Importance of Nutrition

The Importance of Nutrition for Bariatric GLP-1 / Semaglutide Users

September 16, 2024

Editor's note: "The Importance of Nutrition for Bariatric GLP-1 / Semaglutide Users" by Patricia Hill is part two of a three-part series.

It is no surprise that, post-bariatric surgery, the importance of our nutrition needs are unique. With a significantly reduced food intake compared to non-surgical weight loss patients, our focus should be on strategic eating. This approach is crucial for supporting weight loss and overall health while also fostering new healthy habits. For those of us who have incorporated a GLP-1 therapy injection into our regimen, balanced nutrition becomes even more vital.

Why Balanced Nutrition?

When bariatric patients have a drastically reduced caloric intake because of surgery and they pair that with slower gastric emptying from the injections, the foods they choose to eat suddenly become much more critical. Understanding and adhering to nutrition principles can help patients consume the right amount of essential nutrients (macros, vitamins, and minerals) and energy the body needs.

These principles include:

  • Adequacy: Consume enough essential nutrients.
  • Balance: Avoid overemphasizing on any one nutrient.
  • Calorie Control: Supply the right amount of energy.
  • Moderation: Limit sugars and unhealthy fats.
  • Nutrient Density: Choose foods that meet nutrient needs.
  • Variety: Incorporate a wide selection of foods from all food groups.

Macronutrients, or "macros," are the nutrients that provide the energy needed to fuel all body functions. They are essential for maintaining overall health and well-being. The three primary macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, each playing unique and vital roles in the body.

MACROS

Bariatric patients, from day one, are told by medical providers that the focus of their nutrition should be on high-quality protein balanced by high-fiber carbohydrates and healthy fats. For patients using GLP-1 / Semaglutide injections, the instructions are the same. Protein, high-fiber carbohydrates, and healthy fats. BALANCE.

But why? Let me explain.

Benefits of PROTEIN:

  • Enhanced Satiety and Weight Management: Promotes satiety, reduces appetite, and affects the brain's appetite centers.
  • Stabilization of Blood Sugar Levels: High-protein meals cause a slower, gradual rise in blood glucose levels and help to stabilize blood sugar throughout the day.
  • Muscle Health and Metabolism: Protein maintains muscle mass, supports metabolic function, and helps preserve lean tissue in diabetes and obesity.
  • Metabolic Benefits: The higher thermic effect of protein increases calorie expenditure, enhancing weight management efforts.
  • Nutrient Density: Whole, protein-rich foods contain essential vitamins and minerals, helping to ensure overall nutrient balance and health.

Benefits of CARBOHYDRATES:

  • Energy Production: Provide about half of the fuel muscles and other tissues use.
  • Raw Materials: Carbohydrates convert to other body compounds like amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).
  • Fiber: Supports digestive health, maintains bowel function, lowers blood cholesterol, and enhances weight management*.
    • Soluble Fiber: Dissolves in water, increases satiety, lowers blood cholesterol, and helps with weight management.
    • Insoluble Fiber: Does not dissolve in water, increases stool bulk, aids motility, and reduces constipation and related issues.

*Only when adequate WATER is consumed. The recommendation is to drink half your goal weight in ounces -OR- 64 oz, whichever number is HIGHER. This amount of water (not coffee, tea, etc.) allows the increased fiber to do its job. If water is not adequate, constipation is the result.

Benefits of FATS:

  • Providing Energy: Fats are a concentrated energy source and the body's primary energy reserve.
  • Forming Cell Membranes: They are essential components of cell membranes, contributing to cell structure and function.
  • Nourishing Skin and Hair: Fats help maintain healthy skin and hair.
  • Supporting Body Compounds: Fats provide materials for body compounds like bile and vitamin D.
  • Fat-Soluble Vitamins: They carry fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), which are essential for various bodily functions.

For bariatric GLP-1 / Semaglutide users, adopting a diet rich in whole foods focusing on high-quality protein, high-fiber carbohydrates, and healthy fats, along with maintaining proper hydration, is both beneficial AND essential for maximizing the medication's effectiveness and ensuring long-term health.

