How often do you allow your selves to have any of the above?

I don't because once I start it is hard to stop! I do eat low carb tortillas about once a week with chicken for lunch.

Whenever I want, to be honest. I don't do the whole low carb thing. Calories are calories.

I just try to eat healthy carbs. Whole wheat bread, whole grain Pasta, and brown rice. I won't buy products that are white (except potatoes) or say "enriched" or "bleached" on the labels. The reason is because all the nutrients and Fiber are pretty gone and they make your gylcemic index spike like a sugar.

But otherwise, I eat breads and pasta daily.

Never. Eating that sheet got me fat in the first place and it kills my glucose levels.

add me to the list of no's

i choose to not eat bread/pasta/rice/potato

i just prefer to eat more filling foods...but do what works for you.

I dont eat them.

1. because we dont need them and it got me almost 300 pounds

2. because if you eat that crap you crave that crap and that is exactly what those kind of carbs are is crap. I would much rather fill myself with vegetables and fruit. Because I say I don't eat them doesnt mean that you cant eat them I just choose not too. Its not about allowing myself to eat it. It's wanting to keep myself at the weight I am at now. Starchy carbs make you crave starchy carbs if you love carbs.

I haven't had any of the above since my surgery almost 2 months ago...I was am a carb addict and LOVED bread, so I feel much safer staying away from it right now while in the losing stage of my journey. I do think maybe some day I will eat them again....just not now. Like my friend CG girl said, do what works for you!

I didn't eat much of it the first year. Now I eat pasta, about 1/2 cup once a week. I don't eat that much bread at home, but if I go out I will have 1 piece. I used to be a big fan of soft tacos, but now my family prefers hard shell tostados so I can't even remember the last time I had one. Like Missy said above, if I want it I have it and it comes down to calories to me.

I do eat carbs. Tonight I ate a little too many. My dietitian said I have no off limit foods. Even fried but just be smart. I almost never have fried foods. Tomorrow i see a new dietitian and see what she says. Also I have a fill, I think and the Metal Monster (scale).

How often do you allow your selves to have any of the above?

Hey TattooBeauty,

I eat all of the above (in moderation of course), saying that I eat 'good' complex carbs such as whole grains, 100% whole wheat. I do allow myself sometimes potatoes, but for the most part 'white starch' 'white flour' is not on my 'daily' food plan. I have lost a lot of weight as you can see from my ticker, why because I do what works for ME. I just find deprivation of carbs, its just not a realistic way of life for me. Besides, if you do some research you will find that carbs are 'actually' very healthy and needed. For example did you know that carbs protect your muscles, regulates the amount of sugar that circulates in your blood, (your cells do need energy), helps digest food, helps with absorbing your body's Calcium, and it may even help with lowering cholesterol levels and regulate blood pressure (healthy carbs that come from fiber).

Monitoring your carbs is a sure way to know how much you are eating during the course of a day. Personally speaking, carbs is a main key nutrient I track daily to ensure my body is getting some of it, but not too much. I believe the "nayers' of carbs are those who are scared of not having control or going back to poor eating habits. I am not speaking of cake and cookie carbs, i am speaking of excellent healthy complex carbs. I have done more than enough of research on carbs to know what is considered 'good' and 'bad' for my body.

I feel great, have energy, my skin is just wonderful looking, my hair is healthy, I don't look 'drained' and 'tired', and I beleive its because I do not deprive myself of good complex carbs. Yes, and when I do 'treat' myself to those 'bad' carbs its sparingly and in low moderation. Why just today I had a rice crispie treat I made. Do I feel bad? NO. Because I ate 1, not 2 or 3 or 4.

Do what works for you, you control your own destination and succcess....

Best wishes,

What others have already posted pretty much tells the story of the philosophical division which exists on this forum when it comes to what amount of carbs you choose to allow for your diet.

The above poster has some good points which she references lightly as those who are advocates of a low carb diet are those Bandsters "who have a fear of loosing control or going back to poor eating habits". In my opinion, that is a simplistic view of the unhealthy behaviors which contributed to our obesity.

Carb addiction is real; it is as pervasive as an addiction to drugs. If we want to ensure that we do not "relapse" into old maladaptive eating patterns, then we do need to be aware of our "trigger" foods. As others have written, eating starchy carbs will tend to increase craving for carbs. Yes. We do need carbs for our bodies to function optimally, however there are major differences between carrots and while grain Pasta or bread.

I am not concerned about reverting back to unhealthy eating patterns, but I understand that I feel better with fresh fruit and vegetables, rather than pasta, rice, or bread of any description. I also understand the risk factors which can place an individual on a "slippery slope" to return to poor eating behaviors.

I don't deprive myself of any foods, I have made a conscious choice to embrace a healthier lifestyle. That included an entirely new focus with food choices. And I have not experienced any cravings since my pre op diet began. I attribute this to eliminating all starchy carbs from my diet, and all white carbs.

Ultimately, you should discuss with your nutritionist or medical team what their instructions are for acceptable and healthy food choices for you, and adhere to them as best you can.

Learning "what works for you" is a trial and error process...we have all been on this learning curve. It's all about the choices you make.

Best wishes...

Great post Sojo!

I agree with you Sojo.

The juice isn't worth the squeeze ; )

Lee

I still eat carbs, but

1) not nearly as often or as much as i used to

2) It's all whole wheat or whole grain etc.

Maybe that's not good, but to be honest NO carbs whatsoever will make me nuts!

I am pre-op, and I loved sandwiches, tacos, & spaghetti... but I have resigned to know I will never eat them again. Not so much worried about the carbs, more the fact that with such a small meal to eat why waste it on filler. Plus how do you take a sugar cube size bite of a taco?

I enjoyed whatever to excess, which is why I am here today. With the band everything changes. But that is just my opinion.