Nutrition is Good for Weight Loss

Nutrition Is Important for WL

What we eat is very important in our weight loss journey. We can slip back into old habits the further out from our surgery we are. We need to do our research as to what foods are good for us to be eating. Temptation from the doughnut or muffin can rear their ugly heads before you know it. Our body does reject some foods pos-op by causing "dumping". It is horrible to feel like you want to be sick, or have a mouthful of extremely thick saliva that you have to spit out into a napkin or feel like there is a plug in your throat that won't even let water past. It settles as the food slowly works down your gut but why do it. You had an operation for a reason.Yes, I have been guilty of this and had it happen twice last week.

Research what food is good for in your body.

The best thing for your body, including post-op, is a HIGH PROTEIN-LOW CARB diet. The high protein helps keep your skin, hair and muscles in good condition. If the hair fallout has hit you it is partially because you have have a major operation and the other part is that you haven't managed to get your protein levels up to the optimal level. My nutritionist suggested I eat the protein first, vegetables second and the carbs last. Often the amount of carbs is limited as you have already eaten enough for the size left in your stomach.

There is a lot of information in books and on the Net about what each food contains.

This is the low carb-high protein way that helps you lose weight

This is the high carb diet normally followed and leads to obesity and the health problems that can occur.

There are many diets out there as you probably know having tried most of them as well. The best you can do for your body is to eat real food with little or no processing.There is time in your life to cook healthy food. Preparation on the weekend can quicken things up when you come home after work. If you make it from fruit, vegetables and/or meat you know exactly what is in your food. There are no polysyllabic words that you don't understand in a carrot or blueberry etc. If you buy organic that is good. If you have grown it yourself that is even better.

Protein Sources

Beans with good protein levels

Vegetable sources of protein

Other good sources of protein

Vitamins and minerals

The reason you are told to "eat a rainbow" is that this is often reflected in the vitamins and minerals that the food contains. Eating the range of foods means you get the required amounts of the healthy fats,vitamins, minerals, protein and carbs.

Yes, some are higher in fructose - a form of sugar - but if you eat the whole food you also get the fibre content needed for your body.

The various foods contained in the colours

Vitamins and their sources

Minerals, sources and uses

Wholefoods vs Processed

Processed foods normally contain added sugars, fats, salt, chemicals and other things that your body may find difficult to process. Too high levels can actually affect your health in a negative way. If you ever get diagnosed with coeliac disease and start looking at the labels on all foods you would be shocked at what you are eating. Wholefoods may have some chemicals used in production but with more organic produce on the shelves now you do have options. Many people are going back to their own backyards. Fruit and vegetables can be grown in containers if you don't have that yard, too.

It is your body. You have the right to ask for the food you eat to be nourishing. The amount you must have varies depending on age, activity, size etc. Find the amount you need to eat to lose/gain weight. I wish you luck on this ongoing adventure of life.