Portion Control After Weight Loss Surgery

 

GUEST POST: Undergoing weight loss surgery is a life-changing event and after the procedure it’s imperative to get a handle on a new way of eating. The need to eat a healthy diet is an obvious one, but what about portion control? You’ll have a reduced capacity to digest food and your stomach will not be able to handle big meals, so adjusting the amount you eat is vital. With that said, let’s check out a few different ways that can be done.

 

Be patient

The worst part is over and the hard work begins. The big step has been taken, so now you have to tackle the rest of your life with a structured and patient approach. Your medical professional will give you lots of information and guidance about what you should and shouldn’t do, and then it’s down to you to implement their instructions. Things won’t become instantly great overnight, but if you’re patient about getting used to the amount of food you can eat, they soon will.

 

Rethink your plate sizes

One way of limiting the amount of food you can eat is to make sure you use smaller plates. If you’re in the ‘clear the plate’ club this is a really useful tip, as you’ll still be able to do that as long as your plate is much smaller. This works on two levels; one is that you literally won’t be able to put as much on the plate and two, the plate still looks full, which sends a signal to your brain that you’re about to eat a full meal. But it’s not just a question of eating less portion-wise, you also need to get the proportions correct. Using a Bariatric Portion Plate for your meals is one of the easiest ways to achieve this.

                          

The Bariatric Portion Plate (click to see details here) ensures that you get the right portion on your plate for post-surgery eating but also in the right proportions. Here it is above empty and showing the ideal proportions, then loaded with food for clear and easy portioning and proportioning. For other at-a-glance-ideas check out our Portion Plate Gallery (click to see here).

 

Become a creative chef

Taking control of what you’re eating will really help with portion control. It’s fine sharing dinners with friends and loved ones but now you have to be in charge. That means preparing your own food and serving it for yourself, when you’re ready of course.

This is the ideal moment to learn new healthy recipes and get creative. Turn away from high saturated fats and other unhealthy foods, which are undeniable causes of high cholesterol as well as obesity, and look towards what you can do with fresher ingredients. That way you’ll know exactly what you’re eating and have total control over the amount you’re taking in. If you’d like to read more about the most common causes of high cholesterol click here. Watch those high sugar foods too, especially if you’re sugar-sensitive and run the risk of dumping syndrome.

 

Take your time

Eating too quickly is an often-cited component of weight gain. When you rush through your food there’s less time to process and for your body to feel like it’s full, therefore the temptation to go back for seconds and even thirds increases. Set yourself a time to eat your meal and try as hard as you can to do so. Take breaks, chew slowly (a big help with digestion), chat or do whatever it takes to make sure you don’t eat too quickly. By taking your time your body has a chance to digest and you’ll feel fuller on just one, small plate. Check out our 20:20:20 rule (see here) as advised by dieticians.

Plus if you really feel you might well be eating too fast consider a set of Bariatric Portion Control Cutlery (click to see details here) – not kiddy cutlery but designed for bariatric patients, they effectively slow down your eating to a sensible pace – another tool for effective weight-loss and maintenance.

 

  

 

Weight loss surgery is life-changing and with that comes a need to rethink eating habits afterwards. Always be guided by professionals and take your time transitioning back to a new normal. Use these hints and tips to help you on your journey and portion control will become easier with each passing week.

Feature courtesy of Joana Teixeira