Potatoes

I am a few weeks out and following my doctors orders as to what I can eat.  This week I am able to add a small mashed potato to my meal if I am still hungry after my protein.  I didn't eat as much of my protein as I should have obviously because I had room for some of the potato (didn't want to throw away a potato I worked so hard to make.)  But as I sat down to eat my husband wanted to know why I was eating potato, wouldn't that stall my weight loss.  He also made sure to remind me of how much we spent on my surgery and that my eating a potato was going to ruin it all.  Really with the amount of food I can eat right now a small potato (smaller than an egg) I doubt will undo my 17 pound loss. 

Any info out there on whether you are eating potatoes?  I have been on so many low carb diets over the past 14 years that potatoes unfortunately have been wearing little devil horns in my imagination.  I know that potatoes have good nutrients to offer also, am I insane?

Carrie

Congrats on your surgery & weight loss so far!  I don't know if you're like me, but I'm very carb sensitive and if I eat white carbs like rice, bread, potatoes, crackers, tortilla's, etc, I gain weight, no matter how little the calories.  I figure that I went through carb withdrawl when I went on the liquid diet and I just don't want to deal with that again.  If nothing else, maybe track your food intake on http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/ and see if carbs stall your weight loss or if you can keep up the 1-2 lb/wk weight loss.

Good luck!
Lisa

Since I was newly diagnosed with diabetes just a few weeks before surgery, I am not anxious to eat white potatoes. They are high on the glycemic index. But they are not high in calories, if you don't put the 'bad' stuff on them. I think that if you are sensitive to carbs they could be a problem but plenty of healthy people eat them. I am aquiring a taste for baked yams. More fiber, more flavor, good on the index.

Hi Carrie!

I eat white potatoes only on the rare occassion, but they are not completely forbidden in my world.  I usally choose complex carbs over simple carbs, but I don't follow a strict low carb regime like some do.  I try to keep my carb count around 50-60 grams and I've lost lots of weight.  Some people are more carb sensitive, but I've found that if I drop the white carbs I can have complex carbs and still lose weight.  Everyone is different. 1 small potato is not going to stop your weight loss.  However, most of the nutrients in potatoes is in the skin so if you want to improve your nutrition, eat a yam or sweet potato instead of the white ones.

Sounds like you're going to have your hands full with that husband of yours if he's going to play food police.  Good luck with that!

I have several lists of foods I eat and my daily routine on my blog if you're interested.  Friend me so you can have access.

Best~

Lisa O.

I agree with everything Lisa said, even though I am also sensitive to carbs and eating any makes me crave more (and portion control does very little when I start raiding the cabinets every 2 hours). However potatoes are one of my small indulgences. I can't eat many styles of potato any more and even when I do I can only eat a little, but I just enjoy them so much I can't do away with them entirely.

I'm torn on how to answer your question.  The good bander in me says, "NO!  Don't eat that demon potato!  You could have a good salad or green beans instead."  But the realistic part of me knows that this is a lifetime journey.  That we are going to learn HOW to eat like a THIN person. 

So, what does that mean to me?  In the beginning of my journey I'm not touching any of the "bad" carbs.  I went 40 years eating it all and look where it got me.  Obviously I don't know moderation yet because I'm fat.  But, I think once I trust myself and the weight is down I will be able to have 2-3 french fries (not fast food ones) or a small baked potato or even, gasp, a few penne noodles.   :)

But for now, I'm really trying to stick to the main goal and that's getting as much weight off as quickly as my body will allow (with the meds I'm on---evil prednisone) and learn what a PORTION looks like.  I know what healthy and unhealthy foods are.  I know simple from complex carbs.  Heck, I know how to make high protein, low fat and low sugar ice cream now!  But I'm really trying to stay away from the useless carbs until I can gain control.

You're doing wonderful and I know I HATE when someone questions what I'm eating.  I mean, part of me became fat due to a need for control, so if you're going to try and control this journey for me  you're going to **** me off.  You don't want to do that LOL

I would sit down after you've thought about all of this and have a heart to heart w/ hubby.  Tell him you welcome his support and concern, but you, your doc and NUT have this under control.

"I didn't eat as much of my protein as I should have obviously because I had room for some of the potato"

Our meals are so much smaller now that we're banded..the rule of Protein first, then vegetables, then if you have room left, carbs (potatoes are considered a carb)....
that's really the best guideline to go by..carbs can pretty filling..if we get the protein and the veggies in first, in the proper quantities, we usually don't have much room left for anything else.

Now as for me..white carbs of any kind..be it sugar, flour, rice, pasta or potatoes will stall my weight loss.. big time..I'm very carb sensitive..I can actually gain weight on a 1000 calorie a day diet if I eat those types of foods..( I remember the fat free/low fat lie! )
You can play it by ear and see what happens for you, but I, personally, cannot eat potatoes and lose.

Mashed taters go down sooo easy....however I only eat them on occasion also....have you tried mashed cauliflower? it is very yummy ... i would have more protein if your still hungry

Yes, I agree with the other posters that white potatoes will stall your weight loss, BUT I still eat them every few days or so.  I have a lap-band, I eat like a mouse.  At proper restriction, when I eat potatoes, I eat like 2 or 3 tablespoons and phew! I'm full!  Sounds funny, but true.  In my lapband world, I eat whatever I want, but only in teeny tiny portions.  I know that if I stayed lowcarb I would loose tons more weight, tons faster, but I need me my carbs and sugar and chocolate :)  My happy life, includes carbs.

bad bandster skinnykat! (but do check out my ticker) You will find your own personal way - what works and what doesn't.

 

Honestly, I don't eat white potatoes very often. They don't provide anything nutritionally that I need. As a simple carb they make your blood sugar spike and then crash which can make you hungry shortly after eating them. Is it the end of the world right now? No. If your surgeon says you can add them to resolve hunger, that's great. My concern is if you are reducing your protein just to make room for potatoes, then your priorities are a little skewed. The idea is after you get your protein in, then you eat something else. For me, that's protein first then fresh fruits or vegetables. Last would be complex carbs- sweet potato over white ones, whole grains, etc. They are more of a treat than a staple now.

Potatoes don't have a lot of good nutrients. In the whole scheme of things... fresh vegies pack more punch per ounce than a potato does.