the show, but a common formula would say that a 30yr old male of 600lbs would require 4500kcals daily to maintain weight. This implies that eating 1200kcals per day would lead to a weight loss of 6.6lbs per week. Yowza, that seems too fast! On this diet, they could get to 150lbs in 1.6 years. (This could be out of the accurate range for this formula.)

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calorie-calculator/itt-20084939
  • Rnsmith1982
    Rnsmith1982 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    My sister and I love the show. I just wish that they showed more new episodes.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,136 Member
    Options
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    Just FYI: Many smaller people (particularly females) will have to eat 1200kcals per day or less to lose 1 lb per week.

    I haven't watched the show, but a common formula would say that a 30yr old male of 600lbs would require 4500kcals daily to maintain weight. This implies that eating 1200kcals per day would lead to a weight loss of 6.6lbs per week. Yowza, that seems too fast! On this diet, they could get to 150lbs in 1.6 years. (This could be out of the accurate range for this formula.)

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calorie-calculator/itt-20084939

    The problem with those number for a 600Lb male or female for that matter is that they are extrapolations for data from smaller people. The calories burned by a person of a specific sex, height, age, and weight was determined by extensive tests on actual people that allowed them to put together the statistical range of calories burned. With so few people who are above 400 pounds, there is little, or more likely, no data for weights that high. So they may need 4500 calories but there is no solid data to base that on. For all we know there are metabolic changes from extreme obesity that decrease calorie requirements or increase them more than expected.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    ChrisRendon1128 wrote: »
    Lately, my husband and I have really been into "My 600 lb. Life"... The doc puts these patients on 800-1000 calories a day.

    So that being said, it technically is safe/healthy to run on less than 1200 calories, right? Or is he asking them to do that to drop weight as fast as possible?

    I shouldn't be doing this so forgive me if this has been said, but I am going to answer quickly before reading downthread as I'm kind of between work projects right now...

    I think Dr. Now's assessments are silly. He claims people must be eating 10,000 or 15,000 calories a day and that's dumb...come on. Somebody do the math for me, would a person really need to eat 15,000 calories in order to stay at 600 lbs.? They'd need to be packing it in for sure but...really? And he (Dr. Now) only seems to keep increasing that "estimated" number, probably for the shock value enjoyment of the superior viewers. "OMG that FATTIE eats THIRTY THOUSAND calories a day!" (exaggeration but you get the idea...) (SMH)

    Then he says they MUST eat 800-1000 calories a day in order to "prove they can do it," pre-surgery...WTF? Number one, sticking to 800 calories a day doesn't "prove you can stick to a weight loss plan," it proves biology has failed you and flown out the window and you now somehow no longer have any desire to live by eating enough for your heart to beat and your liver to function. Sticking, to, say 1500 or 1800 calories a day unassisted (meaning, pre-surgery) wouldn't also "prove" you can stick to a weight loss plan, without you white-knuckling through a constant feeling of starvation? Number two: If you weigh 600 lbs. the amount of cals you need to eat in order to lose has to be like, stupid-high. Not 10,000, but high. I mean I know people who are under 200 lbs. and can eat 2000 calories and lose. Why the severe restrictions, except perhaps to hope for more drama when they inevitably fail? Even given variations among people, age, gender, activity level, etc., WHO but a gerbil legitimately needs to eat 800 calories a day to lose weight...even a small person, much less a 600-lb. person?

    He always says it's to "show they can do this" (restrict) but again...so dumb. They can't show they can restrict without medical means by sticking to, say, 1800 calories a day rather than the amount they must be currently eating? The surgery supposedly does SOMETHING, doesn't it? If it literally did nothing to help with appetite control then why the freak have it...? Why eat 800 calories a day with a very large current stomach in order to prove you can eat 800 calories a day once your stomach has been sliced up into the size of a lemon and your intestines rerouted?

    Argh, Dr. Now drives me nuts with his non-science. I may be stupid scientifically but for God's sake, I'm not a doctor...given that, if I can call one out, even with loose accuracy, then there's a problem.

    With that said, I do watch the show because I'm addicted to Cinderella stories. I want to see people go from unhappy to happy and living real, full lives. I LOVE transformations. This show definitely doesn't always deliver on that, especially this season, but sometimes it does...Nicki seems to be doing great, for example.

