Stupid Carb Question.

[ljperez 87]

How many can we eat in a day? I'm 3 weeks out not eating hardly any but just wanted to make sure I don't go to high.

[PhatGirl2499 20]

everyone is different. I never have counted mine. I do however eat Protein as the main part of my meal. I don't do sugar free for fat free anything either. I do the real deal including full fat cheese and 2% milk. It works for me.

[Webchickadee 716]

Generally speaking, 40 g per day or below is a good guideline when you are first post-op.

As your incisions heal and your stamina and strength return (this can take weeks for some, and months for others!), you may be interested in becoming significantly more active. Greater exercise levels will require higher carb levels to maintain your stamina and strength during exercise, as well for post-exercise recovery.

There is great variability amongst MDs and NUTs (nutritionists) regarding their post-op diet instruction. You will see that reflect on VST with members' posting their post-op food stages, Protein levels, carb levels, etc.

It is highly recommended that you refer to your MD or NUT for more specific information, however as a general guideline, you can follow this format:

40% Protein (1 g = 4 calories)

30% CARB (1 g = 4 calories)

30% FAT (1 g = 9 calories)

Which means if you are eating 600 cal/day:

PROTEIN = 60 g

CARB = 45 g

FAT = 20 g

In addition, it is suggested that you keep your SODIUM

< 2500 mg/day.

[CaliKat 153]

My NUT says stay below 40g.

When I dont I stall majorly!

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I don't really count my carbs. Here's the rule I was taught. One gram of Protein for every ten calories you eat. Divide the rest of the calories you eat into a relatively even number of low glycemic carbs (green veggies) and healthy fats (nuts, avocado).

So, for a 600 calorie a day diet, that would mean 60 grams of Protein, 28 grams of carbs and 28 grams of fat (approximately, I'm doing the math in my head).

For 800 calorie a day diet, it's 80 grams of protein and 38 carbs and 38 fats. With that formula, and eating the right carbs (not starches) you can't go wrong. You will have enough protein but also enough energy to get you through the day.

I tend to overshoot the protein by 10% or so. But I have been lifting weights so I need more. Again, this is just the strategy that I follow and it has worked well, there are certainly other ways.

[prettysleeved1 173]

I keep mine very low. I let my fat be my fuel.

[doxieville 799]

So......ButtertheBean....(and anyone else) I'm supposed to keep my carbs really low like in the Atkins plan. But i'm so tired all the time! However, I lost 40 pounds pre-op by eating low carbs - no more than 20 a day. So.....i'm wondering if i up my carbs will i have more energy and therefore do more and lose the weight in a healthier way? I see my NUT in a few weeks and I'll certainly ask her, but i'm wondering what the food (haha) of thought is here. I enjoy eating a la Atkins but I'm in a major stall right now. ( Not worried about it though, i know it'll come off eventually.)

Thanks,

Judy

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I won't tell you to go against your nut, but yes, more low glycemic carbs will give you more sustained energy. Hi glycemic carbs give you the quick burst of energy. If you're exercising a lot it's very difficult to get through the day on low carbs.

[lyndynojo 140]

everyone is different. I never have counted mine. I do however eat Protein as the main part of my meal. I don't do sugar free for fat free anything either. I do the real deal including full fat cheese and 2% milk. It works for me.

I'm exactly the same. I have never counted carbs. I count calories.

[Webchickadee 716]

So......ButtertheBean....(and anyone else) I'm supposed to keep my carbs really low like in the Atkins plan. But i'm so tired all the time! However, I lost 40 pounds pre-op by eating low carbs - no more than 20 a day. So.....i'm wondering if i up my carbs will i have more energy and therefore do more and lose the weight in a healthier way? I see my NUT in a few weeks and I'll certainly ask her, but i'm wondering what the food (haha) of thought is here. I enjoy eating a la Atkins but I'm in a major stall right now. ( Not worried about it though, i know it'll come off eventually.)

Thanks,

Judy

Hi Judy, I notice you are approx. 5 weeks post-op. Did you begin your current "major stall" around the 3rd week, or thereabouts? That is a VERY common time to stall (use the SEARCH box in the upper right hand of the VST site to look up 3RD WEEK STALL and you'll get hundreds of hits).

A major stall is defined differently by everyone. For some it means 3+ days with no weight loss, for other (more reasonably) it's 3+ weeks with no weight loss.

During a stall, your body is working out what's happening to its metabolism, trying to reorganize and restructure based on the new weight and fat distribution and trying to identify if it really is starving to death or not. That's alot of work to do....and it keeps it busy during stall time. Eventually (and usually without any big changes to your food intake or energy expended) the stall will break and you'll start losing again. Assuming, of course, you've been following your post-op diet plan.

