After you have weight loss surgery (also called bariatric surgery), it’s important to make sure you eat the right foods to avoid putting on weight again. But what’s also important is you need to make sure you get the proper nutrients that help maintain a healthy, functioning body. Once you have fully recovered and have been advised by your doctor to resume normal activity, here are some of the best foods and products you should incorporate into your diet:
Protein
Protein is one of the most important nutrients to eat after you have weight loss surgery. Since your body loses weight quickly, you need to make sure you maintain healthy muscle mass. Protein helps you maintain muscle mass as your body adjusts to sudden weight loss. Lean meats, eggs, low-fat cheese, and tofu all provide good sources of protein. You should include plenty of proteins in your daily diet and ideally with every meal.
Whole Grains
Whole grains offer a healthy source of complex carbs and fiber. Avoid refined grains, such as white bread, and choose whole grains instead. Brown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, barley, and whole grain crackers are good examples of whole grains you can include in your diet. Keep in mind that you might have trouble eating fresh breads, including whole wheat bread, after surgery. If you’re going to eat whole wheat bread, you should toast it and only eat very small portions.
Vegetables
Vegetables give your body a wide range of nutrients that are needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle post-surgery. Avoid raw vegetables and instead steam, stir fry, or roast. You should peel potatoes and other vegetables before eating them as the skin can be difficult to digest. Some of the best vegetables to have include spinach with no stems, broccoli flowerets, cauliflower, carrots, and fresh or canned tomatoes.
Fruits
Fruits offer antioxidants and other nutrients as well as a natural sweetness you may be craving. When eating fruit after surgery, make sure it’s ripe. You should also avoid eating the skins on fruit, such as apples and pears. Include plenty of fresh fruit in your diet to stay healthy post weight loss surgery, such as bananas, peeled kiwi, melons, berries, and peeled peaches. You can also have applesauce, but make sure it’s unsweetened.
Vitamins and Supplements
In some cases, getting all of the nutrients you need from foods can be difficult after undergoing bariatric surgery. You’ll also need to ease back into eating solid foods as you heal. To make sure you don’t end up with any nutritional deficiencies, you can take vitamins and supplements. These products provide a simple and convenient way to ensure that you have the right amount of nutrients. Consider products such as ProCare Health Bariatric Multivitamin Capsule 45mg Iron and Celebrate Vitamins B12 Sublingual Quick-Melts Cherry Tablets to maintain healthy nutrient levels.
Meal Replacements
After your surgery and during your recovery, your diet will be very restricted as your body heals and adjusts. For example, you’ll need to eat soft foods while your stomach heals. Meal replacements provide a good way to make sure you get the nutrients needed for healing when you can’t eat solid foods. Products such as Bariatric Advantage High Protein Meal Replacement Cookies and Cream are made to help people stay healthy while recovering from bariatric surgery.
If you’re looking for additional products for post weight loss surgery, check out our whole selection of bariatric products. We have protein shakes, meal replacement shakes, and more to choose from and help you adjust to your new way of eating.