January Member Chat Recap

Watch the full video or read the summary and links below

What are Monthly Live Member Calls?

Members to Bariatric Food Coach are invited to connect live on Sunday a month on Zoom. Members have the opportunity to send in questions in advance or ask questions live!

Those who are able to watch live chat with each other in the chat bar. This month’s recording is a ‘recap’ and not the actual live session. Questions that were asked live were not included in the recap.

Question and Answer Summary for January Live Chat

(This question is answered at 10:28 in the video)

Every program differs and some early after surgery give clear guidelines on how much to eat at what point after surgery. I have a different approach. My preference is to eat a ratio of 2 bites protein to every 1 bite of vegetable and listen to your pouch on how much to eat.

This style of eating allows you to determine what is right for you. This also allows it to adapt to the meal. You can eat more flakey fish than you can steak so a 2:1 protein to vegetable still makes sense if the protein changes.

This approach also works long-term and can apply whether you are 3 months or 10 years out of surgery. Focus on quality protein and veggies, take small bite, eat slowly and stop at the first sign of fullness.

(For more on this watch the members course “How to Succeed” with your particular surgery.)

(This question is answered at 1:02 in the video)

For this question I quoted Martin Luther King Jr. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase to take the first step.” Nutrition is super overwhelming and it can feel hard to know where to start. My recommendation for this question is to participate in our Focus Challenge starting next week! Members have the enrollment link, join as a member to receive the enrollment link.

Pick on clear goal to focus on and set yourself up for success to get started. Water is a great way to focus in one on thing that will in turn help with your energy and appetite control. You don’t have to start with ALL THE THINGS to start making great improvements in your health.

(This question is answered at 4:50 in the video)

I pointed this member to a four part blog series on the website about Pregnancy and Bariatric Surgery. For nutrition before a pregnancy I encouraged her to stick with her bariatric vitamins and quality food in her diet just as she would as a post-op patient. Once a post-op become pregnant some vitamins would be added in and the blog series covers that!

(This question is answered at 6:30 in the video)

Unfortunately not much can be done to prevent hair loss in the first 3-6 months after surgery. This is not a nutrition related hair loss so there is not nutrition answers to it! I do recommend talking to your hair stylist about products or hair styles that can help you feel your best with your hair during this time.

Here is a blog about my own hair loss after my c-section. The hair comes back and the regrowth is something a hair stylist can also help conceal until it comes back in fully. If it has been more than a year since surgery it could be related to nutrition and you would want to have your clinic draw labs. Often we first look at zinc and iron and then protein. It is a common misconception that more protein will keep you from losing hair.

Loose skin is also an annoying byproduct of weight loss surgery. Weight bearing exercise is a great idea no matter what to help prevent bone loss or muscle loss as you lose weight, however, skin elasticity is not something we can truly control. I would look into blogs that talk about how to style your clothing to feel your best. There are many slimming products to help conceal things if you are going somewhere and want to feel your best.

Styling your hair and finding clothing you love will you still feel great despite these bummer results of weight loss surgery!

(This question is answered at 29:17 in the video)

Great feedback from members in the live chat for this question. Many members fill up the water they need to get in the night before so they have a visual of how much they need to finish. This is easier for them than counting up ounces, instead they are drinking it down!

Many members said you have to start first thing in the morning. Have it on your night stand, get 16 ounces of water before you have anything else and get started on the right foot. Suggestions for herbal tea, Gatorade zero, Mio and other water flavors as well as changing temperatures were also mentioned.

(This question is answered at 31:39 in the video)

Some dietitians and programs do have specific guidelines on what kind of protein is best because some have a better absorption rate. An isolate protein is a great source for absorption. Bone broth is a collagen protein and not as absorbed. However, the best way to get your protein needs are through food based protein. If someone was having three meals a day and focusing on protein at those meals, ultimately getting to the recommended 60 grams of protein a day then you do not have to count on protein shakes for protein needs.

If someone wanted to sip on bone broth and it controlled their hunger and appetite I would not get too worried about the type of protein and would put it in the food journal to count towards protein.

(This question is answered at 15:28 in the video)

I really like this “flow chart” I created four years ago for the ObesityHelp National Convention. I like to mentally go through a checklist to see if there is any reason why you might be feeling physical hunger.  Here is a link to the flow chart. Watch this part of the video to hear my explain it more.

(This question is answered at 20:55 in the video)

My biggest take home message for this one is to set yourself up for success. There are tons of tiny tips here and there but it really requires that you find some time and space to think about what your biggest barriers are and how you can set yourself up for success against those.

If you have family snacking at night and it’s really hard for you to ignore it without having a snack of your own, setting yourself up for success might look like keeping some Quest chips on hand and/or finding something you really enjoy to do in the evenings that will help your brain to think of that super fun thing instead of food. One of the best ways to break a habit is to replace it with something you enjoy better. Setting up Zoom calls with friends or getting a really good new book or finding a craft to make that excites you.

What is your biggest barrier? How can you set yourself up well to cross it?

(This question is answered at 25:30 in the video)

In short – total carbs. Some dietitians, especially diabetic educators, will use net carbs for patients but in my opinion marketing companies take advantage of net carbs. You can often find “zero carb” items that have a lot of total carbs. I like to know the total carbs going in the body and only look at the nutrition label, not the front of the package where they can put whatever they want.

(This question is answered at 27:35 in the video)

This is a funny bariatric controversy. Many bariatric dietitians and surgeons now say it is a debunked myth that you cannot have straws after surgery. I would say pay attention to if it’s causing any extra air or gas issues (belching, cramping) but if you feel fine and it helps get water in there is not current research that says straws are harmful.

Remember to join our upcoming Get Focused Challenge for February! Current members can click here and enroll (you need to be logged in to see that page).

If you are not a member, join today and the enrollment link with come in your welcome email.
 

Become a Member

Any other questions feel free to email me!