Bread and Biscuits post op

[Dee951 28]

I'm a little over a week post op and I would love veggies! I would love veggies with my fish that I was just cleared to eat. After my first consultation with the surgeon he was very strict on no bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes and so on that I was starting to get use to no bread and so on. So I think I can wait on the bread, toast and all that. It kind of annoyed me that mashed potatoes are on my soft foods list I worked so had to say no lol. I love how some people say in moderation! That's the key to this retraining ourselves to make better choices and even if you do mess up alittle remember moderation.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I forget if I've already responded to this thread, but have been wanting to say this ...

I think the title of this thread put my back up a little because bread and biscuits (and other "bready" foods) are a slippery slope for me.

Having grown up in the South and "enjoyed" for decades the delicious Southern foods that made me fat, I honestly can't think of anything less nutritious than a white-flour biscuit.

For instance, here's the nutritional value of the biscuit with which we're probably all most familiar (a McDonalds biscuit):

Calories - 260

Carbohydrates - 33 g

Fats - 12 g (including 7g of saturated fat)

Protein - 5 g

Sodium - 740 mg

Fiber - 2 g

For those of you familiar with other foods' nutritional values, you will recognize immediately that these values SUCK!

The deal about VSG surgery is that the first 3-6 months post-op are the months during which we have the greatest restriction. We really can't eat all that much. Therefore, we should (for recovery and overall health reasons) be trying to eat food that's most nutritious for us. Hence, the post-op instrucs: Protein first, then veggies, fruits and (if you have room) WHOLE grains.

Biscuits are none of those things. They are pure slider, over-processed carbs.

And yes, eventually, we should aim for moderation in all things -- except for those things that drive our bodies and brains to over-indulgence. But for those still focused on losing weight, why in the world would we want to build biscuits into our regular menus?

As always, others' mileage will surely vary.

[Debbie Jean 406]

I agree with previous post. I LOVE carby food but I recognize that it must be kept in check. I am pleased for everyone that finds success without concerns for carbs but that isn't my reality. I lost the first hundred or so without worrying about carbs but for me to get to normal size...well... I needed to limit carbs.

I am completely fine with people disagreeing - I am simply sharing my reality.

I'm comfortable with people disagreeing with me as well. I shared my reality. Just to clarify here. No one said (I certainly didn't) it is my intention to eat or encourage anyone post WLS to eat "without concerns for carbs" "without worrying about carbs".

The question was about having a piece of bread. I consider a piece of toast with an egg an indulgence not something I do constantly and certainly not because I have no concern about carb consumption. My tummy doesn't rebel and I don't do it often.

Your "indulgence" for working hard may be different. Heck, you may be so disciplined that you never have and never will allow yourself an indulgence.

At 62 my wild eating days are behind me. Late in the game, I've learned to appreciate my health. As a reformed diabetic I don't do chocolate but I can certainly understand how that might be the occasional indulgence for someone else. And I wouldn't automatically assume it meant their overall eating showed that they didn't worry about their carb consumption. ????

Edited February 7, 2015 by Debbie Jean

[LSF 264]

When things were going well with my lapband - a typical meal would be a slice of whole wheat toast with either tuna fish or chicken salad in top with a slice if melted cheese on top. That would be my entire meal and I was losing weight back then. As the years went by, that meal wasn't filling enough for me. Now I just got the sleeve, probably won't try that for quite some time but eventually would like to

[JamieLogical 8,727]

At five months post-op, I really can't wrap my head around the idea of having room for bread. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have managed most of an open-faced egg sandwich on a tiny piece of whole grain bread (only ate 3/4 of the bread) a couple of times. But those few times I was SO FULL. My physical restriction is the reason I don't eat carbs, not any real fear of the effects carbs might have on my weight loss. I simply don't have room for them if I'm going to get all my Protein in.

[Babbs 14,681]

At almost 6 months out, I stay away from bread for the most part....EXCEPT when when I'm trying to break a stall. Then I will indulge a little in a piece of white or whole wheat bread with my Protein for a day or so...and it ALWAYS seems to do the trick! I guess it's just enough to shake things up and break the stall. After that, it's back to protein and veggies

[roundisashape 712]

I had one bit of bread at about a month out and it felt like it got stuck. I'll be 11 weeks on Tuesday and ate 1/4 of a roll at dinner on vacation last week and it was fine. I was told it could be a little harder to digest and toasting it changes something in the composition of the bread that makes it easier - I don't know how accurate that is. Haven't tried it myself, since I don't own a toaster, lol.

