Portion Control after Weight Loss Surgery

When it comes to losing weight, a healthy diet is fundamental. So much so in fact that “going on a diet” has become synonymous with weight loss. When you think of dieting, you probably think immediately of the foods that you have to cut out. While restriction and making smarter food choices are definitely parts of following a healthy diet, they are far from the whole show.

Following a healthy diet isn’t simply about what you eat. Instead, and especially after weight loss surgery, much of following a healthy diet is knowing how much to eat. Making smart food choices means knowing how much food to eat in any given sitting, and when it is time to call enough, enough.

Portion Control after Bariatric Surgery

Having weight loss surgery makes it more important than ever to pay close attention to your portion sizes. After bariatric surgery, the amount of food that you can fit in your stomach at any given time is limited. Eating too much, or straying from the dietary plan established by your weight loss surgeon can do more than lead to inefficient weight loss results—it could actually lead to severe discomfort and post-surgical complications.

The good news is that weight loss surgery helps reduce your desire for too much food, making it so that you’ll feel full after just having a small amount of food. While this is great for promoting weight loss and cutting calories, it means that you need to put a lot of thought into what you are eating. You need to make sure that you are managing your calories appropriately so that you are getting all of the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to thrive.

As you plan your daily food choices, make sure that you are getting the following nutrients daily:

• Protein
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Mono and Poly unsaturated fats
• Complex carbohydrates

So how can you know if you are eating the right size portions? A good start is to talk with your weight loss surgeon about how big your daily meals should be. Some surgeons recommend eating smaller meals more often throughout the day so that you aren’t trying to eat too much at once at any point. You can also pay close attention to the nutrition labels on the backs of packages of food items that you choose to ensure that you are measuring out your portions appropriately.

It is necessary to take a vitamin supplement to help you reach the proper daily recommendations for each of these nutrients while following a restricted diet. Talk to your weight loss surgeon before starting any new dietary supplements or making any changes to your diet.