Hello everyone,

I will be having surgery in about a week and a half so I'm making sure I have everything I need. I'm a little confused about carbs I suppose... I know some people count carbs and try to keep it under 20 - 30 grams a day and then others don't. I'm still not sure where I stand on that.

My main question right now is about what to mix Protein powder with, milk or Water. If I use milk (which I think makes the shake taste better), then I'm adding about 16 grams of carbs to the shake. Will this slow my weight loss down, or will it not make a big difference?

I'm just curious what some of you are mixing with, and if mixing with milk seems to make your weight loss slower?

Thanks!

I mix with milk and that is the one carb I don't worry about (I am down to one shake a day though). I try to stay away from white carbs (sugar, flour, starch) because if I don't I don't lose as well. I don't count them perse.

Thank you MeMe, I would prefer to mix with 1% or skim milk because it taste so much better to me, and you have done awesome so I'm hoping it works out as well for me! Thanks for your reply.

I mix mine with skim extra, 11g carbs per 8 oz. Or light soymilk. Protein drinks to me are horrible when mixed with Water, definitely worth the carbs. And milk/dairy is probably one of the only carbs you're going to have in any measurable amount for a while post-op, so no worries.

I don't worry about the carbs from milk, or the fat from dairy (I hate low at dairy products). I'm not really a milk drinker, and didn't touch the stuff for about 15 years, so anything more than fat free is just gross to me. I opt for sugar free or low fat/fat free with just about everything else.

I didn't start worrying about carbs until I started soft foods after surgery.

From the point of 10 days before my surgery and even now 10 days after, my dietician gave a 4 cup/day guideline of milk allowance. I use an excellent, pre-mix Protein drink called EAS - Carb control. I get it at Sams Club by the case for around $30. 17 grams of Carbs and less than 1 sugar.

Good luck to you next week!!

Thanks for the responses everyone! This helps a lot

I have been watching my carbs on my pre-op diet.... I had a choice of diets to choose from but I know my body and watching carbs is the fastest way for me to loose the 15 lbs that I committed to losing prior to surgery. If I do shakes I mix them with unsweetened Coconut Milk from a company called "So Delicious". Only 1 carb per serving and you can add some splenda if you want your shake sweet. There are also other products such as Calorie Countdown which only has 35 calories and 2 carbs. Also, I buy an Almond/Coconut milk combo that Wegmans sells.. I think the brand is called Almond Breeze. Even though I can drink regular milk I prefer Almond or Coconut milk versus regular milk. Plus it's more nutritious!! I'll never drink regular milk again!!! Too many options that taste better and are more nutritious!!

btw.. my surgery is April 16th and I have lost 12lbs on my pre-op diet.

Wishing you all the best!!

Thanks barrbdoll! This is great info. I will definitely try the coconut milk out.

I always went for the nutrition and never worried about the carbs - milk has a useful amount of Calcium and potassium in it that's well worth whatever carb count it may have (we're all supplementing calcium, but potassium is difficult to supplement without prescription.) Not being ultra low carb (I was typically 80-120g per day) didn't seem to bother my weight loss; at least I certainly didn't want to have lost any faster than I did, getting to goal in a little over seven months.

In regard carbs, the VSG is quite flexible when it comes to diet in that it has few outright requirements or limitations as is found with the RNY. If you have had past success with low carb or ketosis type diets like atkins, those will work quite well with the sleeve and many people have had good success with them post-op; but the sleeve also works well with more balanced diets or even low fat diets (though those aren't as fashionable these days as the low carb diets are.) Whatever helps you get adequate nutrition in (particularly Protein during the loss phase) and keep the calories in check will work just fine.

Yeah I know what you mean when you say nutrition over the carbs...I have mixed feelings about it. I have been on low carb diets in the past and I seem to have an easier time losing on low carb but at the same time I feel like I'm missing out on important nutrients. I'm leaning towards just cutting out the white breads and pastas, and refined junk carbs and not worrying so much about dairy, fruits and whole grains.

I am about 5 weeks out and I haven't really started to worry about carbs yet. At first you can only get in so much and trust me, as long as your motto is protien first you won't be able to get much carbs in lol. Im on soft foods 1 1/2 eggs or 2 oz. of tilapia or any kind of protien make me SO full. I can't even think about carbs LOL.

tasherie, that is good to hear and it looks like you are doing great! I don't want to stress about carbs in addition to making sure I get enough fluids in, so I think for now I will not worry about it.