Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Questions for those doing Atkins with Lap Band



Recommended Posts

I am currently awaiting insurance approval for my Lap Band. I have been on Atkins for 3 months and losing weight at a nice pace. I would like to continue Atkins once I get banded. I am curious as to what you fellow Atkineers ate during all phases of Lap Band diet..immediately post-op, liquid, full liquid, puree/mushy, and finally regular foods.

I have this vision in my head of living of off Protein Shakes for the rest of my life. Would love some suggestions during all phases that would be Atkins and Band friendly. Thanks ahead of time for the info.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

An Atkins like diet is very doable with the Lapband. My Dr has me on Protein Shakes, lean Proteins & non starchy veggies, so everything is low carb. I probably stay right around 20 carbs a day. During the mushy stage I ate a lot of canned chicken mixed with a little nonfat greek yogurt & Franks red hot sauce, and a very well blended veggie (baby food consistency). Now that I have been eating solid foods for a while I have no problems sticking to a low carb diet, only difference then Atkins is that I also try to stay pretty low fat as well.

Good Luck!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you DMG. I will definitely be eating alot of mushy veggies.:P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with DMG, we also share the same bariactric dr office.

It is very easy to stay low carb and or Atkins diet. I have done atkins off and on for my whole life being overweight.

The only difference i have found now is that i stay away from the high fat stuff. On atkins pre band i would have a burger with no bun and xx cheese or chicken wings, lots of cheese on everything , not now. I stoped eating red meat a year b4 being banded . i will once in a while have a 1/2 of cheese burger with no bun, but i make sure i walk that off the next day.

I also will have baby bell light cheese or try to have low fat string cheese for my cheese fix. i try to eat a mix of atlins and south beach lol

i eat about 20-50 grams of carbs a day and i stay under 1000 calories a day,

Its very easy to eat low carb being banded. it helps if you track you food also, do u do that currently? i use my fitness pal and its great , alot of banders are on there and its nice to see everybodys food diary ! sometimes when u see what you eat it helps.

just watch your portions !!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I did Atkins pre op and did okay with my weight loss. I plan on sticking to thelow carbs post op, but not as restrictive as Atkins and there is a reason for that.

When I was pre-op, just like the other times I have tried Atkins and have done well; however, after some time I would deviate with something small like nuts or sushi every now and again. Immediately it would knock me off my weight loss track and I would get discouraged. I do not want that to happen to me now. The last thing i want to do is make the same mistakes on lapband that I did in the past. While, a low carb intake is do-able on lap band, I think it should be just that- a low carb intake. Fad diets didnt work before the surgery and I dont expect them to work after.

Everyone's journey is different, so what works for one may not work for the other. I try to remember that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, but expect different results. Atkins will produce the weight loss in the beginning, but what happens when you eat a spoonful of rice one day and that halt's your weigh-loss? Are you going to be strong enough to deal with the possibility of slowly gaining weight or not losing if you start to incorporate other items into your diet? I'm just asking because these are the questions I needed to ask myself. I choose lap band because I needed a tool that would help me for the rest of my life. I am only three days post surgery so I cant say what works or don't work, but I just want to stay clear of the mistakes I have made in the past.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×