However we want to discuss the topic of grazing on food during the day. Regardless of where you are at or the advise you have been given or how hungry your are. Grazing in a way that is mindless is not recommended after surgery. Why? Grazing can lead to you consuming more kilojoules / calories than you realise. Yes you may be eating small serves and you may be making healthy choices but too much of a good thing can still stack up in calories...
But 'I am hungry every 1 to 2 hours' I hear you say. Those who live in influential countries such as Australia, America, Europe often have the problem of having too much food choices. And variety is good but we get use to never experiencing the feeling of hunger or when we do, reaching quickly for something to get rid of it. But, feeling a little hunger is ok, and it doesn't necessarily mean that you need food. You could be feeling like you are 'hungry' for a other reasons such as:
So before you conclude you need to eat, check these options first.
But back to grazing... Regardless if you're someone who's been told to do 3 main meals a day or 4-6 little means per day, here are some things to consider when planning out your meals:
These are just a few tips but it's important to remember, having a little hunger is not a bad thing if you are eating right. Grazing all day can rack up the calorie count so before you reach for another snack, take a look at what you are having for your meals and snacks, what your routine is like, your fluid intake etc, work on some of the tips I've included in the above article and enlist your bariatric dietitian to help you get into a good eating routine.
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We have 3 brands of non-flavoured protein powders on our site, these are:
Non-flavoured protein powders are very versatile in that you can add them into both sweet and savoury beverages or meals e.g. smoothies, shakes, casseroles, soups, meatballs, protein bliss balls, frittatas, cereal etc And you don't have to add a whole scoop each time, you can divide up a scoop of protein during the day.
Get non-flavoured protein or view our complete protein range at the below links:
We also stock other types of protein powders, including
Are you having or have you had weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery or metabolic surgery)? Making the decision to have surgery likely wasn’t one you made overnight, in fact you probably watched others who have had surgery and did your research. You may have spoken to others, read experiences on the surgery forums and spoken to your doctor or a few surgeons.
Weight loss surgery changes your life and you really need to be prepared for it physically, emotionally and mentally. So doing your research is important. But once you’ve done your research and got your surgeon, you may wonder if you really need to see a dietitian, especially if your surgeon hasn’t said anything about seeing one…
The simple answer is YES!
Surgery itself is simply a tool and does not guarantee you will lose weight or maintain the lost weight long-term. What you do with the ‘tool’ is going to impact long-term weight loss, maintenance and health. Dietary, lifestyle and exercise changes and habits play a crucial role in initial and long-term success and it is especially important to get these right in the first 6 months after surgery as this is often known as the ‘honeymoon’ period where you will find you have less hunger and your food portions are the smallest. If you don’t get your habits down pat during this period, it can be more difficult to make changes later (not impossible so don’t get disheartened or give up). Additionally, if you do not get sufficient protein, calcium, fibre and other nutrients this can impact muscle mass, bone, dental and bowel health among other things. Getting your nutrition right should be part of your surgery plan.
So it is highly recommended to see a dietitian even before the journey begins and throughout the journey. But not just any dietitian, you should see a dietitian experienced in working with those who have had bariatric surgery. This is a specialized field and like any specialized field, someone who works in this area for a number of years will be best suited to guide you.
But why see a bariatric dietitian…?
Here’s 5 reasons:
So if you’re planning on having surgery, seeing a dietitian beforehand and during the entire process is essential. And while it can be a bit of an additional cost, finding the right dietitian is a worthwhile investment. You are making one of the biggest changes to your body and life and while surgery is a ‘tool’ that will help you lose weight, it isn’t a miracle cure and you need to support and encourage success by making the right food choices and habit changes. A bariatric dietitian will be able to guide you through this process and help you keep healthy, meet nutrient targets and develop the habits you need not only during the weight loss period but also maintenance.
Need to find a qualified bariatric dietitian? If your surgery team doesn’t have a dietitian already or for some reason you need to find a new one, our bariatric dietitian Gloria sees people before and after surgery and consultations can be booked in clinic or over the phone, through Skype, FaceTime or other media. Visit here website for more information: Nutrition Savvy or contact her direct here: gloria@nutritionsavvy.com.au or email us for more information: info@onestopbariatricshop.com If you're looking for a qualified bariatric dietitian to see in clinic that is near you, the OSSANZ website also has a list of bariatric dietitians around Australia, click here to view their website.
