Carbs - Yes Or No?

[losingoncemorewithsurgery 4]

I'm playing with the idea of cutting carbs out of my diet (except fruits)-I have a hard time with breads and rice, so I don't think it would be too hard to cut out Pasta and potato as well.

I'm losing weight at a slow and steady pace - but I'd like to jump start and kick into high gear my weight loss (I'm getting married in August and bought my wedding gown 2 sizes smaller than I was at the time of purchase - and it still doesn't fit). I'm a carb addict - so if what's left that I can eat are in front of me I will eat them until I drop.

Any thoughts?

[therealme89 54]

honestly it depends on how active you are. i am extremely active i work out 5 times a week and twice with a personal trainer. so my nutritionist told me i needed more carbs in my diet. but if your not very active then you need to cut out carbs. also even though they added carbs to my diet she recommend i have them early in the day like at Breakfast or early lunch so that i burn them off before bed time. no carbs recommended at dinner

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Everyone's body metabolizes things differently. Some do low carbs, some do no carbs, and some do significant carbs. Really the only way you'll know what works for you is by trial and error.

I eat more carbs than Protein daily, however I eat good carbs. I won't eat any white carbs (rice, bread). I only buy whole grain Pasta and bread and brown rice. I also won't buy carbs with the words "enriched" or "bleached" on the label.

For me, it works. You'll have to see what works for you by simply trying it for a week or two and seeing what happens.

Best wishes!

[jayeedee 7]

No two bodies are the same. I do not lose weight if I don't take in carbs on a low calorie diet. Others do. Play around with how much and the type you are eating until you find a balance that you can stick with a majority of the time, and that still keeps your scale moving down. If you lose weight too fast, even with the lap band, by doing something you can't keep up long term, you can sabotage yourself.

Good luck getting in the dress!! I'm sure you'll be able to fit. Resistance/weight training also helps with inch loss, so if you haven't been doing it, you should add some 2x a week (that's all you need!!).

[hedder14 59]

My dr. and dietician told me, no bread, Pasta, rice, sugars, period.. I can have carbs in fruits and veggies but that's really about it.. I haven't really missed any of them.. It does make it harder when you go out to eat, but I've found I can usually find something that I can eat..

It's true everyone is different, but I would listen to what your dr. tells you to do..

[Jachut 487]

For me, yes, but over time, the bread, Pasta and rice has naturally decreased significantly. I think a diet high in those things - Cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, muesli bar for snack, Pasta for dinner, that's likely to make you fat fat fat no matter whether you eat large portions or not. Its too much ready energy for the average person.

But if you dont eat any carbs, the Protein is all diverted to be converted into energy for your body and it doesnt do its job of building and protecting muscle quite as well. You really cant eat NO carbs.

For me, I need a bit, I run and I do burn it off, but since I had a bowel resection, a diet based on starchy carbs like that, although wholegrains and bran and oats are high in soluble fibre, it plugs me up, feels like glue in my system and is a recipe for major Constipation (talking 8 days or longer) and I've found I must have vegetables as the base for EVERY meal, even breakfast now. I also cant tolerate fruit, too rough for my system, gives me the runs. So the carb level of my diet has taken a nose dive.

Its made not one single bit of difference to my weight. I'm already well below goal, but its not like I've cut carbs and suddenly dropped weight. Not at all. Which reinforces my belief that weight loss (as opposed to health, long life, healthy blood chemistry) is about nothign more than calories in v calories out.

I personally lose weight the same whether I eat 1000 calories of carrots or 1000 calories of cake a day.

[icestorm12132008 39]

I choose not to eat carbs(pasta, bread suggars) on a regular basis because i have PCOS and my body reacts badly to them by piling on the pounds big time.

I limmit my carbs to only when i know i'm going to be working out hard then i'll have like 1/2 cup of mashed plain potato or two slices of toast that is toasted well. I don't really miss the carbs and for me spagetti or Pasta is a no no because it just sits in my pouch like a brick. Everyone is different I'd talk to your surgon about getting your suggar tested if you are worried about problems with diabetis or if diabetis runs in your family. I take metformin daily and eating low/no carb even before surgery helped me emensely. --icestorm12132008

[Jess55 97]

honestly it depends on how active you are. i am extremely active i work out 5 times a week and twice with a personal trainer. so my nutritionist told me i needed more carbs in my diet. but if your not very active then you need to cut out carbs. also even though they added carbs to my diet she recommend i have them early in the day like at breakfast or early lunch so that i burn them off before bed time. no carbs recommended at dinner

I was doing low carb, and my trainer told me this too. She was like where are your carbs? She recommends low GI carbs, 3 grams of Fiber or more. Also she says no carbs within 2 hours before working out and no carbs within 3-4 hours of going to bed.

[losingoncemorewithsurgery 4]

my surgeon didn't give me any carb restrictions. my nutritionist just say eat "good carbs" (which wasn't descriptive enough for me-so I'm researching). I am working out 3-5 times a week - trying the couch to 5k program, so from what I gather - I need some carbs to maintain my energy. I guess, it's just a trial and error kind of thing.

Thanks so much for your help!