1500 Calorie DIet Is To Much Food

CuzImaCowboy

I had gastric-by-pass surgery about 9 years ago. lost all the way down to 260 but never learned how to eat properly and gained half of it back.

So a month ago I decide to start eating healthy and I started losing weight, then a friend showed me this website. I had been only eating between 1200 - 1300 calories a day. So I get on here and I'm being told you need to eat at least 1500 calories a day. I was losing 3 - 5lbs now I'm losing 1 - 2 lbs. was told that 2 lbs is normal and i should eat 1500.

well the problem is I'm having to force myself to eat 1500. It's just to much food for me. My stomach size is less then half what someone without surgery has. so I'm confused as to what calorie intake I really should be at.

I'm hoping someone here has had the same experience

LorinaLynn

I think that question is best answered by a medical/nutritional professional.

fcrisswell

I had gastric bypasss 4 1/2 years ago and I never have a problem reaching 1500 sometimes more. I do eat 6 or 7 times a day though. Protein shake in the AM usually and then snack about 10 then lunch at noon then snack at 2 or 3, dinner 6 and sometimes a snack before bed.

It also depends on the type of calories you are taking in. Remember the rule for us....protein first then veggies then fruit,and sugar flour, etc. should be avoided.

I lived on peanut butter for a while because 1. I LUV it and 2. it is full of calories and good fats at least.

Friend me if you like. Hope I helped you some.

PS....I started at 397 at my heaviest before surgery and got down to 175 with this method...then got pregnant and now losing the "baby weight"

PlanetVelma

I agree, since you had gastric bypass you should consult your physician/nutritionist.

Angela4Health

You should absolutely talk to your doctor about that!

erzsebet_1560

I think that question is best answered by a medical/nutritional professional.

I agree. Your situation is different than most becase of your surgery. For the general population, 3-5 lbs. a week is bad because you're not able to get the nutrients your body needs to function properly. And I think for most of us, including myself, when we lose that quickly, we tend to gained it back quickly. 1-2 lbs is considered safe, and it's easier to maintain. It's a shame the doctors who did your surgery didn't include some sort of maintenance program. Shame on them.

CraftyGirl4

I think that question is best answered by a medical/nutritional professional.

I agree.

kmurphree2000

I too have had gastric bypass and didn't learn the lessons...so, back to managing my food better. The trick is multiple meals. Small and often. Keeps your energy up too! Have fun.

jamie1888

Agreed that you should ask your Doctor. If the consensus is that you SHOULD eat 1500 calories per day; it's really easy to add a few hundred calories to your diet by adding healthy fats. Avocado, olive oil, nuts, almond/peanut butter, salmon, etc.

rmsrws

Funny this subject came up. I just spoke with my dietician,nutrisonist this morning about the same thing. I can only consume around a 1000 calories a day with out feeling ill. She said that is fine, do what you are comfortable with the last thing you want to do is force yourself to eat when not hungry or feeling full. As long as you are getting your required protien she said I was fine.

I had gastric by-pass 09/21/10. I am about 8 1/2 months out. I have lost 96 lbs to date, I am shooting for another 31 lbs to lose.

I am sure you will be successful, just listen to your body. Remember everything we learned before surgery and after. You can do it!!!

WWhitaker

You're saying you eat between 1200-1300 calories a day and you're needing to eat 1500, but that's too taxing for you? 200 calories is so easy to consume! And you don't have to be right at 1500 calories every day. Some days are less, some are more. Eat a serving of ice cream to end your day, or have a serving of broccoli with 2 tbsp of ranch dressing (that alone is 140 calories) or eat a Lean Cuisine. There are so many light snacks you can have that equate to the amount of calories you're needing.

WWhitaker

"Agreed that you should ask your Doctor. If the consensus is that you SHOULD eat 1500 calories per day; it's really easy to add a few hundred calories to your diet by adding healthy fats. Avocado, olive oil, nuts, almond/peanut butter, salmon, etc. ".....



That's a great point! Disperse the extra calories through the day. Add some sunflower seeds to your salads, or have a tbsp of peanut butter with a snack...It doesn't have to be all at once.

