Me and Carbs....

 

Over a year in maintenance now and keeping within a 5lbs. range plus or minus and how the carb thing is working out.

Whatever your persuasion is with carbs we all must find our balance points with everything.....not to get all poetic....but just like life in general....and why should food/eating be any different.

As much as I think one day I’ll be able to eat without thinking.....for now I’m still very conscious about what I eat and how it effects me.

With carbs.... I think I’m firmly in the middle..... Yes, I gotta watch them...I am carb sensitive......I’m not addicted to carbs (never knew if I ever was...I ate everything) and carbs don’t trigger me into any specific direction.

Here is how it is working out for me in maintenance so far......I give myself up to 80 grams a day as a baseline. Occasionally more....but most days around there or under.

I seem to have developed a pattern I didn’t intend or realize. It was never a plan....just something that has evolved.

Seems, I don’t plan on carbs...I've added veggies with most meals and I may cook with a little flour, corn starch or bread crumbs. I’ll eat low carb Lavash Bread or a small tortilla. But I don’t make/buy rice, bread, potatoes as a habit. 

Seems I let the carbs come to me.....than I decide if the carbs “are worth it". Mostly when I’m out or at a function I’ll partake in a few bites of a nice bread, or an insane pasta, or fried rice, good fries.....like fried in Duck Fat or Truffle oil. A dessert that is on the flip side of Ho Ho’s and Screaming Yellow Zonkers.....yah know a bite or two of some high end dessert or my fav...Guava Chiffon Cake.....

I don’t feel carb deprived and when I do eat something really carby it’s very enjoyable.

frisco

 

I hear ya. Sounds like a great way to live and eat. You have done soooo well. Can't argue with success.
I felt like this surgery was good for me, as I was
mostly a volume eater, and was never really carb addicted, so hoped that following my surgery, "normal eating" would keep me both healthy and satisfied. I never realized how little I would be able to eat on most days. I therefore am having to go a little heavier on carbs than I ever have before in order to keep my weight stable. If I ate low carb, I think I would loose
continually, and I would probably weigh 90 lb by now. I will keep striving for a very well balanced diet, as I like weighing
around mid 120s.

Fries fried in duck fat? Wow, never had an option of trying those. Might have to have one even now in my loss period.

I remember you saying in a post around Halloween (I remember because it had a small candy bar and I was way jealous!) that you keep carbs around 80. Is that what works for you? Did you start out with that number in mind, or kind of fish around for what worked?

I think I'll end up below my 175 goal but higher than your current weight (I'm a couple inches taller as well). I'm guessing at least below 100 for me on average in maintenance, but hard to know at this point until I actually try it.

Here's my big question: where do you find the room? I know your capacity is still small and you under-eat your sleeve (still on file as "single best tip I ever got on OH, by the way") so you're a good source for this one - I am worried about how I will bring my calories and carbs up when I go into maintenance given my still very small capacity.

 
For me...... It was a slow transition into maintenance......wasn't like one day at goal than up everything the next day.

I had to really fight for the last 20 or so pounds......mainly from cardio (walking).....and on the lower side of the calories.....If the truth be known....I was probably low on the protein (not recommending that)...and for sure was hard core on keeping the carbs to a minimum. My liquids and supplements were up and a lot of days I had a 2nd. protein shake as a meal replacement (again not recommended).

I guess my point is...... when I hit my final goal weight..... I eased back into a comfortable WL diet. I basically went old school and toughed it out.

So, after a month or so at goal, still on the basic LapSF WL plan I was pretty stable. When I asked Dr.C about how I should change my diet.....I was looking/hoping for some magic answer that included Chocolate Cake and Lasagna, but no such luck......he said to add fiber, up the calories in steps of 100 and carbs little by little and increase exercise to some more vigorous activities.

Dr.C knows and approved of my under eating the sleeve from the get go.....which means I add more feedings than adding quantity to portions to up calories. His plan says to eat 3 meals a day during WL, but allows patients to add meals/feedings/snacks with the warning to not let it turn into grazing.

So, the short answer to your big question is that I didn't add quantity per feedings....I added feedings....I eat normally 4-6 times a day....I don't really determine what's a snack and what's a meal....it's just another feeding.

I think what failed to mention in my original post is that recently after a meeting with Alisha the RD I sometimes eat small amounts of fruit..... I was very afraid of fruit, but she said in maintenance a little is not bad.....and helps in the fiber situation. So I'm not carbing up on the things I mentioned....a little fruit here and there. And....same thing...it's not on my shopping list....it's very random.....

Hope this answers what I do....

frisco

Hi Frisco,

I love how you said you don't plan carbs...they come to you!  That is how I do it too...but never thought of it like that.  I think that is a healthy way to keep those carbs on the lower side.  When I think  of carbs now..I am going to remember you saying....don't plan them...they will find you !  and IS IT WORTH IT??  (that is a good one to remember this holiday season.!)

hope all is well.

OX
Patty

Frisco, you're the bomb!  I've loved watching your recovery and gleaning the tops from your surgeon that you share.  You've found a great balance between food and life and how they mesh.

I'm carb sensitive, but I'm really discovering that I'm "white stuff" sensitive, not all carbs.  If I get my carbs in veggies, a bit of fruit and the occasional low carb tortilla, I'm good.  If I indulge in sourdough bread, potates etc, I put on 3-4 pounds immediately.

I'm finding that my magic carb number is closer to net 40.  I've been using net because I like having a Quest bar and that's higher carb but also has high fiber to balance it.  I can stay at 149 pretty well unless I add the white stuff or eat out too many times in a week.  For me Sodium is a real killer.  Give me restaurant food and I can easily gain a pound or two for a few days.

My balance is still delicate, even at 21 months out.

BTW, I love your food pics.  Keep them coming please! 

Frisco,

As usual you nailed it.  This is exactly how I eat, I plan the protein and the veggies and the carbs just come to me.  I don't really count the carbs anymore, but I keep an eye on them and they are the first thing I cut when/if the weight starts to trend up.  In maintenance, I have found that I can trust myself to have a serving of just about any food and be able to stop.  This is really new for me, I used to eat the whole thing and now that's impossible.  The best news of all is that when I have a craving, I can eat a normal amount of something and the craving goes away.  I never experienced this before.  Usually, the craving would not be satisfied until I was stuffed.  The sleeve is an amazing tool.  Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Finding what works for YOU is so pivotal and SEEING how your past behaviors dictated your success or in many obese people LACK of success and then turning that around to know what you can and can't bring into your current life.

Sounds like you are getting it...now to keep it!

Ms Shell

Frisco;
Every barriatric patient should read this post. Its important both for the thoughts on carbs plus the concept of finding what works for you for the long term maintenance project.

I pretty much do the same thing except my carbs run more like 60. I still focus on calories and protein and the carbs seem to fall into place. I don't eat much of any bread, rice, pasta or potatoes either. Only a low carb flat bread or tortilla or a couple of bites of a fancy desert on a special occasion.

I used to be the biggest sugar/carb junky and it amazes me that I am able to decline this stuff. I think its a combination of the reduced ghrelin, reduced capacity and new habits formed during weight loss phase. Can't stress enough the importance of forming new habits early on so its easier to stay with healthier eating later when it becomes more possible to eat junk.

Anyway, well stated Frisco. I think you should put this on the main board. 

Diane