Carbs often get the blame for weight gain and for plateaus. There is good reason for that, since some of the highest-calorie, lowest-nutrient foods are carb-heavy. White bread, crackers, Pasta, chips, and rice are all packed with starches, while soft drinks, ice cream, cakes, Cookies, and jam are laden with sugar.

Your diet plan after weight loss surgery likely limits carbs, but different plans and patients approach the limits in different ways. Some plans suggest counting carbs, while others simply suggest cutting back on low-nutrient carbs while including moderate portions of higher-nutrient fare, such as oatmeal and other whole-grain cereals, whole-grain bread, sweet potatoes, fruit, and Beans.

As you move through the weight loss surgery journey, how have you approached carbs? Did you begin by minimizing your intake? Do you count them? Do you think of all carbs as “bad,” or do you distinguish between different kinds? How has your approach changed as you have moved through the WLS journey? Do you count carb grams?

Share your carb strategies here!

my program is pretty balanced, and I'm *very* compliant. I don't count carbs, but I'm supposed to avoid simple carbs (sugars, starches) and have moderate amounts of complex ones (fruit, beans, whole grains)

Minimized/ignored them the first two months. But when I started heavier workouts the NUT was very insistent that I start adding steel cut oatmeal to my plan. I track, and make sure it is a distant third in my caloric profile. But I really am adamant in avoiding white flower.

I lost a decent amount of weight (before surgery) by adjusting my macros in my fitness pal. I did 15% carbs 50% Protein and 35% fat for a 1200 calorie diet. I definitely lost weight much faster cutting back on the carbs. Im only about 3 weeks post op, so im not stressing carbs yet because my meals are so tiny. When i can eat again, ill probably stick with the 15% carbs until i make goal weight. For maintaining weight, i read that 30%-50% should be carbs.

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Honestly i am confused about carbs right now being fresh out of the starting line it is main Protein. My nut however says further down the line i will be able to have some carbs where im confused is how much she tends to keep these things a secret until i reach my next level. But in our preop class she told us that if we had to do carbs go whole grain sparingly no sugar.

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Im lost where i stand with fruit surely she will okay it for me but with her i dont know everything i have learned on my own and here from newbies and vets is completely different.

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I don't count carbs.

When I eat too much carbs and not enough Protein I tend to get diarrhea. If I don't eat enough carbs, I feel sluggish. If I eat too much fat, I tend to get a stomach ache. If I don't eat enough fat, I feel cold and restless.

In general I feel best when I balance out carbs-fat-protein quite even. It's not only a matter of the weight going down but also how I feel in general and how good my digestion works.

I count my carbs and that includes the ones in the protein drink, vitamin gummies, seed/nuts everything. I try to keep it below 50 g to keep my body in ketosis. When I went over that I was in a weight loss plateau for 3 wks wondering why I wasn't losing weight. Now I keep my carbs low, calories higher, and protein higher and I am back on track. BTW I am only 2 months post-op.

Beans here get eaten, no matter what people think of the carbs. Rather than think of protein in it, the fiber you need for colon health and cancer prevention lines of thought, most are still too attached to it is only for carbs. Yet they'll eat fries, want to drink beer, etc.

Regardless of weight loss impact, reducing carbs diminishes my cravings. That is huge for me and so important as I struggle to create new behaviors.

I'm still in weight loss phase. I am trying to walk that fine line between low carb and ketosis. I don't want to be in ketosis all the time. Right now, I'm getting carbs from vegetables, fruit and Beans. When I hit maintenance, I'll add starchy vegetables back in. I haven't decided on my stance on grains yet.

I've been feeling more energetic (and warm) since I added more fat into my diet.

I use complex carbs, balanced macros plan. 30-35%carb, 25-30%fat, 40%protein. Works no matter what stage you are at. My dietician wants my carbs up higher, but it will get there shortly when I'm able to eat more.

Edited January 15, 20179 yr by Travelher

Carbs are my enemy and I don't always know how to handle them.

First, I'm old school. Back when a carb was strictly a starch. Not a fruit or a veg. So, in my head when I hear carbs I may not be thinking the same thing everyone else is.

Second, I try to avoid starches as much as possible but it's really hard. At work, when the company buys lunches (which luckily isn't that often), they get pizza. I try to make sure they get some with chicken on it so I just eat the toppings and throw the crust away. It is amazing how many times I am in a situation where the group food is pizza. Not just at work but in extra curricular activities/meetings, etc. It's almost always pizza. It's easy, it gets delivered, and it is fairly cheap when feeding a lot of people. And it is easy to eat on paper plates.

I have a group of friends--one is a vegetarian, one doesn't eat seafood, I eat the way I am trying to eat here, etc. Again, Pasta always seems to be everyone's answer to what to bring to a dinner or brunch. In fact, it will happen today! I can guarantee the vegetarian will bring a vegetarian lasagna! Luckily, there will be scrambled eggs so I'll have that with some hot sauce on them. And then I'm good.

