addiction to carbs/need advice

[sbg224 318]

I was sleeved 8/3, and down about 79lbs including pre-op. I was really doing well until 12/22 when I had my right total knee replacement. Pain I never could have imagined, even to date still unfortunately taking norco 2 x day for pain. I think if we were allowed anti-inflammatories it would make a big difference. Anyway, I was eating so little, pain and nausea, I started feeling sorry for myself and started indulging in some carbs. I am eating tacos, quesadillas, bread, etc. Truthfully not too bad, I am not indulging in cake, or anything like that, but I really do feel it hastens the weight loss. I always felt like a slow loser to begin with, so I am so mad at myself for doing this. I cannot believe, after the withdrawal from the sugar and carbs, took about a week after surgery with bad headaches, I craved them and let myself go back to them.

Saw doc last week, and he said, yes now you are allowed, bread, rice and Pasta, but I have seen it quite a bit sabotage the work my patients have done, including you,you have done so well so stop it, he was serious but in a very nice way. I thought, oh I've got this, done it before, I will do it again, but man it's not as easy as it sounds.

Anyway looking to anyone who may have gone through this or anyone with advice, and just saying knock it off is not so easy. I do feel less nausea and my calories are back up and my Protein, so I have cut back, but still craving those crunchy carbs, like crackers, and something sweet now and then. Thanks for any advice or comments

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

For me, the only way to not crave carbs is to not eat carbs. Going cold turkey is hard. I would caution you to make sure that if and when you eat carbs, make sure they are healthy. Avoid starches and added sugar.

If you must feel you must eat something off plan, then try making sure you eat something on plan first, preferably protein-based.

If you feel you MUST eat something crunchy then eat something healthy like raw vegetables.

It is hard, but if you are like me, the sooner you get starches out of your system the less you will crave them.

[FrankyG 1,450]

I slid into eating too many carbs once I started baking again. Homemade bread is sooo tasty.

I had to do a hard reset and went on the 5 day pouch test to detox from the carbs. It worked really well and now when the carbs start taking over, I go do that reset again and it kills the cravings (and I'm tracking the foods that end up triggering the carb craving cycle; some I can eat one time and not feel anything about them and won't eat the again for weeks or even months, some I can eat once and end up craving them for every single meal)

http://5daypouchtest.com/

When I'm desperately craving crunchy, I indulge in a serving of Pork rinds (Aldi's hot and spicy). One half ounce, 7 grams Protein, zero carbs, 5 grams fat. The sodium is awful, so I make sure to drink extra Water that day, but the crunch and spicy are so satisfying and at least it is carb free!

My go to crunch is usually raw red pepper strips with chicken salad or carrots with side of hummus or tzatziki with greek yogurt. Very good!!

[Pescador 1,374]

What works for me is having NO bread, Pasta, crackers, tortilla chips, potatoes or packaged carbs like Mac and cheese in my house. If it is there I would eat it in a weak moment, maybe, but I cannot go there.

[Julie norton 2,850]

For me, a lot of the battle takes place at the grocery store. I do try to shop when I'm not hungry.... And mostly do the perimeter....mostly in the morning if I have time. (I know)

I just can't say no to certain foods as the day wears on... The tired me sometimes wins if I stock up on certain trigger foods. Then I'm sad the next day and try again.

It is a different mindset....

[BCs 1000 364]

What works for me is having NO bread, Pasta, crackers, tortilla chips, potatoes or packaged carbs like Mac and cheese in my house. If it is there I would eat it in a weak moment, maybe, but I cannot go there.

For those of us with kids, this is impossible. You need to find a way to resist even if the food is available. If I could spend the rest of my life at a health retreat, this journey would be much easier. Instead, every morning I have to make rounds of vegemite on toast which tests me considerably ????

OP, surely your activity level would have been affected with your surgery and subsequent pain. This would be contributing to your weight loss slowing.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Living with pain is very challenging.

[Pescador 1,374]

I sometimes forget so many are so many young mothers here. I am 69 and don't have to have those foods in my house. However, I have many young friends raising their children on organic food, foods without dyes, gluten free, and with no junk food. The food industry has us by the neck with fast foods and junk food.

[sbg224 318]

Thanks guys, and you are all right. I really need to not buy the carbs, I mean I did it and then just as I feared the stupid knee surgery interrupted the food and exercise plan I was on, and it is so easy to cave in. I gotta get back on track. Thanks again.

