I'm interesting in doing "Atkins" of sorts. I'm dying of sorts because I don't like to follow rules. I'm going to start low carbs, high proteins, moderate fat. This is sort of what is already recommended so idk why many ppl turn up their nose at "Atkins" IMO Atkins is not a "fad" since I know many people who have lost weight this way. I don't plan to follow rules to a T so I'm bit going to say I'm following this diet. My problem was always that when on this diet I was so hungry then last time after losing 15lbs I found out I was pregnant... Idk just looking for input

I think low carb is interesting, as well. I have tried to go very low carb (from 60 g a day to 20-40 g a day), but since I eat a lot of vegetarian Protein and dairy, I just couldn't get that low. I don't eat bread or Pasta or rice, etc. but Beans, nuts and dairy have carbs (also lots of fiber). That's just me, though. Still, 60g a day of carbs is not bad.

I think there is a lot of really interesting new research on relatively high fat diets, too, like half your calories from fats, while keeping carbs low. Again, been trying to go that route, but even though I don't watch my fats at all, I rarely eat more than 35 g of fat a day. Higher fats increase satiety and healthy fats are not bad for your heart or cholesterol, and can even improve it.

At this point, I would say I am relatively Low Carb. Low Carb is a very sustainable way to eat, pretty easy to do, and one I plan to keep up with after my weight loss phase. I spent a lot of years addicted to carbs (bread especially) and I just don't want to go back to that.

I have thought about going low carb because it seems to be the easiest way to lose weight for me. But for now, I am trying to eat everything in moderation while still following the lap band rules and hoping that the weight will come off without "dieting". I like to be able to have a sandwich or fruit without stressing about it too much.

If I find that once I am in the green zone and the weight wont budge, then I will try low carb.

Personally, I think bansters are relatively low carb to begin with if we follow the lapband rules and the fact that we really can't eat a lot of volume.

Edited February 25, 201412 yr by jennybean

I was on the low carb/ liver shrink diet prop and there are so many different ways of incorporating it into your lifestyle afterwards. I don't think I will be as strict about as before but it's a good idea and there are a ton of recipes too, this one on Facebook has me hooked called Low Carbing among friends. And it's easy to get your family invoked too :-)

Sorry my typing is off lol I'm on pain meds right now

I did Atkins back in 2003 and managed to lose 170+ pounds but I could not sustain it. I was depriving myself of the things I liked. I never shifted through the different phases properly. I stuck with induction for 19 months and lost the weight but then I started eating again and eating the things I went with out for a very long time. Long term deprivation does not work.

Atkins is a good way to lose weight but I recommend following the program completely because in my experience it was nothing but deprivation and long term will lead to failure. I often wonder had I done it properly if I could've avoided WLS.

As for life now I don't follow any particular diet outside of portion control and moderation.

Here is my short and sweet answer: low carb it as low as you can during the first 6 months and then start introducing complex carbs over a couple months. Low carb instructs your body to burn stored fat as fuel instead of carbs from food. Don't do it forever because it is hardly sustainable (for both muscles and brain), but a great tool during those initial months when optimization of weight loss is key. By low carb, try 20-40 carbs a day, keep your protein macro high and the fat macro should take care of itself (obviously, do not eat high fat) . This approach is not for everyone, but if you can do it, the weight will fall off fast. Really fast. It is key to introduce the complex carbs slowly as you increase calories slowly after month 6 (your body will go "carbs, what are those?" And store them if too fast). Eat the good stuff like steel oats, quinoa, fiber one, beans, lentils, etc.

Edited February 25, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

I've found carbs to be both a friend and enemy....depending on how they are used. Every person seems to have their own unique sensitivity to carbs, so there's that complicated variable. I also think that during the first several months post-op (major weight loss phase), they should probably be very limited. Just my opinion, but during this phase, macro priorities seem to be... #1-Protein, #2-Healthy Fats and #3-Carbs (limited to veggie types and "slow carbs"). During this phase, it seems nearly impossible to actually build muscle during this rapid weight loss, so protein is key to help retain the muscle. Once the weight stabilizes somewhat and if you are wanting to build muscle and add strength, introducing some "slow carbs" like broccoli, oats, some Beans, quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc can go a long way towards helping build muscle. Actually, you need both protein and complex carbs to build muscle/strength and for recovery after long cardio sessions. So in this way, they (carbs) are very beneficial. I make sure to add in these complex carbs on days I do resistance training, which is every day but Sunday and sometimes on Wednesdays. I'll eat mostly protein and complex carbs for at least the first 2 meals after my workout. These carbs at this time will almost entirely (based on my experience), go towards replacing glycogen, muscle and recovery and not stored as fat. Other than after exercise, I'll scale back the carbs or eliminate them and get in more healthy fats (on my non-workout days). I think where we get into trouble is adding in too many carbs, especially the simple carbs like bread, white Pasta and sugary foods. Long answer short on carbs......."it's complicated". So basically it depends on how they are used........I know, that's a lot of pressure, but if you stick with the complex carbs on days you exercise and scale back on days that you don't.....you'll probably be ok. Just be in tuned with your own body's sensitivity to them and know how much you need. Good luck!