Wishing you all the best on your journey!
:)
]]>Do you get hungry?
Perhaps you thought that after surgery you’d never be hungry again…But the hunger pangs seem to be returning and you're a bit concerned...
Don't be!
Having weight loss surgery doesn’t mean that you will never be hungry again… In my experience, I often see 2 types of outcomes after surgery, patients who never feel hunger and can forget to eat and those who do feel hunger when they need to eat but are then satisfied on a small amount of food (make sure the food consumed is nutritious containing some protein, dairy, fibre or vegetables).
Hunger is your body’s way of telling you that it needs fuel so it’s normal (even after surgery). So don’t be alarmed if you get this sensation. Sometimes you’ll learn that you’re getting the hunger symptoms but it’s not the same as before e.g. there may be a gurgling in the stomach rather than the usual growling, or you may feel an empty feeling. If you are feeling light headed, dizzy, faint, weak then likely if you haven’t eaten or had fluids recently - its time to eat or hydrate.
While getting hungry may at first be surprising and worrying, don’t fear! Surgery limits the amount of food that can be consumed so that you will only be eating small portions when you do eat. If you overeat you will feel overly full, sick or throw up. If you experience hunger, it is probably time to eat. Remember, just because you had surgery, doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need food anymore! You still need calories/ kilojoules for fuel, you still need protein for muscles, calcium for bones and teeth, fibre & vegetables for healthy bowels and various nutrients for numerous functions in the body. If you don’t eat enough, it can not only affect your weight loss but also cause numerous deficiencies. How can your body work properly without fuel? It would be like driving a car without petrol, oil, water…you’d not going to get far!!
If you are always hungry, here’s some other reasons why:
Check:
Note: what you eat when hungry will impact your long-term health, weight loss and weight maintenance so it's important to focus on this more that the fact that you get hungry!
It’s important to see a bariatric dietitian during your weight loss surgery journey. They can help you work through the dietary phases before and after surgery, and teach you all about the foods you’ll need to consume to get the nutrition you need for long-term good health after surgery.
]]>You weren't alone...many people turn to food when undergoing tough times, a crazy week, stressful situations or emotional times. Food has a bizarre way of making us feel better whilst not fixing the situation (and I don't mean carrot sticks and celery, rather is often the not so healthy stuff...). I don't know about you but somehow when emotional or stressed, digging into a big bowl of Nutella doused vanilla ice cream loaded with nuts somehow feels comforting (well at least at the time)...
After surgery, turning to food isn't usually a viable option anymore and some people can really feel this loss. I've seen many patients in clinic who feel down about this, especially those who really loved food before surgery. It's definitely not an easy thing to overcome.
But there are other things that can be employed to distract or comfort during those emotional or stressful times. Here's 10 ideas:
We all need comfort at times and food is such a common comforter but it's not the only thing we can turn to. These are just a few ideas, perhaps you've got some of your own. But it's important to have a few ideas up your sleeve so that you are prepared when those familiar times hit.
]]>Bliss balls make a delicious healthy snack. There's many versions, this version has added protein powder to make these a higher protein bliss ball. It also has chia seeds for added fibre and calcium. Each ball has around 8-10g protein.
We've used 2 of the protein powders on our store to make these balls, you can buy them individually or as a pack and save, they are:
Makes about 25 balls
Ingredients
Method
Note:
(Makes about 8-12 serves)
Ingredients
Quinoa and vegetables
Lemon dressing
Method
Can you think of all the times you achieved something before surgery? It may have been that you finished school or a course, won some sort of competition or event, or you got promoted at work. Likely, 9 out of 10 times the reward involved a celebration with food whether it was going out to dinner, having cake or getting a box of chocolates. For some reason food seems to be both an essential for life but also a reward for achievement.
But then you have bariatric surgery and food just isn’t the same anymore. Eating out isn’t what it used to be in that you can’t really eat much and have to be selective of your food choices. Having cake or chocolate no longer appeals or even if it does, your body may not react well or the portion is so small that it doesn’t feel like much of a reward… Sound familiar?
