Carb-Aholics, Please Come In.

[lyndeeboo 68]

Here’s a thread that is sure to get me some hate-mail…let me first say that I’m emotional and don’t want to be yelled at, please. This concern of mine is raw and real. I’ve had it for a long time, but decided just today that I’m going to ASK it, to people who also know what it’s like to be overweight.

I don’t know what answers I’m hoping you give, I just want them to be 100% honest.

I don’t know if I’m looking more for others to tell me that they were once in this same spot and that they were still a success… if I’m looking for people to tell me that my choices will get better with counseling, or if I’m looking for people to tell me that they were where I’m at mentally, had the surgery and still did NOT change (meaning, the surgery is NOT for me). I want honest opinions and answers

I know why I’m overweight and unhealthy. I eat too much and I don’t make good choices. I’m a carbaholic. I LIVE on breads, Pasta and rice. I honestly don’t know the last time I cooked a meal that wasn’t loaded with some sort of carb, be it Pasta or rice.

I know that once banded you cannot eat pastas, breads or rice because they can get stuck (frankly for me this is a plus because I will walk over fire to avoid throwing up!)

I’m scared that because this has been my lifestyle for so long that I won’t be able to change or give it up.

There, I said it. The part that I have been avoiding for weeks. What do I need to do, how do I get to a point where I’m not AFRAID of giving up something that is effectively killing me??? For those that have had the surgery, is it as simple as, you no longer CRAVE them all of the time? Does the constant craving go away, or do you learn to ignore it all of the time?

I want this surgery. I want to be successful. But more than that I don’t want to FAIL. I’m not going to go through with something if I’m not mentally where I need to be, but I don’t know how to get there. I don’t know if because I have this fear if that automatically means that the surgery isn’t for me, or if the fear of giving up comfort foods and the lifestyle I’ve known for my entire life is normal.

Has anyone been here???

[takuwinds 81]

lyn, I was also afraid of giving up my favorite food. But I was more afraid of giving up my life with my family. In my 2 week pre op I had to give up carbs and it did feel like I was in re hab and having with drawls. What happens when you eat and it gives you a good feeling, right. A feeling of happiness and comfort. And letting go of that feeling is fearful. Well, no one can make this choice for you but you. If you choose wls, you have to want it for the right reasons. And have a great support group to cheer you on all the way. Good luck with what every you choose.

[wildrose1966 396]

I am a carbaholic. The band does not stop everyone from eating bread, Pasta, potatoes or rice......just so you are aware, nor does it stop you from eating toast and crackers (in fact those go down quite nicely). I track everything on myfitnesspal.com and keep close eye on Protein, calories and carbs. More often than not, I am eating less than my daily allocation of carbs. I am more concerned with getting my Protein in daily that I focus on that more. Carbs are a bonus and are the first to be cut (bad carbs - I still try to get my fruit in and sometimes you can't fight those carbs), if my daily meal plans have gone over in calories.

Why don't you join myfitnesspal, manipulate your daily calories to 1000 -1200 and eat like a banded person for 2 weeks. 70 grams of protein, 3 meals/day equal to 8oz per meal or 1 cup. 2-3 snacks/day equal to 3-4 oz. No drinking anything 30 min before and after meals and no carbonated beverages - at all. (you will shocked to see how quickly the calories and carbs add up when you realize that 2 slices of bread equal more calories and carbs and less protein than about 4oz of chicken, and it is the chicken that will sustain you longer.

I think my 2 weeks pre op liquid only kicked me off the carb cravings pretty quickly and post surgery, you are still on liquids and really have no desire to eat.

I understand it is a real concern.......I love carbs........but I love me more . good luck

[sbb1222 112]

I, also, was a carb-aholic. I was raised in an Italian family, where Pasta and bread were plentiful! It also meant bread was a staple at pretty much every meal. Nothing was more comforting to me than a nice fresh loaf of Italian bread. I am 4 weeks out from surgery today and I can tell you that now, I can walk through the bakery at the grocery store without batting an eye. I don't know at what point of this journey it happened, probably during the 8 day pre-op liquid diet. My body stopped craving carbs and even better the thought of them just wasn't as appealing anymore. My surgeon has said from day one, after the initial healing stage (2 months of different phases liquid, full liquids, mushies, soft, etc.) that I can eat whatever I want, as long as it works for me. It is up to each of us to make the correct decisions on what we want to eat. So essentially, we are not "not allowed" to eat pasta, rice, or bread, it is just determined by if we can tolerate it....and if we want to still eat it. I have no desire at this point. I really believe once in a different mind frame, we are all strong enough and have enough will-power to get over those carbs! I am sure at some point in my life, I will sit down to a healthy optioned, correct portion plate of pasta again! You will do fine, start rotating the carbs out of your diet now, before you "have" to for your pre-op diet. Then you will feel in control of it, rather than feeling like it was taken away from you! You will be happy that you did. Good luck in your journey, from one recovering carb-aholic to another

[Kime-lou 648]

No foods, even carbs, are against the law with the lapband. That being said some people can't tolerate thick breads, especially once they reach proper restriction.

