Calories struggle again.
juliebccs
Posts: 233
Has anyone else found they are struggling with too low calorie intake 5-6 months out? I have been getting my 7-800 for a few months but I am having to make a massive effort to reach 600 again. I don't feel unwell, no activity changes. Just no room for more food.
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Sorry to hear that- maybe increase activity and gear up more of an appitite and maybe boost your metabolism too? Now, at a little over 5 mos out- I have a hard time staying at 900 a day, but I've been much more active. I'm still at a deficit though so I'm still loosing.0
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You could just butter your food or eat a tbsp of olive or coconut oil. That's around 124 cals and doesn't take up much space0
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Actually just started coconut oil today for my arthritis and I automatically panicked about the calories. Guess I have gotten so used to finding the lowest caloric options. ThanksYou could just butter your food or eat a tbsp of olive or coconut oil. That's around 124 cals and doesn't take up much space0 -
I do find that when my arthritis is not spiking and I use the treadmill my appetite does increase. Sadly I can't predict the arthritis pain spikes. I can go weeks with limited pain and weeks spiking. Bit frustrating but you learn to live with it.Sorry to hear that- maybe increase activity and gear up more of an appitite and maybe boost your metabolism too? Now, at a little over 5 mos out- I have a hard time staying at 900 a day, but I've been much more active. I'm still at a deficit though so I'm still loosing.0 -
I'm about 4.5 months out and I'm struggling with increasing my calories as well (what a problem to have, haha). My doctor wants me up to 1,000 calories/day by 6 months out, but I'm averaging less than 700 right now. I just don't enjoy the feeling of food in my stomach - I'd much rather just drink liquids/protein shakes. It seems like my capacity has actually gotten less. I was comfortably eating 2.5 oz of dense protein, now most days 2 oz is pushing it.
I've been trying to increase my healthy fats to get my calories up but I highly doubt I'll be at 1,000 calories in month (I think it's also psychological as I don't really understand why he'd want me to have that many calories when I still have so much weight left to lose). I haven't had a slow-down of my weight loss yet, so I'm not overly worried about any of this, it just seems strange when I've read so many others who are having trouble limiting their consumption at this point.0 -
It is strange April73,,,
my intake is lower than it was. I guess I am concerned about trying to up it too in the near future. If I stick to the 'good' foods I never make my calorie intake. I am a little concerned about having some high caloric foods such as nuts because although they are healthy options I am scared I could use them as a replacement for potato chips when I get munchy. I like nuts a lot. Cheese,,I love love love cheese. I use a very very light cheese on low calorie pizza but that is it. I am worried about really enjoying cheese again and getting hooked. I guess for me if I stick to the foods on my 'ok to have chart',,,minus my old favourites,, I just come in way too low. There are healthy but higher calorie foods out there that I was not addicted to pre sleeve I am sure,,I just need to find them and give myself permission to have them.0 -
I struggled early on and was told to add snacks. Cheese sticks don't fill me up so much that I can't eat my next meal. Use full fat versions of dairy products, avocado, peanut butter nuts are great too. Also I dump chocolate protein powder in my coffee for 100 calories and a 23g protein boost. I'm really glad I made the effort early on to boost my calories as now that I'm in maintenance and still pretty active, my metabolism is in a really managable place, (hitting 1300-1400 calories\day and maintianing). I'm actually more concerned about under eating than over eating. What a weird thing!0
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I think a huge part of getting to 1000 calories is a mental unwillingness to eat that many calories when you still consider yourself to be fat. I had this feeling at the MD's office not 2 weeks ago. The MD told me to get over it - you need to adjust to eating more as time passes. I was specifically told to increase protein portions from 2 oz to 3-5 oz in the coming months, and not to be afraid of protein.
Check out the BMR link under the APPS tab. It tells you your base metabolic rate - i.e., what your body burns to keep it running for a day. This is not the most accurate measure, but it is a good reference point. Generally, if you are under your BMR, you will lose weight. An important thing to learn is that you will not lose more weight the farther you are below your BMR. I and many other people lose more at 1000 cal/day than I did at 700 cal/day.
You can add small amounts of high calorie foods like nuts, cheese, sour cream, and butter, as long as it is in moderation and you are very careful to give yourself the correct serving size, and monitor your intake carefully.
WLS is a tool, and we have to use it to learn how to eat properly. The risk of not eating enough is that you develop food aversions, and worse, disordered eating.0 -
I totaly understand that- that's how I feel about pasta and rice. I just can not control myself so I abstain.0
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Be careful about not eating and having the habit of only drinking your calories in shakes - your gut needs to digest solid food to keep a healthy function. Not to sound dramatic but the few people I've seen in my MD's ofc on follow up visits that looked like they were dying- I mean I thought they were there for some other horrible gastro issue not just a WLS - were folk who for whatever reason were a few weeks out and were unable or unwilling to eat food. They had serious hair loss, sagging skin and just looked miserable. It was something I needed to see- becuase it made me more willing to try to eat a normal, balanced diet as opposed to living on packaged food because it seemed easier to deal with portion control.0
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This is good advice guys,,thanks. I need to stop being scared of certain foods. I have them in my cupboard, they are just off limits in my mind. Last night I ate a small handful of peanuts and nearly died when I counted the calories,,,crazy because I was trying to boost them. I have taught myself to stay away from taboo foods successfully, I might just have to retrain myself to allow them in healthy portions and at the right times. TBH this is probably what I need for long term success anyway. I allow taboo foods in the house to teach myself restraint so I am sure I can convince myself to work within limits.0
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I completely agree - I think that a large part of it is mental. I'm not really afraid of eating anything in particular - I eat full fat dairy, butter, nuts, etc.; the main thing I've eliminated entirely (until I get to my goal weight at least) are processed/simple carbs.
At my 3 month appointment with the surgeon he was surprised that my capacity is still 2oz. Actually, now that I think about it, my nutritionist was surprised at my 6 WEEK appointment that I was only eating 2oz. That part I don't think is mental - I've pushed the envelope a time or two with the quantity and felt miserable for hours after, so I'm very careful not to overeat now.
Even though I don't want to eat, I still do. I get at least 2, most days 3, meals that are solid food. I eat 5x a day with breakfast being a protein shake and then my last meal of the day another protein shake or low carb chocolate milk. I'm getting adequate nutrition - my 3 month labs were perfect. My doctor wasn't concerned about what I'm currently doing - but encouraged me to get to 1,000 cals by 6 months so that I don't stop losing. I'm assuming at some point soon I'll be able to start eating a bit more at a time. I don't anticipate this being a long-term issue, just something that I'm currently struggling with.0 -
I really struggled with this between 3-6 months as well and had to force myself to up my calories. Part of it for me was the fear of restretching my stomach. I found that continuing to have a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack helped get my calories up where the NUT wanted them. She wasn't happy with the snacks, but it was the only way I could do it. Snacks were a protein bar or part of one, cheese stick, stick of beef jerky, even a 1/2 a protein shake.
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Has anyone else found they are struggling with too low calorie intake 5-6 months out? I have been getting my 7-800 for a few months but I am having to make a massive effort to reach 600 again. I don't feel unwell, no activity changes. Just no room for more food.
It's so weird you're posting this. I've been noticing a decrease in appetite, ability to eat. I mean, I do get hungry, but it takes very little to satisfy I'm 3.5 months out. I've decided to work on hard on reminding myself that my stomach is small, it is misshapen, it is not normal and I can't eat a normal portion. I just can't eat that much. I told him to halve it, maybe quarter it. I have to remind myself to do the same.0
