Carbs yes or no

[Hope4NewMe 167]

On 10/18/2022 at 7:43 PM, ms.sss said:

(Warning: this is long)

tldr; for ME, in MAINTENANCE, carbs consumption makes little difference to my weight.

K.

My NUT didn’t give me a carb goal/limit per se, but did instruct me to aim for my meals to consist of 25% carbs/starches (with another 25% being Protein and the remaining 50% to be low-glycemic veggies).

With that said, i did my own thing (and told her so): i ended up doing ultra-low carb, i.e., less than 25g NET carbs per day.

Got to goal in 7 months, remained carbophobic, lost a few more pounds and basically still went out of my way to avoid them. I wasn’t ultra-low carb as during weight loss phase, but i was still pretty low.

P.P.S. Sorry this was so long!

I appreciate all of the info! Its nice to see a full circle of how someone started and and got to goal and maintains. Its all very helpful and no post is too long. The idea of the surgery plus the Keto fat burning is why I'm so pro low carb in my head. I have done keto many times though (less than 40 carbs) and never lost any weight. I even used those ketone strips to make sure and they confirmed I was good, but even after doing the diet for 6 months, never lost more than 5 pounds. I never get the keto flu either, so I'm ok there but if it doesn't work for me, and you can maintain on higher amounts, I wonder if I can eat carbs and still be ok. I think I just have to try things out and see how it goes.

[Hope4NewMe 167]

20 hours ago, Afrankrn said:

.

I just know carbs are going to be my weakness. I have 0 hunger since sx but I still think about carbs (warm yeast rolls?! Honey butter croissants?! Yessssss). If I'm thinking about it while not being hungry at all, then I know it will be a disaster if I start eating it.

That is me! I am not hungry, I have no room because I'm constantly drinking Water and I still dream about bread and especially sweet breads. Same fear too of not being able to control the cravings when my hunger comes back.

[KimA-GA 540]

doing low carb of 50 total carbs now for pre op diet and it’s hard!! (If i could minus Fiber it wouldn’t be so bad) and it has caused some intermittent issues due to reduced fiber intake (consuming some supplements now that i don’t count towards my 50 total, but would much rather use dietary fiber in foods)

i went through the “keto flu” back in August (foggy head, achy feeling , low energy) in about three days.

I also was ravenously hungry early on. my brother suggested that I increase my fat intake and that did the trick. I made cream cheese and Peanut Butter “fat bombs” with Sugar Free Chocolate chips and monkfruit… scooped them with a 3/4 ounce scoop and ate two of them a day as Snacks and it made the hunger disappear!

i do not think i could do this low long term, personally, but will be integrating the low carb approach into my post op dietary lifestyle. Being very selective with any sugars, flours and starches is fine.. but it’s hard for me without being able to have much beans/legumes/peas/etc. I would kill for a big bowl of refried Beans for dinner, but the total carbs are just too high pre op unless I am super cautious all day.

[SpartanMaker 676]

16 minutes ago, KimA-GA said:

i do not think i could do this low long term, personally, but will be integrating the low carb approach into my post op dietary lifestyle. Being very selective with any sugars, flours and starches is fine.. but it’s hard for me without being able to have much beans/legumes/peas/etc. I would kill for a big bowl of refried Beans for dinner, but the total carbs are just too high pre op unless I am super cautious all day.

I basically lived off Beans & legumes during puree stage. The pureed meat thing just didn't work for me, so refried beans, lentil Soups, etc. with added unflavored Protein Powder was my go-to food.

[ms.sss 14,617]

45 minutes ago, KimA-GA said:

doing low carb of 50 total carbs now for pre op diet and it’s hard!! (If i could minus Fiber it wouldn’t be so bad) 

That would be hard!

I did 25g NET carbs, so I didn’t count fibre nor sugar alcohols…

[KimA-GA 540]

1 hour ago, SpartanMaker said:

I basically lived off Beans & legumes during puree stage. The pureed meat thing just didn't work for me, so refried Beans, lentil Soups, etc. with added unflavored Protein Powder was my go-to food.

that sounds so wonderful.. totally there with you with the idea of puréed meat!! i am looking forward to surgery and getting to puréed just for being to eat the plant Protein Good lol

refried beans, stewed/puréed lentils and split pea Soup will be such a treat

[KimA-GA 540]

55 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

That would be hard!

I did 25g NET carbs, so I didn’t count fibre nor sugar alcohols…

net would be sooooo much easier… i do have a list of “free foods” i don’t need to count (broccoli, avocado, onions etc) and that helps … but outside that list it is a desert for fiber lol

oh and i don’t count sugar alcohols - but i just am not doing a lot of sweet for anything

Edited October 20, 2022 by KimA-GA

[Starwarsandcupcakes 1,888]

On 10/18/2022 at 2:19 PM, liveaboard15 said:

Mine limit you on carbs up to a year out. My surgeon wants me to consume 50 grams of carbs or less a day. I try to go for as little as possible. i always look at the carbs on labels and if its anything above 15 i wont buy it or eat it. Which sucks because at work we make these delicious Cookies but each cookie is 55g of carbs which is insane! Because i would want to eat like 5 of them lmao

If you aren’t allergic

2 cups almond flour, 2-3 egg whites, 1tsp vanilla or almond extract 1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute. Mix and shape in crescent moons. Bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes until golden brown around the edges.

[ShoppGirl 3,340]

4 hours ago, Starwarsandcupcakes said:

If you aren’t allergic

2 cups almond flour, 2-3 egg whites, 1tsp vanilla or almond extract 1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute. Mix and shape in crescent moons. Bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes until golden brown around the edges.