[lauraellen80 855]

I feel you! No surgery for me, but I've been battling a nasty stomach flu this week, and the only thing I could manage was toast. I tried to sip Protein shakes, but they just would not go down (or stay down!), so I decided that if it was between having the carbs or getting in no calories at all, the carbs would have to do. I'm right at the edge of the weight that my dietitian doesn't want me going below, so I can't afford to drop too much at this point.

And man, that toast was good! And my mother-in-law very kindly made a pot of chicken noodle Soup for us. I'm not completely back on my feed, and eating dense Protein is still a little iffy on my tummy, but I need to get back to my normal eating habits, or I'm going to get too used to having the carb-heavy stuff again!

[BCs 1000 364]

I sometimes forget so many are so many young mothers here. I am 69 and don't have to have those foods in my house. However, I have many young friends raising their children on organic food, foods without dyes, gluten free, and with no junk food. The food industry has us by the neck with fast foods and junk food.

We don't have any junk food in our house, but our kids do eat bread, rice and Pasta. I can't rid the house of those foods. They are all quite thin and need carbs as an energy source. I am the only one in our house that needs to eat less.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

For those of us with kids, this is impossible.

Kids don't buy groceries, parents do. Parents are in control of what comes in the house. Kids shouldn't be eating fake food like packaged mac and cheese anyway.

@@sbg224

If you want crunch, slice a really firm cucumber is cracker thick slices. You can season them and just eat them or you can use them like crackers and put toppings on them.

[BCs 1000 364]

bread, past and rice is bad for kids? I don't think so.

[jess9395 5,450]

I sometimes forget so many are so many young mothers here. I am 69 and don't have to have those foods in my house. However, I have many young friends raising their children on organic food, foods without dyes, gluten free, and with no junk food. The food industry has us by the neck with fast foods and junk food.

We don't have any junk food in our house, but our kids do eat bread, rice and Pasta. I can't rid the house of those foods. They are all quite thin and need carbs as an energy source. I am the only one in our house that needs to eat less.

I have kids and their way of eating has changed a LOT since my surgery and they have always been thin and don't need to diet (I have a growing teen boy who eats a TON lol!)

They now eat only whole wheat or sourdough (no sugar) bread and only two slices a day. They either have it at Breakfast and lunch is more Protein based (tuna salad, chicken salad, meat and cheese roll ups, etc) or they can have a sandwich at lunch. I no longer serve bread at dinner. Potatoes are once or twice a month as is Pasta. I can't remember when I last made rice! Sides are Beans and yams and veggies and salads. Lots of lean Protein, fruit and veggies. Lots of dairy. Whole wheat crackers and cheese (I am careful to buy crackers I don't particularly like LOL!), apples and Peanut Butter, tortilla chips (which luckily I don't care for) with salsa and guacamole, raw veggies wth homemade hummus or blue cheese Greek yogurt dressing.

Kids don't NEED pasta, rice, potatoes and bread.

[BCs 1000 364]

I never said they NEED bread, Pasta and rice. I did say they need carbs. You yourself have just listed several serves of carbs your kids eat each day, so I am not really sure what your point is.

It blows me away that we have all struggled with obesity yet many people claim to have a perfect diet. Even if you have it now, it is unlikely you had it before or you wouldn't be here.

I am the one who had/has the problem that needed a drastic solution. I am not pushing my new way of eating on my family and friends who have had, and remain to have, a very healthy relationship with food.

[jess9395 5,450]

I never said they NEED bread, Pasta and rice. I did say they need carbs. You yourself have just listed several serves of carbs your kids eat each day, so I am not really sure what your point is.

It blows me away that we have all struggled with obesity yet many people claim to have a perfect diet. Even if you have it now, it is unlikely you had it before or you wouldn't be here.

I am the one who had/has the problem that needed a drastic solution. I am not pushing my new way of eating on my family and friends who have had, and remain to have, a very healthy relationship with food.

Well I was responding to your other post saying "bread Pasta and rice is bad for kids? I don't think so."

I actually think too much of those things IS bad for kids. They are too quickly converted to sugar in the body and even though they are quite thin now my kids have my genes so I's rather they learn to avoid those particular carbs.

I have never claimed to have the perfect diet before or after but that's one of the reasons I want to encourage my kids to have a better diet now.

All the carbs I listed that they DO eat regularly I eat as well except for the bread and pasta and rice and they are a treat in our house so I usually keep them out of the house (one loaf of bread at a time).

You said....

"We don't have any junk food in our house, but our kids do eat bread, rice and pasta. I can't rid the house of those foods. They are all quite thin and need carbs as an energy source. I am the only one in our house that needs to eat less."

I do keep those things out of the house and keep carbs that are Ok for me to eat.

That's my point.