Your thoughts on LOW CARB with the band.

[marathonman 12]

I just in the last few days got back to the program. I am excited to say down 4 pounds! I have been walking a good bit, and finally after two years learned how to eat and be content with the band. As many of you have, I have tried every "DIET" under the sun. The one I most enjoyed was the low carb/Adkins. I was wandering if this would work well with the band. My fear is that after getting to goal, the weight will come right back on. However, with proper restriction, I may actually be able to eat the right foods on a small portion scale. Thanks for all the input.

[TCarroll 1]

honestly... i followed south beach throughout my weightloss process with the band... and have seen great success and hit my goal in 9 months and 1 week. Now i still pretty much follow southbeach still, but here and there i allow some chips- with my Protein, or a little pasta(if the band lets me) and if i see the scale go up a little i just do a day or two back to strictly Proteins and veggies/beans. But this is how I think normal eating should be- but before surgery we just allowed ourselves to eat all the carb/fat crap everyday. Its all about moderation. I wish you success.

[MrsShannonDennis 10]

Im South beach all the way too! Its what my surgeon and Nut HIGHLY suggest doing. I get my carbs from minimal amounts of unrefined starches (brown rice, whole grains, etc). Its basically high Protein, low/no sugar and carbs, high veggies, minimal fruit. It has made ALLLLLLL the difference for me. Its helped me overcome EVERY platau and stall in weight loss. I started it a while back and it worked but I didnt stay strict on it. Now at a year our I am struggling with these last 25 lbs so I went back on it and off comes the weight. Its an overall healthy "diet". In my opinion its well balanced and a lifestyle change not a short fix. Read up on it and check it out. The first 2 weeks are the hardest (if you follow the SB diet strictly by its stages). You basically onlt eat veggies and protein, no carb at all. This helps stablize blood sugar levels and fights cravings. I dropped 5 lbs the first week. Then you slowly add things back into your diet. Good luck!

[emjay 8]

I had my best success with the Atkins diet in the past, but unfortunately, once I strayed I put the weight right back on. Still, I try to refrain from eating refined carbs and concentrate on getting carbs with Fiber, or from fruits/veggies. I'm not entirely strict about it, but I feel better and lose weight better if I cut/limit those things from my diet. It is about balance, and sad to say there is so much in the way of refined carbs out there, especially in snack foods. And I do notice that the more carbs I eat, the more I want them. So, it's better to limit them or keep them as a certain % of your overall food choices for the day. You just have to figure out what works the best for you...

[Cherlita 0]

Low carb is the only way I am losing weight now. I suggest you find what works best for you.

[nawlinzlady 1]

I think in my case, low carb is the only way I CAN eat. If I am to get in all the necessary Protein in my diet, I have to eat my protein (meat) first, then if i am still not full I do veggies and last is the carbs.....i never make it to the carbs :thumbup:

[DONNA1959 0]

i agree, the low carb diet is the easiest for me too. my doctor recommends a low carb diet after the banding also.

[pickles123 0]

I also agree that low carb is the way to go. My only problem is that I can not stick with it.

I really give you all credit that do the low carb programs. It really takes some will power to get past that initial stage.

Keep up the good work!!!

[Froggie D 1]

My diet is pretty much veggies and lean Protein. If eat my Protein and then low carb veggies, small amounts of healthy oils and occasional fruits, I am full and stay satisfied. That all boils down to a low carb high protein diet.

On high protein and low carb, I am less hungry and con't crave sweets and carbs nearly as much.

Only way to go, I think!

[nawlinzlady 1]

I also agree that low carb is the way to go. My only problem is that I can not stick with it.

I really give you all credit that do the low carb programs. It really takes some will power to get past that initial stage.

Keep up the good work!!!

There are no forbidden foods with my band. I do low carb because I am simply full from my Protein and veggies. If I honestly want to eat a carb, I eat it. When you have good restriction you will only be able to eat small amounts of carbs anyway. In may case I have to be extra EXTRA careful with most carbs because the risk of being stuck is greater than with Proteins and veggies.

[Jachut 487]

I'm no low carb advocate, I eat carbs and I lost weight.

