1200 Calories and the Gastric Band?

baybeejulia

I have a question. People say that if you eat less than 1200 calories a day you'll put your body into starvation mode and won't lose any weight. But what about the gastric band? That reduces your daily caloric intake to like 500 and people lose so much weight on it. I've seen people that aren't even fat become anorexic! So starvation mode can't be true, right?

gabriellejayde

I've been wondering the same thing. THANK you... I have a friend who had gastric bypass and she's lost like 130lbs in a year. I don't feel comfortable asking her how many calories she eats (if she even knows), but she could barely eat anything for the first few months... She couldn't have been eating 1200 calories.

lyttlewon

I don't know the "answer". A friend of mine had lap band surgery and she has plateaued at 280. My MIL had a gastric bypass and she never got below 250.

baybeejulia

No it's definitely no where near 1200! Half my family got them cos they're all too lazy to lose weight the right way. Honestly i wanted to get it myself but my bf said no. I see how they eat, they barely eat anything, and if they eat too much they end up throwing it up cos the way it works is it slows the process of digestion, making you throw up if theres too much in your stomach.

foleyshirley

If you really look at what others have posted, you will see that eating below 1200 calories will work, at least for awhile. It is not necessarily the best or healthiest way. And it often leads to plateaus. Or regaining weight later on.

TinGirl314

I hate the term 'starvation-mode'...
Eating less than 1,200 calories (This is just my opinion I'm not a doctor) seems dangerous to me because I feel like that's what my body will become adjusted to. Part of the reason why starting this was so hard for me, was I'd eat at least 5,000 calories. My body got used to it...I wanted 5,000 calories EVERYDAY. The first month...cutting back to 1,200 I literally felt like I was going to pass out...even now I don't feel comfortable at 1,200...I feel shakey and weak so I just upped it to the 1 pound a week loss...

So what would happen if I got my body into the groove and then went to maintenance at 1,800 or 2,000? I could be dead wrong though...

Also take into consideration that I'm an amazon...5'11" with a large frame.

spersephone

The idea of starvation mode comes from someone who is already slim drastically reducing their calorie intake to one which is far too low for their body.

For those with significant amounts of weight to lose, it will take a long time before your body gets to that point, as there is plenty of internal fat to feed off. However, it's not a good idea to eat very low calorie for any long period of time, because it's just not sustainable, and doesn't teach you anything about eating well for the long term.

However, one thing to be aware of with gastric bands and the like, is that there have been a number of cases where people have ended up malnourished (or worse) because of their inability to eat enough calories. Of course there are many who manage to get plenty of calories in by choosing very high calorie liquids.

The best way to lose weight is the slow and steady method, which allows for slip ups. Of course everyone knows this, so it's a personal choice to make. You do need to be very aware of the risks and complications of having something like a gastric band, as well as the long term consequences related to eating.

70davis

Bump

SueMizZou

The idea of "starvation mode" came from a study done in the 1940's in Minnesota. A group of men were not fed for a long period of time. It was an extreme experiment. ( You can actually google the Minnnesota Starvation Study) Since that time people have latched onto the idea of "starvation mode" but it essentially impossible to put yourself into this situation. If you eat fewer calories you will lose weight eventually. Extremely low calorie diets are not healthy. You are unlikely to get the nutrients necessary if you cut back too far.

RainHoward

As a person prepping for bariatric surgery I see this question asked almost daily on here. I AM NOT plugging myself here, but I wrote this the other day to try and put all the answers in one place for that are truly curious and not simply judging.
http://rainhoward.blogspot.com/2012/09/bariatric-surgery-101.html

The lap band is an animal all its own. In how it's used surgically, in how it works and in the results, both long and short term. The lap band is a "restrictive" device. Meaning that it restricts the flow of food and the size of the stomach pouch. It theoretically forces the patient to eat slower, stay full longer. The truth of it is, you only get out what you put in. If you don't change what and how you eat you're only going to cause yourself harm.

tracyt84

i had a gastric band in may and i can never have my daily calorie allowance which is 1300,i manage between 600-850 per day and have lost 71lbs since may x

witchy_wife

I don't freak out about the whole "starvation mode" thing.

For me, I want to lose weigh, be able to change my eating habbits and become slim and toned. I don't just want to lose weight.

If you are eating well below 1200 calories you are not giving your body the nutritien it needs. At 600-700 calories you are not going to be able to build muscle and having lean muscle is an important part of being healthy.

So for me I would never have a gastric band, yes I would probably lose weight but I would end up probably not being able to eat 1200 calories a day (probably significantly under) and therefore would not end up lean and toned.

I don't know if you can have the band taken off and start increases calories once the weight has gone so that you can do the training and build muscle then, but I would worry about how my body would react to more calories after being on such a restricted diet for a long period of time.

graj0

You don't "STOP" losing weight with severe calorie restriction. The rate of loss might slow down, but it doesn't stop.

holleealexandria

First of all, the daily recommended caloric intake with gastric banding is 1000-1200. Of course this depends on the patient/doctor/nutritionist. However, it is VERY easy to go over that with the band.

Second, the band does not actually prevent over-eating unless it is too tight. It is just a tool to help.

Third, stop calling people (especially your family) lazy because they couldn't lose weight without surgery.

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CattOfTheGarage

I can believe that in a famine situation the body will economise on energy, eg. by moving less, making less heat, maybe turning down some functions a bit, and so use fewer calories.

I cannot believe that the body can produce energy out of nothing.

So even in starvation mode, body mass in whatever form must be lost, as that mass is the only source of energy available. It may be lost slower, but it will still go. Because energy is conserved. It cannot be created or destroyed. This is as basic as science gets.

I can also believe that living in starvation mode is bad for you. The functions you are economising on are important or you wouldn't be doing them. If starvation mode exists, it is an emergency survival measure, not an optimal state. For me, that's enough reason to avoid it if it isn't necessary.