We celebrate Labor Day as the unofficial end of summer. Since it will continue to be as hot as molten lava for another few months here in South Florida, that label is purely symbolic. But, summer break is now over and most schools are back in session.
Sometimes a recipe is so simple that you think it can’t be good. But don’t be fooled. Just four ingredients can be combined to create a delicious, healthy, and protein-packed dinner centerpiece.
Soft proteins (such as cheeses, flaky fish, and beans) are often easily tolerated by gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients. But, once your new stomach is able to tolerate harder, denser proteins (often around Stage 5 of Dr. Shillingford’s post-op diet), adding them into your bariatric diet definitely has a benefit.
Chicken can be a staple of many gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patient’s diets. It’s a great source of high quality protein, often low in fat, low in cholesterol. A 3 oz portion of boneless, skinless chicken breast has less than 130 calories, 24 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, and no carbohydrates. That makes chicken a great food choice for bariatric patients to meet their protein goal while keeping their calorie intake low to promote weight loss.
Eggs are a food that many bariatric surgery patients eat a lot of. And for good reason: they are full of high quality protein and no carbs. One egg has 75 calories, 7 grams of protein, iron, vitamin A, lutein, zeanthanin, and B12 among many other beneficial nutrients..
Before gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band surgery, bariatric surgeons often recommend patients limit their sugar intake as part of their presurgical preparations. Dr. Shillingford, MD recommends his patients begin reducing their sugar intake more than two weeks prior to their surgery date. This reduction in sugar can help with the transition to their preop diet, encourage presurgical weight loss, and help reduce the size of the liver.
Technically it doesn’t have to be a ‘breakfast burrito.’ You can eat it any time of the day and it’s still delicious. We call it a breakfast burrito because it’s filled with eggs, but you could add fillings or toppings to make it seem more like lunch or dinner. These kinds of recipes are great because you can make them different each time and keep coming up with flavor combinations that add variety to your weight loss diet.
Cholesterol is a fat-based, waxy substance that is produced by our liver and also introduced to the body from animal based foods. Our bodies need cholesterol for the production of sex hormones, vitamin D, and digestive enzymes. But too much cholesterol can be bad. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), high cholesterol is often the result of lifestyle choices such as diet, combined with genetic factors.
Food cravings can affect anyone. Some people are better at resisting them than others. For obese and overweight adults, giving in to food cravings can further contribute to obesity and possibly high blood sugar.
Many gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients report difficulty swallowing and digesting chicken and beef after their bariatric surgery. Since adequate protein intake is so important after weight loss surgery (with a goal of 60-80 grams of protein), not being able to eat proteins they usually tolerate can make eating and meeting their protein intake a challenge.
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