CuzImaCowboy

You're saying you eat between 1200-1300 calories a day and you're needing to eat 1500, but that's too taxing for you? 200 calories is so easy to consume! And you don't have to be right at 1500 calories every day. Some days are less, some are more. Eat a serving of ice cream to end your day, or have a serving of broccoli with 2 tbsp of ranch dressing (that alone is 140 calories) or eat a Lean Cuisine. There are so many light snacks you can have that equate to the amount of calories you're needing.

ice cream? i thought i had to stay away from treats and stuff. Just eat healthy all the time. I think the most sweet thing i have right now is graham crackers

graysmom2005

You're saying you eat between 1200-1300 calories a day and you're needing to eat 1500, but that's too taxing for you? 200 calories is so easy to consume! And you don't have to be right at 1500 calories every day. Some days are less, some are more. Eat a serving of ice cream to end your day, or have a serving of broccoli with 2 tbsp of ranch dressing (that alone is 140 calories) or eat a Lean Cuisine. There are so many light snacks you can have that equate to the amount of calories you're needing.

ice cream? i thought i had to stay away from treats and stuff. Just eat healthy all the time. I think the most sweet thing i have right now is graham crackers

Staying away from "treats and stuff" is a diet, and you don't want to be dieting. EVERYTHING in moderation. You are set up for failure if you deny certain foods..especially ones you love. Eating healthy and well are the daily goals, but this is our only life so having a bowl of ice cream every once in a while is fine. It's living! It's a lifestyle! NOT a diet. :-)

CuzImaCowboy

You're saying you eat between 1200-1300 calories a day and you're needing to eat 1500, but that's too taxing for you? 200 calories is so easy to consume! And you don't have to be right at 1500 calories every day. Some days are less, some are more. Eat a serving of ice cream to end your day, or have a serving of broccoli with 2 tbsp of ranch dressing (that alone is 140 calories) or eat a Lean Cuisine. There are so many light snacks you can have that equate to the amount of calories you're needing.

ice cream? i thought i had to stay away from treats and stuff. Just eat healthy all the time. I think the most sweet thing i have right now is graham crackers

Staying away from "treats and stuff" is a diet, and you don't want to be dieting. EVERYTHING in moderation. You are set up for failure if you deny certain foods..especially ones you love. Eating healthy and well are the daily goals, but this is our only life so having a bowl of ice cream every once in a while is fine. It's living! It's a lifestyle! NOT a diet. :-)

wish they would move that report post button, i almost reported you lol

thats true and thats something i even wrote about that this is a lifestyle change not a diet. ty for the advice

seansquared

I am not a medical professional and more importantly I am not YOUR medical professional, so please don't consider this professional medical advice. With that disclaimer out of the way...

A really good friend of mine had Lap Band surgery, and what he found out - not very quickly because his Dr didn't explain it to him which meant I had to like a year after the fact - was that he needed to stay away from foods that cause bloat which would then allow him to eat more.

How do you avoid bloat? A few mostly-easy tips:

1) Constantly sip water throughout the day. This keeps you hydrated. When you don't drink enough water, your body retains water. When you don't take in enough sodium, or when you take in too much (2500-5000mg is generally OK, less is bad, more is bad) you retain water. Retaining water means bloated digestive tract.

SUMMARY: SIP WATER ALL DAY.

2) Avoid carb-heavy and fiber-heavy foods. Eat only cooked vegetables and legumes (beans). Avoid whole nuts, but nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, etc) in smooth (i.e. not chunky) are generally OK because they're already broken down considerably. Foods heavy in wheat and/or gluten? Also bad - gluten absorbs water by default. Heck, you can take gluten in powdered form, put it in a bowl, add water, and poof it's like cement. You don't have to go gluten-free, but avoid wheat and gluten. Avoid artificial sugars as they are not digestable - sorbitol, sugar alcohols, etc. Funny thing is a lot of "diet" and "light"/"lite" foods use these - they can cause bloat which means they're bad for you.

SUMMARY: MINIMIZE CARB INTAKE, AVOID GLUTEN AND SUGARS.



Ultimately what worked for and is still working for my buddy? Lean meats, healthy fats, lots of leafy veggies, and some fruit throughout the day (remember fruit = fiber, sugar, etc., so he eats it sparingly).

milaxx

Yours is a special circumstance I would talk to my doctor or a nutritionist that works with people who have had GPS and see what they advise. I don't eat my exercise calories back I eat between 1200 and 1600 calories a day before exercise. I have a lot to loose, so I reviewed this with my doctor and she's okay with it despite what the site recommends. Fortunately I have a very hands on doctor.

Perhaps open up your diary so we can get an idea of what you eat.