Question:
I am hoping to have the surgery. From reading here my post-op diet is lotsa protein

What if I am a a carb-lover? Yes I eat meat also BUT I like pasta and bread. Are those for the most part GONE from my diet??? Or can I have them just moderateley? Is the key to loosing weight after the tool (WLS), just eating high protein? Jeepers, what if I dont experience dumping when I eat pasta/bread/carbs, will I no longer lose weight?? Or is your body just happier with ingesting protein after surgery and you soon discover that? l    — zieberrae (posted on June 16, 2008)


June 16, 2008
Have you seen a surgeon? Have you looked up the diet after gastric bypass surgery. Here is a website to go to http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastric-bypass-diet/WT00007 This surgery is a tool not a quick fix, It is a lifestyle change, are you planning on continuing to eat the way you did to get to the point of weight loss surgery? Maybe I reading the question wrong, but this is what I got out of this question, yes, I am getting the surgery but I want to continue my old ways of eating, I hope I am wrong. Good Luck
   — dyates2948

June 16, 2008
Your best bet is to talk to a nutritionist and have him or her outline a PERSONAL diet plan for you. In order for you to MAXIMIZE your weight loss, you need to eat the proper amount of both protein AND carbohydrates. For ME, that ratio is about 20 grams of protein per meal to 20 to 40 grams of carbohydrates per meal. I eat 5 or 6 small meals a day. I am a 6 foot 3 inch tall MALE, so my needs are going to be different than YOURS. I also have a severely restrictive diet due to MANY severe allergies. Add to that, the fact that there are some foods that I will not eat for religious reasons and OTHERS that I will not eat because I dislike them, and my nutritionist had her work cut out for her. Each person should have a diet plan worked up PERSONALLY by a nutritionist instead of using someone ELSE'S information because the other person's information may not hod true for THEM. They may be smaller or larger by a bit, and it will throw off the calculations. They may also have different GOALS or be somewhere ELSE on the journey. If you are trying to LOSE weight, and they are trying to MAINTAIN it, you are going to be very FRUSTRATED if you try to use their diet to lose weight. So, the SHORT answer to your question is NO, you do NOT have to give up bread and pasta, you just have to know EXACTLY how much you can have without causing yourself to derail from your weight loss goal. The nutritionist will be able to assist you to figure that out. If your weight loss surgeon provides a nutritionist as part of his services, then you are set! If NOT, I would HIGHLY recommend that you look into getting one for yourself. The nutritionist will save you a great deal of headache and heartache in the future, and will serve to make your weight loss a much more productive experience. I hope this helps, Hugh
   — hubarlow

June 16, 2008
I loved pasta and white bread, but I had to give it up for 6 months and then I was told I could have Complex Carb consisting of brown rice, Whole Wheat bread and whole wheat pasta's. Now that I have lost 120 Lbs, I was told that I could add the complex carbs, but you know I don't want to do that until I take of the last 60 lbs. I will never let food control my life any longer. I don't need the carb, but what I do need is a longer life, a chance to see my Grad Kids get married and a chance to go to an old folks home if I get to that age. I mention the old folks home only because I was asked by my sergeon how many fat people are in the old folk home on the adverage. The answer is none. They all die before that age. I have been cured of diabities, high blood pressure and high colestrol. Carbs are not realy that important, but my life is. You got some thing and studying to do, as you have to be comited to a new life style before you have RNY WLS. Best of success to you.
   — William (Bill) wmil

June 16, 2008
The reason for you not eating bread, rice, pasta ect. is that it expands in your new stomach making you full without getting the nutrients you need. The other reason is carbs are simple sugars meaning that you absorb the sugar and not the nutrients needed after bypassing your intestines. Your diet should always consist of protein first then veggies then carbs. Eventually you will be able to eat everything but the key is moderation NEVER subsitute them for your protien. It doesnt matter if you experience dumping or not the point is that you are going through a life long change and if you are not commited you will end up sick and mal-nutrition will get the best of you. This surgery is not for everyone, if you cannot be commited then its best to wait until you can. None of us became overweight because we LOVE to eat healthy, I will definitly miss dessert at night or pancakes in the mornings but its a sacrifice I am going to have to make if I am going to get this surgery. PLEASE talk to your surgeon and your nutritionist and make sure you completly understand this surgery before you end up sorry you ever got it.
   — Kimberlin Katayama

June 16, 2008
I think the "key" to WLS depends on the "keyhole". Everybody is different and every body will react differently to what elements are put into it. I had the surgery 10 days ago. I made a mental and physical commitment to a lifestyle change prior to the surgery. I loved to eat, loved to cook, loved to drink wine and loved to entertain. Now, I barely eat, don't cook, don't drink and haven't told anyone in my circle of family and friends about the surgery. And you know what?? I'm losing weight and feel great!! I wouldn't change a thing and don't miss what I used to live for. My priorities have changed and I can tell I'm soooo much better for it. You will need to make a decision about your lifestyle and what you are willing to give up.
   — monibunnie

