Is low carbing different for you as a post-op?

A pre-op DS'er posted a very valid question in my earlier thread about losing regain by low carbing it.   She asked, "If I could lose weight as a pre-op going low-carb, isn't that just the same (and as miserable, I suppose) as losing the weight post-op with low-carb?"    

To me, it's much different, as I explained in my response to her.  As a pre-op, I'd have to strictly stay below 20 grams a day in order to lose, and if I went out of ketosis, I'd stop losing.   The second I started adding carbs, I'd start gaining - quite rapidly.  Now, if I do gain (which usually only follows some REALLLLLLLLLLY shameless eating) I modestly cut the carbs to lose (maybe 50-100 grams a day - probably closer to 100) and then I can kind of watch for that five pound bounce till I have to cut back again, which is usually not until I have another month of shameless eating.   Also, I don't crave carbs as much as I used to as a pre-op, so it's less painful for me to actually cut back on the carbs.       I also explained to her that I feel SO much better when I stay away from the evil stuff - wheat and sugar, that it also makes it easier for me.

Could anybody else provide some feed back to this individual?   I too am curious as to how low-carbing works for you now that you are a post-op?    

 Hi there, Julie!

It seems, in my experience, that my DS took the pressure off.  It made eating just eating instead of the obsession it had been before.  If I low-carbed, or anything else, before surgery, I thought of what I was denying myself constantly.  Now it's just not that big of a deal.  If I don't like how the waist of my jeans feels, I sort of choose fatty snacks over sugary ones.  It isn't an exact science like I used to think it needed to be.  It's how normal people who eat food because they are hungry behave.  

Now that I've been freed from obsessing about diet and exercise for the majority of every day, I can moderate carbs instead of the all or nothing approach I took before.  I get results and it doesn't take over my every waking thought.  Thank God for my DS!

Great thread topic... hits close to home right now as I've considered restarting atkins hoping to get these last few pounds off quicker.

I was wondering do I want to go as far as atkins that will be tough... I have Gen Con (yup I'm geek this is a big deal LOL ), my cousin's wedding, my son's birthday party, a work bbq all comming up in the next month... as a pre-op I'd be doomed.  Even if I choose the ultra strict Atkins route for speed, I can still take a "cheat" at those events with no big consequences now.  As a pre-op I'd just be like ok I'm waiting until after labor day which is when the wedding is... we'll thats 5 weeks away.  On top of those must be there events, I have a dinner with friends at the melting pot which I just love and a concert.

On the other hand I'm debating just reducing carbs, keeping them under 100 gms and cutting otu proccessed foods including meats.

But either whatever I do I have more flexibility in my pre-op days at melting pot I wouldn't be able to partake in the cheese cause they put beer in it even if I only dipped the veggies, at bbq I could have the burger patty and cheese with mustard and some veggies, now if I want a bit of coleslaw I can.  At Gen Con I'd eat nothing but the grilled chicken caesar at the food court cause it was my only option.  So even if I stick low carb through all these things I still have so much more flexibility now.

oh and one more thing for me before on low carb even as strict as I was I'd be lucky to lose 1-2 lbs per month, my body was messed now I know low carbing guarantees success.

I know I'm early out but my experience so far is space. I eat my protein and get in 100 to 150 grams of protein a day by eating. Theres not alot of room left. Every day I have a chocolate protein bar, its yummy and 10 protein. No sugar alcohols, they kill. I have WW toast or crackers everyday. But like I said, space is a biggie. If I didn't treat myself daily I'd fail miserably! Also, can't do white flour. So cookies, most take out sandwiches are a no no.

Also, pre op I was NEVER full, NEVER!! I had to eat loads of carby stuff to feel, satisified. Now I don't. THAT is the difference!!


Ruby

The difference is that I can eat endless amounts of everything else. Being able to low carb, yet being able to  rake in over 3000 calories a day makes low carbing with the DS much easier than atkins.

Julie, you and I are not far apart on surgery date and did have a different path to our current weight/place in the wls port DS world. But we are very similar on what the DS can and will do for us as post ops.

To lose your excess weight you low carbed through the process and had great results, reaching your weight loss goal. You had some regain but bounced into a very good place for you.

To lose my excess weight I lower carbed through the process but did not go as low as you. I had good results but never reach my weight loss goal. Missed it by 15 pounds. But I've had no bounce back. And I'm in a very good place for me.

And what the DS offers us both, I think is the ability to go low carb for period of time without f'ing up our metabolism. We have a fighting chance to lose a couple of pounds if we chose to without completely messing up our bodies. Pre surgery, I could and would low carb, low calorie and nothing. Nada. Now, I can eat more protein, reduce carbs, keep the calories up and lose weight.
It is different post and pre because pre there was nothing I could do to lose the weight. And now, I can make adjustments and lose. And losing 5 or 10 pounds seems like a doable task. Losing 100 to 150 pounds through low carbing just doesn't seem realistic to me.

My answer to your question is not "yes", but "HELL YES!"

Pre-op, I'd tried (and failed) many times with low-carb-ing.  Staying in ketosis just wasn't possible for extended periods of time, and, if I wasn't in ketosis, I wasn't losing.  And, I WAS HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

So.  Now.  I don't seem to have to be in ketosis in order to drop a  pound or two through carb restriction.  I don't crave carby stuff like I did.  I still enjoy chocolate candy, but I'm not sneaking it all day long.  I choose not to eat bread or pasta, because they make me "not comfortable" right away (belching, bloating, etc.), and then I'm up in the night, farting and pooping. (I do have a way with words, doncha think?)  It's more trouble than it's worth, to me.

Oh, and did I mention that I'M NOT HUNGRY ALL THE TIME anymore?  I think that's kind of important.  You don't get that without an altered digestive tract.  So, yeah, I think having this surgery makes an enormous difference in what result you get from restricting carbs.

Thatisall.

 Caprice - same here.     I still have my moments when I go into compulsive mode, but 90% of the time, my cravings are much more under control.    It's amazing how satiated I now feel after eating.  Pre-op, I never seemed to get full.    My hunger was endless.   

How are you guys with eating fruit and staying in the Low carb post op ? 


I am only 1 week out but the only time i was successful was with low carb and i was no fruit, no milk, no carbs over 20 and i ended up having to go into lean proteins and low fat eventually to keep losing weight...low fat with low carb is so hard to maintain.