Scared of carbs?

[MzB 297]

I am 8 weeks out from surgery and doing great, but I have to admit I am struggling with how to eat in the new "normal". I did this surgery to lose the weight and keep it off, but I don't like the feeling that I am on basically going to be on a strict Atkins for the rest of my life. I am staying at less than 30g of carbs a day at this point but I feel like I am having to be incredibly strict about only eating Protein and almost no carbs. My PA said some carbs were good to have, but all the threads on BP seem to really caution against it. I really want to be successful but I seem to worry that a small piece of bread or rice will totally throw me off. Carbs are scary! LOL. Wanting to feel a little more normal. ????

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I don't avoid carbs all together, just simple carbs like Pasta, rice, bread, added sugars, and starchy vegetables. If you eat vegetables and fruits in reasonable quantities you should be ok. Just eat your Protein first.

[Babbs 14,681]

As a rule, ESPECIALLY in the honeymoon phase of WLS ( up to 18 months post surgery) you will still probably lose weight eating a few carbs. But as early out as you are, you should be eating protien and veggies, leaving little room for carbs (bread, crackers, etc). Protien is most important right now becuase you have such little real estate in your tummy, you gotta eat what counts. Those carbs from white stuff gives you no nutritional value right now.

Another thing about a WLS person eating carbs is that it can be a slippery slope. Sure, you can't eat very much right now, but the sleeve relaxes after a while, and a few crackers turn into a box (these are also considered slider foods because more can be eaten) I don't know about you, but I could easily polish off a box of Cookies once I get going. That's why I choose to stay away. They also make me crave more carbs and sugar, and the next thing you know, you're stalled or gaining. No thanks!

You will have plenty of time to introduce a few carbs the closer you get to goal and then maintenance. For now take advantage of this ever so important time when you're able to lose weight easily and minimize the carbs and get your protien and veggies first! After all, we all didn't get fat eating chicken and broccoli, did we?

[anahajara 16]

I'm 4 wks out today, discussed this my NUT today and she said worry more about grams of sugar than carbs.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I don't do no carb or even low carb. I look at the quality and source of the carbs. Simple carbs, "white" carbs (white Pasta, white rice, refined sugars, etc...) I stay away from. However carbs from vegetables, or Beans I don't worry about. You also need carbs for energy. My homemade Protein shakes have carbs from the greek yogurt, fruit and veg I add to them. They fuel my workouts. If I am having a day where I leave the house at 8am and don't get back until I may allow more carbs than on days when I'm home all day.

[Jeanet 17]

You will eventually get use to eating no carbs.. You are scared & worried now because you are farely new but once time goes on you won't even miss it. Like everyone on here says eat your Protein first and then worry about the rest. In almost 3 yrs out and I eat no carbs unless is on a special occasion or it's because I'm mixing in my Protein Shake. Yes I still do Protein Shakes. I actually do it when I have to reset my body because sometimes my body stall n I start from day one to remind myself the proper way of waiting. This takes time. But at the end is worth it.

[CrashNCamsMom 58]

I'm almost a year out and have lost 100lbs. I don't cut out carbs, but it's almost habit to get Protein in first and carbs if I have room. I've found that I can't tolerate certain foods, carbs included. But, without even thinking I'm always looking for protein first. Once you have your protein, you're usually too full for carbs. It becomes habit. Eventually, you won't even have to think about it. That's the goal, lifestyle change. I was a carbohydrate addict before. Now, protein is primary, carbs are an afterthought.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I definitely did NOT cut out carbs to lose all my excess weight. (I'm now 6 pounds below goal.)

Carbs aren't just sweets and breads. Carbs are in milk, yogurt, fruit, green and other colored veggies, whole grain foods, etc. Carbs are necessary for high energy and good nutrition.

I don't understand why people think life after WLS means no carbs or even low carb. I think there's a terrible lack of education about which foods contain carbs and which carb-laden foods are much healthier for us than others.

Now on maintenance, I average around 100 grams of Protein a day and 150-200 grams of carbs a day. But I don't eat slider foods (Cookies, chips, crackers, Desserts, sweets, pastas) often at all. Yes, I have them occasionally, but they're not an everyday item on my menu.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I definitely did NOT cut out carbs to lose all my excess weight. (I'm now 6 pounds below goal.)