While food is comforting, and often a big part of celebration, it’s not the only way to reward yourself and really once it’s eaten, it’s gone…and the celebration is done! So, why not celebrate your achievement with something a bit more long lasting which doesn’t involve food or leave you feeling cheated in comparison to what you previously felt? Here’s 10 other ways to reward yourself:
Whatever you decide to use as your new reward, make sure it’s something that you really want and will give you that little bit of happiness. While eating can be enjoyable, it’s just one aspect of many things in our life so use food for nourishment rather than something to make you feel rewarded. Use some of our ideas for rewards or make a list of your own, that way the next time you achieve something that you use to celebrate with food comes along, you can simply refer to your list for an alternative ‘present’. And who doesn’t love getting presents!
]]>After having bariatric surgery you generally are losing weight and while this is great, there’s a lot to think about in the post surgery ‘after life’ so to speak. After surgery, it is difficult to eat much and so you need to be choosy about your food choices to get the nutrients you need each day. You should also start exercising (if able to) to maintain muscle mass and improve cardiovascular health. Not getting adequate nutrition can affect not only your weight loss and long-term maintenance but can lead to nutrient deficiencies, bone loss, lean muscle loss and long term health problems. Additionally while you may find you lose weight regardless of what you do initially, having surgery doesn't guarantee that you will continue losing weight or that you will maintain lost weight, you need to change your eating habits and include regular exercise to achieve this. So changing your eating habits and eating right should be top priority in your post-surgery plan.
What are some goals to work on after surgery? Here are 5:
Ensure you are getting adequate protein each day.
Getting enough protein after your surgery is essential. Insufficient protein intake can lead to loss of lean muscle tissue as you lose weight. Your protein targets will differ from other people and you are best asking your surgeon or bariatric dietitian to work out your needs for you. Protein comes from a variety of foods including meat, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, dairy products, legumes etc. Include these foods as part of your meals and snacks each day to reach your targets. If you are struggling, to meet your needs, protein powders can help. Lean more about protein powders in our article: The Scoop on Protein Supplements.
Meet your calcium targets
Getting sufficient calcium each day is essential for bone health. It can be difficult to meet calcium needs after surgery because they are generally higher than before surgery. This is because there is a significant reduction in stomach acid interfering with the absorption of calcium. When you have a smaller stomach the shire volume of food required to get sufficient intake daily is a challenge. Requirements after surgery are anywhere between 1200-2000mg per day. While some people may be able to achieve this with careful meal planning, many need to supplement. When choosing a supplement, choose a calcium citrate one as this form has better absorption. Note: vitamin D is required for calcium absorption so ensure that you are not deficient in vitamin D.
Hence you can see that it’s important to follow your recommended blood test regime after surgery. It is also recommended to have a bone mineral density scan yearly to check bone status.
Increase dietary fibre intake
When we talk about fibre everyone thinks bowels and constipation and if you’re not constipated, you can simply assume that you are ok with fibre. BUUUUT according to the National Health and Medical Research Council adequate dietary fibre is essential for proper functioning of the gut and has also been related to risk reduction for a number of chronic diseases including heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes. Most Australians don’t get enough fibre each day. We need 25-30g daily which isn’t easy to achieve after surgery. Increase fibre intake by increasing vegetable intake, choosing breads with more grain and seeds, adding high fibre seeds e.g. chia and linseeds to meals and snacks, including high fibre legumes e.g. chickpeas, 4 bean mix to meals, choosing higher fibre cereals etc.
Drink more water as opposed to other beverages
Water isn’t a popular drink for some and after surgery it can be difficult to drink enough of it simply because you need to sip not gulp, spread it out during the day and away from meals and for some water feels uncomfortable to drink. But staying hydrated is so important post surgery and water is the best fluid choice as it is kilojoule / calorie free, hydrates you and may even help fill you up to some extent. While in general they say to have 2L per day, this is just an estimate, the amount of fluids you need depends on your weight, work, how active you are and if you are spending time outside in the hot sun, speak to your bariatric dietitian or surgeon about your needs. If you’re not keen on water, add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice or slices, add some diet cordial, make herbal or fruit flavoured teas with it.
