Bariatric pre-op stage, new to MFP

mbgadomskii

Hi, I'm Melinda. I'm 22. I'm a hairstylist from Massachusetts. I'm a wife and mother to an 18mo beauty! I've tried many things to lose weight but I get stuck at 10-20lbs and then gain it back every time. This is the heaviest I've been besides when I was pregnant. I'm worried about my health so I decided that the gastric bypass is the best option for me. I'm so close to setting a date, I'm excited!
MFP has set my calorie goal for me, but the dietitian I see wants me to only consume 1,500. Is there any way I can set it myself? I feel like that's a lot less than I should be consuming but I'm not educated enough on calories...
Also, does anyone use the flipp app? Does it help you budget and get the sales like the commercial says? Eating healthier means more money spent..