I've been following my nutritionist's rules since mid-February, pre-op and post-op. I had surgery nearly a month ago (a few days short of 4 weeks). I have been on an atkins-esque diet, high Protein and as few carbs as humanly possible. First 2 weeks post-op was liquid only, nothing thicker than a strained cream-of-something Soup - carb limitations then, as well. I went from liquids only to soft, moist, lean Proteins - again, no carbs. In all of the literature I read pre-op, nothing said I'd be so severely carb restricted. I'd managed to figure out how to make, eat and enjoy a balanced meal. But, now I feel I'm being told to forget everything about balance, just eat meat. Meat, meat and more meat! I miss vegetables and fruit and bread and rice and Pasta. I miss tasting things that don't taste like meat. My poll questions are me trying to figure out where other people are and if this total carb restriction is normal (someone should have told me, I'd have certainly taken it into consideration) or if my nutritionist just hates carbs.

At this point is it normal to be this irritated with the process, or am I just being ultra-sensitive? Does the idea of eating (since what you can't eat outweighs what you can eat) piss you off? I've, seemingly, gone from emotional eating to emotional starving, sort of. I have had serious moments of refusing to eat simply because I didn't want anything that I could eat within the restrictions. Does anyone else's nutritionist insist on no veggies and no fruit, not even juice?

Help! I think I'm losing it here!

PS: when I say no carbs, that includes the liquid/soft foods phase: no mashed potatoes (which I saw in everything I was required to read before surgery) and no applesauce. Not even baby food because of the carb content.

I've been following my nutritionist's rules since mid-February, pre-op and post-op. I had surgery nearly a month ago (a few days short of 4 weeks). I have been on an atkins-esque diet, high Protein and as few carbs as humanly possible.

Well it's definitely low carb, but it's not Atkins because Atkins involves eating carbs in the form of vegetables right from the start. In later stages, as you get closer to Maintenance he has you adding in fruit and grains *if* you really feel you must have them and *if* your body can handle them. Mine can't.

As a diabetic, I eat protein and low carb vegies (2 cups per day of cooked) and avoid grains, fruits and starches. My carbs are around 30gm per day but I know people who can go as high as 60gm...which is a lot of vegies...and is still considered 'low carb'.

My .02...eat your vegies. Fruits are higher in sugars so you might want to avoid them for now. Fruit juices are just concentrated sugar...wasted calories (just my opinion).

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I don't understand not having veggies. You need fiber to stay regular.

Well it's definitely low carb, but it's not Atkins because Atkins involves eating carbs in the form of vegetables right from the start. In later stages, as you get closer to Maintenance he has you adding in fruit and grains *if* you really feel you must have them and *if* your body can handle them. Mine can't.

As a diabetic, I eat Protein and low carb vegies (2 cups per day of cooked) and avoid grains, fruits and starches. My carbs are around 30gm per day but I know people who can go as high as 60gm...which is a lot of vegies...and is still considered 'low carb'.

My .02...eat your vegies. Fruits are higher in sugars so you might want to avoid them for now. Fruit juices are just concentrated sugar...wasted calories (just my opinion)

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Yeah, that was the "atkins-esque" part, I know atkins gives room for carbs from veggies. fruit juice isn't my number one choice, typically either, but I'll tell you right about now I'd slap someone for a cup of Minute Maid Kids+ Orange Juice (it's the yummiest for me and it's got Calcium, Vitamin A, B, C, D).

I don't understand not having veggies. You need fiber to stay regular.

I know!!! Believe me I know! According to the nutritionist there's not enough acid built up in the pouch to break veg down. This doesn't make sense to me, there's enough to break down meat but not veg?

Your nutritionist just hates carbs :-). Its a very American thing, here in Australia its much more usual to be prescribed a basic, healthy diet from all food groups, without the focus on low carb and without the need for Protein shakes.

I've eaten bread, rice and Pasta all along, I eat a few pieces of fruit a day, I drink the occasinal glass of wine and eat the occasional sweet treat, I eat potatoes with my dinner sometimes, and like any Aussie, I occasionally enjoy a pie and sauce! Also, you cant eat vegemite without toast! I just eat less, keep to three meals no Snacks and run or go to the gym every day. I lost 130lb in 2 years and have kept it off for over three, even with no fill in my band. I dont think the average person needs to avoid carbs at all, but we also dont need three or four slices of bread, some Cereal, a muesli bar, Cookies AND potatoes with dinner all in a single day. My carb intake did drop quite a bit when I was banded. I'd get plenty of the carbs in fruit and vegies, but my grain foods would consist of a slice or bread OR some oatmeal OR some pasta or rice in a single day.

I know! According to the nutritionist there's not enough acid built up in the pouch to break veg down. This doesn't make sense to me, there's enough to break down meat but not veg?

Ok...sounds like your nutritionist does not understand how the band works. All the band does is slow the path of the food into the stomach, allowing it to put additional pressure on the vagus nerves which tell the ghrelin (hunger hormone) to shut off. That's why we have to chew well...so it will slide through.

Personally, after a comment like that, I'd just ignore their nutritional advice and find a WOE you can live with. Atkins is a good healthy way of eating. I usually have 1-2 scrambled eggs for Breakfast and for lunch and dinner 3 oz Protein and 1/2-1 c. low carb vegies. Many people here are given similar diets. The only difference between mine and their diet is that on Atkins I can put cream in my coffee, use full fat blue cheese dressing on my salad and butter or olive oil on my vegies because it's 50-60% fat instead of the typical <30%.

