National Hamburger Day: Celebrating Bariatric Style!

Hamburgers are ubiquitous in American cuisine. From $1 fast food burgers to the $5000 wagyu beef burger splurge found in Las Vegas to everything in between, hamburgers can be found in innumerable iterations to fit everyone’s taste and diet. That can include the diets of gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients following their weight loss diet.

May 28th is National Hamburger Day and bariatric patients have several high protein, low carbohydrate ways to celebrate. First rule of thumb is to nix the bun. Eliminating the hamburger bun immediately cuts out about 120 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrates. Next, select your choice of protein. Ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, and even salmon can make great protein choices. Once you’ve selected your protein, consider the size of your burger. For bariatric patients still early in their weight loss journey, a smaller burger like a slider or meatball size may be more appropriate. Lastly, comes the fun part- adding the extras that make your burger enjoyable. This could be different cheeses, bacon, avocado, or a wide variety of toppings. We've rounded up a list of great flavor combinations for your bariatric friendly burger .

As always, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients should only eat foods that are acceptable for their stage of their post bariatric surgery diet (see Dr. Shillingford’s diet stages ). Do not add things like lettuce until your new stomach is able to tolerate it, which is usually in Stage 5. Also, be wary of condiments like ketchup, which often has a surprising amount of carbohydrates.

Bariatric patients can have some fun with how they eat their burger. Some bariatric patients like to wrap their burger in a cabbage or lettuce leaf in place of a bun. Others like to put the burger and toppings on a toothpick. Some have even flanked their burger with pickle slices. However you decide to enjoy your hamburger, remember to take small bites and chew them thoroughly to a paste consistency.

Dr. Shillingford, MD, PA is a board-certified surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic and weight loss surgery. His gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients come from all over Florida, including Port Ste. Lucie, Coral Springs, Naples, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa to have their surgery with the Medical Director of Northwest Medical Center’s Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Shillingford’s office is once again able to see patients and schedule elective gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band surgeries. Call Dr. Shillingford’s Boca Raton office today to schedule your weight loss surgery consultation at (561) 483-8840.