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[mewithin]

Ok so I have slowly been switching myself and my 2 kids over to the Bariatric way of eating. Pumping up the protein ,sliding back on the carbs and sugars. I have been reading some folks do eat breads, pasta, and potatoes and some say they don't. Some proteins need to be "mixed". I'm a little confused  

[kiersti]

mewithin - There are a lot of diverse opinions on the role of Breads, Pasta and Potatoes (don't forget rice too) in the diet of a post-WLS patient.  And I think that this can even get "sensitive" as the opinions are so diverse.  Mine is one opinion and I can't wait to read some others.

I have gone to the extreme in that I am nearly completely gluten free save for occasional oats - only because I haven't found gluten free ones yet - though they exist and I am looking.

I avoid potatoes and rice because they quickly convert to simple sugars while we digest them and I am just not interested in them at this stage.  No real nutritional value that I can't get better somewhere else.

So as a result of the gluten free thing I avoid all wheat products like bread and pasta - even "whole" wheats.

I DO NOT MISS IT.  I mean, there is the occasional - gee...wouldn't that be nice...but then I can usually find a gluten free alternative and am happy.

Why have I made this choice?  At first it was to help with the success of the WLS.  Avoiding carbs and the like.  But, I have just been feeling better and have started to want to get some real facts and science to better explain my choice.  I have found a few resources that help as I continue to build my knowledge.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/blame-gluten.html
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-grains/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-carb-binge/

I have also been becoming more and more enamored with the Paleo Diet which goes beyond gluten free and eliminates all seeds, legumes, dairy and wheat based products.  I haven't gone full bore with this since I love me some beans & dairy...but it is interesting stuff. 
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/about-2/marks-daily-apple/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/beans-legumes-carbs/

IN SHORT - I think we can find more nutritional dense foods to nourish our bodies than breads, pastas and potatoes.  I don't even really buy the stuff for my family.  They do still have cereals for breakfast - but dinners no longer include the obligatory starch on the side.  All proteins and veggies for my family.

[mewithin]

Don't you have kids? Did you find them complaining alot? I have gotten rid of potatos and bread and like it just fine...haven't missed it that much. But rice don't you need to add it potatos to make a complete protein? Thanks for the websites I will look into them.


OOPS! I meant add rice to BEANS to make a complete protein.

[patti55444]

I avoid rice because it swells in my pouch and makes me a very unhappy girl.

I do eat dreamfields brand low carb pasta but not often and always with protein first.

I will also have a bite or two of potatoes with dinner but certainly not daily.

I eat the low carb tortilla's on occasion

and
I love the whole wheat skinny bagels for breakfast sandwiches and egg salad but I eat them open faced so am only consuming 1/2 at a time.

I don't feel deprived and I'm feeding my DH a bit healthier too.

Patti

[baka]

I'm pretty much the same as Patti and Kiersti

Rice is VERY dangerous to baby freaks ask Toni to tell you about the lady who nearly killed herself eating Rice just after surgery.

I look at eating as fueling my body now - So why would I want to put CRAP into my engine?

Ian

[MacMadame]

But rice don't you need to add it potatos to make a complete protein?

Beans. You add it to beans.

[mewithin]

So am I understanding correctly then that beans alone are ok? You don't need to add rice? Ian I know you have the answer to this ...rofl

[Mo-Mik]

just toss some dry flour into your damp sink-let it set for a minute and then try to clean the "paste" out of there.  I think of that yucky paste and I don't want it in my "drain" either.  Seriously though, I would love to have bread-but it does not love me, so we broke up after the surgery.

I do eat Dreamfields-only a teeny bit, low carb tortilla once in a blue moon and a bite or two of potatoes weekly at the most.

[ttowe]

Really for me what it boils down to is you will have very limited space to put food into.  So you want to put what is the healthiest and most beneficial to your body.

Rice, potatoes, pasta, and breads....not so beneficial unless you are like a marathoner or iron man who needs those extras carbs for fuel.

Fruits and veggies you need. While they are high in carbs, they are also high in fibers and other nutrients so having them is okay.

I like to say I eat like a cave man now. Cave men didn't have pasta, bread or rice. 

Do I eat pasta, rice and potatoes...yes. occasionally...but it's always withing the rules of 3 bites of protien, to one bite of whatever. 

t

[kiersti]

mewithin - yes, I have two kids, 6 & 4.  And they don't complain any more than kids usually complain about food their parent serve for dinner.  The only food that wouldn't make them complain would be a steady diet of take-out pizza, fast food cheeseburgers and boxed macaroni and cheese...oh, and chocolate milk on the side.

They certainly don't groan about the absence of a side of starch specifically.  They may groan about having to try new things - but the rule in my house is, dinner is what is served, if you don't like it leave it there - but no alternatives will be prepared.  And yes...my kids have had dinners where all they will eat is the protein or just one of the other things served.  But we still eat well and they complain relatively minimally - and their eating habits are improving.  Both my 6 and 4 year old like salad and a variety of fruits and veggies.  We go to the farmers market and I let them each pick a new thing to try which get's them excited about trying new things (sometimes).

