WLS Calories

dedicationandcommitment
dedicationandcommitment Posts: 222 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay y’all, so I’m not sure what to do but 7 years ago I had weight loss surgery and long story short I didn’t take it seriously and gained all my weight back, so I’m now trying to lose it again but I honestly cannot keep the lifestyle/diet that this sleeve is geared for. Low carb, high protein. Had I known this was the diet, I wouldn’t have gotten it but you live and learn. So I’m just wondering how many calories should I eat in a day to lose weight? I track my macros but I don’t know how many calories to start at. Also if it helps, I’m 290 and I do lift 4 days a week and do daily 20-30 minute walks, longer on rest days.

Replies

  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 1,071 Member
    how tall are you, are you a man or a woman? what is your goal?

    have you tried MFP's built in calculator for how many calories you should eat? you input your activity level, height, and goal of how much to lose weekly - between 1/2 to 2 pounds would be common - and it generates your daily calories.
  • dedicationandcommitment
    dedicationandcommitment Posts: 222 Member
    I’m 5’5 and a female and yes, I have done all of that but I don’t know if it’s taking into account my previous weight loss surgery. That’s why I’m a little confused. My stomach is 70-80% smaller than it was.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    dedicationandcommitment wrote: »
    I’m 5’5 and a female and yes, I have done all of that but I don’t know if it’s taking into account my previous weight loss surgery. That’s why I’m a little confused. My stomach is 70-80% smaller than it was.

    That shouldn't make a major difference in your calorie needs, but may affect your food choices and the timing of your eating.

    Try the MFP recommendation for a month, tracking conscientiously. Then you can adjust calories based on weight change results if necessary.

    As you say, you've been told to eat higher protein, lower carb: That guides food choices. Since you've regained, you may have little problem with the volume (size) of food you eat at one time. But if you do, that affects thinking of eating.

    Run the one-month experiment, then adjust.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Well - what do you mean by "high protein?"

    I think for most obese people (especially women) carbs are a problem. Breads, sweets, french fries....so I can see how cutting carbs is important and in fact I had to do some of that in order to 1. Get enough protein and 2. Not go over my calorie allotment.

    So, protein and vegetables. Lots. I kept my carbs to around 100-125g per day which meant I could squeeze in a little fruit, some dairy, nuts, beans, and an occasional serving of bread, pasta, rice or potatoes. Not three times a day. Occasional. That's pretty much what has to happen anyway on calorie restriction.

    I lost most of my weight at 1500-1600 base calories per day - more on days I did purposeful exercise. I usually just use a flat 300 calories more per hour of moderate exercise. That's always worked for me, but you'll have to find your own numbers by running your own experiment.

  • dedicationandcommitment
    dedicationandcommitment Posts: 222 Member
    edited August 2023
    Okay, I can do that and then adjust. The number for post surgery calories is usually 600-900 but that’s for a brand new surgery. So it’s been awhile for me and I cannot eat like that anymore. So I don’t know what is recommended now. But I’ll try that, thank you.

    Also, to the previous commenter: I have no problem getting in my protein. I get in 130-170 grams a day. I cannot do the lower carb thing. I’ve tried multiple times and I gained all my weight back because it’s not sustainable for me. So I will work within my means but it’s not something I can make long term. I’m not trying to be “childish” just looking for advice on how to make this work for me.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    It would be best in your specialized case if you could talk with your WLS doctor or a specialist dietitian, but . . .

    IMO, as another 5'5" woman who eats higher protein by preference, 130-170 grams minimum daily would be unnecessarily much for a typical woman our height.

    I don't pretend to know whether or how much your surgical history changes that, though - especially since it's fairly long ago, and you regained since. That's a specialist question.

    For myself, I shoot for 100g minimum daily, which is just over 1g per pound of my estimated lean body mass. I usually get 110-120g. This is what I've been doing for 7+ years, with no muscle loss or other problems resulting, as far as I can tell, and no concerns from my doctors. But I never had WLS.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,300 Member
    I agree that talking to someone from the original bariatric office is a great idea. They may even refer to a dietitian.

    I ***suspect*** as a lay person with limited interest in the field that the initial high protein requirement was necessary to provide sufficiency during the initial very low calorie phase.

    I sounds like you have gone through a classic rebound.

    There is some suspicion in my mind (which truly your doctor should opine on) that you've worked around the surgery by now. Whether your altered insides have other implications, that I don't know.

    I am fairly sure as a person who started at similar weight levels to you that my tummy capacity matches or exceeds that of many people around me as does my willingness to fill mine to the limit.

    So while I have learned (after several years) to recognize that I CAN be comfortably fed with, say a five oz steak and a 50g egg and a 50g of dry (about 150g boiled) rice.... I am quite likely to throw in a 340g bag of cauliflower rice for 120 extra calories but longer lasting satiation (and satisfaction). Or, even better, some Brussel sprouts, not mushed to oblivion, to go with the meal and provide both crunch and bulk

    Think satiation (and satisfaction) for calories.

    And recognize that it is time for you to spend some time SLOWLY introducing and exploring new options and ways that you can envision yourself continuing to eat long terms.

    Ones that reduce your average intake from where you're at to where you need to be.

    Seriously worthwhile experiment and also perfectly adequate as a weight loss starting point.

    Grab your height and age. Add 2 years. Find the middle of the normal weight for your "future" you. Calculate her maintenance calories as a lightly active to active person.

    Spend the next few months eating at her maintenance level. Figure out how her food days will go. And aim for them to at the very least be acceptable to good enough yet within her calories.

    Starting from a higher weight and if you increase intensity and time as you start to lose weight the future maintenance calories are probably a more than good enough deficit level to start!

    Best of luck but do contact the bariatric people and see about some nutritional support plus info about your current state....
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    dedicationandcommitment wrote: »
    I’m 5’5 and a female and yes, I have done all of that but I don’t know if it’s taking into account my previous weight loss surgery. That’s why I’m a little confused. My stomach is 70-80% smaller than it was.

    I agree that you should talk to a professional, but here are my 2 cents:

    Your smaller stomach should mostly effect meal timing. So, Intermittent Fasting where you restrict your eating window and have to get in all your calories in a limited time is probably not a good idea for your stomach.

    You also likely wouldn't want to do "volume eating" where you eat large amounts of bulky, fibrous foods.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited August 2023
    dedicationandcommitment wrote: »
    Okay y’all, so I’m not sure what to do but 7 years ago I had weight loss surgery and long story short I didn’t take it seriously and gained all my weight back, so I’m now trying to lose it again but I honestly cannot keep the lifestyle/diet that this sleeve is geared for. Low carb, high protein. Had I known this was the diet, I wouldn’t have gotten it but you live and learn. So I’m just wondering how many calories should I eat in a day to lose weight? I track my macros but I don’t know how many calories to start at. Also if it helps, I’m 290 and I do lift 4 days a week and do daily 20-30 minute walks, longer on rest days.

    Go here: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change-goals-guided or More > Goals in app.

    Put in your stats.

    normal daily activities refers to your job.

    Ignore How many times a week do you plan on exercising? - that does not get included in the equation. Log your exercise separately.

    Select Lose 2 pounds per week. (At your weight, you could safely lose more per week, but this is the highest MFP will allow.)

    It's going to seem like a lot of calories, and it will be, compared to 600-900 post surgery calories, but that is indeed roughly the amount of calories that will allow you to lose a sustainable 2 pounds per week.

    As you get smaller, lower your weekly weight loss goal.

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  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    It amazes me you were given a major surgery that would alter the rest of your life and you were not counseled to understand the gravity of its permanance. Maybe get adivce from a different physician on option to move forward.

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