So, what does this look like?

Here's an example of one of my own meal plans.

Patricia's Simply Balanced Whole Food Plan

BreakfastMeat n' Veggie On-the-Go Omelet*
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Snack 11 Simply Peanut Butter Chip Protein Ball*
LunchHam and Cheese Roll-Up*
Snack 22 oz oven-roasted chicken, ham, or turkey
6 baby carrots
DinnerCrock Pot Chicken Ratatouille*
1/4 cup quinoa
Snack 31/2 small Gala apple
2 Tbsp PB2 w/ water to make a dip

*Recipes can be downloaded from the FILES of the
My Bariatric Kitchen: Bariatric Nutrition Support Group

This plan is 1000 calories. It contains 100g of protein, 87g of high-fiber carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, whole grains), 25g of fiber, and 28g of healthy fats. It is low-sodium and  diabetic-friendly.

Do I have to cook? Yes. But I create recipes in such a way that they are easy to prepare, and many contain 8 ingredients or less (not including spices). By choosing to cook my own food, I control 100% of what goes into my body. I even wear this sentiment on my apron. “I’m Living Healthy Now.”

Food Quality Matters

Whole foods are unprocessed foods that remain close to their natural state. They are not broken down into parts or refined into different forms. In essence, they are real food.

But how do we determine what constitutes too much processing when we buy food?

Consider cauliflower rice. Despite being cut up, it is still considered a whole food for two reasons:

  1. Retained Nutrients: It still contains all essential nutrients and all original parts.
  2. No Additives: Nothing has been added, such as sugar, salt, oil, or preservatives.

Can you apply this principle to most of the foods in your home?

Characteristics of Whole Foods:

  • Minimal Processing: Close to their natural state.
  • Short Shelf Life: Spoil faster.
  • Recognizable: Foods your great-grandparents would recognize.
  • Few Ingredients: Typically, don't have ingredient lists or have short ones.
  • Minimal Packaging: Often sold without packaging.
  • Store Location: Found in the grocery store's perimeter.

Characteristics of Highly Processed Foods:

  • Significant Alteration: Little resemblance to their original state.
  • Long Shelf Life: Do not spoil quickly.
  • Unrecognizable: Foods your great-grandparents wouldn't recognize.
  • Many Ingredients: Long ingredient lists.
  • Packaged: Often packaged or boxed.
  • Store Location: Found in the center aisles of the grocery store.

Note: Cooking is a minimal form of processing that can enhance food benefits, making them easier to digest and sometimes releasing more nutrients.

The Choice is Yours

It's essential to remember that weight loss isn't just about shedding pounds; it's about reclaiming health—every food choice matters for weight management and overall well-being and vitality. Avoid falling into the trap of choosing convenience over nutrition.

Ask yourself critical questions about the foods you consume and their nutritional value.

Are you:

  1. Tracking your food intake?
  2. Planning your meals in advance to ensure you meet your nutritional goals?
  3. Consuming primarily whole foods or food products (processed foods)?
  4. Drinking enough water?

"But, Patricia, this all sounds so hard."

It doesn't have to be. Within the walls of MBK Monthly, I provide FIVE fully balanced meal plan options weekly. I have plans that include dinner portions to feed families and plans for those who want to keep their time in the kitchen minimal. I have plans for those who need minimal carbohydrates due to medical conditions and plans that more closely align with the national healthy eating standards of balanced nutrition. Each plan comes with a grocery list and all the recipes needed. I take the guesswork out of the equation. Regardless of where you fall in the simple-to- complex range, I've got your back.

Patricia Hill is the owner, health and wellness coach, and certified nutrition expert of My Bariatric Kitchen

Importance of Nutrition
Patricia Hill

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patricia Hill is the owner, health and wellness coach, and certified nutrition expert of My Bariatric Kitchen and GLP-1 Success (launching June 2024). Since having VSG surgery in 2016, she has helped thousands of patients learn how to eat right, establish new habits, and navigate life successfully after surgery through her subscription, MBK Monthly. For information, resources, and more, be sure to join her newsletter/email list, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.