That said, my diet is MUCH lower in carbs than it was pre band and it really does not generally include much sugar or white carbs. I think we do need to lower carbs and rebalance our diets towards Protein and fruit and vegies to lose.

My beef (haha!) with things like Atkins is that I think really restricting fruit and certain vegetables is not only stupid but actually dangerous long term and that the average person's interpretation of it includes horrendous amounts of unhealthy saturated fat. Foods like bacon and ham are just not good for you, no matter which way you cut it, you cant say that because they're a Protein source they're great when they're full of bad fats, chemicals like nitrates etc. I think the amounts of these sorts of foods people eat when low carbing is alarming. Then there's the Protein shake. Consider it. Man made, with ingredients like (quoting from a GNC packet here) Emulsifier, artificial flavour, sweetener: acelsulfame Potassium, thickeners: cellulose gum, xanthan gum. Anyone who considers those a healthy daily food to base your diet on is kidding themselves, that's garbage same as white bread is garbage. Any food with a list of more than a couple of ingredients and any food with ingredients that you cant pronounce and dont know what they are is NOT an everyday food!

If by low carbing you mean more moderate carbing - increasing your intake of good fats in fish, avocadoes, olive oil, nuts and seeds in their natural state, maybe a piece of fruit a day (lots of sugar in fruit), unlimited vegetables, small amounts of red meat, more legumes, Beans and free range chicken, free range eggs in moderation, and limited amounts of low fat dairy and processed foods such as Condiments, cheese, deli meats etc then that's a GREAT way to eat but it will still require calorie deficit to lose weigh, however your health will be boosted and your risk of disease much reduced.

High protein/low carb/high processed might get you thin but thin is not the only factor in long term health. And I think any "diet" is not the answer, you have to simply make the changes you can make, work with what you are able to do at the time and make more changes as you are ready until you've got a diet that is pretty low carb and very unprocessed. It takes time. I could never have dropped the carby foods like bread, Cereal and Pasta all in one hit to the point where I am now, which is actually moderately low carb on a day to day basis (although I am not afraid to treat myself with the odd piece of cake). I just would have hung on for grim death, white knuckled it for a while and then given in and binged big time right back to where all weight I'd lost was regained. LIFESTYLE changes take time, diets are temporary.

If you really low carb it like Atkins, you will always be poised to regain the weight lightening fast becuase these diets rely on keeping your body in a semi starvation state - ketonic, with your liver depleted totally of glycogen and slightly dehydrated (because carbs bind to water). You can manage your insulin and hormonal response to foods and keep your body in a fat burning state without keeping yourself half starved in the process.

Edited July 9, 2010 by Jachut

[khunt719 2]

Low carb is the only way I go. If I eat breads and pastas the weight just comes right back on and fast...like overnight. So I try to stay away from them.

[JoJo1 0]

I'm no low carb advocate, I eat carbs and I lost weight.

That said, my diet is MUCH lower in carbs than it was pre band and it really does not generally include much sugar or white carbs. I think we do need to lower carbs and rebalance our diets towards Protein and fruit and vegies to lose.

My beef (haha!) with things like Atkins is that I think really restricting fruit and certain vegetables is not only stupid but actually dangerous long term and that the average person's interpretation of it includes horrendous amounts of unhealthy saturated fat. Foods like bacon and ham are just not good for you, no matter which way you cut it, you cant say that because they're a Protein source they're great when they're full of bad fats, chemicals like nitrates etc. I think the amounts of these sorts of foods people eat when low carbing is alarming. Then there's the protein shake. Consider it. Man made, with ingredients like (quoting from a GNC packet here) Emulsifier, artificial flavour, sweetener: acelsulfame Potassium, thickeners: cellulose gum, xanthan gum. Anyone who considers those a healthy daily food to base your diet on is kidding themselves, that's garbage same as white bread is garbage. Any food with a list of more than a couple of ingredients and any food with ingredients that you cant pronounce and dont know what they are is NOT an everyday food!

If by low carbing you mean more moderate carbing - increasing your intake of good fats in fish, avocadoes, olive oil, nuts and seeds in their natural state, maybe a piece of fruit a day (lots of sugar in fruit), unlimited vegetables, small amounts of red meat, more legumes, Beans and free range chicken, free range eggs in moderation, and limited amounts of low fat dairy and processed foods such as Condiments, cheese, deli meats etc then that's a GREAT way to eat but it will still require calorie deficit to lose weigh, however your health will be boosted and your risk of disease much reduced.

