i have a family member who isnt online... but was thinking of getting the surgery and wanted me to ask this question.

I know depending on the person and their starting weight... how many calories do you eat a day?

I know the gastric by pass and lap band work differently.... but still how much do you eat.... calorie wise?

interesting question! a lot depends on the type of surgery you have. after either of these surgeries, you're not hungry right after. i can speak about the bypass, and i'm sure others will stop by with lapband info.

right after surgery, drinking water for a couple of days is enough excitement. after that, it's in the range of 400-500 calories per day. in the LONG LONG range - like after 18 months, i think most of us have as a target somewhere between 1200 and 1600, depending on many many factors.

I too can speak up about the RNY or gastric bypass. In the beginning I was taking in 300-400 calories a day. The further out I got the more I was able to eat and now I average 1000-1200 calories a day.

Kristy

After lapband surgery (the first few weeks) you'll prob only eat a few hundred calories because your on liquids.

After your all healed up, you need to watch what you eat just like if you didn't have the band. You can eat 2,000 calories with a blink of an eye...ice cream goes down very well. So you see the calorie level is based on how much exercise you do. To lose weight I need to eat under 1500 with the band but not less than 1200.

Ugh...I wish that was the case with me! If I take in 700-800 calories I'll loose a little, as soon as I go to 1000 calories I gain whatever I lost & maintain, and if I go up to 1200 calories I'll gain weight. Now...it's not a lot of weight...just a few lbs, but still....

Leenie, I am like Goddess, I gain on about 1,500 or more calories and that is how my weight has ballooned over the past few years.

I actually came to this section of the board to see what happens with people. A friend of mine had the lapbanding about a month ago and told me that she is on 1,200 calories a day.....I maintain my weight at between 1,200 - 1,500 but do lose about 1/2 pound a week on 1,000.

When I found out that she was put on the 1,200 calories I have pretty much decided not to investigate doing it now.

I guess all our bodies are SOOOOO different.

I pray that all here have continued weight loss with what is working for them.

Take care,
Jennylee

jenny - LOTS of things go into the 'how many calories' a person can eat. and it varies WIDELY. sooo, don't let what your friend is doing discourage you from investigating. some people get their basal metabolic rates measured, and go by that. however, i've never had success with that [it says that i can eat about 1600 calories to maintain my basic bodily functions - and therefore i should lose weight on that, but i don't. i maintain on 1600 even with exercise and running around]

after about a month, it's still too soon to determine if 1200 is the 'right' number for your friend.

I wanted to let you know that I found out why I wasn't loosing weight. Turns out that when I was eating 1000 cal...I sent my body into conservation mode which is why I'd gained 4 lbs. I had a few days where I took in 300-400 more calories and I lost 3 of those pounds in just a few days. Then I've been mixing it up...taking in 1000-1100 for a few days, then kicking it up to 1400-1500- for a few days and then back down and I'm now at my lowest post partum weight of 144! Looks like I just have to keep my body guessing!

And like Jiffy said...surgery is different for everyone...no 2 people will loose the same or need the same # of calories...etc...

Kristy