  • km8907
    km8907 Posts: 3,861 Member
    Options
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    ChrisRendon1128 wrote: »
    Lately, my husband and I have really been into "My 600 lb. Life"... The doc puts these patients on 800-1000 calories a day.

    So that being said, it technically is safe/healthy to run on less than 1200 calories, right? Or is he asking them to do that to drop weight as fast as possible?

    I shouldn't be doing this so forgive me if this has been said, but I am going to answer quickly before reading downthread as I'm kind of between work projects right now...

    I think Dr. Now's assessments are silly. He claims people must be eating 10,000 or 15,000 calories a day and that's dumb...come on. Somebody do the math for me, would a person really need to eat 15,000 calories in order to stay at 600 lbs.? They'd need to be packing it in for sure but...really? And he (Dr. Now) only seems to keep increasing that "estimated" number, probably for the shock value enjoyment of the superior viewers. "OMG that FATTIE eats THIRTY THOUSAND calories a day!" (exaggeration but you get the idea...) (SMH)

    Then he says they MUST eat 800-1000 calories a day in order to "prove they can do it," pre-surgery...WTF? If you weigh 600 lbs. the amount of cals you need to eat in order to lose has to be like, stupid-high. Not 10,000, but high. I mean I know people who are under 200 lbs. and can eat 2000 calories and lose. Why the severe restrictions, except perhaps to hope for more drama when they inevitably fail? Even given variations among people, age, gender, activity level, etc., WHO but a gerbil legitimately needs to eat 800 calories a day to lose weight...even a small person, much less a 600-lb. person?

    He always says it's to "show they can do this" (restrict) but again...so dumb. They can't show they can restrict without medical means by sticking to, say, 1800 calories a day rather than the amount they must be currently eating? The surgery supposedly does SOMETHING, doesn't it? If it literally did nothing to help with appetite control then why the freak have it...? Why eat 800 calories a day with a very large current stomach in order to prove you can eat 800 calories a day once your stomach has been sliced up into the size of a lemon and your intestines rerouted?

    Argh, Dr. Now drives me nuts with his non-science. I may be stupid scientifically but for God's sake, I'm not a doctor...given that, if I can call one out, even with loose accuracy, then there's a problem.

    With that said, I do watch the show because I'm addicted to Cinderella stories. I want to see people go from unhappy to happy and living real, full lives. I LOVE transformations. This show definitely doesn't always deliver on that, especially this season, but sometimes it does...Nicki seems to be doing great, for example.

    That is all.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    km8907 wrote: »
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    ChrisRendon1128 wrote: »
    Lately, my husband and I have really been into "My 600 lb. Life"... The doc puts these patients on 800-1000 calories a day.

    So that being said, it technically is safe/healthy to run on less than 1200 calories, right? Or is he asking them to do that to drop weight as fast as possible?

    I shouldn't be doing this so forgive me if this has been said, but I am going to answer quickly before reading downthread as I'm kind of between work projects right now...

    I think Dr. Now's assessments are silly. He claims people must be eating 10,000 or 15,000 calories a day and that's dumb...come on. Somebody do the math for me, would a person really need to eat 15,000 calories in order to stay at 600 lbs.? They'd need to be packing it in for sure but...really? And he (Dr. Now) only seems to keep increasing that "estimated" number, probably for the shock value enjoyment of the superior viewers. "OMG that FATTIE eats THIRTY THOUSAND calories a day!" (exaggeration but you get the idea...) (SMH)

    Then he says they MUST eat 800-1000 calories a day in order to "prove they can do it," pre-surgery...WTF? If you weigh 600 lbs. the amount of cals you need to eat in order to lose has to be like, stupid-high. Not 10,000, but high. I mean I know people who are under 200 lbs. and can eat 2000 calories and lose. Why the severe restrictions, except perhaps to hope for more drama when they inevitably fail? Even given variations among people, age, gender, activity level, etc., WHO but a gerbil legitimately needs to eat 800 calories a day to lose weight...even a small person, much less a 600-lb. person?

    He always says it's to "show they can do this" (restrict) but again...so dumb. They can't show they can restrict without medical means by sticking to, say, 1800 calories a day rather than the amount they must be currently eating? The surgery supposedly does SOMETHING, doesn't it? If it literally did nothing to help with appetite control then why the freak have it...? Why eat 800 calories a day with a very large current stomach in order to prove you can eat 800 calories a day once your stomach has been sliced up into the size of a lemon and your intestines rerouted?

