Hello. This is Michelle Phelan, nutritionist at Blossom Bariatrics, where expertise meets true compassion. We’re always here for you before, during, and after your weight loss surgery procedure–because it’s the after that’s the most important part.
Today, we’re going to talk about carbs and fat loss. Carbs aren’t evil. But, when it comes to carbohydrates, ditch the bad ones. Your body tends to utilize the carbohydrates that you eat for fuel instead of your stored fat. When your body is starved for carbohydrates, it’s forced to utilize your stored fat for fuel. Would you rather burn the carbs in those crackers you just ate or your stored body fat?
Now good carbs are high in fiber and high in cellulose, like vegetables, which makes it harder for your body to turn it into glucose very quickly. Basically, your body has to work harder to convert that celery you just ate into glucose, than it has to work converting that saltine cracker you just ate into glucose. The saltine cracker will turn into glucose within 2 to 5 minutes. So you want to choose good carbohydrates that are high in fiber.
Here’s some examples of good carbohydrates: berries, Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds, lentils, like peas or beans.
After bariatric surgery, it’s really important for you to know the difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates.
Bad carbs are easily digested; they’re simple carbs that turn into simple sugars, like glucose, within 2 to 5 minutes. Some examples would be all processed foods, all starchy carbohydrates like potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals, breads, pastries, like muffins and bagels. These foods turn to sugar or glucose too quickly and they cause a high sugar spike and then you crash and then you crave more.
It also slows your fat loss, because you’re telling your body, “Oh, wait! Stop burning the fat for fuel and burn this glucose instead.”
Right after surgery, you’re typically eating less than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day, and that keeps your body in full fat-burning mode. Your body is really forced to burn your stored fat for fuel and that’s why you see that honeymoon period right after surgery where you’re just burning fat left and right.
Optimal fat burn would be 50 to 80 grams of carbohydrates a day. This would still be, you know, enough carbohydrate to keep your energy levels high–you’re able to eat more and more healthy vegetables, more beans, more nuts, more lentils, and still burn your stored fat for fuel.
Some folks find that they can eat upwards of 85 to a 100 grams of carbohydrates a day and they can maintain their weight once they’ve hit their goal weight. But, if you find that you stop losing weight or that you actually gain weight, you want to back down into that sweet spot, which is 50 to 80 grams of carbohydrates a day.
Make sure to visit our website at www.blossombariatrics.com. Until next time, have a happy and healthy day!