Carbs aren't just sweets and breads. Carbs are in milk, yogurt, fruit, green and other colored veggies, whole grain foods, etc. Carbs are necessary for high energy and good nutrition.

I don't understand why people think life after WLS means no carbs or even low carb. I think there's a terrible lack of education about which foods contain carbs and which carb-laden foods are much healthier for us than others.

Now on maintenance, I average around 100 grams of Protein a day and 150-200 grams of carbs a day. But I don't eat slider foods (Cookies, chips, crackers, Desserts, sweets, pastas) often at all. Yes, I have them occasionally, but they're not an everyday item on my menu.

Exactly! Carbs are in everything!

[tomi71 581]

I'll keep the theme going....I shun simple/refined carbs like sugars (table sugar, brown sugar, and even honey....not a fan of honey as it makes me itch) and white starches and flour. Once in a blue moon I'll have a bite of something but that's all...just a bite. I bake a lot so the chef has to taste. I do plan for the "tastes."

I eat low-carb veggies and fruits only because I know that even the healthiest high carbs like quinoa and steel cut oats will put weight on me faster than I can blink even now when I do a lot of weight training!

Eating right also keeps one from being "hangry" lol and thus less likely to buy those stupid vanilla cream sandwich Cookies that are in the vending machine constantly staring at me. ????????????????????

[Rogofulm 2,440]

As a rule, ESPECIALLY in the honeymoon phase of WLS ( up to 18 months post surgery) you will still probably lose weight eating a few carbs. But as early out as you are, you should be eating protien and veggies, leaving little room for carbs (bread, crackers, etc). Protien is most important right now becuase you have such little real estate in your tummy, you gotta eat what counts. Those carbs from white stuff gives you no nutritional value right now.

Another thing about a WLS person eating carbs is that it can be a slippery slope. Sure, you can't eat very much right now, but the sleeve relaxes after a while, and a few crackers turn into a box (these are also considered slider foods because more can be eaten) I don't know about you, but I could easily polish off a box of Cookies once I get going. That's why I choose to stay away. They also make me crave more carbs and sugar, and the next thing you know, you're stalled or gaining. No thanks!

You will have plenty of time to introduce a few carbs the closer you get to goal and then maintenance. For now take advantage of this ever so important time when you're able to lose weight easily and minimize the carbs and get your protien and veggies first! After all, we all didn't get fat eating chicken and broccoli, did we?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I agree with @@Babbs completely! During your honeymoon and weight loss phase, you will lose best if you limit carbs to those in dairy and green veggies. No starches, no refined sugar, and no alcohol. Once you get to goal weight, you can experiment with whole-grain carbs like brown rice, quinoa, barley, whole-wheat Pasta, and sweet potatoes to see what effect they have on your weight maintenance. That's where I am now -- taking baby steps to discover what works and what doesn't. This is for the rest of our lives, so there's no need to rush back to foods that used to be a problem for us. For example, as much as I love bread, I'm choosing to avoid it altogether. Good luck!

[LanaMac 14]

My WLS coach tells me to take the fibre content and subtract it from the carb content to get the number of carbs I should be calculating. This way you are keeping track of the refined/sugar carbs only.

[MzB 297]

Thanks for all the wonderful feedback and information. I am so blessed to have found this community. I knew this would be a lifestyle change going in, but I (probably like almost everyone else) am still surprised by how much of one. ???? I am getting in some green veggies and milk products which is where my carbs are coming from now. It is good to hear that this may start to feel more natural over time.

[Babbs 14,681]

Yes, as Ann said I want to clarify when I say "carbs", I mean what I call the white stuff (bread, Pasta, rice, etc...)

I get most of my carbs right now from veggies, fruits and dairy (although I've cut out most dairy also). I will occasionally indulge in the white stuff because I have lost most of my excess weight at this point.

As usual, Ann, Blerdgirl, Inner Surfer Girl, and Rogofulm are spot on.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Wow, Babbs! You really are almost at goal. Somehow you slid on through the 160s without my realizing you were moving so fast.

Go, girl!