To Carb or Not to Carb..... Frustrated!

Hello Everyone: Question.... is there anyone who has to practically follow an Atkins type way of eating to continue to lose weight or to maintain?  Meaning almost no carbs.  I'm a year out and my personal goal is to get down to 150.  I've been hovering at 165 for about 3 months now.  I exercise like crazy (at least 4 to 5 days per week) and my eating habits have quite a few carbs.  I have allowed some sweet stuff (candy and icees) back into to my diet.  But I'm determined to put a stop to that ASAP because I've had about a 3 pound weight gain just recently.  I'm considering basically just sticking to protein, veggies and fruit.  Any advice would be helpful.  Thanks.

I am almost 5 years out.  I have maintained at a steady number since my initial loss.  Up until about 9 months ago I had protein drinks on a daily basis.  Mostly for breakfast and whenever I could not get a good ration of other protein.  I had tons of cut up fruit, mostly melon, and indulged in the forbidden very infrequently.  Since I stopped having my protein drinks on a regular basis, the candy monster has found me and I am struggling with eating candy 24/7.  I am going on the "5-day" diet which is basically going back to eating the way I did the first few weeks out of surgery.  I am buying a stock of my protein drinks and I am going to "rediscover them".  I have not put on any weight to speak of (a pound here and there), but my hair is very sparse and it is just a matter of time before those pounds start to creep up again because I am now able to eat "almost normal", so any major indulge is costly.  I would suggest you discover protein drinks, have lunch and dinner based on that, and a protein, veggie and fruit dinner, with fruit and veggies for snacks.  Cut out all sweets and white carbs and you will stop craving them.  I am now craving sweets, but I know that when I have none I don't crave them.  I really did not miss them for five years, so I must have been doing something right.  Join me on Monday and start the 5-day diet, even if it is just to get the "monkey" off our back.  Once he/she is gone, we are good to go.  We have a great tool, let's use it!     Good luck to you.   Missy

Missy, I've done the 5dpt two times since January with much success in refocusing.  I too had gotten away from protein shakes and found myself just not eating healthy.  I also starting using fitday again pretty faithfully and realize I don't get enough protein with usually 2 shakes a day or 1 shake and a protein bar. The shakes do help me tremendously and I honestly believe I'll have to do them forever to stay focused and on track. Good luck on the 5dpt, I may start it again tomorrow or at a minimum a modified version (day 3-5), skipping day 1-2.  I don't need to lose weight, I'm doing ok maintaining with a 2 lbs variance, I really just want to refocus.

I agree about the value of protein shakes for life.  When I'm supplementing with one or two of those a day, I'm on track and doing okay.  When I haven't had one in a long time . . . I've fallen off the wagon of good eating habits and am gaining.  They're the foundation of eating health for me. Proscore 100 chocolate (with cold water only) rocks!

Suzy, I had gotten off tracks, quit my shakes; gained above my personal goal.......after doing the 5 day pouch test and refocusing, drinking 1-2 shakes a day I've been maintaining again for almost 2 months.

God bless you Missy. I needed to hear from somebody as far along as you are that has done so well. i saw a lady yesterday that is 4 years out. She tried to talk me out of RNY a couple of years ago, right before I had it. She was very negative. She has regained 8 pounds (which is not a lot of weight, in my opinion) and was telling me that with my dramatic loss I will surely gain 15 or more pounds, starting any minute now. I'm trying to "consider the source" and realize that I'll have to work hard to maintain, but seeing people like you lets me know that it is possible to keep it off. You're a true inspiration.

I don't think you should totally give up carbs, just try to pick the better ones. You probaby know to run from the sweet stuff, all it does is make you want more. I bet if you try to stick to wheat bread and a little wheat pasta instead of white, you won't feel deprived and it will help with your hunger. It tends to have a good bit of fiber, which helps in lots of ways.

i think we will need to watch our food intake especially the carbs and fats forever. my surgeon had told me from the start that eating protein first, then veggies and fruit, needed to become a way of life. thats what i try to do. now having said that, im far from perfect.  i have started tracking what i eat on sparkpeople, one of the online tracking programs.  it keeps u real and honest.  when u have a bad day, u can see why it was bad. also, i love my sweets.  however, i eat like a diabetic now.  i only eat sugar free chocolate, the hersehys is very good. i also eat NSA ice cream but try to buy individual portions, because having a half gallon in the freezer triggers bad habits in me.   i also eat protein bars, some of them are almost as good as a cookie or cake.  i like the south beach bars, atkins advantage and the ohyeah wafer bars are good too. i also keep bread and pasta and rice to maybe once a week.  i will eat crackers and try to buy something low in carbs and with some protein, i.e. melba toast, or rye crisp crackers good luck, i know you will get back on track hugs, jacki

Hiya Itz :) Personally I have eaten many GOOD carbs since surgery. Im not "far" out. I am under goal and feeling great. I dont have carb issues. I dont eat very much white or processed sugar but I eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and dairy every day. Some of the healthy foods I eat are relatively high in sugar but their over all value is too good to give up. I would rather be a little over weight eating a diet I KNOW I can maintain for life than at goal eating a diet that I slip up on and worry about the scale constantly. Im only 33 I know I wont be able to low carb for life. Frankly I dont want to. Carbs are healthy foods and a natural part of the omnivorous diet.  Any plan that promotes limiting a food group just isnt maintainable for most people so I think its best to learn to live healthy on all foods than just some. All foods being meat, fish, poultry, grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy.  I am one of the few people I know who followed a "normal" diet since surgery, Im also one of the few people I know who easily got to goal and has had no troubles with junk food or cravings (so far of course, no one knows what tomorow will bring ;)  Good luck  HUGS PK

PK, just a FYI on the food.  I too for many years had no issues with carbs, in fact did not have my FAVE **** cream) for YEARS.  One day you wake up and the carb monster is on your shoulders.  Why?  I have no idea.  I still do not eat ice cream because it was a major dumping scene for me and I am glad it played a head trip because I don't need that monkey on my shoulder as well.  What I am trying to say is, the longer you stay focused, the better you are.  If you train yourself to be diligent, you will be no matter what.  I think good carbs are a must, but carbs in general are not so good for us RNY.  We need protein protein protein before anything else.  If you are sticking to a good plan, superb.  Just because you are not having cravings now does not mean you will not next week.  Watch out, those food cravings are waiting for us around the corner, watching for the time we make that one tiny mistake :)  Good luck and hugs y'all