Move more
Yep – this is never a popular one but it’s important. Getting more active has many health benefits that we all know about so I won’t repeat. But one that I will mention is that exercise combined with getting sufficient protein each day can help preserve lean muscle mass as you lose weight (very important, more on this in a future post). Why not just set small exercise goals, even if it’s just to increase your daily steps to begin with or have 1 or 2 exercise days and build on this over time. Some tips on how to get more active in your day to day activities are here: Move More, Sit Less
While these are some goals to work on, it's not an exclusive list and there's many more. What is very important after surgery is to ensure you continue your follow-ups with your surgical team to ensure you are not only on track with your weight loss but you are maintaining good health. The surgical team can vary depending on where you have your surgery but when it comes to maintaining your nutrition, having a bariatric dietitian who specialises in this area is very important. If you do not have one, find one in your area or speak to ours, she also does consultations via Skype and the phone. Learn more on her website.
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Have you brought protein powder?
Many have, but sometimes after several days of the same flavoured protein shake having had many weeks earlier on drinking meal replacement shakes, yet another milkshake makes your stomach churn…Or you're simply bored of protein shakes or that particular flavour! Well, don’t fear, we’ve got 10 great ideas to help you get your protein and keep it interesting too!
(Note: you can split your scoop of protein up into different foods during the day and do not have to have it all in one go.)
Try these tips:
Do you have any ideas of your own? We’d love to hear them! Email us on info@onestopbariatricshop.com
Check out our entire protein supplement range here: Protein Supplements
Learn more about protein powder in our previous article: The Scoop on Protein Powder
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Getting enough protein after your surgery is essential. Your protein targets will differ from other people and you are best asking your surgeon or bariatric dietitian what you need to aim for. Sometimes it can be difficult meeting protein targets and you’re told to supplement with a protein powder to boost your intake. There can be a million protein supplements to choose from so we've put together a basic guide on protein.
There are many protein powders out there, some more palatable than others (it really comes down to personal taste) but ideally choose a protein powder that will give you a decent amount of protein per scoop especially if it’s making up part of your food / kilojoule intake. However there are categories of protein powders available, some include:
These usually come in multiple flavours e.g. chocolate, vanilla, caramel, strawberry or can also come unflavoured. These usually have somewhere between 15 and 40g protein per scoop depending on the brand. Some are also high in carbohydrates and sometimes fat, avoid these ones as you are trying to increase protein and carbohydrates are quite easily obtained from food
2. Pea, soy, rice protein powder e.g. Vital Protein pea protein or BioPro Choc / Hazelnut
These are often used by those who do not want to use a dairy based protein e.g. vegans. They usually come in multiple flavours e.g. chocolate, vanilla, caramel, strawberry and range between 15 and 30g protein per scoop
3. Fruit flavoured ‘water’ try of protein e.g. Cyborg Ultra Leaan Protein or Bodiez Protein Water
These are like having a fruit flavoured cordial as opposed to the traditional ‘milkshake’ style of protein. They come in a ready made package like Bodiez protein water of in a powder that you add to your water like Cyborg Ultra Leaan. They are a great way to boost your protein intake while getting hydrated.
These are great because you can add them to almost anything but per scoop they don’t tend to have as much protein as the above protein options.
When choosing a ‘milkshake’ style protein powder (the first 2 listed options) you should aim for one that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fat, the nutritional breakdown should look a bit like this:
Per scoop / serve it contains:
If you are looking for some protein powders to supplement your intake, we sell the following protein powders:
Check out our complete protein powder range here.
It should be noted that after bariatric surgery, flavour perception may be different and flavours or sweetness can appear much more intense than they used to, so you may find that protein powders a bit sweet or not as palatable as they should be. So remember you can always add more milk or water than directed as the directions are only a guide and we all have different taste preferences.
Need some ideas on how to use your protein powder? Read our article:
]]>Have you ever gotten on the scales after being so good during the week and it hasn't moved or worse, it's gone up?
It happens to everyone and while it can be disappointing, it's completely normal to have weeks there that nothing happens so expect it once in a while. When it happens, rather than dwell on the disappointment, focus on your other goals and working on your nutrition and exercise routine.
