After Bariatric Surgery
Need To Know – News on Aspartame Artificial Sweetener
Artificial sweeteners are undeniably a part of a bariatric patient’s life. They offer a no or low-calorie option for sweetening foods and drinks that would otherwise seem very bland. However, artificial sweeteners have distinct downsides that should be understood. These synthetic alternatives to sugar have alternately been declared safe and, at times, been considered carcinogenic. This was the case for saccharin, brand name Sweet’N Low (in the pink packets), which was put on a list of carcinogenic chemicals by the […]
How Do You Know Your Strength Training Program Is Working?
After bariatric surgery, you will hear us talk a lot about how to exercise. This is because most of our patients think that cardiovascular activity is sufficient to lose the weight they need. Most patients find this is not the case, and they must balance cardiovascular conditioning and strength training to maximize their results. Yes, it’s true; cardiovascular exercise does burn more calories in the moment. However, strength training is your best friend for longer-term weight loss. Why? Strength training […]
Coping With Loss as a Bariatric Patient
Life can be cruel. While losing weight and improving your health makes just about everything easier to deal with, significant losses in our lives can still put pressure on us. Often, loss eliminates the motivation we once had and dampens our will to succeed. Everyone’s losses are different, and we react uniquely to them. Some want to curl up in a ball and stay inside for days. Others take out their losses in bouts of anger and frustration. Yet others […]
Eating in a Rush – What to Do?
Life gets busy. So what do you do when you’re in a rush but still need something to eat? Should you eat or wait for the next meal? If you do eat, how big should the meal be? Fast food? Home cooked? It’s normal to have these questions when rushing out the door. Below we’ll offer some tips on what foods could make sense when headed to work, which fast food options to consider, how to be prepared in these […]
Will I Feel Hungry After Bariatric Surgery?
It’s a common question that makes a lot of sense. After bariatric surgery, will you have an unenviable situation where your stomach is significantly smaller, but you remain hungry? The answer will depend from person to person; however, generally speaking, every major bariatric procedure currently offered has a mechanism by which it reduces hunger. Let’s take the three most popular bariatric surgeries today and discuss them one by one. Before discussing weight loss surgery options, knowing that the Lap-Band and […]
Regaining Weight? Don’t Quit Your Support Group
You’ve heard it repeatedly, starting from before your procedure, support is essential to long-term success in your bariatric journey. Support groups are not just places to commiserate with people in the same position as you are. Instead, they are important forums for discussion about strategies to lose additional weight, places where you can celebrate your successes with others, who are cheering you on, and a place where you can turn to get practical advice and help when you’ve gone off […]
Maintaining Muscle Mass as You Lose Weight
Are you losing weight from a bariatric procedure and trying to keep your muscle mass? Understandable and, you may be surprised, feasible. It doesn’t have to be one or the other; it’s straightforward. Watching what you eat, workout routines, and even specific exercises at home can all help you burn calories while packing on muscle or at least maintaining it. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to understand that with a significantly reduced caloric intake, your body needs […]
Beef Substitutes: Legit or All Hype?
With excess weight and obesity running rampant in modern-day society and no end or significant improvement in sight, we have become a culture obsessed with dieting and physical health. For many of us, years of living with obesity make it very difficult to lose and keep weight off over the long term. This is why about 90% of patients who follow a diet and exercise program may lose weight but ultimately regain it once their diet and exercise program becomes […]
Is Agave Syrup a Healthy Sweetener Alternative for Bariatric Patients?
Agave syrup has taken the sweetener world by storm. Because it is low on the glycemic index, it has been put forth as a beneficial sweetener and is often touted as better than table sugar, honey, and maple syrup. After all, it comes from the same plant that gives us tequila! It’s the perfect sweetener, right? Not quite. Let’s Start by Understanding What Agave Is Agave is a succulent found in North and South America and has been used for […]
Addiction Substitution After Bariatric Surgery
We know that food, particularly sugary foods, can be addictive. Some studies suggest that the addictive properties of sugar are as powerful, if not greater than some illicit drugs. It is, therefore, no wonder that it is so difficult to “just lose weight.” While many of us start a new diet with great enthusiasm and success, a few weeks or months later, this focus tends to fall by the wayside, and we eventually regain the weight, sometimes adding even more […]
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