The Great Carb Debate!

(deactivated member)
on 1/11/06 6:30 am
Hi All~ Okay, I've been on this website long enough to know that Surgeons/Nutritionsits opinion about carbs varies drastically. I don't want to start a huge debate but I am really curious to know your opinion. Being only 4 months post op, I am still learning the ropes of this lifestyle and love hearing about the successes and experiences of others. So please tell me, do you eat carbs? Do you eat bread and cereal? Do you eat fruit and veggies? Let me know your thoughts please! Jaimee
DEBI
on 1/11/06 7:06 am - Indianapolis, IN
Grrrrrrr...this is a sore spot with me I wish there was world peace 10 times over for every FAD diet out there I am basing my information of science...not popular diets...so I hope it makes sense. The body is made up of cells...the cells MUST have ATP to function...that is their "gasoline". ATP is made of glucose. Without glucose...our bodies will break down muscle first, then fat to get the glucose it needs to function if it does not get enough complex carbs (the ideal source of glucose). On the other hand...only fat can be stored as fat. That considered, there is one other way to store fat....IF you take in more simple sugars than your body needs, it will convert it to fat and is stored away (as fat). HOWEVER, complex carbs are much different than simple sugars. These are generally used as energy if they are not taken in by shovels A normal, happy, healthy diet should be composed of 50% COMPLEX carbs, 40% protein and 10% fat (roughly). If you look at a food pyramid....you will notice the bottom row is made up of cereals, breads, pasta, whole grains, the next is veggies, fruits, etc, then dairy & meats...then fats and sugars are on the top and listed as sparingly. Eating COMPLEX carbs does not make a person obese. Eating 4000 calories or more a day of ANY food will make anyone obese if they are not burning it off. There is no magic program...it all comes down to what no one wants to hear...weight gain occurs when you have more calories going in than going out. Period. There is 9 calories in 1 gram of fat...there is 4.5 calories in 1 gram of carbohydrate and 4.5 calories in 1 gram of protein.It makes sense that people who eat high fat diets gain weight due to the fact that there twice as many calories in fatty foods than in complex carbs. And since simple sugars are so high packed in calories...if taken in excess, they will be converted and stored as fat. Go back to the food guide given to you by your surgeon's dietitian. Mine says that by my 8th month post-op..I should be taking in 50% complex carbs (for needed energy), 40% protein (for muscle and cell production) and 10% fats & sugars. Ever wonder why Asian & Europeans are not plagued with weight problems like the USA? They eat a lot of rice, breads and pastas. They eat meat and cheese and veggies and fruits. These are all complex carbs and proteins. Yes they eat their share of desserts to...but in moderation and they bake, broil or boil a lot more...where as we deep fry everything Hope this helps you out in your research. If you would like to read professional articles on nutirition, do a search for Body Function and Nutritional Needs on your search engine....you should get quite a few University sites that have no commercial need to plug one diet over another...they just give you the basic facts of how the body works. Sorry this is so long Fad diets are a pet peeve of mine...have tried everyone of them looking for that magic cure to my obesity...when it was all in the food pyramid to begin with...I just needed help to slow down that HUGE appetite and give up those HUGE plates of food and those HUGE helpings of ice cream, candy, fried foods, etc,etc
DEBI
on 1/11/06 8:16 am - Indianapolis, IN
Hey Jaimee...I found a good link to read about carbs and the role they play in nutrition...the site is not promoting any type of diet or selling any products. It is a good description of what the body does with carbs. Hope this helps you http://www.eathealthyfirst.com/Rolecarbs.htm
(deactivated member)
on 1/11/06 8:39 am
Hi Deb! Thank you so much for reply, you are a wealth of knowledge!! You sure know your stuff! I just checked out that link, thank you very much. ((hugs)) Jaimee
DEBI
on 1/11/06 8:44 am - Indianapolis, IN
I was bored in college...I took a lot of Biology and Cell Physiology classes Was my major
jellyin
on 1/11/06 1:09 pm - Indianapolis, IN
i eat it all...need some of everything but i do watch myself, i as a rule have very little bread, pasta does not agree with my pouch..but now veggies and fruits...yummy
LeahA
on 1/11/06 8:45 pm - Atlanta , GA
I am a weird one. I eat carbs, bread, pasta, cereal, fruit and veggies. I limit myself on white breads, rice, and pasta. I try to eat whole grains, whole wheat, and such. I VERY rarely eat rice anymore because it is a HUGE trigger food for me. I am learning to balance out my diet and not totally steer clear of carbs. I need them, just not a lot of them. I am 20 months post op and holding steady between 168-173. I give myself that 5 pounds for water gain, pms gain, and clothing differences. Otherwise, I hold pretty steady right there. I believe it is important to eat all the food groups, just to be wise about it. Eat lowfat, whole grains, but enjoy all the groups. Don't exclude any of them. They are all needed in our systems for a reason. I will tell you, I didn't start eating bread or other such carbs until I was 9 months post op. I don't have a problem eating them and I attribute it to waiting so long. I allowed my stomach time to really heal up. I have no trouble eating ANY foods. I tolerate everything. Some foods just don't digest and I know what they are and don't eat them often, but I do tolerate everything so far.
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