Eating after bariatric surgery can be hard. But you have to follow the diet!
I want to remind you and encourage you that you have to stay the course! The years ahead will be full of good, old fashioned life. Some of it will be great, some of it will be good, and some of it will be bad. It will never be predictable and easy. You have to be prepared for every day. Eating after bariatric surgery means you do not have the luxury of taking a day off. You must follow your bariatric diet every day. (Yes, this is my pep talk!) If you don’t follow your special bariatric diet, you could be putting your health in danger. So, here are some things to think about when you feel overwhelmed or frustrated. Just keep it simple and remember these three things:
- The volume of food that you eat is very important. Even if the food choice isn’t perfect, the AMOUNT that you eat is VERY important. Do not overeat!
- You need to alternate eating and drinking, with approximately 30-45 minutes between each activity.
- Don’t eat stupid calories. (Do I really need to say anything more here?)
Now, of course, this is not an exhaustive list of do’s and don’ts. This is not intended to replace any dietary instruction that you have been given. It is intended to remind you that the basics are really important, even when life isn’t making things easy for you. If you aren’t sure how to eat after your bariatric surgery, or have questions about what is okay and not okay to do, call your dietitian or physician today. It’s okay to have questions, it is not okay to not get answers.
If you need a post-surgery check up or just need a pep talk about how to eat after bariatric surgery, don’t wait any longer!
Schedule today!
NOTE: Vomiting is NOT okay. If you are experiencing frequent vomiting, something is not right. Check in with your dietitian and your physician immediately.