Carbs...

What is your carb limit a day? My NUT told to keep it at the most 15 grams per meal....but I worry about that number.

my dietician told me she wont put a number on it, she is more concerned with my protein intake. That worried me so I still read whats in what and how much, cause i dont want to gain  or be at a stand still.  I dont eat enough small meals thruout the day so.

I had my one month check yesterday and asked my nut about that very thing.  She said that the main concern is about the protein, but that you need to keep a careful eye on the carbs especially for the first 6-12 months.  She said to avoid, pastas, beans, potatoes, rice, and grains for a while.  Those items she said contain a lot of complex carbs.  It is our craving for complex carbs and processed foods that helped most of us put on and keep the weight before surgery.  You don't want to restart some of the same bad habits even if it is in moderation.  There are too many other healthy choices and lower carbs in the foods that are good for you.

Your first 12 months should be about adopting healthy a healthy lifestyle, whi*****ludes both diet and exercise. Adopting a healthy diet means learning about what your body requires as opposed to what you want.

Whole grains, vegetables and beans are things that are part of a healthy diet. Yes you need to do protein first, but depending on your activity level you can go overboard on protein and neglect the other nutrients your body requires.

The main goal of this journey should be a sustainable healthy lifestyle, not to obtain some magical number on the scale.

I understand avoiding pasta, potatoes, etc.  But beans?  I find it kinda hard to believe that most of us got fat eating too many beans.  We actually need some carbs in our diet to be healthy and beans are a good source of protein.  I don't understand why she would say to avoid beans.

I always figured it was things like Big Macs, volumes of ice cream, cookies and crap like that, that made me fat not the beans and veggies.

Beans may contain protein (vegetable and not animal of course), but hey also contain a huge amount of carbs.  You get carbs from the other vegetables and fruits that you are supposed to be eating.  Don't forget too that unless you went with a cut and run surgeon, you're probably on a required diet and vitamin supplement routine that includes all your vitamins, minerals, and usually fiber supplements.  You can have beans after a while, but for now the goal is to make your body burn up fat for energy and not complex carbs that your body is getting from food.  From what i can tell a lot of people on here were told the same thing about the beans.  Chemically they're no much different from potatoes except they have some protein too and you aren't eating potatoes are you?  I'm just saying...

I went with one of the Top surgeons in my area and am on the standard Vitamin schedule, and I do not take fiber supplements as I get my fiber from my Daily Diet.  Remember that every surgeons protocol is different and just because a surgeon says something does not make it 100% accurate.  Look at the number of surgeons still telling patients to take kids vitamins or calcium carbonate.  Some surgeons tend to be more aggressive in getting people eating normal foods while others still do a 2 week fluid post op diet. 

When it comes to my post op lifestyle I follow some very simple rules.

1) When it comes to my Weightloss and my Bypass I listen to my surgeon. After all this is his area of expertise. 

2) When it comes to my labs I trust my Primary as he draws them quarterly to keep on top of any problems.

3) When it comes to my Ulcers I trust my GI even when her advice is counter to that of my Surgeon.

4) When it comes to my nutrition I trust my Nutritionist as her field of expertise is nutrition and what the body needs to function.  I trust my NUT when it comes to my protein and caloric needs as well, again even when this is counter to my surgeon.

Listening to those who are experts in the various areas has served my quite well in the past year.  I now maintain a 21% Body fat which is considered that of a normal individual.  I eat what I want which now is always something healthy, and goes towards my protein or caloric goals.  I do not exist on a 1000-1400 calorie a day diet but have been moved to 2100-2300 calories a day and told to increase my carbs to 130 grams 30grams of which need to come from HEALTHY fast acting carbs to replenish my glycogen stores.

If you believe that Complex carbs really are not that different from simple carbs then you have a lot to learn as they are vastly different in how your body treats them and utilizes them.

Yes you can become addicted to carbs and ingesting them can lead you to crave them but that is because your body can utilize carbs as energy more readily than it can protein, both simple and complex.

Yes fruits, veggies and beans contain a lower carb to protein ratio, but in a healthy diet these types of carbs play a role. 

Again in the first 12-18 months optimize on your weightloss but it is this time that you should be putting healthy life style changes into place and a key to this is a healthy and balanced diet, whi*****ludes Protein, Carbs and Fats.  Learning how to properly balance these 3 things will be crucial as you get farther out.  The attitude that all carbs are evil will make your life much more difficult when it comes time to resume a more normal diet.

i didn't say several of your statements above. In fact i said there is a big difference between complex and simple carbs.  My surgeon isn't the one who said to avoid these things.  That came from two nutritionists in his group.  The success of the group I picked is on average about 10% greater weightloss than most.  They've had 1 failure in the past 9 years.  They require classes and provide a 300 page book that covers everything from nutrition to surgery to exercise.  I'm thinking that they have this success because they've found a formula that works.  They are not a cut and run surgical group that provides the surgery and then lets you figure it out on your own.  I have to assume that they know what they're talking about.  I also said carbs were good, but I stand by my statement that complex carbs are not good unless you're very active and not until you've lost or all of your weight.  You simple don't need the complex carbs for a long while and even then only in moderation.

If you're consuming over 2100 calories i have to assume you are very active.  Great for you!  But i also know that many who have RNY become more active, but most will not be athletic.  Your body can get a lot of energy without high amounts of complex carbs. In fact, they will leave you with a carb crash very quickly leaving you now wanting more complex carbs to bring them back up.

I know different dieticians make different recommendations for the post op diet, and I'm sure some say to avoid beans.  Mine did not say that, and since I don't eat meat, I get a fair amount of my protein from beans.  Eating beans did not keep me from losing weight and getting to my goals.  I have never needed a fiber supplement, I get plenty of fiber from my food.