June 16, 2008
You can not continue to get the same as before surgery. You been given some good advice, it is better to wait until you are ready to make the lifestyle change about food before you waste time putting yourself through serious surgery. Stop thinking about what you can't eat and start thinking about your health. It has taking me a while before made the decision to have the wls, not because of food, but the concerns about the complications involved in these procedures regardless of what surgey you have. I love bread, pasta, sweets and all the good foods that get you into a lot of trouble. Believe me I'll not crying about giving them up either. Getting my aftercare products, vitamins, minerals, exercise etc., is top on the list.
   — Toby2

June 16, 2008
I agree with everyone on here. I had no problem giving up the carbs that put on the weight in the first place. I am eight months out and still pretty much living on fruits. veggies, and protein shakes. But I have lost 102 lbs and will continue to wat like this for the rest of my life. I have a life now and the last thing I worry about is what I can't eat. Unless you are ready to make the lifestyle change, this surgery will be just a waste of time for you. All carbs are pretty much gone from your diet. If you aren['t ready to give those up, then you aren't ready to have this surgery. Yes, your system will tolerate them but the weight will not come off if you go back to those things that made you put weight on in the first place. Think long and hard about what you will be eating and if you can tolerate the new way of eating before you make the decision to have WLS. Debbie
   — sunsetyellow

June 16, 2008
I too am a carb lover and am trying to curb that need. What no one went into in depth was that you need the protein to maintain proper nutrition. You will not be able to sit down to a big ole steak dinner after surgery. In order for you to have healthy hair, nails and muscle mass, you will need to keep your protein intake constant. Jackie
   — Boggma

June 16, 2008
I had bypass 4 1/2 years ago and I have to limit my bread and carbs and sugar. If you are going to eat after bypass your going to want to eat good things. I learned not to fill up on bread. It s not worth it. I would rather eat steak and fish and chicken than bread. Yes if you eat too much you will dump. Some people dont but most do. Which is a good thing
   — Joanc

June 17, 2008
Each Doctor has a different diet that they ask you to follow. Our Dr. has found that his patient's that follow a high protien diet loose the most amount of weight. As he puts it " if it had a mother, you can eat it". Meats, chicken, pork, cheese, eggs there are many more foods that are protein than we even realise. Good Luck...
   — Ira Sansolo

June 17, 2008
I had the surgery 4 years ago this week, and I can tell you that I was a carb lover myself. In the first months or year after the surgery it took a lot of effort just to get in enough protein but it was not impossible. There was pretty much no room for bread or pasta, but curiously, I didn't want them so much anymore. I did find that I could eat pretzels or crackers, but not many, that's for sure. Over the years my pouch has stretched a little, and I can have more in the way of bread or pasta but the thing is that I really don't want it the way I used to. I just naturally now prefer protein and veggies over high carb choices, and I never would have imagined that that could happen because I was a bread lover. Yes, I can and do have bread/pasta from time to time but in small amounts, and by that I mean a few bites. Also, there is a drawback to those foods because first of all they do expand in your stomach and you can't eat much of anything else, and if you try to over eat you will stretch your pouch which is very uncomfortable not to mention counter-productive. I would rather have more filet mignon and ceasar salad and less of the bread, potatoes, pasta or whatever. I feel more satisfied with more bites of something like that than with fewer bites of high carb foods. Secondly, I do risk experiencing dumping if I have too much of the high carb foods. Over time, you will find that you can eat quite a bit of some foods but very little of others. For instance I can eat a good size serving of dark meat chicken, but only a few bites of white meat chicken. I can eat most of a hamburger (tearing off much if not all of the bun as I go) but only a few french fries. I can eat the better part of an omlette but only a few bites of the biscuit. The choice is mine. If I start picking at the bread or pasta, the meal is soon over, but it's much more satisfying to work on the protein and veggies and enjoy a meal that's more 'normal' especially in social situations. It's nice to not be the odd-ball at the table and not have your dietary restrictions to become the topic of conversation. Thirdly, since I have eaten this way for so long, I actually do not enjoy the taste of sweets. It's amazing, and 'normal' people don't understand it but it's true. When someone brings out a plate of chocolate chip cookies, I am not tempted in the slightest. I can't even stand the smell of an ice cream or doughnut shop. The taste of soda or sweet tea is actually nauseating to me, but the flip side is that carrots now taste like candy, and a good ripe tomato tastes as sweet as pancakes. I'm not missing a thing! I'm laughing all the way to the bathroom scale. I have maintained my weight loss of 125 lbs, and I'm still loosing from time to time even now, 4 years later. If I notice that the scale seems to be creeping up, it is usually because I've been chosing more carbs and less protein and veggies. All I have to do is correct that and the scale goes right back down. Best of luck to you as you learn to listen to your new pouch and follow the guidelines. Following new guidelines to attain a healthy weight and maintain it is not nearly as hard as tying your shoes or turning over in bed with morbid obesity. I won't kid you, it's not easy to change your habits, but it's not as hard as it seems because you have never tried it with this tool before so you don't really have a frame of reference to go by. And remember this, many more people succeed at this than fail. The choice is yours. Just choose life.
   — carlaruth