What other goals I hear you say...? It's important to have several goals after surgery. In fact the more the merrier! I've had patients tell me that they start a big goal list and tick things off as they go throughout their whole weight loss journey, that way they see progress in the big things and the little things.
So take the time now to write down at least 5 other goals that you will be working towards after surgery. This is your personal goals. You can write down as many as you like. Regularly review your list and tick off goals that you have reached as well as write down new ones. Keep this as an interactive list that you keep updating over time. You may like to stick your list on the fridge, keep it in a private diary or plug it into your phone, computer or tablet.
Need some goal inspiration? Here’s 13 great goals to consider (write them down with a target in mind):
Looking for a healthy snack idea that will help you boost your protein and fibre intake? Try these chocolate fudge brownie bites with added protein and fibre. The protein is boosted using the Cyborg BCAA WPI whey protein powder as this has 30g protein per scoop. You can purchase this on our shop by clicking here: Cyborg protein. Fibre is boosted using chia seeds, psyllium husks, dates and banana.
Makes 30 bites (have 1-2 as a snack)
Ingredients
Method
Pre-heat oven to 170°C.
Each bite (if 30 made) will have:
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We've all been there and after bariatric surgery, no movement on the scales can be not only frustrating but also disheartening or even devastating.
But during every weight loss journey there will be weeks where we stick to the weight loss plan yet the scales doesn’t move. Sometimes it could be something we've changed and we are unaware of it, other times we need to make certain changes to get it going again, but in general sometimes you'll just have a few weeks there that the body almost takes a vacation from weight loss and nothing happens despite your best efforts.
While the scales are a helpful way to see how you are going and keep you on track, it shouldn't be your only measure of success. You should have at least 3-4 other goals (or more is even better) that you working towards other than the scales. Each week take a look at all your goals and not just the scales. (PS. please don't weight daily as weight can go up and down depending on what you've eaten, your fluid intake, bowel habits, fluid retention etc so daily weighing isn't very reliable).
Here are 8 other weight loss goals to focus on:
If you focus on the whole picture rather than just the scales, those weeks when the scales are a disappointment won’t phase you as much but rather motivate you to keep on track. When you have those weeks where nothing moves on the scales, take it as an opportunity to assess your dietary and exercise habits and work on improving these even more.
Best wishes for your weight loss journey! :)
]]>I was speaking to a friend at the end of last week at a bariatric clinic I work at (you know who you are ;) about hunger and how this can be one of the most challenging things to staying on track when you are losing weight. Hunger can strike anyone regardless of having bariatric surgery or not so I thought it was a great topic to write about. Note: it is often thought that you will never get hungry again after bariatric surgery and while this is true for some people or for a certain amount of time after your surgery, long-term, feelings of hunger can re-emerge so it's important to know what to do. Those who've had bariatric surgery will not be able to eat a big amount when hunger strikes but like in anyone, making the right food choices is essential regardless of your weight loss method.
Before I go on I must point out that a little hunger is actually not a bad thing for losing weight. I know it feels uncomfortable but it is ok not to have a full belly all the time and periods of hunger can actually benefit your weight loss so don’t be afraid of letting hunger be sometimes. (Note if you have conditions such as diabetes, be sure to follow the meal regime provided by your dietitian or specialist.) However, if the hunger is related to simply skipping meals and snacks or not eating enough then this isn’t a good thing. Make sure you have regular small meals and snacks or at least 3 main meals even when you are trying to lose weight, because your body does still need fuel coming in. If unsure of what to do, book in to see a dietitian.
But what if you’re struggling with the hunger pangs? Here 7 things to do.
It may sound strange but sometimes we are not as hungry as we first think we are. So ask yourself, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being absolutely starving and 10 being so full you feel sick), how would I rank my hunger level? If it is anything above 6 then try and hold off, if it below 3, then it’s definitely time to eat. Review the hunger scale from dietitian Corrine Dobbas (image below).
