how many carbs do you aim for

CarolScott2

my hubby has been advised to go low carb pre op however we weren't given any advice about how low, yesterday we did 95g with the highest amount coming from a pear!???
any advice would be helpful

cmriverside

Call the surgeon's office and ask this question.

Rockmama1111

Was this advice given as part of a recommendation to lose weight or for another health issue?

The range of what people call “low carb” is huge. I get about 40 percent of my calories from carbs on average, or about 150 grams per day. I eat less pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, etc. I do this because it saves me some calories, which has helped me lose weight. On the other end of the spectrum are people who eliminate all of the foods I mention, and fruit too, and get less than 50 grams per day.

I’d recommend asking the doctor, like @cmriverside said. While you’re at it, ask for a recommendation for books to read or websites to learn from. You’ll get answers here, but you’ll get a lot of opinions that won’t have as much weight as your husband’s doctor, who knows the reason for the “go low carb” direction.

tomcustombuilder

Less than 100G is considered low carb

kshama2001

CarolScott2 wrote: »

my hubby has been advised to go low carb pre op however we weren't given any advice about how low, yesterday we did 95g with the highest amount coming from a pear!???
any advice would be helpful

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates make up 45% to 65% of your total daily calorie intake. So anything less than 45% is technically low carb.

Was the point to lose weight pre op, or is low carb medically necessary?

This is mostly for my own curiosity - ask your doctor for specifics on what they want your husband to accomplish and why, and if they continue to be ridiculously vague, ask for a referral to a dietitian.

If the point is just to lose weight, any way of eating that creates a calorie deficit can accomplish that.

neanderthin

I suspect it's to lose weight which is often a prerequisite because of complication and it can be difficult for surgeons to access certain areas because excess subcutaneous and visceral fat, that kind of thing. Talk to the Dr. and find out how much weight your husband needs to lose, they must have advised him, or you would think they would. As far as carbs are concerned, the lower generally the more satiating, which can make weight loss easier, but still, you need to talk to the Dr. to get a better idea of what is expected.

SafariGalNYC

Re low carb diet before surgeries-

For some surgeries such as gastric bypass - (or any surgery where a surgeon has to move a liver.) Low carb dieting helps deplete the glycogen (sugar) that is stored in the liver, “shrinking” it's size, and making surgery safer.

Not sure if that’s what OP has going on but .. reducing the liver volume’s makes it easier for a surgeon to “move” a liver over to get to the gut.

OP - I would consult with your physician, pre op diets can be very specific.

If low carbing is new to you / I would focus on extra hydration and electrolytes as well . Don’t want to be dehydrated before anesthesia.

kshama2001

SafariGalNYC wrote: »

Re low carb diet before surgeries-

For some surgeries such as gastric bypass - (or any surgery where a surgeon has to move a liver.) Low carb dieting helps deplete the glycogen (sugar) that is stored in the liver, “shrinking” it's size, and making surgery safer.

Not sure if that’s what OP has going on but .. reducing the liver volume’s makes it easier for a surgeon to “move” a liver over to get to the gut.

OP - I would consult with your physician, pre op diets can be very specific.

If low carbing is new to you / I would focus on extra hydration and electrolytes as well . Don’t want to be dehydrated before anesthesia.

I did not need to lose weight pre open abdominal surgery last fall, but had extremely specific guidelines for how to shower and eat for a day or two prior. I was given a very extensive handout, which a nurse also personally reviewed with me.

The day of surgery, I was asked repeatedly, by multiple personnel, questions that would ascertain if I had followed these guidelines.

I went to MGH in Boston.

I'm surprised the OP's husband was not given more specific guidelines.

xrj22

For weight loss, it doesn't matter. Calories are calories. Make sure that you are getting enough protein, and then the rest will be either fat or carbs, and it doesn't really matter. For health, the # of carbs is not as important as the kind of carbs. Avoid added sugars, white flour, white rice, pasta, and other highly processed foods. Also avoid excessive amounts of saturated fats. But carbs from fruit (in moderation), whole grains, beans, legumes, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, nuts, etc come with a lot of fiber and nutrients which keep your blood sugar from spiking. They can be quite healthy.

CarolScott2

thank you for all your advice