carbs habbit!

[keeley86]

Well ive been wondering.... i see people talking about getting out of the carbs habbit post op and i know this may sound dumb but what can i replace my carbs with, pre op??? what can i have with meat and veg instead of potatoes, pasta, rice and even bread. thats all i seem to be eating - i have been dieting but im not shifting much at all - i cant go to the loo as often as id like either. i have salad for lunch every day and vegetables for tea mostly vegetable on my plate and i still can go - what am i doing wrong! i dont seem to understand the carbs and protein part of the labels just kcals.
thanks in advance for helping me on this one xx

 

[Bev]

Certainly sounds like you are on the move too Keeley... with your Wii exercises...
I am drinking more water and that is helping me!
At present, I am just having cereal with skimmed milk, a slimfast shake for lunch and a light main meal, tonight I had a lean small sirloin steak, grilled and no fat or grease, cabbage, carrots and I had to have a teaspoon of gravy... not a whole gravy boat as before!
I have taken potatoes off my diet plan and although I have a little bit of rice or pasta, it's only a small amount...
My weight isn't dropping off either... but I'm not going up and do the toning tables several times a week to help get my limbs going.
I have not eaten between meals so I'm pleased about that... if I feel hungry... I come on here and you all give me the stength to fight it!
Much love to you Keeley! I have missed hearing from you xxx

 

[keeley86]

lol - ive been busy last couple of days hunting for a little caravan for us and trying to sell my car and buy something bigger to be able to tow a caravan with and trying to sort my house out as my hubby has turned my kitchen and dining room upside down and decorated it, lol! were about there now!
its realli getting me down im drinking loads of robinsons suger free pop - i dont have suger anymore just sweetners - my exercise has gone from none to an hour a day plus that 1 hour has given me more energy to be able to do more day to day things rather been sat on my arse all the time, and like you i have been sticking to 3 meals a day!
its all going in and nothings cuming out no matter how much veg/salad i eat, lol
i just wondered if anyone could give me some ideas for lunch and teas thats cutting the carbs out and makes me run to the loo???

 

[Bev]

I love salad, do you have a Morrisons store nearby? To kick myself off, I went into Morrisons and bought a huge box of salad with a bit of everything healthy in it. It has all sorts to choose from... and with that I would have a slice of turkey or lean ham. I take all visible fat off everything and I write everything down.
Getting into the habit of preparing healthy food isn't easy at first with past habits.
Rightly or wrongly, as much as I love potatoes, I have cut them out. Just had a birthday so it didn't help start my week off. I have cut out cooking big Sunday dinners for everyone and have entertained until I couldn't stand in the past including baking... no more!
It was a bit for the plates and a bit for me...
Just be patient Keeley and are you getting your weight from the Wii with the same clothes on each time? Don't get disheartened... your time will come love and we are all in the same boat xxx

 

[Bev]

p.s. Keeley... try and get into the habit of not drinking with meals... drink before and after meals...and try setting a target of drinking fresh water because a lot of these squashes are loaded with colourings and additives!
Try a fresh lemon in water, or have a go at making something that you like with a natural flavouring.... not easy... if like me.. I'd rather be down the pub with a pint... but no more!
I had half a bitter shandy on my birthday and it was that sweet I had to leave it.
Start getting strict and write things down, it's early days and your body may be just reserving food and fluid due to the shock of the change.
Keep exercising, get weighed on the same scales and keep positive... try oranges and fresh fruit to help your bowel movement... water gives you a damn good flush too! Loads of love xxx

 

[gaelic girl]

Hi Keely i'm a year post op and still can't go to the toilet the way i used to and it doesn't seem to matter what i do or don't eat. I still have carbs with my meat and veg just have more meat and veg than i do the carbs. You do still need to have carbs as part of your diet. What i was told was try to keep carbs to breakfast and dinner at night and have your salads at lunchtimes. Its important that you are eat enough. I have never been able to manage on three meals a day i have to eat every two to three hours. I have been fortunate to only experience one stall and am still losing weight albeit very slowly. In the beginning it is very much trial and error and as your confidnce grows so will your variety of foods. Hope that helps bit x
PS i'm not a water drinker i don't like it plain so i drink 2 litres of sugar free Ribena. Also get Movicol to help with the loo side of things certainly helps me and is not to bad to drink x