If you don’t mind me asking, I have been researching Cookies for my annual cookie day and am quality learning just how many sweeteners are available today. Are they all interchangeable and just a matter of taste preference?? I just purchased sugar free choc

chips and mink fruit but I already have swerve (that tasted a little extra sweet to me). The ones you mentioned look easy enough for me. Are the like a sugar cookie??

[AliceFD 55]

On 10/18/2022 at 10:37 AM, Hope4NewMe said:

So what did your Drs advise you do as far as carbs? Mine says that they don't really limit carbs and that they believe that carbs will give you energy and then you will be more active which will then lead to weight loss. They believe that balance is the key. Looking though through threads and youtube, most of the people seem to be on a low carb diet like Keto without the added fat. I do want to be successful but if I could be successful and still eat more carbs I think I would be happier. Carbs are the only thing I am craving but I'm only a month out from surgery and carbs to me seem to be a slippery slope and I'm afraid that if I allow myself to eat carbs then I'll start eating them too much and snacking on crackers or something. Since surgery I have limited myself to 40 or less carbs per day and yesterday I had my one month visit with the dietitian and he said I needed to up my carbs to around 30 per meal. So what did your plan say about carbs and if you were allowed carbs, did you lose weight fast or was is slower? The speed of weight loss I know is individual, but if it seems to be a factor I want to know.

There are carbs and then there are carbs, it's a big pot of good and bad. I look at it like this. Some, like sugary drinks or Desserts, are red light, I just eliminate them. Some are okay in small amounts, like Pasta, rice and bread, those are yellow light. Some, like greens and non starchy vegetables, are green light. I thought I could never live without my homemade bread, or pasta, but honestly, I'm fine with tiny portions or not at all.

[KimA-GA 540]

1 hour ago, AliceFD said:

There are carbs and then there are carbs, it's a big pot of good and bad. I look at it like this. Some, like sugary drinks or Desserts, are red light, I just eliminate them. Some are okay in small amounts, like Pasta, rice and bread, those are yellow light. Some, like greens and non starchy vegetables, are green light. I thought I could never live without my homemade bread, or Pasta, but honestly, I'm fine with tiny portions or not at all.

Exactly! balance is the key to long term success!!

after the healing diet post op, i will have nothing will be off limits to me as my choice; but like you said some food are cautious with portions in small amounts and some are just occasional indulgence not everyday fare. I think that’s how i will be able to maintain a healthier life long term.

[Starwarsandcupcakes 1,888]

14 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

If you don’t mind me asking, I have been researching Cookies for my annual cookie day and am quality learning just how many sweeteners are available today. Are they all interchangeable and just a matter of taste preference?? I just purchased sugar free choc

chips and mink fruit but I already have swerve (that tasted a little extra sweet to me). The ones you mentioned look easy enough for me. Are the like a sugar cookie??

They’re actually a kind of Greek cookie. As far as sweetener it’s not all interchangeable. Stevia and swerve need to use about half which can affect the baking ratios. When it comes to certain ratios there are better options like Allulose or Monk Fruit blends.

[Arabesque 6,420]

There are carbs & there are carbs. And there are carbs in many foods not just the ones we automatically think of like bread, Pasta, crackers, etc.

Like others, I wasn’t given a carb limit. Just advised to keep them low & told no rice, bread or pasta as most people are. I was allowed instant oats from purée & then transitioned to traditional coarse rolled oats. While losing I got carbs from barley, legumes & other vegetables & (blue) berries. Still do. For example there are about 60g of carbs in 100g of chickpeas which is more than 100g of white bread but the chickpeas are a complex carb & much better nutritionally for you

In maintenance I was advised to look for multi/whole grains. I still keep my carbs lowish. Still don’t eat rice, bread or pasta not just because they are too filling & sit too heavily but also were foods I easily indulged in.

[ms.sss 14,617]

On 10/20/2022 at 10:45 AM, Hope4NewMe said:

I appreciate all of the info! Its nice to see a full circle of how someone started and and got to goal and maintains. Its all very helpful and no post is too long. The idea of the surgery plus the Keto fat burning is why I'm so pro low carb in my head. I have done Keto many times though (less than 40 carbs) and never lost any weight. I even used those ketone strips to make sure and they confirmed I was good, but even after doing the diet for 6 months, never lost more than 5 pounds. I never get the keto flu either, so I'm ok there but if it doesn't work for me, and you can maintain on higher amounts, I wonder if I can eat carbs and still be ok. I think I just have to try things out and see how it goes.

yeah, in MY experience, going keto/low-carb is very effective for losing weight rapidly in a relatively short amount of time.

BUT...maintaining this lifestyle long term is challenging for most (not all, but MOST)

The problem with us as a community has always been KEEPING the weight OFF (i mean how many times in the past have we lost a bunch of weight only to gain it back, and sometimes plus more)

So when most (not all!) get to the keto/low-carb burnout phase, or just slowly let things slide, there needs to be another plan in place to maintain one's current weight and usually thats just finding your own balance of calories and activity level...and make that your lifestyle.

P.S. not to say that Keto/low-carb is not an unattainable lifestyle choice. i have several friends who have done this for many years (and one who's been at it for over 20 years!) ...interestingly enough none of whom have ever been obese...not sure if there is a correlation there...

[Edge13 64]

I'm a guy, 13 months post bypass, and honestly I only count calories, and Protein. I try to keep it under 1500 cals, and always try to hit the 90g of protein the dietician wants me at. Carbs work themselves out, because I may want that muffin, but if it's 300 calories of pure carbs, that's a fifth of my daily count, and it does nothing for actually feeling full, so I may eat half, or less, and add a protein.🤷🏾‍♂️