Having a list of low kilojoule / calorie snacks and making these available to you can really be a saviour when overwhelmed with hunger. It is wise to do this as hunger will strike. Some ideas include low kilojoule vegetables such as salads, vegetable sticks, cherry tomatoes, vegetable soup or diet jelly or simply making a nice cup of tea. Note: again if you are skipping meals and snacks or not eating the right foods at meals then maybe take a look at what you need to start including or have a protein or high fibre snack when hungry e.g. a boiled egg, yoghurt, nuts or high fibre bar.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list and there’s other things you can do, it gives you a starting point.
When hunger strikes during a weight loss plan, it can be difficult to go on but with some planning and a checklist to tick off, you can be prepared for these moments and combat these feelings. Regardless of what happens on one day, don’t give up, everyone has those moments of weakness but simply get back on track and review the above list again and again.
]]>After bariatric surgery such as the gastric sleeve, bypass or lapband, you won’t be able to eat the same amount for food as you used to and often certain types of food does go down as well as others (e.g. the food pictured). So eating out can sometimes be something you dread. But it doesn’t have to be like that, and you should still enjoy eating out. Here are 5 tips to make eating out easier.
If you have any influence in the restaurant choice, check the menu in advance or choose places that serve healthy food that you can eat or smaller portions. This can make the event much more enjoyable especially if the place caters are flexible to your portion size or dietary requirements. If you are unsure, why not give them a call in advance and speak to them, they may be able to cater or serve you a entree size of a main or a kid size (even without being too obvious if you haven’t told others)
There is usually not much point getting a regular size main meal unless you want to take most of it home or share. Not all places will allow you to get a kids meal but you can always ask or ask if a main meal can be made into an entrée size if not. If you’re trying to be discreet as you haven’t told everyone you’ve had the surgery, call up the venue in advance so it’s easier on the day. Note: Some surgeons may be willing to write a letter that you can take with you when eating out explaining your surgery and asking if the venue can allow you to have a kid size meal or make a main into a entrée serve so ask your surgeon about this.
Choose meals based on protein and vegetables rather than too much carbohydrates. Also avoid meals that are too oily, creamy or sugary as these can sometimes lead to dumping syndrome or make you feel unwell (other than higher in kilojoules / calories).
Sharing a meal is often a good way to eat out especially if the venue doesn’t allow you to order smaller meals. You are less likely to overeat or will feel less pressure to eat more than you’re small stomach can fit in. However if you can’t share, take the rest of the meal home to enjoy the next day (or 2).
Don’t focus too much on what others are thinking about how much you are eating. Eat your small portion slowly, chew your food well and focus on catching up with everyone that will allow you to enjoy the event more and place less attention on the food side of the event. The catch up is just as if not more than the eating so enjoy your day / night out
Social events that event eating out should be something you look forward to rather than dread or avoid. With a little planning and forethought you can attend and enjoy them too!
]]>Those who have had surgery know that if changes to eating habits are not made, not only could weight loss or long term weight maintenance by affected but also health. For example if you reduced your portion size of unhealthy foods and tolerate them then you can still cheat the system by eating all the wrong things in smaller portions. And while initially weight loss will happen to some extend, long-term you'll hit a plateau, the weight may creep back on but the worse thing of all you could become deficient in all sorts of nutrients including protein, vitamins and minerals which will eventually impact your health. There is no point being a skinny unwell person.
So it's crucial to get into good eating habits after surgery. Look at it as being given a chance to start over and be the healthiest you've ever been. Granted, there will be times when you have the wrong thing, but don't beat yourself up about it, just get back on track the next meal.
While there are many eating habit changes to work on, here are 5 that you can check and make sure you are doing. If you need some help making dietary changes, speak to a bariatric dietitian or contact ours here: Bariatric Dietitian or email: gloria@nutritionsavvy.com.au.
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So is it really all that necessary? I mean you may be eating the healthiest you ever have so surely that's enough...right?
Unfortunately no. While you may be eating healthier which is fantastic and will help towards getting good nutrition and weight loss (as well as weight maintain later), there are several reasons why it is essential to take your daily multivitamin.
4 Reasons Why your Should Take a Multivitamin
What if I feel ok and my last blood tests were fine?
Just because you feel ok doesn't mean you are getting everything you need, some deficiencies develop over time and won't show up in blood tests initially. Long-term insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals can not only affect your weight loss and maintenance but lead to deficiencies and poor health e.g. anaemia and osteoporosis. Vitamins and minerals also play essential roles in your body to ensure it works properly some of their duties includes regulation of appetite and hunger, metabolism including that of fat and sugar, proper adrenal and thyroid function etc.