But - I am still existing in the real world.  My kids do still ask for spaghetti and meatballs for dinner sometimes - and I don't want to be the food crazy mom.  So I do keep some whole wheat pastas on hand for them and on occasion I will make them spaghetti and meatballs with ground turkey.  They still get PB & J's now and then...and granola bars.   We have a jar of candy in the kitchen from holidays and b-day parties that get's tapped into at dessert time.

AND - they get school lunches, so you know they are getting all the carbs they need from that blackhole of health.

Man...the only time they really complain is lately when they have been getting cold cereal for breakfast instead of scrambled eggs and fruit....I'd rather them have the eggs anyway.

We still have fun with food and make homemade ice cream...why shouldn't food still be fun just cuz it's ice cream made out of yogurt instead of heavy cream? 

We get really excited about birthday cakes in my house and I go full hog (so to speak) and make something truly decadent that I usually can't even think about once it's all put together - I start dumping if I get within 3 feet of these desserts!

We have conversations about food types to help them figure out how to make good choices when away form home too.  Is this a "sometimes" food in the Fats and Sweets group?  I began doing this when I realized my daughter was only having chocolate milk at lunch and was skipping grabbing a fruit or a salad.  She now likes to brag about when she picked white milk or water and I don't sweat the 1 or 2 days a week that she picks chocolate milk - we even set aside Friday's as a day she can always chose chocolate milk.  I don't want their memories of childhood to be burdened with a health-crazed mom....but I want them to reflect on the great adult eating habits that they built based on the choices they are offered now.

[mewithin]

Thank you kiersti I appreciate you candor. Is the ice cream with yogurt the one with greek yogurt and protein powder? or is there another recipe in here somewhere? Which whole grain pasta do you and your kids like? I've tried some but no one can stomach the taste. My son wanted spaghetti for his b-day but I ended up not fixing it because of the pasta. He was fine with that though.

[patti55444]

Jennifer try Dreamfields pasta. It tastes like regular pasta with very few carbs. I am able to eat it post op and I'm grateful for it. The kids won't know the difference. Check it out at Dreamfields.com I'm finding it at all the grocery stores I shop at now.

Patti

[mewithin]

well Patti I try to look that up but got a dog agility company. Dreamfields.com? Dunno

[patti55444]

Sorry Jennifer it is http://www.dreamfieldsfoods.com/

My bad

Patti

[kiersti]

mewithin - the ice cream I make is with the greek yogurt with protein....the kids love it - especially the version with chocolate and almonds...oh - and mint chip too!

The brand of pasta in my cabinet now is Barilla.  The texture is a bit more dense than reg pasta - but I just trim the serving size a bit to make up for the heaviness.  I'd rather them have an extra meatball anyway...protein.

[mewithin]

kiersti- sorry to be a pest with all the questions. Do you use the plain protein base and add sf syrups for flavor? Is there sf chocolate chips somewhere?

[kiersti]

A pest?  Never - I remember having a TON of questions - and being scared about feeling overwhelmed with all I didn't know.  There is still tons I don't know...but everyday I learn more. 

OK - I don't usually make a straight up protein shake.  I am usually making a sort of coffee shake usually.  When I do make a reg. protein shake I do use the plain base and add to it.  Sometimes pureed fruit or pumpkin.  Or chocolate.  I use the sugar free syrups for this - definitely.  (I also use the syrups for my plain yogurt, vanilla ice creams - even oatmeal too!)

For chocolate I have used the sugar free Hershey's syrup.  But that tastes chemically to me.  I basically just use cocoa powder and sweeten as needed.  - YUM.

And - as for Chocolate chips - There are SF Choco chips out there...but I haven't found them yet!  Lots of cookers int he forum use them and love them and I think they get them at Walmart.  I haven't seen them there when I have SPECIFICALLY gone to look. 

I could order them online...but $hipping!  UGH.  I use *dark* chocolate.  It is low in sugar and doesn't have any scary sugar alcohols that give me gas....when I can't find chips I just buy a bar and cut it up.

[SeekingHealthy]

I can eat breads at any time "if I choose to", pastas for me, it depends on what type of pasta i.e. I can not handle spaghetti noodles AT ALL, but I do fine with egg noodles and most times macaroni etc.  Potatoes I can handle all the time with the exception of french fries.  Rice is an absolute NO NO for me.   I just choose to try and pick healthier foods so I limit my intake of these types of foods any way.  I focus on proteins first.  When I had my original WLS I had kids in the home, I would cook it for them but stay away from it myself. Not always the easiest thing to do but once you have an episode or two of how it can make you feel you learn FAST.      Everyone's system handles aspects of this surgery differently.  What may effect me, may not effect you.  Another thing for me is I may be able to handle a certain food one day but the next it might make my pouch terribly unhappy.... so it changes.  You will learn, with time, the signals from your wls what you can tolerate.  There is a learning curve.  It is hard to explain the different "feeling" you get once you have to deal with a pouch.  "That one bite to much" can send you from happy to miserable in 2 seconds flat!   At first you will be able to consume very little.  Try to focus on your protein first and it will help you make the life style change you need to be successful in the long run.