Tips That Will Help You Succeed Following Bariatric Surgery
If you’ve undergone bariatric surgery, you know how important it is to eat the right foods. Doing so helps you heal, and it creates a lifetime of habits that benefit the body. If you’re preparing to have elective surgery soon, there are some things you’ll do in advance. You’ll also follow a strict diet after the surgery has been completed.
Here are some tips that will help you succeed following bariatric surgery:
• Make sure food choices are bioavailable and high in protein. ProteinWise’s bariatric approved options are just that. You’ll find a variety of options that satisfy your hunger day and night. There are even desserts for you to choose from, making it convenient to get enough protein to help your body heal.
• Don’t drink fluids with a meal. You should be careful not to drink before, during or after a meal. Experts recommend waiting at least half an hour between drinking and eating. That way, you don’t fill your stomach with fluids or ‘wash’ food out of your stomach, making you hungry later on.
• Schedule follow-up visits with your surgeon. You do not want to stunt your progress by skipping appointments. You need to meet with him or her so you know how well you’re doing post-op. They may have further instructions for you to follow so you need to be at appointments when they’re scheduled so you heal properly.
• Don’t drink alcohol. Full of empty calories and little nutritional value, alcoholic drinks fill your stomach and contribute to ulcers. A little alcohol has a monumental effect on people who are recovering from bariatric surgery. Even one drink may prove to be too much. Keep this in mind following surgery. It’s best to find ways to celebrate occasions that don’t involve alcohol.
• Exercise regularly. It’s important to make sure that you’re able to include time for physical activity in your schedule. Even simple walking will help you shed excess weight. It’s important that you do so to prevent pulmonary embolism and blood clots. To stay healthy, you must move your body immediately after having surgery.
• Find a support group to join in person or online. Having a community of people to ask questions of and rely on for emotional support is recommended. If you don’t have such a group in your city to join, find one online that will accept you as a member. You’ll appreciate having a bunch of people going through similar lifestyle changes in your corner.
When looking for bariatric-friendly food and beverages to drink, don’t discount the importance of protein-packed options. ProteinWise offers the most bang for the buck nutritionally because each item that we sell in our online store is packed with protein. Many options are low-fat, low-calorie, and gluten-free, too!
You can eat your favorite meals without worrying that it will hurt your body. Look under our header for ‘Specialty Diets’ then ‘Bariatric Approved' and you’ll find all sorts of options to buy. They’re protein-packed and bariatric-friendly which is a win-win scenario!