    Argh, Dr. Now drives me nuts with his non-science. I may be stupid scientifically but for God's sake, I'm not a doctor...given that, if I can call one out, even with loose accuracy, then there's a problem.

    With that said, I do watch the show because I'm addicted to Cinderella stories. I want to see people go from unhappy to happy and living real, full lives. I LOVE transformations. This show definitely doesn't always deliver on that, especially this season, but sometimes it does...Nicki seems to be doing great, for example.

    That is all.

    Hmm, tough to know what to answer your comment with since it's vague. Yes, I said I'm not a doctor. And you pointed this out because...? I'm guessing you're not an airline pilot. If a pilot were to say it takes magic unicorn dust to fly the plane, and you said "Duh, you're wrong," would that make you wrong because, well...YOU'RE not a pilot...that is all? :)

    Title notwithstanding, Dr. Now is wrong.

    I'll have to guess here...I could be wrong about what you're thinking so correct me if I am. So you're saying because I'm not a doctor, I'm wrong about how many calories a 600-lb. person would need to eat in order to stay 600 lbs., and I'm wrong that if a person can't stick, pre-surgery, to 800 calories a day, then that's proof of future failure? :)

    Maybe you could explain as I'm not sure where your statement was leading.

    No, I'm not a doctor. That's true! :) Right on!

    Meanwhile, I DO know that 800 calories a day is not sustainable for most people, no, not even for a month (or to "lose 50 lbs." or "lose 100 lbs." or whatever Dr. Now requires before the surgery), especially before having had their stomachs drastically, surgically reduced. Further, I know that most adults do NOT need to eat 800 calories a day in order to lose weight.

    So your comment points to...? Can you explain so we can discuss?
  • LittleHearseDriver
    LittleHearseDriver Posts: 2,677 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    Nevermind
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    Options
    LittleHearseDriver wrote: »
    I believe she was agreeing with you.

    I don't think so as she italicized and bolded "I'm not a doctor" and said "that is all."

    But hopefully there will be some clarification as I'm only guessing. Seems pretty clear, though.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    Options
    km8907 wrote: »
    Plus Dr. Nowzaradan has been a bariatric surgeon for 20+ years. You just watch him on tv. It's kinda laughable to think you know more than him about it.

    I didn't say I know more about bariatric surgery. It WOULD be laughable (if you will) for me to say I know more about the technicalities of surgery than a surgeon. I didn't say that, though, so that's a non-issue.

    Now on to what I DID say. :)

    1. Then in your opinion, Dr. Now is right about how a 600-lb. person must be eating at least 10,000 calories a day (sometimes he estimates more than that)?

    2. In your opinion, Dr. Now is right that if a person can not stick to 800 calories a day for at least a month, but sometimes more, then this proves s/he won't be able to stick to low calories following the reduction of the stomach plus rerouting of the intestines?

    I realize you're not a doctor but what would be, let's just say, your best guess on the above?

  • km8907
    km8907 Posts: 3,861 Member
    Options
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    km8907 wrote: »
    Plus Dr. Nowzaradan has been a bariatric surgeon for 20+ years. You just watch him on tv. It's kinda laughable to think you know more than him about it.

    I didn't say I know more about bariatric surgery. It WOULD be laughable (if you will) for me to say I know more about the technicalities of surgery than a surgeon. I didn't say that, though, so that's a non-issue.

    Now on to what I DID say. :)

    1. Then in your opinion, Dr. Now is right about how a 600-lb. person must be eating at least 10,000 calories a day (sometimes he estimates more than that)?

    2. In your opinion, Dr. Now is right that if a person can not stick to 800 calories a day for at least a month, but sometimes more, then this proves s/he won't be able to stick to low calories following the reduction of the stomach plus rerouting of the intestines?

    I realize you're not a doctor but what would be, let's just say, your best guess on the above?

    I think for a person of about ~30 years old to reach 600+ then yes, they'd have to be eating thousands of calories to get to and maintain that weight. A sedentary 6'0" man would need almost 3000 calories a day to gain 1 pound a week. Some of these people put on 50 pounds a month.

