Carbs?

Hey everyone-

So I am still pre-op and I have this mentality that I will never eat carbs if I need carbs I'll eat vegetables. Is this a good mind set to have  because the way I see it is carbs got me here they aren't going to help me lose the weight. 

        Thanks, Sam

Hi Sam!

Congrats on your surgery date. I am 11 days  post op and all I can say is thus stage is very mental. You have to make sure u are mentally prepared you literally eat nothing for 2 weeks. This is the hardest part and I find myself crying because I want food. I wish someone would have explained this to me but if u can mentally prepare u will be OK. You will eventually be able to eat a bit of carbs but protein is gonna be your priority. Good luck.

Everyone eats carbs. No one can be totally carb free. In weight loss mode, many people opt to go 20g carbs a day. I personally did not feel physically well consuming 20g carbs a day so I did 30-40g per day. To stay in ketosis, you need to stay below 60g or so (some say below 80g). Carbs come in all shapes and sizes. Some are good, some are not.  I get most of my carbs from my G2 and protein bars. I don't do cake, cookies, potatoes, rice, pie, chips, bread, tortillas, cereal etc at all. It's actually not that difficult to shun that food anyway since your stomach is so incredibly small it's all you can do just to meet your daily protein requirements of 60-80g protein a day (later on that can be upped to 80-120g depending on your activity levels). 

There are some who incorporate veggies and fruit into their new eating lifestyle early on (the first 6 months post op). I did not. There are others who approach this new eating lifestyle in a completely different fashion: they choose to eat what they term a healthy balanced diet. There is NOTHING balanced about removing  80% of your stomach to lose weight. Just my two cents. To each his or her own.  I shunned carbs, didn't do veggies or fruit the first 6 months and lost weight quickly and without exercising regularly. I didn't exercise because I have some health issues that make it fairly difficult and painful and am not a fan of narcotic painkillers, but that's just me. Everyone is different.

This new lifestyle isn't quite so cut and dried/ black and white. Be flexible. Some people can no longer do dairy products. Others cannot stomach protein shakes. Eggs and beef can be difficult for others.  There has to be room to modify your dietary needs under certain cir****tances, like dining out. Yes, you can keep unhealthy carbs out, but make sure you have opportunities for healthy ones once you are a few months down the road and are able to meet your protein and fluids goals 

Peace be with you

Colleen

Thank you for the insight that's exactly the response I was looking for. I knew I would have to eat some carbs I guess I just needed that confirmation that I shouldn't do the bread, pasta,rice carbs. Those tend to be my weakness. I'd be happy cutting those carbs out forever. 

     Thanks again, Sam 

People react differently to carbs.  Some people can eat moderate carbs without problem.  Others, like me, find that carbs cause cravings and have to limit carbs to maintain their diets.  I'd suggest trying different levels of carbs, and see if cutting carbs very low reduces cravings, and then figure out how many carbs you can eat before the cravings kick in.

But to answer your question:  Even if you are sensitive to carbs, you can still have a treat occasionally.  I limit my carb treats to special occasions.  Then I eat my meal first with dense protein and healthy veggies, and when I'm nearly full, I'll have a bite or two of desert.  The first bite is the best anyway, and then the restriction kicks in to keep me from overdoing it.  I get to have the treat, and still feel good about myself because I didn't "give in" and overdo.

I think the low-carb mindset will serve you well.

best of luck,

Carol

Hi there, I am preop too. I stopped eating rice, pasta, potatoes and breads back in December. I also stopped eating fresh fruits but have recently started adding frozen blueberries, strawberries and peaches into my shakes because my NUT said my body needed fruits. I have also incorporated low carb tortillas into my list, but I don't eat these very often. I get the bulk of my carbs from fruits, veggies, yogurt and cheeses.

Personally, I could have lived (or died) on carbs like breads, fries and potatoes (in any form). When I used to eat these types of carbs, I couldn't stop, it is as if my body craved them once I got a taste of them and this is still the case. I get out of control and binge on them. I feel tons better when I don't eat them and get them out of my system. So when I crave these types of carbs, I choose a low carb tortilla and this seems to control the cravings.

Good luck to you on your journey.

I think your mindset is fine. I am and have been a hardcore low carber. I think it's a very effective approach.

During my 1000 calorie pre-op diet, I ate meat, cheese, eggs, and a modest amount of vegetables. I was averaging about 10-15 grams of carbs.

In the post op phase (I'm 5 weeks out so I really can't eat veggies yet) I am eating 5 grams of carbs or less.

For me, I think I've realized the question is not "How many carbs can I eat?" but "How low can I go?" 

I lost 97 lbs pre op eating a high fat, adequate protein, low carb diet with added sodium (1 cup of broth a day) to prevent low blood pressure (common on low carb diets). I really think the approach works for me and I intend to stick with it in this phase of weight loss. Every time I add carbs back into my diet, the results have been disastrous and it's really hard to get back on the wagon.

I think cutting out the white carbs: bread, rice, pasta etc. is a good idea to do long term.  I have occassionally had a bite or two of these, but I do not think they will ever be a part of my standard diet.  

I do however eat carbs on a daily basis.  I was getting light headed and even passed out a few times during weight loss when my carbs were very low (

Most people can avoid the lightheadedness (low carb diets cause low blood pressure) by adding 1-2 cups of broth to their daily routine.