 

[keeley86]

awwww bev you havent tasted our water.... honestly, i have to buy a new kettle every2 months because the limescale is sooooo bad and it tastes like chlorine so i have to av some taste in there, lol is robinsons bad for you then? i never realised that, i always thaught it was ok being n.a.s.
i dont wear the same clothes but my clothes are very similar anyway. always a pair of leggings and a baggy top.
my hubby works for morrisons so we have a discount card but i dont eat much fruit realli im not a big lover of fruit only grapes and strawberrys i think i mite have to force myself into some fruit - maybe thats my problem!
how you doing in your diet then? are you getting on with the wii??? did you try the marching one?

 

[keeley86]

so maybe im not eating enough! whats this movicol and where do i get it from? ive never heard of it! im going to force more fruit on myself too maybe that will help

 

[shelbell]

Movicol is a prescription laxative. You can start on the benefibre now, that helps loads with bowels.

as for post op carbs, I had them with one meal only post op, and stuck to unrefined carbs (wholemeal pasta, brown rice, sweet potato etc). Breakfast is easy to go carb free if you can tolerate eggs, a quick ommelette, scrambled eggs with tomato/bacon/ham etc, and that way full of protein. I had a lot of ommlettes in my losing phase, if I had a carby lunch I would have one for my tea quite often. Lunch was often soup, or a salad, or a plate of cooked meat and cheese. Then tea could be meat veg and carbs, or cottage pie etc.

Pre-op, try to stick to a balanced plate (1/4 protein, 1/4 starches, 1/2 veg/salad), and try to get into the habit of eating the protein first, then the veg, then lastly the starch if still hungry.

 

[Bev]

Keeley, you are doing well, you have got going with the exercise and your motivation is rubbing off on me!

I don't know much about the Robinsons squash, but maybe try just having it very weak...

If you are not keen on fruit, try melon and a few grapes together... they are lush!

Small strides... one thing for sure... Morrison's do lovely lean turkey slices in the deli... I have had this for the last few weeks and it's helped me no end, with a salad... keep going Keeley... you will get there... much love xxx

 

[keeley86]

ill have to try that movicol - thanks shel and bev!
shel i cant stop looking at your pics, your tranformation is amazing! what a diference x

 

[shelbell]

Thank you

 

[phatmomma]

I'm post op and i haven't totally eliminated carbs! I don't have them every day but i do have them. Usually jacket potato or if like yesterday and lunch wasn't substantial (even post op standards it wasn't substantial) and i felt the need for a slice of toast before going to meet friend for coffee, in the old days i'd have had a sandwich or cake at the cafe...

As Bev says try to break the habit of drinking with your meals and if you really want to get in the post op mood don't drink 30 minutes before or after food either.

There is nothing wrong with having nas squash, in fact i find it helps if i need a sweet fix i put an extra small splash in too give me the kick... If you don't enjoy water why drink it? We give up a lot anyway xxx

 

[Bev]

It's a really good point regarding not drinking and eating... and the time lapse Julie... as I have always drank loads whilst eating... I have stopped it now! I have always enjoyed Fanta zero orange... takes the taste away of pills and I have had cancer pills (chemo) which I could only take with fanta orange.

But... I am doing what I can to get into the groove early and so far so good...

Thank you for all the tips... it's a terrific support
xxx

 

[Jacquie Christie]

I've been told to have a healthy carb at each meal if possible.

 

[Stellap]

The problem with cutting out starchy carbs totally is that you also lose the fibre that your bowels need to get moving. Benefibre is great for getting things moving. I don't have white carbs (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, anything with white flour) as they are refined but I still allow myself porridge, brown rice occasionally, sweet potato and this keeps my bowels healthy (as a diabetic it's important for me to have some slow release low GI carbs). The best advice I was given when I suffered with constipation is drink drink drink - I try to do 2-3 litres of water/NAS cordial and don't suffer constipation any more.