How many carbs is to many carbs a day?

[thinneranniesoon 0]

I think that just about sums up my question. I want to do what is right, but they didn't tell us this part. How many carbs are too many carbs a day?

[thinneranniesoon 0]

I think that just about sums up my question. I want to do what is right, but they didn't tell us this part. How many carbs are too many carbs a day?

thought i would bump this up since no one answered, hopefully someone knows.

[hope2bthinr 0]

I'll try to answer although I'm not banded yet...I've been reading a lot about what kind of diet to follow. Atkins starts out at 20 grams of carbs per day which is pretty hard to do unless you have nothing but high Protein and hardly anything else but green veggies. But I got this link for Lindora.com (clinic in CA) that offers online support and 10 weeks free through the lapband.com site when you sign up to track your online Lapband Journey. So I looked at it and bought the book.

They have a little bit different approach, low carb, high Protein only for 3 days to start off and then low carb high protein with one veggie or one fruit at each meal, keeping carb grams between 60-100 per day depending on whether you're still able to lose weight. They claim rapid weightloss by this method.

So to sum up, if you start out low carb, around 20 per day till you start losing and then increase till you're losing weight at a rapid but healthy pace, that would be what this program is recommending. No definite number, just what works for YOU. I bought the book they use with the program because I was intrigued and plan to do it once I'm banded and use the 10 week period to get a good start. The book is "Lean for Life". It's meant for all kinds of weightloss, whether you've had surgery or not. Found it on the internet through Amazon.com.

I would have thought the nutritionist would have talked about this if you had to meet with one. There are also lots of other books regarding low carb diets. My doctor wants me to eat protein first always, then whatever else after I've gotten the protein eaten. But every doctor has their own opinion on the diet they want you to follow.

Don't know if this helps, and you'll probably get all kinds of answers on the question with a wide range of recommendations. Good Luck!!!

Edited August 10, 2009 by hope2bthinr

[flowerchild 0]

Hi. Thought I would chime in here. My nutritionist advised me that a person needs at least 130 grams of carbs a today for proper brain function. She said if you do not get this amount you will feel lethargic and not as alert. They insist their patients get 130 on the pre-op liqued diet. I know this is more than than most of the low carb diets recomend, but they have never worked for me as far as keeping weight off long term.

[Jachut 487]

I truly dont think you need to worry about it.

I'm no low carb fan but I do agree that by and large, our overly processed diets are way too high carb. You dont need Cereal and toast for Breakfast, muesli bars for Snacks, sandwiches for afternoon tea and Pasta for dinner all in one day.

But to put it in perspective, if I run on my treadmill for 45 mins (I usually do Cardio Coach) it says i've burned 150 grams of carbs, run about 5 miles and burned about 600 calories. So given all the other activity I do in a day, I figure if I focus on Protein foods, sensible carbs (wholegrains) and usually not eat carbs for dinner, then I dont give a fig how many grams of carbs I've had in the day, its almost a sure bet that its below 150 and I've burned it all off.

[ThinAli 0]

I am not sure that with our diets we need to be worried about that. I pay attention by going on the daily plate.com. It totals everything out and I can figure out where I am at. I log my food in daily and the last 4-5 days I have had no more than 200 gms and as low as 97 gms(that's today as of now but I might have something else tonight!) So with our diet it is probably pretty hard to get super high in carbs. There is even a low carb yogurt called Carb Masters. I am not totally concerned about carbs but where I can cut them out I do!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Hi. Thought I would chime in here. My nutritionist advised me that a person needs at least 130 grams of carbs a today for proper brain function. She said if you do not get this amount you will feel lethargic and not as alert. They insist their patients get 130 on the pre-op liqued diet. I know this is more than than most of the low carb diets recomend, but they have never worked for me as far as keeping weight off long term.

That is not true, though. Not everyone needs 130 grams of carbs. I actually do better and run smarter on way less.

For this reason I say ask your surgeon and nutritionist. If they didn't put a "limit" then don't worry about it. AND do what works for you...follow a "diet" that makes you feel energetic and good, and allows weight loss. We aren't cookie cutter.

[riley4183 0]

~sigh, I know I should not worry about this question either, but I do!! Too many years of following south beach, plus my support groups are all about the low-carb thing - but they are mostly RNY also, maybe that makes a difference. I do log everything in caloriecount.about.com and it works for me.