Some people are concerned about the higher fat but many studies are showing that it is not the concern it once was *if* you're doing low carb along with it. Despite that, the medical community refuses to budge on their stance that low fat is the only healthy option. A two year study done by the Obesity Research Center at Temple University came to the following conclusion (and this is typical of the other studies as well):

"There was one difference, however. Foster said levels of "good" cholesterol (the heart-healthy kind that you want) grew by about 11 percent in the low-fat group but more than twice that -- about 23 percent -- in the low-carb group. Blood pressure also fell by a greater level in the low-carb group vs. the low-fat cohort."

I'm not trying to push Atkins on anyone...just trying to keep the facts straight as to how healthy it is. *All* of the research is beginning to say the same thing, and I agree...and that is that it is less important as to which diet you're on and more important that you find one you can live with long-term.

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Wow, I would go nuts eating like that. I didnt do a mushy stage after my band. I did the liquid stage for a week and then was able to eat, what I could manage as long as it wasnt something like a subway sandwich. Moist meat, with a vege, CHEWED into mush consisitency, I lost ohhhhh, lets see, 36 pounds in a year and 4 months. Not quite what I wexpected but oh well. NOW,,I said to hell with the menus I was given, I hated eating mainley meat all the time, I wanted fruits and veges too. So, now I decided to do things my way and see how it goes.

I went a little extreme, I am NOT saying anyone should do it this way just because its working for me. I went raw. I eliminated meat from my diet altogether, I am also being tested for Celiac disease so I have had to eliminate any and all gluten products, if the celiac test is negative,,which I think it will be, I have an allergy test for wheat on the schedule,,,ANYWHO. I eat CONSTANTLY! I have a huge fruit smoothie every morning,,and now if I dont get it I crave it,,,,,I have banana, melon, blueberries, strawberries, baby spinach, goji berries Water stevia and ice cubes,,,OMG its big,,,takes me and hour to finish it. Thne a couple hours later I eat a banana or apple or some kind of fruit,,,full, the band helps immensely. Then for lunch a big salad,,,spinach, tomatoes onions peppers cucumbers cheese and nuts and dried fruit,,,again, it takes me the whole half hour to eat and sometimes I cant finish it, FULL again,,,,another snack,,sometimes, not always,,,watermelon and sliced bananas,,,,,or dried fruit and nuts. dinner,,,cheese and fruit,,,or r vege rolls, usualy after 4 pm, I cant eat another thing, good thing i eat early. It was different the first week but I was never hungry always satisfied and LOSING weight! its been 32 days and I went from 203.5 to 190!!!!!!!!! Thats almost 1/2 of what took me 1 1/2 years to lose.

My Docs know im eating like this and say as long as im healthy and losing my weight and feeling good then its working for me. I get plenty of Protein, and calcium, I only supplement D and B-12 with my Multivitamin. I feel awesome! No more headaches, no more allergy issues,,I have energy I didnt know I could possibly ever have again,,my skin looks so good, and I sleep like i havent slept in years, I find I only need 7 hours of sleep now, compared to the 9 I had been trying for before i changed my eating habits. No more restless legs! I hated that. I just feel good, all over good. Its a little extreme but its working so well for me. I did alot of research before I started this diet because I had no idea what it entailed or how to do it. 14 pounds down in 32 days!!!!! YAYAYYYYYYYYY! Best of all, I get to eat! ANd now instead of craving junk food I crave fruit like mad,,,and eat it!

Sorry so long,,,,I just feel so good I wanted to share it with someone

Becca

Your nutritionist just hates carbs :-). Its a very American thing, here in Australia its much more usual to be prescribed a basic, healthy diet from all food groups, without the focus on low carb and without the need for Protein shakes.

I've eaten bread, rice and Pasta all along, I eat a few pieces of fruit a day, I drink the occasinal glass of wine and eat the occasional sweet treat, I eat potatoes with my dinner sometimes, and like any Aussie, I occasionally enjoy a pie and sauce! Also, you cant eat vegemite without toast! I just eat less, keep to three meals no Snacks and run or go to the gym every day. I lost 130lb in 2 years and have kept it off for over three, even with no fill in my band. I dont think the average person needs to avoid carbs at all, but we also dont need three or four slices of bread, some cereal, a muesli bar, Cookies AND potatoes with dinner all in a single day. My carb intake did drop quite a bit when I was banded. I'd get plenty of the carbs in fruit and vegies, but my grain foods would consist of a slice or bread OR some oatmeal OR some pasta or rice in a single day.

I'm with you. I eat anything I want, within reason and fullness. My body ( or band ) lets me know when to stop eating. I personally like my 'meats' a lot more than my pasta, potatoes, etc. If carbs being served on the table, I taste them last & only if I'm still a bit hungry. I also religiously track my cals. via fitday.com &/or myfitnesspal.com. I'm averaging 1500 cals/day and very full.

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I am on my second week and am eating apple sauce. It's like heaven.. Of course it's no sugar added. On week 4 I can add sweet potatoes, mash cauliflower. Carbs eventually but minimally - like 1/2 slice toast with breakfast.

(sorry for the blank post, I am new to this)

Amy

I am on my second week and am eating apple sauce. It's like heaven.. Of course it's no sugar added. On week 4 I can add sweet potatoes, mash cauliflower. Carbs eventually but minimally - like 1/2 slice toast with Breakfast.

(sorry for the blank post, I am new to this)

Amy

I'd be pleased as punch for sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes .. even that is too much carb for me according to the nutritionist. not even sugar free applesauce. it just seems a bit much, especially since i'm supposed to stay on this all Protein as little carbs as humanly possible (no veg or fruit) until my next appt in mid-may.

I remember the first time I could have anything other than liquid after surgery .. It was heaven for me, as well. And I'm still glad that I can eat what I can on this crap diet, but seriously, variety is the spice of life and veggies are good for you. That's what I've been told for my whole life.