Does everyone really give up carbs?

Hi guys!

My surgeon's plan mentions nothing about giving up carbs, just concentration of getting good protein and eating healthy. But since I've been doing my research online, it seems like everyone is seriously limiting their carbs hugely! Now I'm not saying I expect to be eating white bread or chomping on rice everyday, but what about grains/porridge/beans etc...

I spent 3 very miserable years on low carb before, and one of the main reasons I got this surgery was to final free myself from the cycle of diets. The last thing I want is to spend the rest of my life saying no to a whole food group! But is that just the only way I can expect to lose the weight? Any thoughts would be very much appreciated! :)

By the way, I've been eating carbs since my surgery a month ago, and I'm still down 42 pounds!

My surgeons plan did not call for giving up carbs and i did not.  I ate oatmeal, triscuits and other healthy carbs all through my weight loss stage.  I had no trouble losing weight.  However, just know carbs can be trigger foods - i have been craving popcorn lately and eating way too much of it.

sadly, foods like pasta and some breads do not sit well on my tiny tummy - and I can only eat very limited amounts - which I guess is not a bad thing.  At best I can eat about 2/3 of a slice of pizza -and cannot really tolerate rice at all.  Whatever works for you, go with it!

Everyone has to find what works for them.  I gave up all white carbs and attribute that to being able to maintain my goal weight at eight years out from surgery.

I also had surgery so I would not have to be on diets again.  So I was disappointed during my third year to find myself back at Weigh****chers.  In the end I realized that for me the only common denominator is calories.  I have to track my food and I have to stay under 1400 calories a day to maintain 136 pounds. 

I could give up protein and get all of my calories from jelly beans.  I would not be as healthy but the scale would stay the same.

In the end the surgery has been a tool to help me maintain.  When I eat carbs I crave more carbs and crave more food.  When I eat protein forward I am satisfied with smaller amounts and do not have cravings.

I could not possible agree more.

If you don't want to eventually start regaining, you'll need to be on some kind of diet.

I have not given up carbs. I do not eat rice, pasta or potatoes. I have found a low carb bread I will eat every now and again and right now I have been on the high protein english muffin kick. I eat 1/2 every morning for breakfast. I also eat a decent amount of beans. While I try and keep my carbs lower they are not off limits.

Hijack:wow! Almost at goal! Chengalis does nice work! Congrats!!

He sure does! Look at you losing over 150 lbs!

It's kinda a juggling act for me. My plan doesn't call for me to count carbs, but I track them anyway & I do try to limit them during the weight loss phase. Since my plan is very protein forward, my carbs tended to be less anyway, but I still have them. I just try not to go overboard on them because I've noticed that whenever I did up my carbs, my weight loss would slow down or stop, so I had to try to find the right balance where I'd still lose, but still have some carbs during the day.

Whenever I hit maintenance I'll be doing another juggling act, which I've heard is much, much harder.

I limit refined and processed carbs.  I stick to veggies, fruits, beans, and whole grains as much as possible.  But I certainly haven't "given up carbs," that would be impossible.  I just make healthier choices with the carbs I do eat.  

And, after reaching my protein goals for each meal, it's not like I've got a lot of room leftover for non-proteins. 

What Gwen said ^^^^^^ !