    For the most part, requiring clients to stick with a very strict diet will weed out the people that come in expecting a quick fix and think they can eat like they normally have after surgery. It's a lifelong commitment, and if people can't do it for a month, then they will probably fail in the future, with possible fatal consequences.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    km8907 wrote: »
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    km8907 wrote: »
    Plus Dr. Nowzaradan has been a bariatric surgeon for 20+ years. You just watch him on tv. It's kinda laughable to think you know more than him about it.

    I didn't say I know more about bariatric surgery. It WOULD be laughable (if you will) for me to say I know more about the technicalities of surgery than a surgeon. I didn't say that, though, so that's a non-issue.

    Now on to what I DID say. :)

    1. Then in your opinion, Dr. Now is right about how a 600-lb. person must be eating at least 10,000 calories a day (sometimes he estimates more than that)?

    2. In your opinion, Dr. Now is right that if a person can not stick to 800 calories a day for at least a month, but sometimes more, then this proves s/he won't be able to stick to low calories following the reduction of the stomach plus rerouting of the intestines?

    I realize you're not a doctor but what would be, let's just say, your best guess on the above?

    I think for a person of about ~30 years old to reach 600+ then yes, they'd have to be eating thousands of calories to get to and maintain that weight. A sedentary 6'0" man would need almost 3000 calories a day to gain 1 pound a week. Some of these people put on 50 pounds a month.

    So then...yes to at least 10,000 (or more)? Thousands I wasn't refuting. At least 10,000 was what I was refuting. I agree that the person would need to be eating in the thousands somewhere in order to maintain 600 lbs., but then again, so do I, at only 154 lbs. (About 2000, actually.) But if someone were to come out and say, for example, "LAWoman72 must be eating a minimum of 5000 calories a day in order to maintain 154 lbs.," then that would just be stupid, frankly, and yes, I'd call the person out on it - even if the person were a doctor. Because that doctor would be wrong. Just as Dr. Now is wrong with his 10,000 and 15,000 calorie estimates.
    km8907 wrote: »
    For the most part, requiring clients to stick with a very strict diet will weed out the people that come in expecting a quick fix and think they can eat like they normally have after surgery. It's a lifelong commitment, and if people can't do it for a month, then they will probably fail in the future, with possible fatal consequences.

    Oh, for sure! Which, as I said (a couple of times now), could be "proven" by NOT having the person adhere to RIDICULOUSLY low (pre-surgery) calorie levels. That could be proven simply by reducing the person to, say...1800 calories a day (plus the person would almost certainly be losing weight on those calories). Look at it this way. You're the person who's supporting that it must be correct that a 600-lb. person must be eating 10,000 calories a day, since "a doctor" said so. Correct so far? Okay. Then reducing a person to 1800 or maybe even 1500 calories would be, per your beliefs, well more than an 8000 calorie reduction (eight thousand calories, if that's not a reduction WTH is?)...drastically and suddenly. That wouldn't be proof that the client can stick to a strict diet (1800 would surely be strict for a person that heavy, his/her calorie needs are pretty high)? That was what I was commenting on, to be clear.

    Now, to be more realistic and per my own argument, no, I don't believe the person is eating 10,000 calories a day...but say she's eating 4500 calories a day. 1500 would still be a whopping 3000 calorie reduction, would involve calorie counting, portioning and re-learning how to eat...so, that would still "prove" commitment, seriousness, willingness to adhere, willingness to go without (comparatively, and bigtime), and so on.

    If appetite reduction (hence the ability to eat less than that more reasonable but still work-intensive, for the chronic overeater, calories of say 1500 or 1800 or whatever) isn't part of the WLS then why get the WLS surgery at all? And if it IS part of the WLS then shouldn't it be a given that the person not being able to adhere to post-WLS calories before having had the surgery isn't an indication that s/he is just going to be unable to follow the program?

    HTH clarify things. If not let me know. I am trying to explain why I came to my conclusions but I am not sure I'm getting it all across in an understandable way.

  • km8907
    km8907 Posts: 3,861 Member
    Options
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    km8907 wrote: »
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    km8907 wrote: »
    Plus Dr. Nowzaradan has been a bariatric surgeon for 20+ years. You just watch him on tv. It's kinda laughable to think you know more than him about it.

    I didn't say I know more about bariatric surgery. It WOULD be laughable (if you will) for me to say I know more about the technicalities of surgery than a surgeon. I didn't say that, though, so that's a non-issue.

