LAPSF

Getting Back on Track

Throughout the surgical weight loss process you’ve developed some great eating habits.  Whether you have the LapBand, Realize Band, Vertical gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or the Duodenal switch, you’ve worked so hard to maintain them but whether you are months or years post-surgery, it’s important to stick to those healthy habits.  You might find yourself slightly altering your food choices whether it’s snacking throughout the day versus having meals, or picking through the candy jar at work.  Don’t let those healthy eating habits disappear… get back to your roots!  Aim for 3 meals a day. Make protein the foundation of your diet.  Keep those sweets to a minimum and keep a food diary to track your caloric intake.  Pick up the activity level and get back to exercising!  Take this time to evaluate your diet and see where improvements can be made.

 Amy Ingols, RD

Milk- it does a body good!

Bariatric laparoscopic surgery and milk: Milk and yogurts are good sources of calcium and protein for successful weight loss surgery results.  Remember that milk does contain carbohydrates so be sure to add it into your daily intake.  As you know, milk comes in 4 varieties: fat-free, low-fat (1%), reduced-fat (2%), and whole.  It’s interesting to note that all 4 types of milk contain the same amount of protein and carbohydrates which is 12 grams of carbohydrate and 8 grams of protein per cup.   Non-fat milk is the best choice after surgical weight loss as it boasts the least amount of calories at only 90 calories per cup and no fat!  If you add milk to your coffee, choose non-fat versus whole. Whole milk has 8 grams of fat and 150 calories per cup which can add up!      

Fruit List: What’s the Carb Count?

Fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits are on this list.  Fresh fruit is always going to be the best choice as frozen and canned fruits tend to have added sugar.  Protein should be the base of your diet for the most successful weight loss plan. After protein, then focus on vegetables.  Remember, fruit is considered a carbohydrate but when consumed in moderation, is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. 

-         In general, a serving of fruit is considered:

o       1 small fresh fruit (4 oz)

o       ½ cup of canned or fresh fruit

o       ¼ cup of dried fruit

Nutrition Tips:

1. Fresh, frozen, and dried fruits have about 2 grams of fiber per serving.
2. Citrus fruits, berries, and melons are good sources of vitamin C.
3. Remember fruit skins should be peeled to avoid blocking the gastric outlet or other digestive problems.
4. Avoid fruit juice!  It’s empty calories!

The following contains: 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrate

Apple, unpeeled, small ….. (4 oz)

Applesauce, unsweetened…(1/2 cup)

Blackberries ……………… (3/4 cup)

Blueberries ……………….. (3/4 cup)

Cantaloupe, small…………. (1 cup cubes)

Cherries, fresh ……………  12 (3 oz)

Fruit cocktail, drained …….(1/2 cup)

Grapes, small ……………..15 (3 oz)

Kiwi ……………………..  1 (3.5 oz)

Orange, small ……………. (6.5 oz)

Peach, medium fresh…….  1 (4 oz)

Pear, large, fresh ………… ½ (4 oz)

Plums, small …………….. (2.5 oz)

Raisins …………………. . 2 Tbsp

Raspberries ……………. .  1 cup

Strawberries ……………  1 ¼ cup whole berries

Watermelon …………..1 slice or 1 ¼ cup cubes

Amy Ingols, RD

Starchy vegetables

We generally know what foods contain carbohydrates: breads, rice, pasta, potatoes, tortillas, crackers, pancakes, etc. It’s also important to know that in order for a weight loss plan to be successful, there are some starchy vegetables out there that you’ll want to limit in your diet due to their high carbohydrate content. These starchy vegetables are: corn, peas, yams (sweet potatoes), and beans (baked, garbanzo, lima, kidney, white, split and black-eyed). Protein should be the foundation of your surgical weight loss diet and non-starchy vegetables should be the next food group you focus on. You can aim for two servings of colorful and leafy vegetables daily. A ½ cup cooked vegetable serving is probably easier to tolerate than 1 cup of raw vegetables for some people. Vegetables offer vitamins, minerals and much needed fiber for bowel regularity. The more colorful, the more nutritious!

New Facebook pages

We have created two new Facebook pages; one for Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco and one for The Surgical Weight Loss Center of Hawaii. It’s a great way to socialize with other patients, get the latest news, post your own experiences and photos, or read other people’s posts about surgical weight loss for inspiration. We will also be starting several support groups on Facebook; one for adjustable gastric band (LapBand or Realize) patients, vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients, gastric bypass patients, duodenal switch patients, as well as StomaphyX and EsophyX patients. We were also considering subgroups, such as newbies (less than 3 months post-op) and old-timers (2 years or more). We really need your feedback, so please let us know what would benefit you! Also, if you are interested in leading any of the groups, please email Nicole at nicole@lapsf.com.

