Adding carbs helped jump start loss?

Hello mysty888,

I think what has gotten lost in all this is the focus is on an item and not the big picture.  When I talk to people that are considering having surgery I tell them "they have to get it right between the ears before re-arranging their plumbing".  Yes, the word candy appeared to be the focus but what everyone is trying to say is you are headed towards a brick wall by your choice of carb.  

Think of Vets like parents who are old (back off vets, I mean it with love). Because we have been around the block several times and perhaps made the same mistake we can see where our kids are headed with their bad choices.  

Your choice so early out indicates you are not in a good place head wise and headed for defeat "IF" you don't get help in understanding why you made that choice.  You are starting a pattern/bad habit that will bite you later after the honeymoon is over. Right now, you can't eat a whole bag of candy.  But if you keep taking a bite of this and that (that is not on your food plan) when you can eat a bag of candy, you will.

Please run don't walk to any and all support groups and classes the surgeon offers. If you can afford it, see someone to talk to about head issues and food choices.  I am an emotional/stress eater and if I had not taken 18 months to make my decision and 6 months of intense classes via my surgeon I would not have lost over 200 pounds and kept it off with some small regain only after 10 years.  I NEVER went off the food plan.  The first time I took a bite of something not on the list was 18 months after hitting goal. I was working out at the gym big time and found I could. But I had learned by then just because I could didn't mean I should.  I had total control.

Keep us posted on how you are doing. I know, I know, some are tougher than others but we do care

I haven't read any of the other responses from other posters but I had to respond to you:  

At this point in time, there's pretty much nothing you can do to prevent weight loss - nothing!  Meaning you could probably eat half a candy bar every.single.day and STILL lose weight.  Yup - it's true.  It's called the "honeymoon period" for a reason, my dear.  Because it sucks you in big time during the first year, you don't change your habits, you lie to yourself about what you can get away with...and then the second year comes around and kicks you upside the head - HARD! 

You are NOT losing weight because you're eating candy or carbs or anything else.  Adding carbs isn't helping a thing so stop lying to yourself about that.  It wasn't "dumb luck".  Your body was ready to release tha****er or fat with or without the carbs.  And don't even start on having a "stall".  A stall isn't when you go a few days without the scale moving; a stall is when you go weeks or months without the scale moving.  You don't get to complain about "stalls" at 3 weeks out.  

The reason you're losing weight is because at this point in time it's almost impossible NOT to lose weight!  You'de have to be working really, really hard to NOT lose weight.  

And if you think you're frustrated at three weeks out just wait....this is gonna be a really bumpy ride for you 

Signed - Tough Love Tracy 

Way back before surgery when I was on Atkins (or every diet plan I tried)  and cheated... I would continue to loose weight for a week or two more. Then I started gaining again.  You are loosing weight because you are not eating a lot of calories. I doubt it has to do with carbs at this point.   

Its not worth the risk.  If you are not allowed to eat vegetables yet you are way to early to be eating chocolate.  One reason I need to stay away from carbs is because I get extremely hungry when I eat carbs. And then I eat more because I am hungry.   Don't look at this as a lecture because its easy to loose weight the first year or so.  I'm finding the long term is quite challenging and I did everything perfect for the first 9 months.  

Just follow your doctor's plan. Some allow carbs and some don't. You will be successful if you stick to it. We all want you to be successful!!

I'm pretty late to this party, but I will reply anyway.

It was pure coincidence-the scale would have moved if you had eaten clay. The bigger problem is that now you know you can eat some candy without intestinal distress, and that knowledge is dangerous. It will hang over your head like the sword of Damocles.

This is the stage, as others have said, in which you could eat straight out of an ice cream carton and lose weight. The importance of following a strict regimen is to establish good habits and to make certain you and getting proper nutrition. As you get further out and can consume more volume, having an established routine of lean protein and non-starchy vegetables will help you stay on track. Sometimes in the face of temptation, of which there will be many instances, force of habit is all that carries us through. Getting in the habit of eating candy, even in small amounts, will not net you the results you want.

Weight loss is not a steady downward slope like a children's slide. It is more like a set of stairs: a drop, a level, a drop, a level, rinse and repeat.

I read through most of the posts. I am by no means a veteran (almost 7 months post op) and I have to say that I think you are missing the point. No one is saying not to switch things up to see if it jump starts your weight loss if that is what you want to do. The issue is that you had candy. You could have chosen whole wheat crackers, whole wheat bread, yogurt, veggie, etc, as your carb of choice. Yes, I get that it was one bite of candy but I must say that I am scared to death to even try candy for two reasons - one is that I am scared to dump and the bigger reason is if I found out I could tolerate it then I would have to continuously fight to resist eating the things that led to my obesity in the first place. You say you are three weeks out and have "followed every rule"  but that is not true. You ate candy. You can be defensive and angry but that won't get you anywhere but to a place where you are unsuccessful. My limited understanding is that you will lose weight no matter what due to the surgery and malabsorption but eventually your body will adjust and you will regain what you have lost. There are people *****gain all they lose and then some. This is the time to learn new habits and testing the limits is not the way to go. I think you need to really look at yourself and your choices. The issue is NOT one bite of candy - it IS the fact that you are pushing the limits so early out and don't seem to understand the seriousness of it. I am not trying to be mean but what you did does concern me. It is like saying an alcoholic "only had one sip of alcohol". It is a slippery sloap that will only lead to failure.