    Now on to what I DID say. :)

    1. Then in your opinion, Dr. Now is right about how a 600-lb. person must be eating at least 10,000 calories a day (sometimes he estimates more than that)?

    2. In your opinion, Dr. Now is right that if a person can not stick to 800 calories a day for at least a month, but sometimes more, then this proves s/he won't be able to stick to low calories following the reduction of the stomach plus rerouting of the intestines?

    I realize you're not a doctor but what would be, let's just say, your best guess on the above?

    I think for a person of about ~30 years old to reach 600+ then yes, they'd have to be eating thousands of calories to get to and maintain that weight. A sedentary 6'0" man would need almost 3000 calories a day to gain 1 pound a week. Some of these people put on 50 pounds a month.

    So then...yes to at least 10,000 (or more)? Thousands I wasn't refuting. At least 10,000 was what I was refuting. I agree that the person would need to be eating in the thousands somewhere in order to maintain 600 lbs., but then again, so do I, at only 154 lbs. (About 2000, actually.) But if someone were to come out and say, for example, "LAWoman72 must be eating a minimum of 5000 calories a day in order to maintain 154 lbs.," then that would just be stupid, frankly, and yes, I'd call the person out on it - even if the person were a doctor. Because that doctor would be wrong. Just as Dr. Now is wrong with his 10,000 and 15,000 calorie estimates.
    km8907 wrote: »
    For the most part, requiring clients to stick with a very strict diet will weed out the people that come in expecting a quick fix and think they can eat like they normally have after surgery. It's a lifelong commitment, and if people can't do it for a month, then they will probably fail in the future, with possible fatal consequences.

    Oh, for sure! Which, as I said (a couple of times now), could be "proven" by NOT having the person adhere to RIDICULOUSLY low (pre-surgery) calorie levels. That could be proven simply by reducing the person to, say...1800 calories a day (plus the person would almost certainly be losing weight on those calories). Look at it this way. You're the person who's supporting that it must be correct that a 600-lb. person must be eating 10,000 calories a day, since "a doctor" said so. Correct so far? Okay. Then reducing a person to 1800 or maybe even 1500 calories would be, per your beliefs, well more than an 8000 calorie reduction (eight thousand calories, if that's not a reduction WTH is?)...drastically and suddenly. That wouldn't be proof that the client can stick to a strict diet (1800 would surely be strict for a person that heavy, his/her calorie needs are pretty high)? That was what I was commenting on, to be clear.

    Now, to be more realistic and per my own argument, no, I don't believe the person is eating 10,000 calories a day...but say she's eating 4500 calories a day. 1500 would still be a whopping 3000 calorie reduction, would involve calorie counting, portioning and re-learning how to eat...so, that would still "prove" commitment, seriousness, willingness to adhere, willingness to go without (comparatively, and bigtime), and so on.

    If appetite reduction (hence the ability to eat less than that more reasonable but still work-intensive, for the chronic overeater, calories of say 1500 or 1800 or whatever) isn't part of the WLS then why get the WLS surgery at all? And if it IS part of the WLS then shouldn't it be a given that the person not being able to adhere to post-WLS calories before having had the surgery isn't an indication that s/he is just going to be unable to follow the program?

    HTH clarify things. If not let me know. I am trying to explain why I came to my conclusions but I am not sure I'm getting it all across in an understandable way.

    Yes, 8000 calorie reduction, since most people that follow his diet to the letter end up losing 100+ pounds in a month. You just wouldn't be able to do that if you're only eating even 3000 extra. And (like I said before a couple times now) a regular diet will work but it won't give them the same results in the same amount of time, time of which they don't have. Doing a surgery on someone who's 500 pounds even if they've lost 100 pounds is still very risky. The extreme diet is to both lose weight in a short amount of time to be less of a risk for surgery, and to prove to the doctor that they can follow a strict diet, which I don't know if you've noticed, they probably don't get more than 800 calories post op and for the rest of their life as well, and if they do, they'll start to gain weight back.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    edited May 2017
    Options
    I know this is a necro, but I feel like I've got to chime in. The estimates for calorie consumption are based on maintaining weight. I think it's likely that many of these people are gaining weight, quite possibly at 1-2 pounds per week. That doesn't make the 100,00 kcal/day estimate quite so far off.

Categories