Third, it seems that fruit and some veg are now considered carbs. I do have fruit and veg. For veg, I try to stay with celery, radishes, red and green peppers, onions, tomatoes. Those are all my go to veggies. I LOVE fruit but try to keep it to a minimum. But I don't freak out over too much fruit since it is a rare thing.

Fourth. The one thing that really keeps me going on staying away from carbs as much as possible (though I do have some starch on occasion) is that before surgery, I had legs, ankles, and feet that were swollen with fluid--so swollen I could barely get my shoes on!! Lymphedema I guess it is called, or pitted edema actually. If I pressed my thumb into my leg/ankle/foot, it would stay pressed in for a bit after I removed my thumb. That is all gone now!!!!! This is the biggest thrill for me and it keeps me going. When I was in my late teens, early twenties, my legs/ankles/feet were my best asset and I have them back! You have no idea how "Huge" this is! (yes, pun intended). I attribute it to the carbs.

I have stopped counting grams of anything so this topic made me realize I have to get back to basics and start counting again!!

But I hate carbs, I fear carbs, I wish all the fun and easy food weren't carby.

Carbs are my enemy and I don't always know how to handle them.

First, I'm old school. Back when a carb was strictly a starch. Not a fruit or a veg. So, in my head when I hear carbs I may not be thinking the same thing everyone else is.

Second, I try to avoid starches as much as possible but it's really hard. At work, when the company buys lunches (which luckily isn't that often), they get pizza. I try to make sure they get some with chicken on it so I just eat the toppings and throw the crust away. It is amazing how many times I am in a situation where the group food is pizza. Not just at work but in extra curricular activities/meetings, etc. It's almost always pizza. It's easy, it gets delivered, and it is fairly cheap when feeding a lot of people. And it is easy to eat on paper plates.

I have a group of friends--one is a vegetarian, one doesn't eat seafood, I eat the way I am trying to eat here, etc. Again, Pasta always seems to be everyone's answer to what to bring to a dinner or brunch. In fact, it will happen today! I can guarantee the vegetarian will bring a vegetarian lasagna! Luckily, there will be scrambled eggs so I'll have that with some hot sauce on them. And then I'm good.

Third, it seems that fruit and some veg are now considered carbs. I do have fruit and veg. For veg, I try to stay with celery, radishes, red and green peppers, onions, tomatoes. Those are all my go to veggies. I LOVE fruit but try to keep it to a minimum. But I don't freak out over too much fruit since it is a rare thing.

Fourth. The one thing that really keeps me going on staying away from carbs as much as possible (though I do have some starch on occasion) is that before surgery, I had legs, ankles, and feet that were swollen with fluid--so swollen I could barely get my shoes on!! Lymphedema I guess it is called, or pitted edema actually. If I pressed my thumb into my leg/ankle/foot, it would stay pressed in for a bit after I removed my thumb. That is all gone now!!!!! This is the biggest thrill for me and it keeps me going. When I was in my late teens, early twenties, my legs/ankles/feet were my best asset and I have them back! You have no idea how "Huge" this is! (yes, pun intended). I attribute it to the carbs.

I have stopped counting grams of anything so this topic made me realize I have to get back to basics and start counting again!!

But I hate carbs, I fear carbs, I wish all the fun and easy food weren't carby.

Yeah, that is an old school view of carbs...when I talk about carbs, it is all carbs, including those in fruit and vegetables. almost all of my carbs come from berries and a small bit from 1/4 cup of oatmeal in the morning. I avoid all wheat as that is a gateway food for me. Potatoes are the same, so I avoid.

I hear you about work events!!! I went to my office Christmas party on Friday. I heard there was a taco bar and figured...ok I'll find something there to eat, maybe some shredded chicken, have it with tomatoes and lettuce...well NOPE the taco bar was either pulled pork (can you say, sugar?) and the alternative was fish...sounds like a good option, nope the fish was battered and deep fried.

I was stuck eating marinated artichokes which were higher in fat than I would normally like, and frankly not very good. It was disappointing.

Edited January 15, 20179 yr by Travelher

I eat very little carbs that only come from Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or spinach and What ever carbs are in cottage cheese or yogurt.

I keep my Protein up and eat tuna or chicken or beef mince at every meal which are 3 times a day..

I keep my fats up which are from olive and coconut oil, avocado and what ever is in the dairy n meats.

I don't eat fruit unless occasionally it's a half a banana in a Protein Drink.

I will not be eating breads, rice, Pasta or grains ( maybe a few grains) for as long as I can....

I have been reading up on Dr Eric Berg whom explained a hell of a lot on ketosis.. and for me it will be the way to go.

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And do I miss carbs such as Vegemite on toast and buttered rolls n biscuits with a cuppa????? Absobloodylootly!!!..

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I count my carbs and that includes the ones in the protein drink, vitamin gummies, seed/nuts everything. I try to keep it below 50 g to keep my body in ketosis. When I went over that I was in a weight loss plateau for 3 wks wondering why I wasn't losing weight. Now I keep my carbs low, calories higher, and protein higher and I am back on track. BTW I am only 2 months post-op.

Do you count the carbs in fruit? I drink a lot of fresh squeezed orange juice and am a bit confused on whether those carbs take you out of ketosis.