3 Dietary Tips: What to Eat After Weight Loss Surgery
To achieve and maintain your weight loss goals, you will need to make changes in your daily diet—not only in what and how you eat, but also how you approach food. Physically, the surgical changes made to your stomach will require permanent and often dramatic changes in your eating habits.
To help make this easier, we have put together a list of three helpful tips:
Liquids: Avoid drinking liquids during mealtime. To prevent your stomach from overfilling, you should drink liquids 30 minutes prior to or after each meal. This will keep food from flushing through your stomach too quickly—allowing you to feel full longer.
Be sure to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. For two reasons, avoid calorie laden, carbonated, and caffeinated beverages:
- · Stimulate appetite
- · Irritate your new stomach
Protein drinks and skim milk are recommended. As for juice, limit yourself to four ounces a day. Helpful Hint: You will want to sip, not gulp, your liquids.
Enjoy Your Meal: Take the time to savor every last bite. Many patients find it helpful to establish one place to enjoy each of their meals. Try to make each meal last at least half an hour doing your best to keep distractions to a minimum—focus on your food, not your cell phone. Eat slowly; setting your fork down between bites gives you the opportunity to make sure you are chewing your food thoroughly. Chew your food until it has a paste-like consistency (usually 20 to 40 times). Most importantly, listen to your body—stop eating when you feel full. Helpful Hint: Use a small fork or spoon, such as baby utensils, to help control bite size.
No Grazing: Many underestimate the number of calories they consume as they casually snack throughout the day. All too quickly, these calories can add up—derailing your weight loss progress. Instead, eat three meals a day focusing on foods high in protein. Helpful Hint: Keep tempting foods out of the house.
How Much Can I Eat? A detailed diet progression will be provided, but generally, you can expect the following: For the first month, each meal should consist of no more than 1 to 2 ounces (2 to 4 tablespoons). Slowly, your stomach will be able to tolerate more food; eventually holding about 4 to 8 ounces (1/2 to 1 cup) per meal.
Transitioning to a healthier lifestyle can be difficult. At Surgical Arts of Inland Empire, we understand the complexities involved. Dedicated to helping you look and feel your best, Dr. Haiavy will help you create a personalized dietary plan. Are you interested in learning more, please contact us today.
