Carbs...

I can relate though, my trigger food were sweets, chocolate and cakes, YUM!!! Could care less on breads and other such things. The only pleasure I get not from sweets is watching someone else eat them.

OMG Pethairmagnet, I am dying laughing at the baby Moses comment!!!!

I don't stay away from carbs completely.  I feel like that is too much like dieting to me, which is what got me fat in the first place.  I definitely eat protein forward and I do keep white carbs at a minimum.  There's not much room for carbs after I eat my protein.  I do take the occasional bite of bread or dessert, but I have been able to keep it at a bite so far.  I'm afraid if I deprive myself completely, that I will go nuts and go on a carb binge.  So far it has been working for me.  I will adjust if I need to!

That's good to hear that you're not depriving yourself in that regard. I think that's why my plan wants me to eat as close to normal as possible with everyday foods so I don't feel deprived and fall of the wagon. They don't even allow us to drink protein shakes. I guess as long as I'm losing, the plan is working.

Carbs were not on my diet plan early out. They wanted you in ketosis for the first 3 months to maximize weight loss. My plan called for meat cheese and eggs only the first 3 months, veggies (1/2 cup) followed in at 3 months and fruit (1/2 cyp) at 4 months, milk grains etc were not added in until 6 mo or when 75% EWL was reached. Besides the fact that simple carbs make you crave simple carbs, they just don't have much nutritional value. I had this surgery to change my lifestyle as well as to lose weight. Simple carbs got me where I was and I won't allow them to take me back there. It doesn't mean I don't have a cookie here and there but I don't eat a package of them at a sitting like I did pre op.

Now as for early out trying to get in 60g of protein was nearly impossible for me without the addition of protein shakes so there just wasn't room for them. Even at 18 months out my lunch of 2-3 slices of packaged ham fills me up, I couldn't get in anything else if I wanted to without getting sick. Dinner last night was 4 oz of ribeye steak. I could have eaten 2 oz of steak with a side but I needed to get my protein in for the day so once I got that in there just wasn't room for a side.

It's surprising how centers differ in their plans. Just protein in the first three months!?!? At the start of solids, I'm only allowed 1.5 oz of protein at meals and 1.0 oz at snack time. Only in maintenance am I allowed to go up to 2.0 oz and that will probably be a year out. I always thought I should be eating more protein at this stage too but, my center does it differently.

Here is where people get confused - there are two types of carbs - simple and complex.

Simple carbs include things like sugar, bread, rice, pasta, crackers, chips, and potatoes. Because they are an incomplete carb, our body processes them very quickly which raises blood sugar, and for those of us with RNY, may cause dumping. All simple carbs can be safely removed from your diet, which will, in fact, result in greater success with weight loss/maintenance.

Complex carbs include things like dairy products, legumes, veggies, fruits, nuts and whole grains. These foods provide the complete carbs which our bodies require for healthy functioning, but absorb much more slowly so blood sugar stays stable.

So, you definitely want to introduce carbs back into your diet after your protein goals are met, but they are easily obtainable without sabotaging your weight loss with the starchy variety. I hope this made sense - best of luck to you, my friend!

Co-signing on this! What an awesome answer, Kashmir!

Yes this makes very good sense. I was told to eat whole grains and such as they will keep you fuller longer. They also encouraged me to eat things as rice, pasta and potatoes as well but, sparingly. I do mostly eat whole wheat grains and always eat the recommended amount or less so I don't feel deprived.

Thanks for the good post and good luck to you as well.

Carbs are a necessary part of any diet, however I try to remember that white equals weight and changed over to whole grains, brown rice etc....Feel great and can enjoy a slice of bread and some pastas from time to time.  You'll adapt to a different taste, don't miss the white carbs are all.  I am close to 2 yrs out and I still haven't had a sandwich with 2 pieces of bread, very limited with potatos 1 sm scoop and Im good. 

Thanks for that response. I do eat whole grains and pastas from time to time. I try to eat as normal as possible but, obviously in very small portions. I'm lucky I'm one of those that don't really like carbs that much. Sweets is what I miss most. Cakes, chocolates etc, yum. Good thing I haven't even tried to eat any of these.