Some people choose not to eat carbs, but other continue to. The choice is yours. I eat carbs and some sweets, and heres the catch- I count calories. I try to eat healthy most of the time, but when I really crave something I do have it and I count it in my calories. I LOVE spagetti and chicken alfredo, but both have Pasta. I choose to use spagetti squash for my noodles instead of regular Pasta and it is still awesome.

You can still eat your carbs, but in moderation. The biggest question to ask you self are you ready for MODERATION, not are you ready to give up xyz. Eating whatever and how ever much you WANT got you over weight, so you have to change in order to change your weight.

You can be successful if you are WANTING and WILLING to MODERATE yourself with your food intake. If your family loves you they will support you through the difficult times.

[TKW 501]

Your scared your different from the rest of us.... and really, we all have the same concerns and struggles.

I didn't now how I would ever EVER give up sweets. I thought for sure I would fail because of it. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, there have been challenges along the way, and I've eating my share of "treats" but with every pound I lose it motivates me to carry on. I don't believe in complete deprivation. I still have bread, Pasta, rice and a treat every now and then. But honestly... I don't crave any of those things like I used to.

Learn about the band and how it works.... use it as it was meant to be used and you will do great.

Best of Luck to you!

[corgimom 17]

I am more of a sugar addict than a carb addict but I do love rice especially in sushi. I have been banded for a month so I have not tried it again yet. Anyway, I agree with others that suggest My Fitness Pal. This so far has been a life saver for me. I can see how many calories I have eaten but also plan accordingly with working out. Yesterday there was a bake sale where I work for charity and by adjusting my work out I was able to have a small treat but still stay under my calorie count and get all my Protein in. Having to take the small bites really helped too. But carbs, sugar, etc is like everything else-depends on servings and keeping your servings under control. And it's hard especially when you think about going out to eat where they serve one person's dinner on a platter rather than a plate. So I measure everything now and record it which is honestly a pain in the butt, however it helps me a lot and has made me think twice about eating something when I saw what it would do to my calorie count for the day. I still want a big slice of cake but now I might have 1/2 of what I would have eaten before band and increase my workout or lower my portion for dinner. That and I have had one 'stuck' episode and I will avoid eating bread, Pasta or rice if it's going to cause that. Ouch!!

[2justme 15]

I would say that I was a carbaholic and on occasion a sugarholic (maybe tied to my emotional eating). I crave carbs mostly when it gets close to "that time of the month" if I am craving bread I will usually make me something with a tortilla. you can find low carb brands and there's one brand that I buy that only has 80 calories. Using tortillas seems to satisfy my bread craving. So maybe you could try replacing your bread with tortillas. I make pizzas with them (since I don't too much eat/drink dairy I use diya veggie cheese it's really good) you can put a little butter on them and heat them in a skillet as a replacement for toast (even sprinkle some cinnamon/sugar on them) and make wraps. One of my favorite thing to make is shrimp or fish tacos. I never really ate rice or white potatoes (LOVE sweet potatoes) and sometimes I miss Pasta, especially when I see an Olive Garden commercial there was a time when it was really hard to resist taking a bite of Mac n cheese when I had to make it for the kids but that temptation has gotten easier. I think mostly because I don't want to throw up and since I've already had a slippage I'm a lot more strict on myself.

But you are defiantly not alone with being a carbaholic. I think it's something we all deal with.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I'm going to go against the norm here...

Who said you can't have carbs? Who said you can't have bread, Pasta, rice, and potatoes? Whoever even said you couldn't have the occasional treat once in awhile? Just because low carb is the new "in thing" for dieters doesn't mean it's the only option. It doesn't mean it's the only thing that works, either.

I have lost almost 160 pounds in about 10 months. I do not restrict my carbs. I count my calories religiously, restrict my fat intake, and make sure I get in all my Protein...but I don't do low carb. It's simply not realistic for me long term so I don't do it. I love Pasta, bread, and potatoes and I eat them daily. I just am sure they always fit into my daily calorie allowance and stick to band sized portions.

Just something to think about!