Common Dietary Struggles And How To Deal With Them

June 4, 2013

Just because you had weight loss surgery does not guarantee there will be weight loss. We don’t call it “maybe weight loss surgery”, which just doesn’t have a nice confident ring to it. Every single person who makes the important decision to have surgery to lose weight should be 100% confident they will be successful in seeing the weight come off and stay off for good.

Unfortunately, life is always there, throwing curve balls at us each day and putting up obstacles to prevent us from plowing forward and staying on top of the weight loss wave instead of crashing into the surf. Here are some of the most common dietary struggles post-surgical weight loss patients have and how to deal with them:

  1. Saying no to junk food and resisting the late night urge to snack. No bariatric surgery can take over one’s brain to prevent it from making unfortunate dietary decisions. There could be a valid argument made that “dumping  syndrome” may prevent a patient from consuming foods high in sugar due to the negative effects it does to the body (mostly in gastric bypass patients). Aside from this, it is still up to you to CHOOSE what goes into your mouth.  If you are someone who craves sugar or dessert, try to have it on the back end of a healthy meal. For example, you really want a cookie but are concerned that you will be able to eat too many at one sitting. Never eat a sweet food on an empty stomach. Have your meal of protein and a vegetable and finish it off with one (small) cookie. Most likely, with your dinner still in your pouch, you will not feel the urge to consume any more. If you tend to crave sweets late at night, try changing your sleeping patterns. If you are normally up until 11pm or later, try going to bed around 9 pm instead. You will miss out on prime calories your body does not need and when you wake up, most of us have no desire to eat ice cream at 6am (and you feel much more refreshed). Also, don’t forget, many protein shakes these days taste really good and provide a “dessert” taste with high protein and minimal sugar.
  2. Giving up soda for good. What happened to the days when a soda was a treat we had once a week if at all? Now it’s consumed more than water by many people. Where’s the outrage towards all the big music stars and athletes making millions off advertising soda? There is already talk that soda is going the way of cigarettes. Fast food burgers are the first to blame for the decline in our nutrition but at least they have protein. What value does soda provide? If there is one thing you can do for your body if you drink soda (diet or regular), that would be to stop ASAP. The carbonation can potentially cause your pouch to expand over time leading to increased portions. Challenge yourself to go one month without it and see how you do. Are you less happy? Chances are your quality of life won’t change much. If it does, go back to it but keep it diet and keep it flat. Did you know that 60 minutes after consuming soda, the phosphoric acid in the soda binds magnesium calcium and zinc which is then excreted from your body instead of heading towards the bones? Let’s not even get started on the effects of that much simple sugar on your insulin response and fat storage.
  3. Eating slowly, portion control. There is a critical point in every meal for any bariatric surgery patient. That is the point where you ask yourself “should I take another bite”? The answer could result in better and longer satiety or a rush to the restroom to regurgitate that last bite (or the whole meal). It is vital that you treat your eating like a job. At least until you have mastered it. Every bite must be assessed. The brain is meant to go on autopilot when we eat. Don’t let yours. Be aware of what you are eating, how you are eating it (with your hands or utensils) and when that last bite should be YOUR last bite no matter how much food is staring at you on the plate. It is understandable that you will often be in social situations involving eating where it is impossible to avoid losing focus. This is understandable. Have a plan before the meal begins to ensure you remain focused even when engaged in conversation with others. At a restaurant, ask for a smaller plate and put your estimated portion on it. The remaining food will still be visible to you if your appetite is not quite reduced enough but more than likely, that food will go into a doggy bag.

 There are many more challenges. Try to find your top 3 and devise a plan to tackle them.

Michael Murphy, RD, is the bariatric dietitian for The Weight Loss Institute of Arizona in Tempe, Arizona.