[aSleeveStory 128]

So far, nothing that is within my plan has bothered me and the few things that are outside of my plan that I have tried have gone down fine as well.

Am I lucky or unlucky?

Mostly lucky, considering some of the things I've read on here.

I'm on the lucky train too haven't vomited or had any serious discomfort. Only two things have bothered me... a cheeseburger (no bun) which was pretty greasy... caused a pretty nasty run to the bathroom, and just yesterday, some icing from my wife's birthday cake. It was too sweet, and again today I had the bathroom run. But other than that -- nada.

[tomi71 581]

I indulge in a piece of bread every now and again. It is flat bread and usually a high-fiber low carb whole wheat tortilla. I don't finish the whole thing and will pick the Protein and veggies out of it first. A little bit of bread carbs is unlikely to hurt you, provided you can stomach it. Just don't let it get the upper hand as carbs are want to do sometimes. As long as you are exercising, especially if you are lifting weights,and eating those Proteins and plant-based healthy carbs you should be ok. I also eat oatmeal and so far so good.

I won't try rice or Pasta because I am too afraid too and I know Pasta and rice are trigger foods for me so those I keep clear of. That's the nice th ing about this surgery and having a low pain threshold, one look at certain foods and my stomach is telling me hellz no!

Edited February 10, 2015 by tomi71

[AgentShepard 88]

My four-month surgiversary is Feb. 17. My little tummy is apparently made of cast-Iron, because very little bothers me. I can eat almost anything except for tough/dry meat (I can eat a filet mignon but not a sirloin - nice problem to have!)

In my pre-op classes, they taught us a technique that I found very useful - when you're eating, take three bites of Protein, two bites of veggies, and one bite of starch. Repeat until full (not very many repetitions for us!) This way you can still feel like you're eating a real meal with the rest of the family, but your Protein is still priority.

Here is how I deal with bread and bread-adjacent foods:

1) look for lower-calorie, higher-protein substitutes if what I'm looking for is mainly crunch - there's a product made from cheese and quinoa called Mr. cheese O's that I really like. A few of those are even better then croutons in a Soup or salad and give some protein and Calcium.

2) I only eat bread if it's REALLY SPECIAL bread, and I only eat a little tiny bit. So, like, just a bite of the biscuit, and not every day - just once in a while.

3) drier/crispier is easier. Soft/fresh bread feels a bit gummy/heavy in the tummy still.

4) I log everything I eat and balance on the fly. So if I have had a really good day and I'm over my protein for the day, I can choose something for dinner that's a little more carby or indulgent. Alternately, if I know that there is a special occasion that say and I might want to have something lower-protein, I make sure to offset it with really low-carb, high-protein eating the rest of the day.

5) When you try something new, have just a nibble and let it sit for a while before eating more - every once in a while my first nibble of a new food will send the NOPE signal and I just won't have any more of it.

6) Avoid things that come on Buns. Toooooooo much bread. If you are in a bind and have no choice but to eat something like a sandwich, make it extra thick with protein filling so you get a higher protein ratio in each bite, because you won't be able to take many bites.

Everyone has to find the routine they can live with. If it's really important to you to be able to eat biscuits, it is completely possible to eat biscuits in a way that works with your eating plan.

People on this site tend to be either "austerity" people or "moderation" people, which is fine, because everyone is different, and what works for you might not work for me. The important thing is to track, see how things go, and be open to adapting if something isn't working.

[Rogofulm 2,440]

People on this site tend to be either "austerity" people or "moderation" people, which is fine, because everyone is different, and what works for you might not work for me.

What a perfect way to say it, @@AgentShepard! Wish I'd thought of that, and I'm definitely stealing it!

Signed,

Austerity Guy

[Terribj 208]

I am 11 months out and can't eat bread - I also have no desire to eat bread. I'll have a saltine every once in a while, but I can't eat bread - it is just too painful.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I'd say there are:

The Austerity People,

The Moderation People and

The Nobody's the Boss of Me People Who Can't Tell the Difference between Moderation and I Want It, I Eat it.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

My catagory depends on the day. I think I am your basic hedonist who keeps a lid on it more often than not...

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I'd say there are:

The Austerity People,

The Moderation People and

The Nobody's the Boss of Me People Who Can't Tell the Difference between Moderation and I Want It, I Eat it.

Oh lawd.... There's another category I want to add SO bad but I promised to be good.