Question:
after surgery are carbs off limits?

after I get this surgery will i be able to eat the occasional peice of bread or pasta? I come from an italian family (cant tell by my married name haha) and bread and pasta are staples. I dont know if I can go cold turkey so is an occasional bite of pasta or bread ok? Just to curve a craving?? thanks alot for your responses...Love    — cinamoni (posted on April 22, 2003)


April 22, 2003
No they aren't off limits you just need to change the order in which you eat. I love eating at Italian restaurants. Now if I order chicken parm with pasta I just eat the chicken first and with what room I have left over I eat four or five bites of the pasta. Pasta is one of the toughest things to eat. If I eat too much of it I can feel it expand in my pouch and it kind of hurts a little. You just need to learn your limits.
   — Linda A.

April 22, 2003
If you can just do one bite, more power to you! If I have a craving, and eat anything w/ white flour (crusty Italian bread especially!), it just makes me want more (like the whole loaf). But if you're not a carb addict like me, then I guess a bite won't kill you.. but you wouldn't want to indulge TOO much until you get to goal since it could slow your weight loss :-) Note that some people can't tolerate bread or pasta at all... at least initially.
   — mom2jtx3

April 22, 2003
I have found that I can eat those things...but like the previous poster said, I always take in some sort of protein first and then I only have room for a couple (2-3) of bites...which satisifies the desire to eat that. I, personally, wouldn't make a meal out of just pasta though. Besides, in the end, isn't the goal to learn to eat like a "normal" (okay better than normal) person?!
   — eaamc

April 22, 2003
Amy, No they're not off limits, how-ever what you do need to really concentrate on is getting in your protien, most of the time, you're so consumed on eating protien that you winde up eating very little carbs, so that's a bonus. I personally could not live with out a little bread or pasts every no and then, I know how it is, My mother is italian, and spegetti is my favorite, how-ever I have to opt for extra sauce and meat and just a little bit of segitti, it's all good. Hope if helps, Best of luck Post op 11 months down 128 pounds
   — tannedtigress

April 22, 2003
I actually dump on pasta. I found this out accidentally. I made a spinach/eggplant lasagna but I guess the carb count was too high. Fortunately, it doesn't matter to me, my husband is Italian, but as a Hungarian, I can take or leave pasta.
   — Yolanda J.

April 22, 2003
As others have said, carbs are not off limits, but with the limited capacity of your pouch, you need to be thinking "protein first". Eat the meatball first, then have a bite or two of pasta...JR
   — John Rushton

April 22, 2003
I am pre-op, but according to my nutritionist, I must have 20 grams of carbs per day starting pretty soon after surgery... but no actual bread, potatoes or pasta until I have lost at least 50% of my desired weight. This doctor may be stricter than most, but his success rate is very high.
   — Tim W.

April 22, 2003
This makes me crazy! Our bodies NEED protein, carbs and fats to function properly. Also, what many of the previous posters have said applies not to all carbs, but only to starches. All starches are carbs, but not all carbs are starches. Fruits and veggies usually have very little in the way of protein or fat, but are almost all carbs and are the best source of fiber and most vitamins and minerals. You can have carbs, but do choose them carefully.
   — garw

April 23, 2003
I personally limit my carb intake to 35 per day or less. I have not had any starches since surgery because I find there are too many hidden carbs in the things that I eat daily such as yogurt, milk and protein shakes and bars. I have chosen not to eat bread and pasta and have had success that I am happy with. I am sure when I get to my goal weight that these are things I will learn to incorporate but I am hell bent on changing my ways by the time I get there. I was a carb freak pre-op as I hear many of us were and it is really fear that keeps me from going there now. I also just want to get the weight off as quickly as I can and it is only my opinion that I will get there faster without the carbs. On a more practical side, pasta and bread take up room needed for protein in my tiny little pouch. Good Luck!
   — Carol S.




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