Having bariatric surgery shouldn't only be about losing weight and looking great but also about getting healthy and reducing risk of long-term health problems. So it's essential to take the multivitamin recommended by your bariatric dietitian or surgeon.
Which multivitamin should I take...?
Not all multivitamins are created equal so you need to take one that contains the full range of vitamins and minerals at high levels. Taking a multivitamin especially designed for bariatric surgery is a good idea. Most of these come in a chewable format so that they can be consumed in the first 7 weeks post surgery when you are going through the liquid, puree and soft food phases. Once on the Full solid phase, it is still recommended to stay on a bariatric multivitamins as these are special designed for those that have had the surgery, providing the vitamins and minerals you need each day. While there are other good multivitamins out there, if you aren't consuming the bariatric range, speak to your dietitian or surgical team about the best choices.
Can you recommend some brands?
If you are in Australia, there are 4 great options to choose from (only need one):
• Surgical Nutrients - Bx Vitality (berry flavoured chewable tablet) - 1 per day
• Nutrichew (orange flavoured chewable tablet) - 2 per day
• BN Multi (orange flavoured chewable tablet) - 2 per day
• NutriFuel (orange flavoured powder you dissolve in water) - sachet per day (add to liquid and shake)
Once on the full solid diet e.g. around 7 weeks after surgery, there is a bariatric multivitamins in capsule form available:
If you'd like to order these, click on the above links or check out the products tab.
]]>Have you heard people say that weight loss surgery is the 'easy' option when it comes to weight loss?
Patients often tell me that they are told this and it can be a bit disheartening to heart because weight loss surgery is not the easy weight out and shouldn't be treated as the easy way out either.
In fact the decision to have weight loss surgery is one of the biggest decisions of your life and having surgery is a real life changing experience.
But why is surgery not the easy way out? Here's 5 good reasons.
These are just 5 reasons why bariatric weight loss surgery is NOT the easy way out. Of course there's more to it than that but next time someone tells you that you are taking the easy way out, have a think of these reasons because it is not the easy way out, it is just one step towards a new healthier happy you.
]]>There's not many things that can cause the frustration that is felt when your weight plateaus' post bariatirc surgery. You may have been tracking along nicely then suddenly despite changing nothing the weight loss stops. To add to the frustration is the fact that you know you're eating a lot less than you used to and you've been reading all those Facebook posts from people who seem to have doubled your weight loss in less time... #frustrated
Here's some things to consider
1. First thing, expect a plateau at some stage. It is totally normal and almost everyone will get weeks where nothing happens or weight loss slows. It doesn't mean that you have failed or no more weight loss is going to occur. Usually weight loss does start again and it may just be a few weeks of 'weight loss holiday' for your body, especially if you've been losing a good amount of weight already. Don't despair just focus on how far you have come and other goals you are meeting rather just the scales e.g. loss of centremetres or drop in clothing size, better eating habits, reduced medication, less pain, better sleep, more energy etc. There are many other success measures and these should be focused on too
2. Please ignore the Facebook posts from others about their weight loss - this is your journey and not theirs. Additionally there are a million and one reasons why they may have been losing weight on the scales at a faster rate and that information isn't usually available to you on their post. Consider some things like: they started at a higher weight than you, they have a bigger muscle mass than you, they are younger than you, they are more active or are able to be more active than you, they may not have certain chronic diseases that affect their rate of weight loss or perhaps they are not eating properly, in which case this isn't a good way to lose weight and can make it more difficult to maintain lost weight later (kind of an important thing). Avoid comparing your weight loss to others.
3. Don't expect the same weight loss each week. The body isn't a machine that routinely does the same thing week in and week out. You rarely will have the same weight loss every week. Some weeks it may be 1kg, other weeks 200g and even other weeks a small gain. Avoid weighing more than once per week and then look at your weight loss from a overall average weight loss over the course of a month. It usually evens out.