Butterbean has a GREAT link at the bottom of his posts (in his signature) that talks about stalls: http://www.dsfacts.c...or-plateau.html. I suggest you read it to better understand. It really enjoyed this article!

As to eating more carbs, that is definitely an important item if you're exercising, as you need the energy during and after exercise.

However, if you're feeling tired all the time now, it could be due to many factors:

1) You're still quite close to your surgery date. It takes a LONG time to recover! Give yourself a chance to heal completely before you expect to feel like your "old self" in terms of energy levels.

2) You may need more fluids! Water is a VITAL component of the biochemistry of breaking down fat. If you're dehydrated, you're making your body work extra hard to break down your stored energy (fat) and leaving you more tired than you need to be. Water is like fuel for your metabolism right now.......feed it properly!

3) It may take your body months to fully adapt to a low-carb (Atkins style) diet. In the meanwhile, you will continue to crave carbs (hopefully less and less!) and feel your energy dragging. Give yourself healthy carbs (veggies) and stay away from processed carbs (sugar, breads, Pasta, pastries, rice, etc.). Read labels as much as you can and know what you're putting into your body.

4) Log your food! You need to know what you really are eating/drinking every day to have an accurate count of carbs, Protein, fat, etc. I use MyFitnessPal to keep track of my intake daily. They have a website and a phone app, so it's handy and once you're doing it long enough, it just becomes second nature. Eventually you will know what the numbers are before you put it in your mouth and may be able to stop logging (usually once you've hit your goal weight). It doesn't have to be forever, but it's a great tool at the beginning.

5) Weigh your food if you're not sure of serving size, etc. I use a scale to confirm my portions. It helps me not overeat (ouch!) and also helps me ensure my logging is accurate so I KNOW what I've eaten. Historically, my estimates are WAY off, if I just eyeball it! LOL

You may be eating more/less carbs than you estimate. Perhaps you're not getting enough Protein? Maybe you're not sleeping well? I had poor sleep for the first few months (don't know why....anaesthetic effect, healing pain, body changes make me restless, electrolyte imbalances leading to restless legs/cramping...who knows!) It's better now, but I'm 4+ months post-op! Lots of reasons to be tired that are not necessarily related to carbs!

If you're really anxious to know what's causing the tiredness, the best way to determine it is to make one change at a time and evaluate for a few days. If you change too many things at once, you won't know why you improved (though in the long run, it's great to just feel better, which is really the goal!)

[doxieville 799]

Good answers, everyone! Webchick, your post is excellent with all the information in one place. It will be good for when people do a search.

About me: i am 5 weeks out. And yeah, the fatigue is probably still from the surgery, but i'm trying to start to exercise slowly. Walking 15 minutes 2x a day or doing the Wii. So nothing hard, but i think if I add a few more carbs it will help.

My stall has been pretty much since surgery. But i lost 40 pounds in 3 months pre-op so I realize that this stall makes sense. Butterthebeans article is great. I read it when i was pre-op so I knew what to expect. I'm truly not stressed about anything, esp not my stall. I know it will come off. :-) My sleeve is rocking.

Dehydration is really serious stuff so i've always kept myself well hydrated. It scares me when people on here say they aren't drinking!

MFP is great! I joined it last year but really only started using it postop.

Thanks again for spending the time to write all this though. It will be really helpful to many people. :-)

[Catracks 865]

I won't tell you to go against your nut, but yes, more low glycemic carbs will give you more sustained energy. Hi glycemic carbs give you the quick burst of energy. If you're exercising a lot it's very difficult to get through the day on low carbs.

I keep under 40 carbs a day on 750 calories. I agree with BTB on exercising. One of the first times I went hiking I didn't pack extra carbs. When I got down of the mountain 6 hours later I was shaking from cold (in the middle of summer) and my muscles were in severe pain. Not from soreness, but from a complete lack of any blood sugar to speak of. Now I bring good healthy bread and Peanut Butter on hikes. I also make my own sugar free Cookies and bring one or two of them.

[doxieville 799]

Catracks- wow, that's crazy!! So.....how do you make sugar free cookles? I'm new to all this different way of cooking. Any guidance helps. I've been looking at eggfaces website but it can be a bit overwhelming. :-)

Thanks!

[doxieville 799]

BTW, i ate a lot of carbs today!! 2 sushi pieces and 1/2 a crab cake. Took me lunch and dinner and snack time to eat them, and they were YUMMY!!! :-) Oh, and pre-sleeve it would have been a whole role and 2 crab cakes! What a difference.

[t.ski 61]

When you guys are staying under 40 grams of carbs a day are you staying under total carbs or Net carbs(total carbs - fiber) of 40 grams?