Are you deciding not to get the bariatric surgery, and would prefer to diet on your own without the use of surgery? We have the top bariatric diets to follow if you’re planning to opt out of surgery today!
Trying to get on a diet is one thing, but trying to stay consistent on a diet is a whole other thing. There’s nothing more difficult than a diet because they’re so easy to break. You become proud of yourself because you do so good for so long, and then you break down and eat one bad thing, like pizza, tacos, or even get fast food of some sort, and then you can become discouraged in yourself and stop your diet all together. As frustrating as it may be, you’re not alone in your struggle to lose weight, and this happens more often than people think.
Have you ever thought about a bariatric diet, or know what one is? When someone gets gastric bypass surgery for example, their stomach is divided into two parts and the small intestine is rearranged and connected to both, which ultimately helps someone to eat less and make them full a lot faster. A bariatric diet is a type of diet that someone starts after they go through gastric bypass surgery in order to help them lose weight and stay healthy.
A bariatric diet consists of eating very healthy and is designed for people who have had gastric bypass surgery. Let’s say that you’re someone that just wants to be able to try out a new diet that may help them instead of what you’ve been doing before, but you don’t want to, or are just not getting gastric bypass surgery. Interested in the bariatric diet, but don’t know what it entails? Continue reading to find out:
- What is a Bariatric Diet?
- What Kinds of Food Can I Eat on a Bariatric Diet?
- What Supplements Should I Take on a Bariatric Diet?
What is a Bariatric Diet?
Do your research to know if this diet is something you may be interested in trying out!
When it comes to dieting, you could probably ask anyone, but it can be the most difficult thing ever, but to people who just recently had gastric bypass surgery, it is essential that you cut down on what you eat, and that you only eat specific foods as well. There are lots of things that you need to remember when it comes to a bariatric diet, and if you’re curious about trying it out, here are some important characteristics to remember about it, the main one being that each meal you have is small, about a cup.
Drink Plenty of Fluids
Water is important and it’s what keeps you hydrated and going throughout the day. Water not only helps to keep your body healthy, but it also helps to keep your brain healthy as well. Water helps to deliver nutrients to your brain and to remove any toxins from your brain and body. When your brain is fully hydrated, it helps to keep you mentally alert and aware of everything going on around you, and it also helps to give you more energy throughout the day.
For a bariatric diet, it is recommended to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. The catch is that you should only drink water thirty minutes before and after each meal instead of drinking as you eat. You can sip water while you’re eating meals, but if you eat or drink too fast, this can cause dumping syndrome, which causes large amounts of food or liquid to become larger in the small intestine, causing nausea, vomiting, and much more. Also, avoid alcohol at all costs on this diet.
Eat Protein-Rich Meals That Are Lean in Fat
Protein is a must for your diet no matter what. When you eat protein, it helps fuel your body with energy to help you get through the day and it even helps to carry oxygen throughout your body, more specifically, it carries it through your blood. Proteins are found everywhere in your body, and it’s important that we continue to put protein in our bodies with the food that we eat.
It is recommended that for a bariatric diet, even if you don’t get the surgery, that you follow along and eat high-protein foods. These foods can include eggs, lean meats, fish, tofu, substitute soy milk for regular dairy milk, cheese, yogurt, and much more. You should aim to eat about 65 to 75 grams of protein a day.
Keep the Fats and Sugar Levels Low
Another important thing to do when doing the bariatric diet, is that you need to keep the amount of fats and sugar that you eat every day at a minimum. Dietary fats are good if you want to keep your body healthy, along with giving your body energy and helping cell growth. Sugar, on the other hand, is also important to keep low because too much of it can make you gain weight, create blood sugar problems, and so much more.
Continuing to eat lots of food filled with fats or sugars can result in causing dumping syndrome and end up making you feel sick by the end of the day. They travel quickly through your digestive system, causing issues if you have the surgery, but in this case, it is just good to stay away from them as much as you can.
What Kinds of Foods Can I Eat on a Bariatric Diet?
Make note of what to eat and how much of it to actually eat on this diet!
We already went over some different food that you can eat on a bariatric diet, such as eggs, lean meats, fish, cheese, yogurt, and so much more, but there has to be more food that you can enjoy right? If you’re seriously interested in starting the bariatric diet, check out these different foods you can eat!
Soft Foods Are a Must
It is so important to eat soft foods on this diet and in small amounts. Since you’re only eating a cup of food each meal, you can consider soft foods as an easy measuring option. With choices such as lean meat or poultry, eggs, cottage cheese, dried cereal with not a lot of sugar in it, rice, canned or soft fresh fruit, and even cooked vegetables without the skin on them are perfect.
Lots and Lots of Fluids
Besides water, which I’m sure we can all get sick of drinking after a while, there are other options if you’re looking for something else to satisfy your fluid intake. You can drink soy milk, which is rich in protein, or if you’re not a fan of that, you can opt for nonfat or 1% milk instead. Even broth-based soups are perfect if you’re in the mood for something hot and comforting.
Pureed Foods Are a Plus Too
Eating lots of pureed foods are essential when it comes to the bariatric diet as well, even if you’re following along with it without getting gastric bypass surgery. Different foods such as applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, cooked pureed vegetables, hot cereals, mashed potatoes, noodles, and so much more are perfect if you’re looking for something a little bit different instead of eating the same foods over and over again. Just remember that a cup of food is necessary.
What Supplements Should I Take on a Bariatric Diet?
Should you take vitamins to prevent any nutritional deficiencies?
When it comes to the bariatric diet, it is possible to be experiencing some nutritional deficiencies because of the limited amount of food you can consume at one time and you have to cut back on certain types of food, fats, sugars, and more. Supplements are great to take whenever you feel like you’re not getting enough of something that you think you should. There are some supplements that you could and should be taking when on the bariatric diet and here are the best ones to take.
Multivitamins
It is recommended to take a high-potency multivitamin that includes 18mg of iron 400 mcg of folic acid, selenium, copper, and zinc. Since you are interested in doing the bariatric diet without getting bypass surgery, it is good to know that multivitamins are great to take every single day of your life to prevent any nutritional deficiencies you may have, so make sure to stock up today!
Calcium Supplements
It’s important to keep your bones strong and healthy, so we recommend that as part of the bariatric diet, or just part of your everyday life, you should be taking calcium supplements. It is recommended to take 1,200 to 2,000mg every day and another perk is that it helps to prevent bone disease as well.
Vitamin D Supplements
800 to 1,000mg of Vitamin D Supplements is a must when you’re on the bariatric diet. Not only that, but this vitamin can also be made with calcium too, so it’s a two-in-one situation so you can prevent bone disease, but also support your immune system as well.
When it comes to dieting, it can be tough. You’ve tried different diets time and time again, but nothing seems to work. With the bariatric diet, you will be able to enjoy some deliciously healthy food, but in smaller portions to help maintain your calorie intake, and the type of food you eat. It’s important for our food to be good for us, and with the bariatric diet, you can do just that. Even though this diet is typically for people who are not getting gastric bypass surgery, it is a great diet to stay in tip top shape!
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