How many Carbs is OK

 On average how many grams of carbs do you eat a day?  I am trying to figure out how many carbs is ok a day and still lose weight.  I am just now starting to eat on a regular basis.  I am an original DS patient who had to have to have sleeve removed and a pouch made.  I am considered a Distal RNY because I have pouch but the DS malabsorbtion (spell check).  I am cross posting this to hear from both groups.  Thanks in advance for all of your help.

It really varies person to person.  When I was first starting out my goal was to stay around 50 a day.  I usually ended up closer to 60 or 70 a day and still dropped weight like no joke.  Then as I got closer to goal I upped my carb target to 100 a day.  Then as I hit goal I kind of stopped keeping track. 

I agree everyone is different.  I do not count carbs.  Its more what I eat as opposed to how much that bothers me.  But I do try and keep my carbs low.

Keep your simple carbs to a minimum. 

Hi Martina.  I never really counted carbs, but my first year out I hardly ever ate simple carbs (sugars).  I lost all my weight in 9 months (120+ pounds) and made it to goal.  Every now and then I would try to calculate it, and I was probably eating about 70 carbs a day...sometimes more, sometimes less.

Everyone is different.  If you are struggling with your weigh loss, I recommend you first focus on protein and add in complex carbs and try to do without simple carbs (unless it's just once in a blue moon****il you get to goal.  It's hard, but it is worth it.

Good luck!

Felicia

I'd guess I'm at about 300 carbs a day. For now my body is fine with that number. I'll adjust if needed, if not I'll just enjoy it

It varies, of course. Right after the DS, carbs did not interest me a whole lot. I had very little real estate to play with, so I protein-loaded. BUT I kept my carbs to 30g or less those first 8 months. I wanted that damn weight OFF!!!

And then Halloween and all of those amazing Trick or Treat sized candy bars came along. So I indulged and nothing happened except that I continued to lose weight. (I do NOT receommend this, but I include it in the interest of full disclosure.)

Today, I eat protein first whenever I can and then carbs. I see my weight bounce a few pounds around my period, when the carb cravings intensify and I bloat. And then it goes away. I bet I eat hundreds, maybe over a thousand carb grams daily. For example, I just polished off some potato chips and Twizzlers (total 94g) without thought. IF I see my scale go up, I cool it.

Nicolle

If I were in your shoes I'd approach the question from a totally different angle. My question would be: What do I need to eat to NOURISH myself? You will be a long time in relearning how to eat after your feeding tube and stuff. In order to get off the feeding tube, you have to make every single bite about NOURISHMENT and nothing else.

To do this, for a long time to come, you are not going to need really any carb type foods.

The likely problem will be that you'll find that certain carb type foods are easier to swallow and easier on your cranky gut than the nourishing foods you need. You're going to have to be incredibly vigilant about not falling prey to this phenomenon.

Down the road a ways things will be different. But for the foreseeable future, my advice would be to just cross the carb type foods off the list. Look at every bite you put in your mouth for protein content without regard to fat content. Period.

I realize this is easier said than done.

Thanks Elizabeth N for your wisdom.  I am actually starting to drink protein and eat some protein.  I am half way there for the last 2 days I have been able to get in 52 grams of protein.  I am so scared I'm going to do something wrong that I am actually constantly writing and asking questions because after everything I have been through I do not want to gain this weight back.  I also read that the carbs affect a persons energy level and I need energy.  Thanks for all your help.  Elizabeth you are a special lady.

*****big squishy mama bear hugs**** I hear you hon. You have been through an AWFUL lot.

I don't think carbs will give you the energy you lack. You simply have a LOT of healing to do, and it's going to be a very long time to get to a place of stable health. Protein, in this case, is what you need to build many many new cells, y'know? And the various micronutrients are all super important. And WATER. I would caution you to not waste precious belly space on anything but protein and hydration.

This is going to be a long term thing. In a year or two, things might look different. But for now, you need to just settle yourself into a routine of taking your food like medicine and focusing on healing yourself. Healing is more important than weight loss. You need to STAY ALIVE first and foremost. Then comes HEALTH. Weight is far down the line of priorities.

Think about building your muscles and maintaining your bones. Think about maintaining your neurological structure--brain, spinal cord, entire nervous system. THOSE are the kinds of things that need to fill your mind. NOT the fat on your body or the numbers on the scale.