Meal prepping is a great way to eat healthier by making your food ahead of time — but it's also an excellent option after you've lost significant weight from bariatric surgery.
It's a life-long commitment to keep the weight off after your procedure, which is where meal prepping comes into play. It's a great option to keep your eating on track and your portions under control.
When you're ready to achieve a slimmer figure, Dr. Robert Snow and the team at Snow Bariatric Center can help. With offices in Fort Worth and Flower Mound, Texas, Dr. Snow specializes in bariatric surgery and provides you with the tools to sustain your weight loss for life.
Bariatric surgery is a treatment we offer when you're significantly overweight or obese and haven't been able to lose weight on your own. Dr. Snow performs several types of bariatric surgery and determines which would be best for you according to your needs.
You should understand that bariatric surgery is a massive commitment to changing your life, including your diet. You'll start the changes before you have surgery and continue significant diet alterations after surgery.
One of the biggest changes after bariatric surgery is how much food you can consume. During these procedures, Dr. Snow alters your stomach to limit how much food you can eat to feel satisfied — meaning you'll eat a lot less food to feel full, which allows the pounds to fall off effortlessly.
In the beginning, you'll be on a completely liquid diet for several weeks, which allows your body to ease into these changes. Dr. Snow evaluates your progress and lets you know when to move on to soft foods and, eventually, solids.
Once you've lost all the weight after bariatric surgery, the process is far from over. You'll need to watch what you eat and how much you eat to keep the weight from slowly returning.
Meal prepping is one of the ways you can monitor what you're eating after you've finally achieved your goals. It allows you to prepare your meals, portion them out, and get the nutrients you need correctly.
Dr. Snow provides you with different strategies during your aftercare, including meal prep tips, some of which include:
After bariatric surgery, your stomach can't handle as much food as before your procedure. Portion control is an essential component of keeping the weight off after surgery.
When meal prepping, use small containers to portion your food appropriately. You also want to use measuring cups or spoons to get the right amount of each type of food in your meals.
Vegetables are a great addition to any meal because they're nutrient-dense and help you feel full. After bariatric surgery, add plenty of non-starchy vegetables to your diet.
You can add fruit to your meal prepping, but be cautious in the first few months after surgery. Some fruits are high in carbohydrates, which can stall your weight loss in the crucial few months after surgery. Opt for low-carb options like berries or watermelon.
One of the best aspects of meal prepping is it allows you to know what you're putting in your body and how much food is going into your stomach.
Life gets busy sometimes, making it easier some days to stop and get fast food or reach for the chips and dip; however, there are better choices than those when you're looking to keep the weight off after surgery.
Planning your meals and prepping them for the week allows you to keep track of what you're eating and stay on top of your calories and necessary nutrients.
When meal prepping for the week, avoid foods or drinks with empty calories, such as soda or sugary, processed foods. Foods with empty calories don't benefit you or your health, especially when trying to keep the weight from creeping back up.
When prepping your meals, try to make protein a priority in your portions. Lean proteins such as eggs, lean meats, and fish have a high thermic effect which means your body uses some calories during metabolism and digestion.
Protein has a much higher thermic effect than foods high in fat and carbohydrates. Portioning your protein in your meals helps you keep weight off by decreasing hunger and burning more calories throughout the day.
To find out how Dr. Snow can help you finally lose weight, call one of our conveniently located offices in Fort Worth or Flower Mound, Texas. You can also request an appointment with Dr. Snow online.
