Calorie Intake

[dbc123]

I have been banded for a week, and feel fine. I am not hungry, but was woundering how many calories we need to consume to stay healthy. I only have three to four hundred per day, and that seems to be very little. My other concern is the lack of protien, and what effect that will have on muscle loss.

[apryl]

I am three months post op and I consume between 500 and 900 calories in a day. I have been told that that number should be closer to 1200, but I have yet to figure out how to cram 400 calories (one meal) into only 1/2 of a cup. I feel fine and have plenty of energy, but I make sure to take vitamins, and I try and eat foods that are healthy and full of protien. (About two weeks post op I went through a period where I had zero energy, but I upped my protien shake intake a little and noticed an improvement.) Since you are on liquids for only a short time, I wouldn't worry about too much muscle loss. Once you are on solids you should have plenty of opportunities to consume protien. My diet consists mainly of chicken, fish, seafood, and eggs (sometimes). Sometimes I eat a snack sized cottage cheese which is a great source of protien as well.

[Shell]

I keep my caloric intake between 1200 -1500 per day.