I can't deal with carbs. I ate mashed potatoes today and now all I want to do is eat. I haven't but I want to. I don't think I ever safely eat carbs again. Specifically potatoes or white rice or especially pasta unless it's whole grain. Sigh...oh well.

In the past year I haven't touched potatoes, rice, bread, or pasta. (Something I once thought was impossible.) It's amazing how not having it reduced the craving. I have zero desire for starchy carbs. (But I do love my fruit carbs!)

Is it hard to avoid the starchy carbs in the beginning?

I find if I eat refined carbs (breads, sugars, etc) I want more and my hunger is worse.

I stick with whole foods. I don't eat a lot of bread, rice, pasta or potatoes - those will certainly trigger my hunger.

I honestly believe that the addiction to carbs is very similar to a drug addicts addiction to drugs. If I am eating carbs, I want to continue eating them....... I have withdrawel symptoms getting off of them (headaches and sleepiness). Once I'm off of them, the craving subsides and leaves me. I CANNOT have them in my house. I cook brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and sweet potatoes, but to be honest, I try to not eat too much of those either. And heaven forbid, I start talking about the sweets....... That would really put me in a tailspin. Best wishes as you try to break the carb cycle.

I haven't had any meaningful carbs since surgery. I know what a trigger feels like and carbs are it......so just pick a food that you like don't feel addicted to( like lunch meat or nuts) and use use that for a snack in place of carbs.....

Is it hard to avoid the starchy carbs in the beginning?

One thing I've learned is every surgeon is different but my eating phases was week 1 clear liquids, week 2 cream soups, week 3 potatoes. So it wasn't until the start of week 4 that I could eat chicken and tuna but I could have eggs, beans and soft fruit and veggies.

I haven't had any meaningful carbs since surgery. I know what a trigger feels like and carbs are it......so just pick a food that you like don't feel addicted to( like lunch meat or nuts) and use use that for a snack in place of carbs.....

I can't have lunch meat or nuts for 2 more weeks but I can have tuna and canned chicken.

I honestly believe that the addiction to carbs is very similar to a drug addicts addiction to drugs. If I am eating carbs, I want to continue eating them....... I have withdrawel symptoms getting off of them (headaches and sleepiness). Once I'm off of them, the craving subsides and leaves me. I CANNOT have them in my house. I cook brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and sweet potatoes, but to be honest, I try to not eat too much of those either. And heaven forbid, I start talking about the sweets....... That would really put me in a tailspin. Best wishes as you try to break the carb cycle.

My 2 week pre-op diet was all you could eat meat, nuts, and cheese. I was in total carb detox. I had no idea I was that addicted. It really sucks.

I find if I eat refined carbs (breads, sugars, etc) I want more and my hunger is worse.

I stick with whole foods. I don't eat a lot of bread, rice, pasta or potatoes - those will certainly trigger my hunger.

I swear that I feel like a recovering alcoholic. No joke.

In the past year I haven't touched potatoes, rice, bread, or pasta. (Something I once thought was impossible.) It's amazing how not having it reduced the craving. I have zero desire for starchy carbs. (But I do love my fruit carbs!)

That's exactly what I am going to have to do. Just put the bottle down...I mean, potatoes. Lol

Yep. I guess some people can have them in moderation and be fine, but I have learned I am NOT one of those people. I have to completely stay away from breads, rice, pasta, fried foods, etc. I'm just not one who can have a little and then walk away. It is a definite trigger and can lead to weeks of struggle. It is not worth it to me. I have worked with my nutritionist to identify "safe carbs" to work into my diet like fruit carbs rather than empty "trigger" carbs.

Yeah, for some reason fruit doesn't really trigger me, but pasta will make me hungrier the next day. The absolute WORST for me is crackers. They will trigger munchies for the next 3 days, I swear. Plus they make me a bloat monster.

I wish everyone with heavy-duty carb craving issues would read all of your posts over and over again until it sinks in! Many people do not believe (OR CHOOSE to ignore) that the more refined starchy carbs you eat, the more your body continues to crave them. Thanks for the reinforcement!

Yeah, for some reason fruit doesn't really trigger me, but pasta will make me hungrier the next day. The absolute WORST for me is crackers. They will trigger munchies for the next 3 days, I swear. Plus they make me a bloat monster.

I got a thing for saltines. Nothing else really jumps out at me but those dang salty saltines!

My surgeon told me about a study in which refined carbs produce the same chemical reaction to the brain as heroine so yes it really is addictive.