Go to www.facebook.com and search for Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco or The Surgical Weight Loss Center of Hawaii

Dr. Cirangle

Hiking Snacks

Hiking has become a favorite activity for many of our weight loss surgery patients here at LapSF.  If hiking isn’t something you normally do, try fitting it into your next vacation to the mountains or if you have a weekend with nothing planned.  It’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get some great exercise in at the same time.  So what are the best choices for food and snacks along the way?  If you’re doing a day hike, its best to still aim for three meals a day versus snacking all day long.  Plan on having breakfast and dinner at home, bring lunch and a snack or two for the hike.  Good snack ideas might include a protein drink, string cheese (keep it cold), turkey or beef jerky, dried nuts and fruit, fresh fruit, celery, carrots, or rice cakes.  As always, maintaining hydration is vital so bring plenty of water and sip on your fluids throughout the day.

Amy Ingols, RD

Running Shoes

It is strongly recommended to increase your activity after weight loss surgery.  For some this might be participating in Pilates, yoga, biking, swimming, or using the elliptical machine.  If you’ve gotten more into walking, jogging and hiking, these are great way to get in cardiovascular activity and boost your weight loss surgery results as well but remember to get the appropriate footwear!  The average lifetime of a running shoe is about 300-400 miles.  Once your shoes have gone this distance they can lose stability and have less shock absorption which can be the cause of certain injuries.  Reduce your risk of injury by keeping track of your mileage and replacing shoes when necessary.

Amy Ingols, RD

Achieving Emotional Gratification Without Food

 “What can you do instead of eat when you want to eat for reasons other than hunger?” While it may seem superficial or simplistic to be asked the question, it is important to spend some time examining your response to this question.  Many people who have lived for years in obese bodies have allowed issues of food and weight to predominate in their lives, such that other interests, hobbies, and relationships have literally shrunk away. 

Now that you have made the commitment to have weight loss surgery and live a healthier lifestyle, take some time to get in touch with a range of other emotionally gratifying or meaningful ways to spend your time and energy.  Ideas that have worked for others include everything from taking a warm bath or shower, gardening, giving yourself  a facial or pedicure, going for a walk, calling a friend, looking up information on the internet, or going for a short drive.  In addition, specific relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization exercises, can also be helpful for a long-term weight loss plan. 

For more information on the above relaxation exercises, or for assistance with overcoming emotional eating after surgcial weight loss, contact our staff psychotherapist, Tara Griffith, MFT.

Build Your Muscle Mass, It Burns Calories!

Research has shown that 1 pound of muscle can burn 30-50 calories a day.  It is a metabolically active tissue that helps you lose weight and burn fat for maximum weight loss surgery results.  In order to increase the lean muscle mass in your body, three components are key: resistance training, cardiovascular activity, and proper nutrition.  For those who have had weight loss surgery and want to start incorporating resistance training Bryce Noble, Personal Trainer, recommends starting with 2 to 3 days a week.  This might be lifting light weights, using an exercise ball or resistance bands on top of making sure to get your cardio in.  The diet should focus on protein and vegetables, making sure to get in some carbohydrates by means of fruit and whole grains, aiming for under 40 grams of carbohydrates a day.  Developing a weight loss plan that incorporates exercise and increased activity cannot be stressed enough.  It will help to lose weight and maintain that goal weight!

Amy Ingols, RD

Eating in All the Right Places

When it comes to eating, certain settings are more appropriate than others.  The dining room table, kitchen table, and breakfast nook are areas in where eating regularly takes place and probably every time you sit down at one of them, you are conditioned to want to eat something.  On the other hand, places like the couch, the bedroom, the car, and the computer desk are not typical locations for eating and are only paired with “eating cues” if you allow them to become associated with food by regularly eating at these places.  Once these unnatural eating situations become linked with food, it can be very difficult to disentangle them. 

Take an inventory of the places in which you currently eat/drink something and determine if you are eating in situations or places in which you ideally shouldn’t (generally anywhere other than seated at a table will hinder your weight loss plan).  From now on, weight loss surgery patients should make it a point to only consume food in appropriate eating environments. If you can begin to get a handle on limiting the number of automatic associations to food and eating, the easier it will be for you to take charge of your eating behaviors and have more successful weight loss surgery results.   

Tara Griffith, MFT