How many carbs is too many?!

[Kristaz]

So I have just past my 1 year surgiversary from RNY to DS! I am about 5 pounds under the "ideal" weight that Dr K set for me and have been stuck here within about a few pounds for MONTHS. I am concerned about the bounce back. So I do well with my nutrition I think. He had told me to do things like add a teaspoon of honey to your coffee to help the bounce back be less. But everyone said you will bounce regardless! Lol. So I have stopped all that. I hate the way a lot of carbs makes me feel... bloated gassy etc but am I still consuming too many? What is that ideal amount of there is such a thing? Any suggestions would be great!

 

[southernlady]

Each person is different.
All these are based on TOTAL not net carbs
Some have to stay under 30. Others can manage 50. And then there are some who keep between 100-150. I'm in that last group but a vast amount of mine are dairy and green veggies.

 

[LindaDarnell]

My hubby can easily do 100 carbs if he didn't have the gastro issues (bloating, gas, etc), and continue to loose weight. I, on the other hand, already know 30 or less for me, and that has to come mostly from veggies and dairy.

 

[Settledownnow]

So I have just past my 1 year surgiversary from RNY to DS! I am about 5 pounds under the "ideal" weight that Dr K set for me and have been stuck here within about a few pounds for MONTHS. I am concerned about the bounce back. So I do well with my nutrition I think. He had told me to do things like add a teaspoon of honey to your coffee to help the bounce back be less. But everyone said you will bounce regardless! Lol. So I have stopped all that. I hate the way a lot of carbs makes me feel... bloated gassy etc but am I still consuming too many? What is that ideal amount of there is such a thing? Any suggestions would be great!

Can you explain how the teaspoon of honey is supposed to help with bounce back? When I had my RNY everyone talked about bounce back as inevitable so when I gained I did not do much about it, then the gain increased and increased, and I could never get it turned around. This time will be different. My plan is to monitor my weight every week and if there is a weight gain, I will immediately cut back and look at my eating/exercise habits. I personally am not going to accept the notion that bounce back with the DS is inevitable. Time will tell of course because I am only 8 months out, but for now, I have a plan.

 

[southernlady]

@Settledownnow maybe not inevitable but it is very common. I know @Bagaof4 has managed to keep hers very manageable.

 

[Munchkin]

It's totally individual. Some people can eat in excess of 100 per day. Just an educated guess on my part but I think quite a few of the people who can eat whatever in the carb department are still actually in the losing phase and many come back in a couple years wanting to lose the regain. So if you are one of the lucky ones, keep in mind it won't last forever for most people. Men, those lucky devils, can usually eat a lot of carbs without gaining.

Me personally, I gain weight if I look at carbs. I have to go down close to 0 to lose anything. Many others say they eat over 100 and still lose. Maybe that's true which means I suck. And then again, maybe not. A lot of those self proclaimed DS Experts out there are still in their honeymoon period!

 

[Bagaof4]

I do believe we are all so different in the carb department. At 4.5 years out, I am maintaining a steady weight of 124-127 even though I do eat more carbs than many. Most of my carbs include fat (Kettle chips, fried chicken, bacon cheeseburger with the bun, guacamole, bread with lots of butter, etc). While I do eat candy and cookies, they are not the bulk of the carbs I eat - just an occasional treat after dinner. Carb intake hovers around 100 gr/day. If I go over, I just increase my protein the next day and it doesn't seem to have any lasting effects. I do still weigh every day as I know things could change even this far out.

While we are all very different, for me, it isn't so much about keeping my carb intake low, as it is bumping up my protein and fat to counter a higher carb day. Eating 'more' (protein and fat) to counteract eating more carbs is so counter-intuitive, but seems to be working for now. We will see how long this lasts!

*While I don't advocate it, since my hip replacement and dislocation revision, I don't exercise except for my daily activities.

 

[Kristaz]

Thanks ladies! I am still in my "honeymoon" phase at just over a year. But I am at the "ideal" weight according to Dr. K. I am 5'9" and about 145ish pounds depending on the day. I would say I'm a little heavy in carbs but it's not junk type cookies and candy. Mostly stuff with fats and as part of my protein packed meals. As I was a "leightweight" to begin with since my revision wasn't just about regain I just don't want to gain and get out of control. I am happy were I am and not looking to necessarily loose any weight just don't want it creeping up.

 

[Kristaz]

Can you explain how the teaspoon of honey is supposed to help with bounce back? When I had my RNY everyone talked about bounce back as inevitable so when I gained I did not do much about it, then the gain increased and increased, and I could never get it turned around. This time will be different. My plan is to monitor my weight every week and if there is a weight gain, I will immediately cut back and look at my eating/exercise habits. I personally am not going to accept the notion that bounce back with the DS is inevitable. Time will tell of course because I am only 8 months out, but for now, I have a plan.

I was a "leightweight" as my revision was for severe dumping not just regain or other medical issues. So Dr K was concerned with me loosing too much too fast and making the "bounce back" more severe. So in order for me not to lose too much to fast he had me add honey to my coffee in the morning adding extra calories etc.

 

[KathrynK]

I am lazy and don't count carb by carb, but I think one carb is not necessarily the same as another carb after DS. Carbs in vegetables, milk, cheese, and beans don't seem to make a difference in weight for me. Carbs in bread, pasta and rice do count, but I daily allow one or two very small portions of these and can maintain weight without changing this pattern. Ice cream is the safest treat and I am ok using the high fat real-sugar version a few times a week. White flour and sugar together in pastry/cookies/cake have to be limited to once or twice a week in small portions to maintain weight. Carbs in the form of straight sugar, and especially liquid sugar show up on the scale quickly, but eliminating sugar totally also shows up on the scale in the right direction. That said, I am not a saint, and if someone gives me a box of chocolates for my birthday, I eat it all. My two gateway foods for weight gain are pasta and sugar and I avoid pasta easily, but sugar....

 

[DSRIGGS]

I eat 150 a day probably, maybe a little more or little less (I don't count anything...just a guestimate) at 3.5 years Post DS and 1.5 post "channel extension". I eat a lot of veggies, yogurt, cheese, half and half in my bucket of coffee daily(pure cane sugar as well), potatoes, little bit of rice, little pasta, cookies and such on occasion......Breakfast burritos are kind of a staple now and I will often have two and I cut off about 2/3 of the excess tortilla because it is just flavorless to me...so I take the carb count down from 30'sh to 10'sh. I will eat bread at a place like Biaggi's where I dredge in EVOO and parmesan, or at a steak place where I use butter and take out the center doughy part.

As mentioned above...a carb isn't a carb so some are worse than others.

All this being said I am still a firm believer of Calories In - Calories Out = gain, maintain or loss....... and I think the DS community as a whole is somewhat insane with the excess focus on carbs and glorification of fat. I don't believe in eating low fat, but I also don't intentionally add fat because if I did I would weigh 115 lbs because I would be in the bathroom all day. There is a fine line between that right balance and too much. To me BALANCE IN LIFE IS ALWAYS THE KEY....In my oh so humble opinion.