Question:
Would someone explain why carbs are bad after gbs, and if they affect weight loss?

I am 7 weeks post op and I have only lost 30 pounds. I have noticed that I have been the same week for the past two weeks. I am wondering if the rice, potatoes, and crackers in my diet are contributing.    — lachonde B. (posted on August 19, 2003)

August 19, 2003
Some surgeons strictly limit carbs for their patient's post-op nutrition and others allow them. My nutritionist was a believer that carbs are a normal part of the diet and should be included, but try to make it the "good" carbs, the non-white ones like multigrain or whole wheat breads, beans, fruits and veggies. Try to minimize rice, crackers and potatoes this early post-op. And please, do NOT get discouraged because you have "only lost X number of pounds". We all lose at our own rates, but we all get there! Small plateaus of a few weeks duration are not unusual on this journey.
   — Cindy R.

August 19, 2003
our bodies were made to run on protein, not carbs. think about the cavemen...they ate meat not rice and pasta. normally when we workout the first 20 minutes is burning carbs, then after that you burn fat. but if you load up on carbs it can take the body longer to start burning the fat. carbs are great for people who don't want to lose weight but workout alot. it gives them extra energy, but for people who are overweight it makes the losing process take longer. try staying under 30 grams of carbs a day if you can and see if that helps. also you can ask your doctor or nurse. good luck
   — franbvan

August 19, 2003
The carbs that you mentioned are problematic only because they have a lot of calories but very little nutritional value. You should take advantage of what little pouch space you have with foods that will feed your body. Protein is the best and will keep you losing steadily and probably more quickly. AND if you are anything like me the carbs are what got you fat in the first place so learning how to live without them early on will help you to get where you want to be and to stay there. Good Luck.
   — Carol S.

August 19, 2003
Carbs is what got me to 442 lbs, so obviously they are not my friend. I am 6-1/2 months post op and I do eat some carbs now but still very small quantites and not at every meal. Protein is what is going to keep my body healthy and strong long term so that's what I go with. If I eat mashed potatoes it is 2 small forkfulls and that's it. No rice, as it does not sit well and crackers is a very rare thing even though the ones I eat are what crackers. Carbs also have a tendency to set off cravings, so until you have a better handle on them and how they work in your post-op life I would definitely cut the refined carbs and work with the better ones - veggies and fruit and even at that limit them.
   — zoedogcbr

August 19, 2003
My Dr. and nutritionist both suggest only 2-3 portions of carbs per day, as high in fiber/protein as possible. At one of our recent support groups, my surgeon mentioned another reason for limiting carbs. He said that carbs begin to break down and be digested in the mouth. This means that the calories are more likely to be internalized by the body before they get to the pouch and have the ability to bypass the digestive area. I do feel though, that if the total calorie amount is in the correct range, you can't do too much damage, but every little bit counts.
   — Fixnmyself

August 19, 2003
I've read that we should limit our carbs as they block our body from burning fat. We should eat Protein, Protein, Protein as it produces glucagon that facilitates the burning of fat and maintains muscle mass.
   — Tom Barton