Low Carb Banders Unite

LindaD · 09-06-2009, 07:38 PM

I'm a believer in low-carb... moreso these days than ever before. I first read Atkins in 2000 and had a lot of success with it, but the controversy (is it unhealthy yadda yadda) got me down, plus I was just not fully embracing it - still worried and watching fats, etc.

I have since embraced it fully. I read Gary Taubes book and now I'm reading _In Defense of Food_ and more and more, I believe it.

When I say I'm low carb, some people scoff because I don't do any sort of 20g a day thing (like Atkins induction phase). I try to stay around 100g a day. It's enough to allow me to have stuff, while still being limited enough to support my weight loss.

You want to know what I eat? Since some are asking...

I have a cup of pistachios most days for breakfast (1 cup in-shell). I also like cashews and eat those here and there. For lunch at work... I have the Del Monte Fruit Naturals ruby red grapefruit cups. I also keep a jar of olives stuffed with garlic and cheese (in oil) in my work fridge.

I usually have whatever the family is having for dinner. Tonight I had a pasta dish with a cajun cream sauce and scallops and langostinos with asparagus on the side. I didn't have much pasta, but I had some.

I eat eggs. I like scrambled eggs with diced ham. Or just scrambled eggs with hot sauce! I love Trader Joe's buffalo mozzerella, marinaded with spices and such. Since my banding, I'm not yet quite ready for steak (I've had issues both time I've tried), but I keep some fully-cooked sausage links in the fridge and I'll have 2 or 3 of those for a meal.

I love deviled eggs so I make those occasionally.

I love berries and cream (with a little Splenda) and so we have that sometimes for breakfast (plan to have it tomorrow, in fact!).

Edamame - I eat a lot of that. Trader Joe's has ready-to-eat edamame that is really yummy... I just add some sea-salt.

Avocados - I probably have an avocado for lunch a few times a week. Just shell it, cut it up into bite sized pieces, salt it and eat. It's divine. I also make homemade guacamole and it's to die for.

I have a panini maker at home and I make quesadillas. Like I said, I'm not a die-hard low-carber so a tortilla isn't a big deal to me. I put whatever I want on there - refried beans, guacamole, chicken, cheese, sour cream.

Those are my staples, at least the ones that come to mind. I use butter and olive oil in cooking. I use real cream.

Oh - a really good "treat" for a low-carber... I will occasionally have a diet rootbeer with about an ounce or so of heavy cream mixed in. Tastes like a rootbeer float.

But I eat other stuff too that isn't low carb. I track all my food and I typically hit about 100 grams a day of carbs. On a "splurge" day, it might be 200, but that's a LOT and it doesn't happen too often anymore (given that I eat a lot less overall).

banded07-n-ohio · 09-09-2009, 06:12 AM

Question for everyone. Did you follow a certain diet like Adkins to get started? My doc wants me to cut back on the carbs. Where do I start?

LindaD · 09-09-2009, 08:43 AM

Louise,

The FDA recommendations (for me, at least - I used an online calculator to look it up) is upward of 300g of carbs per day.

Atkins is flexible - the plan puts you on a very SEVERE regimine for 2 weeks - 20g a day - and then after that you increase slowly until you figure out your "maintenance" level (that level where you no longer are losing) and then you back off from there. So that's one way.

I have found that I do well (and it's not too hard) to operate at about 100g a day. That is still significantly reduced from the FDA guildelines, but it's not so restrictive as to be difficult to follow. I still have enough leeway so that I don't have to work hard to hit that level. For example, last night I had potatoes with my dinner and I had fruit at lunch.

I would suggest starting by tracking what you're eating now - see what your run-rate of carb intake is. Once you're there, set yourself some goals. I mean, if you're a big carb eater, you might want to start by weaning. Say you take in 400 a day - maybe start off cutting down to 200. That's STILL more than 33% less than the FDA recommends, so it IS carb restricted. See how you feel, how well it fits into your eating style, and then go from there.

Some people start by just cutting out white foods: sugar, flour, rice, potatoes. I'm not strictly cutting out anything, but I have my sugar in the form of fructose (fruit) and I have my potatoes and I even occasionally have rice and/or bread.

Desdemona · 09-10-2009, 11:06 PM

I had my band done at a teaching hospital that required a 20% weight loss before they would put the band in (along with a bunch of other requirements). They use a low carb diet for post-op so I used it for pre-op too. Linda has already pointed out that Atkins is flexible. I agree that it's important to find your comfort zone with it. The FDA has been slowly lowering the daily carb limits as more and more research emerges on health benefits and weight loss success of lower levels of carbs. Once you are on the band - you will find that it's much easier to stick to a lower carb plan. You will also see your health indicators get much better.

riley4183 · 09-14-2009, 01:02 AM

Any vegetarian low-carbers out there? I'd love the hear what you eat! I am meat-free and wheat-free, and can't tolerate whey (cheese is fine, just no protein shakes or bars) . . . eggs, lentils, black beans, tofu and edamame are my staples and they're getting pretty darned boring!!!

SpideyMom · 09-15-2009, 01:52 PM

Hi, everyone! I have been low-carbing it since I was banded on May 7, 2009. Years ago I tried Atkins and South Beach, with very limited success, but this time I took my own approach. I don't count how many carbs I take in, but I do limit them considerably!

After two consultations with my surgeon and a few sessions with a therapist, I realized that I was *truly* addicted to sugar, just like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. During the time between my first consultation and my surgery, I made the very difficult decision to completely give up sugar and all white carbs (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes). It's been going good so far, and the longer I go without those items, the easier it is.

I guess you would say my diet is closer to South Beach. My foods include: Unjury protein shakes in the morning (when my band is usually tight); fat-free Greek yogurt (really high in protein); lentil soup or black bean soup with low-fat cheese melted in; refried beans topped with low-fat cheese, fat-free salsa, low-fat sour cream (eat with whole wheat baked pita chips or just with a spoon!); hummus & tahini with fresh veggies and sometimes a few All Bran Multigrain crackers or pita chips; low-carb "sandwich": any deli meat, cheese, condiments, etc., between two slices of low-fat swiss cheese (the swiss allows you to hold it without getting your hands wet or sticky

); Breakstone's 2% high-fiber cottage cheese mixed with 1 small container of pre-made sugar-free Jell-o (don't knock it till you try it -- got the idea from someone else on this board!

); scrambled eggs with cheese; and if I'm out at a fast food restaurant, I choose a salad with grilled chicken on top, or I get a cheeseburger with all the toppings, take off the buns, use a fork and knife, and cut it all up into "cheeseburger salad."

I have a question for you all: Has anyone found a good whole wheat/whole grain low-carb bread?

I was shocked to see to sugar content in most whole wheat breads!

TIA!

PS - A big hello to Minxz and LindaD, my fellow Mayo Banditos!