I get 70 to 80 grams of carbs a day, but I also aim for at least 30 grams of Fiber so make that 40 to 50 net grams of carbs. That's low enough for me to lose at a good healthy pace but still feed my essential body functions, which you must have carbs for your body to use or it will use lean muscle and we don't want that! I can't do gluten so bread products are out for me, and rice is out per my lap-band program, and milk is out due to lactose & whey intolerence SO I get all of my carbs from fresh fruit (I mostly eat berries for the high fiber) in the a.m., vegies, unsweetened soy milk and an occasional few bites of potato or sweet potato (potatoes are a trigger food for me so I avoid them most of the time). Sometimes quinoa, maybe once a week or so. I very rarely eat processed foods and feel lousy when I do (listen to Jachut!) I am also vegetarian so I get a few carbs from the soy meat analogs and tofu products that I consume every day (I usually get 80 grams or more of Protein, don't need meat to do that!). My nutritionist always says Protein first, followed by fruit or veggie, starches last and if you never do get to the starches that's just fine with her! I follow her advice and it works for me :cool:

[thinneranniesoon 0]

I am asking mainly because I would like to have a couple of oyster crackers in that bowl of chili. Or a potato or 2 from that pot roast. Not to worried about Pasta yet, however I do admit to having had some of the dreamfields low carb high Protein pasta that i made macaroni and cheese with a couple of weeks ago. I ate 2 bites of it, and it was really good. I am losing, and i am watching what I eat, but would like a little variety. as far as the macaroni and cheese goes, I used fatfree cheese and skim milk, and my daughter had been begging me for it since she came home from college for the summer, so I caved. I will keep it down, and next time at the doc I will ask them, i just emailed yesterday for an appt for another fill. I am currently at 4.25 in my 11cc band.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Actually carbohydrates provide "quick ready" energy but when your body burns stored fat the end result, ATP, is the same.

HowStuffWorks "Breaking Down Fat and Losing Weight"

That's one reason people lose well on an Atkins type diet. i will say some of us probably convert fat more efficiently (and no I don't mean lose faster, just convert stored fat more efficiently) and so feel better cutting carbs...but when you have stored fat and are losing you don't "Have" to have 130 gm of carbohydrate or lose cognition. In fact the brain uses Protein, not carbs.

[georgia girl 35]

I say first and foremost, ask your surgeon. They should give you some sort of nutritional plan to follow. I know that the low carb diet is a controversial one, but it works really well for me. I don't really lose unless I do low carb. I think the main reason is because I have PCOS.

Good luck with your surgery!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I am asking mainly because I would like to have a couple of oyster crackers in that bowl of chili. Or a potato or 2 from that pot roast. Not to worried about Pasta yet, however I do admit to having had some of the dreamfields low carb high Protein Pasta that i made macaroni and cheese with a couple of weeks ago. I ate 2 bites of it, and it was really good. I am losing, and i am watching what I eat, but would like a little variety. as far as the macaroni and cheese goes, I used fatfree cheese and skim milk, and my daughter had been begging me for it since she came home from college for the summer, so I caved. I will keep it down, and next time at the doc I will ask them, i just emailed yesterday for an appt for another fill. I am currently at 4.25 in my 11cc band.

Asking your surgeon this early out is really prudent. However, realize and remember that the "plan" is for you to have the band for life and it isn't realistic or even smart fo you to never eat a potato or have a couple oyster crackers in your chile. Do what your doc says in the early days.. and as you gain in skill and come to know your new band and altered digestive system, you'll modify things some. So don't despair, even if your doc says no. An occasional potato or some macs and cheese, if enjoyed in moderation, is not a bad thing! :cool:

My nutritionist said to just make sure all pasta and rice is well well done so it won't continue to swell in your pouch and cause you some trouble (so from that you can see that pasta/rice aren't off limits to me). My doc says "eat anything, but in moderation"...again, just to tell you there is variety in how we work the band, and how the band works for us. Do what your doc says then once you learn, do what you feel is right for you.

[Jachut 487]

No, the brain uses glucose, not Protein, and you'll find that in any physiology text book. But that doesnt matter, even if you havent eaten much in the way of carbs, your body has made a store of glucose from your food. All foods are converted to sugars of some form by way of digestion.

I think though that if you're losing, who the heck cares? Low carbing it is just another way of cutting calories for the majority of people, for others it does seem to perform some sort of magic.

whether its healthy or not is another debate. Arguably, we're hunter gatherers who gorged at wide intervals, but we dont live that lifestyle now. We also live two or three times as long as our meat gorging ancestors, by the time their arteries were clogged full of saturated fat, they'd been eaten by a tiger. We have to keep ours functioning for 80 years or so.

I'm fairly sure in another 30 trillion years humans will have finally caught up and will survive best on a mixture of McDonalds, coffee and ice cream. Until then, I think you do what makes you feel best and works best for you weight loss wise.

Personally, I'm not giving up Pasta, potatoes OR chocolate no matter how "evil" they are. I defy anyone to tell me I wont lose weight eating them because I already have!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Brain Power: Why Proteins Are Smart | Psychology Today

Protein...we may use carbs for energy throughout the body (or stored fat for ATP) but Protein makes us more efficient..makes us more sharp.

[Unforgettable 0]

I've been watching my carbs just because I know this was a big problem area for me - simple, starchy carbs - so my nutritionist recommended keeping it under 60gms a day, and that has definitely been do-able without feeling like I'm depriving myself.