4. You lost more at the beginning of your weight loss journey...Of course you did! At the beginning of your journey, you were at a higher weight so required more kilojoules / calories to maintain your weight so the reduction in food intake initially was a lot bigger which equals - more weight loss. Overtime you've lost weight so you require less kilojoules / calories to maintain your weight so the reduction in food intake if kept the same or increased will have less of an impact on weight loss. Additionally as time goes on, often more food can be consumed at meals which impacts the amount of kilojoules / calories you are consuming and thus weight loss. Does this mean you need to starve yourself to keep the weight loss going like before? NO! One of the most important reasons to have weight loss surgery besides losing weight and getting the health improvements that goes with it, is to get into healthy eating and exercise habits and maintain this for life. This is something you need to be adapting during your weight loss journey so that when you reach your goal weight, you are already in a routine that will help you maintain it long-term. There's no point losing the weight quickly but doing it in an unhealthy manner to the point that when you reach your goal you do not know how to maintain it and you stack the weight back on again (it can and has happened!). So make healthy eating and exercise habits a part of your success check list and don't expect the rate of weight loss to be the same during your entire journey.
5. Change it up! Often it can be easy to become stagnant in our everyday routine. We tend to eat the same things and do the same exercise. The body becomes very good at survival so if you are doing the same thing in and out everyday then you'll sometimes see that weight begins to plateau. So take a look at your dietary intake and exercise habits, can you change any of these? Enlist the help of health professionals e.g. a bariatric dietitian, exercise physiologist or PT to help you make changes.
6. Dietary intake...This can make a huge impact on your continued weight loss. Post-surgery you won't be able to eat as much food as before, you may have taste aversions to some foods and other foods may not go down as well. (This varies from person to person and some have no problems at all). Your food choices can really impact your weight loss and long-term health. If your dietary intake is low in kilojoules / calories but your food choices aren't healthy or you are not getting the nutrients you need each day then can you really expect your body to work properly long term? The body needs a variety of nutrients daily to keep running, if you don't provide this then you'll eventually see problems in your weight loss and health. It's crucial to work on improving your dietary intake as soon as possible post-surgery but note, even if it's been a while since you had your surgery, it's never too late to start. You can always restart working towards the healthier you. It's a good idea to enlist the help of a bariatric dietitian in this case, they can help you learn which foods you need to include, do a meal plan for you thus helping you achieve your goals.
This isn't an exhaustive list of things to consider but just a few and common things I encounter when I see patients post-bariatric surgery. Future blogs will discuss this topic further.
]]>Welcome to One Stop Bariatric Shop - the one stop shop for all your before and after surgery needs.
We know that the decision to have bariatric weight loss surgery isn't one taken lightly. It is a big decision and one that indeed changes your life.
You may have made this decision for various reasons and it's not always a straight path to reach your goal but we encourage you to keep going and never give up, we all have bends in our road.
Our aim at OSBS is to help support you on your journey by providing products that may help you at each stage. We will be increasing our product range as time goes on and welcome suggestions.
We wish you all the very best and success in your journey to reach your goals.
OSBS Team :)
]]>Do you vomit regularly post-surgery? No one wants to spend their days throwing up so if this is happening it is well worth investigating the potential causes.
Vomiting is often, but not always, associated with eating inappropriately. When you first have surgery, it can be difficult to determine how much food is too much to satisfy your hunger so at times you end up overeating. However most of the time you learn rather quickly to detect when it's time to stop or put an unfinished meal aside. Often the best way to tackle this is to start by chewing your food well, keeping it moist and eating very slowly. Stop eating when you suspect you may have had enough, wait and if you feel hungry you can always have more later. Chances are that you are going to feel full with very little, often less than you think (can be a ridiculous looking amount!). A couple of teaspoons may be all you fit in initially.
Sometimes fullness occurs quickly and other times you may eat the same food and are able to eat a bit more. Eating slowly is essential as it will allow you time to feel full or satisfied. Eating too quick may lead to overeating and often food isn't chewed well.
Common Causes of Vomiting
If vomiting continues throughout the day, stop eating solid foods and sip clear liquids (clear and diluted juice, broth and herbal tea). Continual vomiting can also lead to dehydration so if symptoms persist more than 12-24 hours or if in doubt, contact your surgeon.