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Recommended grams of carbs and sugars?



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Hello, my name is Cassie and I am a member of this website. Tomorrow will mark my 15 post-op anniversary and I have a question I have been anxiously trying to find answers for and have been unsuccessful in my search. I am hoping you can provide me with some answers. I was sent home from the hospital with a large booklet containing all I need to know about my operation, and everything to expect afterwards. Ideas, rules, charts etc. and I can't find anything in there. I am looking for what the RECOMMENDED grams of carbs and sugars that I can safely have each day. I have no idea what those numbers are, and I feel it's very important in continuing the process. I am 123 lbs. down and would like to either maintain or possibly lose another 5 or so. (I'm only afraid of losing more due to the horribly excessive "leftovers" of that kind of weight loss.) I am 57 years old. If you could give me an answer for this, I would be very appreciative.

Many thanks and have a wonderful day!

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people's food plans vary quite a lot on this. Mine doesn't have limits at all - they just said to avoid simple carbs (sugar, white flour, rice, etc) and limit complex carbs (fruits, whole grains, etc). I usually eat 80-100 carbs a day, and the dietitian said that was fine.

other programs are ultra-low carb - e.g., limiting people to like 40 carbs a day.

I'm kind of glad mine is more of a moderate-carb program, because I don't think I could sustain ultra-low carb for very long.

a couple of things to keep in mind:

1) some people are really carb sensitive - eating carbs makes them crave even more carbs. If you're one of those, you might want to limit your carbs even if your program doesn't require it (I'm not particularly carb sensitive)

2) carbs require a lot of Water to metabolize. When you cut back a lot on carbs, you lose a lot of Water because you don't need it since you're not eating many carbs. When you add them back in, your body starts hanging on to water again because it needs it to metabolize the carbs. So at least some of the additional weight you can lose by severely limiting your carbs is really just water.

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people's food plans vary quite a lot on this. Mine doesn't have limits at all - they just said to avoid simple carbs (sugar, white flour, rice, etc) and limit complex carbs (fruits, whole grains, etc). I usually eat 80-100 carbs a day, and the dietitian said that was fine.

other programs are ultra-low carb - e.g., limiting people to like 40 carbs a day.

I'm kind of glad mine is more of a moderate-carb program, because I don't think I could sustain ultra-low carb for very long.

a couple of things to keep in mind:

1) some people are really carb sensitive - eating carbs makes them crave even more carbs. If you're one of those, you might want to limit your carbs even if your program doesn't require it (I'm not particularly carb sensitive)

2) carbs require a lot of Water to metabolize. When you cut back a lot on carbs, you lose a lot of Water because you don't need it since you're not eating many carbs. When you add them back in, your body starts hanging on to water again because it needs it to metabolize the carbs. So at least some of the additional weight you can lose by severely limiting your carbs is really just water.

of course, I meant my program doesn't have *specific*, numerical limits on carbs. My guidelines were just to avoid the simple ones, and limit the complex ones.

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I am 3 years post-op from RNY surgery. This is my approach during the maintenance phase. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

RNY surgery is different than sleeve. In RNY you have to limit the fats and sugars for the first year or you will generally experience dumping syndrome. But after that time they can be introduced back into ones diet because the intestines learn to adapt and take of the function from the stomach.

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@@Cassie111

I also have a book, with all kinds of nutritional information and outlines, but besides limits on the amount of sugar in Protein shakes that is allowed, there are no carb recommendations.

I am below 25 net carbs most days, and always below 50.

You have to find a way of eating that works for you. I eat low carb leaning towards Keto. I eat this way because I enjoy it and it is sustainable for a lifetime for me.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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