June 17, 2008
I had RNY on 8/22/2006. I weighed 526 lbs, prior to surgery, I was a huge carb eater. I am down minus 296 lbs, and do not even have a hunger for bread or pasta. If I do eat bread, it is 100% whole grain, or maybe a whole grain cracker. If I eat pasta, it is whole grain. I cannot tolerate protien shakes or bars. I eat those litle live active mozerella cheese sticks that are about 1 oz each..just the right size and portion. good luck, Peggy
   — DBlazer325

June 17, 2008
For me (6 months out), I can eat a little bit of pasta and not much bread. I eat them VERY occassionally. Eating much of either (or rice) causes me to feel like I swallowed a watermelon. Each surgeon has their own nutritional guidelines, so you will have to consult yours. The basic principle is to make sure you are getting in your fluids and protein and vitamins. If there is room for anything else, choose veggies and then carbs.
   — gonnadoit

June 17, 2008
Many people find after WLS that they can not tolerate breads and pastas, as they seem to just sit there like a heavy ball in their stomach. Others can eat them, but in small quantities. As for me, I will take a couple bites, but no more than that. It is too uncomfortable for my stomach to eat more. This is a good thing, and part of the "tool" to help you not over-eat these things. After you have surgery, and start eating foods, protein should always be your number one priority, for life. When you have a meal, eat your protein foods first, then eat your vegetable/fruit, then your bite or two of pasta or bread. Your "meal" is a small meal, a few bites of everything, but more bites of protein (chicken, tuna, salmon, beans, egg, and so on). Many people go through a "mourning" period after weight loss surgery, (I did) where they have mixed feelings, they miss being able to snarf down comfort foods. Just go with it and you will get through it, and get past that. I was a MAJOR sugar addict, and mourned not being able to eat lots of chocolate candy and such. I missed my comfort times of eating reese's peanut butter cups and watching a good movie. I now have some cottage cheese or some applesauce and watch TV. But I can honestly say I've gotten over that. I used to associate everything with food. I looked forward to going somewhere so I could stop at a drive-thru or Dunkin Donuts. It took some time to get over that, and I "mourned" it, but I did get over it, and have somehow re-set my thinking. I occasionally have a craving, and I'll eat one piece of sugar-free chocolate candy. I feel I am a recovered sugar-addict. The RNY surgery allowed me to break my addiction. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery restricts the amount fo food you can eat, plus it stops your body from absorbing some of the fat/calories in that food, plus it may make you feel ill if you eat sugary or greasy foods, (this is a good thing and is a tool), plus it decreases the amount of a hormone called Ghrelin that your stomach produces (Ghrelin triggers hunger). Lap Band or Stomach Stapling ONLY restrict the amount you can eat. They do not have the other "tools" I just described, and that is why people generally do not lose as much weight and do not keep the weight off as well. A typical day for me eating-wise is example: (all items are low fat and sugar free), cottage cheese, canned tuna, canned chicken (canned chicken is softer, easier to digest, and already cooked), mozzarella cheese, applesauce, baby food (baby food vegetables & meat, they're all natural, easy to eat, and very convenient), a low sugar protein bar such as Atkins (I like the chewy varieties). To drink: sugar free General Foods International Coffee (Is like a Latte and is "instant" just mix in hot water, comes in several flavors), Crystal Light, Hot Tea with Splenda, a cup of skinm milk. Don't worry, you will probably go through a little mourning period, but it will pass, and you'll be so thrilled with the weight loss and feeling better, and being literally cured of things like diabetes and high blood pressure that your whole perspective on pasta and bread will change - they will be something you are satisfied to not even eat, or to take a bite or two, they just won't seem so important anymore, trust me. And I admire your honesty and openess in your question, it's we all went through those types of thoughts and questions before and during the first several weeks after our surgeries. You go girl, you're gonna be sooooo healthy!!!!! Gina
   — Gina S.

July 15, 2008
I am almost three months out and tend to eat toast with peanut butter and bananas for breakfast (of course I can only eat about half a piece of this) and when at work and I can't get out to get a salad or something for lunch I eat the small pasta microwavable meals. I know everyone is groaning but as a manager I can't always leave the store and our fridge at work tends to not work most of the time so I grab what I can. So for the most part I would say yes you can still eat these things but in moderation.
   — Melanie C.




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