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After your bariatric surgery, your eating pattern will change. You will have six small eating moments each day, for example. Read here how you can prepare yourself for this even before your surgery.
Getting used to your new eating pattern is easier if you start before the operation. You can try out what does and does not work for you in advance, which makes the period after your surgery easier and helps you stick to the new pattern more effectively.
1. Six eating moments per day
Because of the surgery, you can eat less. That is why you plan six small eating moments throughout the day, so that you still get enough nutrients. These six meals are:
- Breakfast
- Snack
- Lunch
- Snack
- Dinner
- Snack
The easiest approach is to put an eating schedule on the fridge and track when you are allowed to eat each meal. This helps you get used to your new rhythm of six eating moments per day more quickly.
2. Protein-rich meals
After your surgery, your body needs to recover significantly. Because of the rapid weight loss, you can lose not only fat tissue but also some muscle tissue. It is therefore wise to take in sufficient protein. Protein contributes to the building and maintenance of muscles.
The amount of protein needed is on average around 80 grams per day, but it can vary from person to person. Always consult your doctor or dietitian. It is best not to take all that protein in one go, but to spread it throughout the day.
Foods that are high in protein per 100 grams include:
- Meat and fish: chicken breast, steak, tuna, mackerel, and meat substitutes.
- Spreads and toppings: 20+ cheese, eggs, and peanut butter.
- Snacks: pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts, and almonds.
3. Do not drink during meals
The advice is to avoid drinking 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after your meal. Drinking causes your stomach to fill up too quickly, or causes food to pass through too fast. As a result, you do not get a feeling of fullness.
4. Eat slowly and chew well
After bariatric surgery, your stomach is far less capable of breaking food into small pieces so that the nutrients can be extracted. It is therefore important to chew your food very thoroughly so that it is almost liquid by the time you swallow it. That way, you are helping your stomach!
Chewing food thoroughly does mean that you will spend much longer on a meal than you are used to — think around 20 to 30 minutes.
In conclusion
We hope these tips help you prepare well for a new eating pattern. And do make the most of the time before your surgery to explore what works and what does not work for you. That way, you will already have a much clearer idea of what to expect after your surgery.