High protein/low carb/high processed might get you thin but thin is not the only factor in long term health. And I think any "diet" is not the answer, you have to simply make the changes you can make, work with what you are able to do at the time and make more changes as you are ready until you've got a diet that is pretty low carb and very unprocessed. It takes time. I could never have dropped the carby foods like bread, Cereal and Pasta all in one hit to the point where I am now, which is actually moderately low carb on a day to day basis (although I am not afraid to treat myself with the odd piece of cake). I just would have hung on for grim death, white knuckled it for a while and then given in and binged big time right back to where all weight I'd lost was regained. LIFESTYLE changes take time, diets are temporary.

If you really low carb it like Atkins, you will always be poised to regain the weight lightening fast becuase these diets rely on keeping your body in a semi starvation state - ketonic, with your liver depleted totally of glycogen and slightly dehydrated (because carbs bind to water). You can manage your insulin and hormonal response to foods and keep your body in a fat burning state without keeping yourself half starved in the process.

I researched the hell out of this 13 years ago because I am diabetic. I think I knew I needed to do low carb, but I resisted because of the constant media hype about low fat. I had a number of diabetic complications gong on, and I knew I needed to find an answer. I woke up at 4 one morning and went to the internet. I researched the websites of the insulin I used first and found nothing that would help me. Then I found a book by Dr. Richard Bernstien. He was a diabetic child and he at one point was going down hill like me. He had a wife who was a Dr, so he was able to get a glucometer, and he decided to find out how to finally get his blood sugar under control. He found out that protein and green vegs were the answer. He reversed all of his diabetic complications and he is in his 70s now and still in very good health despite being a diabetic since childhood. This sparked my interest so I gave it a try. I bought Dr. Adkins book, and "Protein Power" by Michael R. Eades and Mary Dan Eades because, I knew I needed to be completly convinced...I got my blood sugars under control in a very short time. My doc was impressed to say the least, and I reversed all of my diabetic complications. I still had a problem with hunger though, and that is why I got the band.

Here are a few facts. Fat is not unheathy unless you are also consuming carbs.

Keep in mind here that fat being healthy does now mean you can get a spoon and go after the butter container.

Protien will not destroy your kidneys. High blood sugar and high blood pressure destroy kidneys

The AMA (american medical association) ADA (American Diabetes Association) and the American Heart Association, all agree on one thing. Sugar and other carbs like starchy vegs, and fruit, and bread , do the same thing in your blood stream. So instead of getting rid of so called "healthy carbs", they decided that it is healthy to just eat sugar. They could never reverse their previous definition of a healthy diet could they??? Well there it is!! Who is going to stone me?? It is okay, I have the proof!! Hugs!!!

[Jachut 487]

Well, I'm not going to stone you, I didnt even claim half of those things anyway. I am merely making the point that a diet full of salami and cheese is an unhealthy diet even if it is high Protein and low carb. A diet full of salmon, spinach and avocadoes on the other hand IS healthy.

Like the low fat high carb diet, the way you interpret it is what matters. Both diets can be horribly unhealthy and both diets can be very healthy. It just depends which foods you choose.

Fat is not the enemy, I totally agree, but I think its best to get your fats from olive oil, fish, nuts, avocadoes and not ALL of it from animal sources. Overeating saturated fat is implicated in heart disease, that much is pretty irrefutable - but so is sugar and a diet high in refined carbs.

[Jess55 97]

I m pre band and my Dr. is telling me to eat low carb. I am finding it hard to do, just because I think I ned more meal ideas, or else I am going to be eating the same thing day after day. I do not eat fish of any sort, so that narrows my Protein choices down a bit. I did make this delicious chicken and veggie stirfry the other day.

Also any ideas for low carb Snacks? I have been eating a Fiber One Bar, but the carbs is like 25 g or something. But I feel I need to have that extra fiber due to my bowel habits. (I recently started taking fiber supplements as well, sorry if TMI)