Fiddleman and aroundhky- nice explanation of what can be a confusing topic for some. I am 8 weeks out and I am focused on getting in protein (70-80 grams) and keeping carbs below 50. It is working so far, down 50 lbs since surgery.

Atkins has been very good to me twice, and then I soon as I ate that first potato, it was all over and the weight quickly came back. So I know this time that carbs have to be let out of their cage on an extremely limited basis for me. Recently I have become familiar with the concepts of the Primal Blueprint, which is very similar to the Caveman approach to eating and exercise. Since I am already post-op low carb out of necessity, Primal is not such a stretch. One adjustment that I have had to make since my total calories are limited to 800, is to let green Beans and tomatoes become my fruit most of the time. Probably when I get to goal I can re-examine the whole plan for maintenance.

The exercise program makes a lot of sense too, and it is something I can do. You can check it out at primalblueprint.com.

Similar to what Miss Mac mentioned and others...

I'm somewhat following my own blend of Atkins, South Beach, and Paleo / Primal. Essentially all low carb / high protein diets. Paleo / Prinal is easier for me to follow but some pure strictness is impossible for me to follow perfectly. So I'm somewhat of a blend of the 3/4.

This pretty much fits into the diet that is outlined for most of us.

First...I'm a Bander...2nd...I do not count calories, carbs, etc....

But it is interesting, that for almost 3 years, there are certain foods that are not band friendly with me...in other words, highly likely to have stuck episodes....

And these foods happen to be high carb foods....pasta, rice, potatoes, breads and other flour based foods, anything deep fried, and some dairy products....to name but a few....

Just happens that I avoid high carb foods not intentionally, but because they are not compatible with the band...My band that is....so like other things, it comes naturally...

Edited February 26, 201412 yr by B-52

I am an expert on no one's surgery but my own (and by my own, I mean ME and what my NUT and surgeon have done, not sleevers in general), but basically what I've been told to follow for life is high protein/low carb. More of South Beach than Atkins, but the same general idea with healthy complex carbs in place of no carbs.

I too am a bandster. I would really like to see my first short term goal of 25 lbs down by the end of March...which is another 6 lbs away. I don't think thats too much to ask for. Yes I weigh and measure but I dont trust measuring as an accurate way since you can never measure EXACTLY the same place you did before. I have always been dependant on the numbers because when I lose it seems to show, for some people it doesnt. We will see how it goes when I start exercising though. My opinion may change. As of now, I just did a keto-stick and I am on the borderline of moderate and heavy ketosis...woohoooooo!! To me that is exciting to see! Now I know I am burning fat and not muscle : ) hoping to see those 6 lbs melt off! I have always wanted to stick to low-carb for longer but felt so darn hungry. Now with the band I dont have to worry about the hunger : ) awesome!

My opinion? It works!

My surgeon guided us to moderate carbs and in the beginning I didn't worry much about it. My weight loss started crawling... at about 8 months out. I had ALOT to lose (over 150) so that was concerning to me. I faced two things - I was eating too many carbs, mostly in the form of Quest Protein bars (my brilliant NUT pointed that one out) AND my own internal resistance to getting to normal size. Once i faced both of those issues - I got to goal.

I eat low carb much of the time, and so it depends on your perspective if you think I am extreme. I am in maintenance now after losing 160#. i eat bread or potatos maybe, maybe once a month at most. I really never eat noodles or rice. I do go out sometimes and have a drink (carbs) and apps (usually more protein based). I don't count carbs anymore, but basically I live a low/moderate carb lifestyle MOST of the time and so far it is working.

Now, not everyone is so carb sensitive. I get HUNGRY when I eat alot of carbs - even fruit. all those sugars trigger a hunger response so it is not just the carb count itself, it is appetite management. I am over 2 years out and my hunger is definately present.

My whole lapband team does low carbs. We all are on high protein low carbs. Carbs turn to sugar. Sugar turns to fat. Protein keeps you full and is good for your muscle, after 4 years, I slipped some carbs in, big mistake on my part. Wishing you good luck.