 |
Making the Food Pyramid Work After Weight Loss Surgery
A "normal-tummy" looks at the food pyramid from the bottom up - six to eleven servings of grains, then fruits and vegetables - then the protein groups: meat and beans and the milk group. The fats, oils and sweets are incidental. After gastric bypass we can read the pyramid from the top down. Scoot to the side the fats, oils and sweets - we don't eat those anymore. Start with the protein groups - remember the rule - protein first! Then have a sample from the fruits and vegetable groups. Then, only if there is room, a taste from the grains group. Fats and oils will be incidental to the diet; sweets should rarely be eaten. It is unlikely a tiny tummy will ever meet the food pyramid quantity guidelines - six to 11 servings from the grains group is totally unrealistic for a bariatric patient. However, WLS patients can gain significant nutritional benefits and satiation from incorporating foods from every group into their small meals. The key is to create a healthy eating pattern using the Food Guide Pyramid as a reference point for making sound nutritional choices. Nutritional Benefits of each group: Meat & Beans Group: Meat, poultry, fish and beans are the healthful and hearty members of this food group. Fifty percent of food intake after WLS will be protein from the meat and beans group. Animal proteins provide a rich source of B vitamins, iron and zinc. Nutritionally, it is best to choose meats low in fat and calories - lean round steak, skinless poultry, fish and shellfish. Legumes - including soy-based products - are a great meat substitute because they provide protein and have added fiber without the extra cholesterol, fat and calories found in meats. However, legumes are often difficult for the patient to eat - they quickly fill the tiny tummy causing discomfort. Some patients report an intolerance for beans and legumes that leads to vomiting. Test your own tolerances and learn what your body likes. Milk Group: Milk, eggs, cheese and yogurt comprise the milk group. These foods are calcium rich and contain protein and other vitamins and minerals. But these foods can also be high in fat. Most bariatric patients report a very good tolerance for low-fat cottage cheese and mozzarella cheeses. Patients should use caution as they introduce foods from the dairy group back into their diet: many patients report dumping or lactose intolerance from foods in this group. Fruit Group: Fruits are nature's gift of sweetness to us, and a bonus, most fruits are low in fat and calories, but great sources of soluble fiber and antioxidants. Unfortunately, the natural sugars in fruit can cause a sugar (glucose) imbalance and dumping. The fiber in fruits - particularly citrus - can cause discomfort to the tiny tummy. Small bites must be taken as a patient re-introduces these foods to the bariatric system. Most patients report favorable results eating melon. Berries with seeds - such as raspberries or strawberries - should be avoided immediately after surgery to avoid lodging the seeds in the healing stomach seam. After healing is complete, many patients enjoy berries in their diet. Apples have also received favorable results from gastric bypass patients. Vegetable Group: Vegetables add vitamins, fiber and flavor to the diet. When meats are braised vegetables can be added to the pot to add flavor and nutrition and a bit of natural moisture. Vegetables should be served in the purest form, lightly steamed without added creams or sauces. Raw vegetables, including leafy salads, can be difficult for the tiny tummy to digest, and when poorly chewed may cause a temporary blockage of the stomach exit. Some raw vegetables may cause gas or bloating after gastric bypass surgery. As always, use caution when introducing foods to the diet after gastric bypass. Grains Group: This is the group of comforting energy giving carbohydrates we love to eat - the pastas, breads, rice couscous and other grains. As morbidly obese people most of the foods we loved (sweets, breads, pastas) came from this group, but as recovering obese people we must carefully control our intake of these foods. Science is proving that these foods are most quickly converted to fat and stored by body. The less food we intake from this group, the more our body is forced to use the stored fat. When introducing foods from this group try the purest forms: oatmeal cereal, one or two bites of whole-wheat bread, one bite of rice. Be very careful with grains and carbohydrates from the grains group: these foods can cause discomfort, dumping or worse - weight gain. Fats & Oils: Fats are extremely concentrated forms of energy that contain little water and carry a lot of flavor. The body needs fat to function properly. Dietary fat carries fat-soluble vitamins - vitamins A, D, E and K - from food into the body. Bariatric patients report lost desire for high fat foods. In addition, high fat greasy foods are poorly tolerated and cause nausea. Patients will achieve a better quality of health by focusing on foods made with unsaturated fats and reducing the saturated fat intake in the diet. A way to include more unsaturated fat in the diet is to sauté with olive oil instead of butter. Canola oil should be used in baking. Replace bacon bits on salad with slivered almonds or sunflower seeds - nuts are a wonderful source of natural unsaturated fat. Avoid eating potato chips or processed crackers; they are made with hydrogenated oils - a lethal fat. Use avocado slices in place of cheese on sandwiches. Have fish - particularly omega-3 rich salmon or mackerel - for your protein a couple of times a week. For a collection of WLS friendly recipes go to http://wlsrecipes.blogspot.com Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com LivingAfterWLS is a no-nonsense resource for people Living After Weight Loss Surgery. Our community is growing in numbers even as we are shrinking in pounds. Together we support one another in this lifestyle, that it turns out, is NOT the easy way out. Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often. To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Dallas Weight Loss Surgeon Adds BariatricianSacramento BeeAs a Board Certified Bariatrician, Dr. Obi will head up the Bariatric Solutions AfterCare program as well as assisting patients during their pre surgery diet requirement for the weight loss surgeries performed at Bariatric Solutions: Lap Band, ...and more » |
|
Weight-loss couple urge others to take up challengeThis is PlymouthA COUPLE from Devonport embracing the loveLIFE campaign have lost five of their 15 stone weight loss target. Chris Searle, aged 30, and Charlotte Telling, aged 25, who are both unemployed, signed up to The Herald's loveLIFE campaign to help improve the ...and more » |
Google News
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Diets Are A Waste Of Time & Money - What You Can Do Instead
A 'diet' is always seen as a temporary measure. An unpleasant episode that must be endured in order to reach some weight target, often in time for a major event such as a wedding, your own or your children's.
Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet - Which One Is Best?
These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets such as the South Beach and Atkins diet but the GI or glycemic index diet is a fairly new name on the diet scene. While low carb diets restrict the quantity of carbohydrates, the GI diet focuses on the quality of carbohydrates.
What Obesity Debate?
This is a perfect example of how on-line weight loss "experts" can confuse and harm the American consumer..
Holidaze
It's the travel time, meaning hours spent sedentary. It prepares me for the visiting, when I know there'll be no activity.
Want Power Before Will Power
The problem isn't that you don't have enough will power to achieve what you want. You have will power, but it's not will power you need, it's want power.
Heel Pain and Obesity: The Chicken or the Egg?
A new survey has found that heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis, a problem affecting almost a third of people who are overweight, often limits exercise and therefore makes it difficult for people to lose weight. The survey of 381 adult Americans, conducted by Heeling Solutions LLC, (www.
Signature Lines on Weight Loss Websites
A reader recently wrote to ask why I don't include my weight statistics in my signature line. A great observation and excellent question.
The Rumbly-Grumbly Tummy After Gastric Bypass
If you've been enjoying life after gastric bypass surgery you will know exactly what I'm talking about. That rumbly-tumbly stomach growl that's more bark than bite.
Eat Fat to Burn Fat
For about 50 years now, Americans have been eating low fat (some no fat) diets and the funny thing is we have gotten progressively fatter and less healthy. Who ever said low fat diets were healthy, and more importantly, why does eating less fat mean you'll be less fat?In attempt to keep this easy to understand, as most of what you read and hear is complicated, confusing, and contradictory, I'm going to be direct, to the point, and explain things in a way that most people can understand.
Weight Loss Programs:The 7 Critical Points You Must Check Before You Choose
Yes, you must be aware of the following 7 points before adopting a diet plan.1) Your weight loss program must remove toxins from your body.
Saboteurs to Your Weight Loss Plans
Saboteurs are people and thoughts that are going to sabotage you when you are at all weak in your bid to better yourself. I can identify many internal and external forces that will try to stop me from what I want on an almost daily basis.
Managing Cravings with EFT
There are several ways to manage cravings. You can:
Attempt to stop eating the food you crave entirely (out of sight out of mind).
The Truth About Weight Loss: The 6 Biggest Myths About Dieting!
All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded it, so the thing to work on is not your behavior, but the thing that caused your behavior, your thoughts.
- Dr.
How To Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind!
Ah the ever present battle to lose those unwanted pounds. In today's society we are bombarded with weight loss products and programs.
A Weight Loss Secret - The Art of Detachment!
Have you ever worried about something so much it paralyzed you from doing
something about it? Have you ever been so obsessed with your weight that nothing seemed to work?I have and I think you have, too.Yesterday I sold my car.
Theyre Wide, Theyre Here, Get Used to It
America's Obesity EpidemicAs the numbers of overweight Americans continue to skyrocket, one thing is clear: being obese is the true exception to the rule in a society governed by a culture of gluttony. You can't turn on the television or turn the pages of a magazine without being bombarded by tantalizing images of cheap, marginally nutritious foods.
The R Factors - Your Answer For Getting To The Perfect Body For Fitness And Health
Building a Perfect Body for Body Perfect Fitness and Health Is just Four Factors Away!!! The R Factors!!!!What are they?Rev upYou must incorporate an on-going Aerobic (with oxygen) exercise program in each of your weekly goals. That means a minimum of 3 times per week, you must work on strengthening and protecting your heart from the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
Phentermine Generics & Brand Names: How To Avoid Prescriptions Riddled With Impurities
Which diet pill are you currently taking for your weight loss needs? Recently, many people have been switching to brand names as opposed to generics. This is because generic manufacturing is put under far less strict rules and conditions.
Your Weight Loss Problem: How To Cure It By Watching Movies Or Reading Books!
I don't know anything about you but if you're anything like me then you struggle with a weight loss problem. Your weight loss problem consists of you struggling to keep your weight down or struggling to make your weight go down.
Break Your Weight Loss Plateau
How to Break Your PlateauToday is a typical morning like any other for you. You get up, go for your workout at the gym or go for a nice run, before you start your day.
|
