So I'm reading a couple books on running....

 and they say that before a big race - you should load up on carbs - carb loading by having pasta, breads etc.

So what do you folks do where we follow a high protein diet and do protein first and can't do a lot of carbs?  I can't eat pasta with my lapband!  What do you eat before a big event?

Big is subjective. Then again, I don't do anything special for any races except avoid fresh fruits and veggies the day before.

For the first year I couldn't eat bread, but I'm fine with it now.  I also don't follow such a high protein diet because I just don't feel like I have the energy I need, and I've been in maintenance mode for years.

Nutrition for most of us is just trial and error, and we try different things while training to find out what works and what absolutely doesn't.  

Sorry, but that's the best I have for you.

Linn

I eat like a bariatric patient most of the time but like an endurance athlete immediately before, during and after a workout.

So, as an example, today I had a protein shake for breakfast with a banana in it, beef stew for lunch, FAGE yogurt for a PM snack and a cheeseburger without the bun with string beans for dinner. That's all my normal bariatric type of eating.

I'm about to go out and run so I just had some more fruit (carbs) and will drink a sports drink (more carbs, a little protein) during my run and will have some kind of snack after with at least a 2:1 carb to protein ratio, but maybe more carbs than that. (If you workout for more than a hour, you should get some protein with your carbs, btw.)

The week of a really long event - 4 hours or more - I will do more carbs all week, but I don't do that for anything 3 hours or less because that's just a the same as a hard workout for me.

Carbs doesn't have to be pasta and bread, btw. Cheese has a fair amount of carbs. Fruits and veggies have carbs. Potatoes have carbs. Nuts have carbs. I do eat pasta and bread sometimes, but they aren't my favorite so mostly I eat those other things.

I just had this conversation with my dietician.
She said to search for high density foods.  Since we can't pound down plates of pasta like we used to, we need to find alternatives.  The trick is finding the right item for you.  Something that gives you the right balance of the nutrients you need without making you dump.

Time to start experimenting.
I know that I have just started.
Protein bars work good for me, so far.  I look for ones that have a fair amount of carbs in them.
Bagel with banana and peanut butter do too.

But everyone is different.

Let us know if you find something that works for you, it might help someone else out as well.

Scott

 Hmmmn guess I should think about rescheduling that nutritionist appt that I cancelled a couple months ago and see if they have any suggestions for lapband specific.

I'm thinking it will take me between 2.75 hours and 3.25 hours depending on how much running I can do.  So it's a long workout but not super super long.  (laughing - I'll be finishing the half marathon while some of the marathoners are finishing their marathon!)

Serenity, I read your post and I see you had a band. Can I ask what your results have been?---John

 I've lost 75 lbs so far (25 are preband) and 50 after.  I am a slow loser.  I have about another 35-45 lbs to lose - I'll have to see where I want to be as I get down there.  I'd like the 45 lbs so that I am in a normal bmi category.

Hey, that much weight in less than a year is AOK. You are doing fine.---John

I'll eat carbs before a race, but won't LOAD up on them. I also eat normally the day before, but cut back on fiber, like a nice large salad. You don't want super colon blow in the middle of your race. Nutrition is so different for everyone. I know a guy who BQs and eat McDonalds before every chicago marathon...