Creating Balance-How Much Food Versus Liquid Post Surgery

Navigating your food and liquid needs after weight loss surgery can be challenging. So many things are changing and the task of relearning how and what you eat and drink can seem like a large hill to climb with every meal.

Figuring out your nutritional requirements once you have moved on to solid foods is tricky-too much and you risk injury and too little you’ll starve yourself of important nutrients.

How do you know what that right balance is? 

It is vital that your fluid intake-primarily water-remain balanced to avoid dehydration and complications caused by inadequate water consumption. Coffee, soda, and sugar laden drinks will not only inhibit your weight loss progress but are not recommended as part of a healthy diet for weight loss surgery patients.

If you do need a shot of caffeine in the morning, limit that cup of coffee or tea to a maximum of 16 ounces. It is also imperative that you do not drink with your meals as doing so could cause damage to your stomach. Instead, resume drinking about 30-60 minutes after you have finished eating.

The important message of making sure that you are ingesting enough fluids every day cannot be stressed enough as this is key to your health and success.

The next piece of the puzzle is balancing your food with that recommended water intake. Protein is the necessary building block for your muscles and it also aids in supporting your metabolism and boosting your immunity. Getting enough protein through food also will help you keep your hunger at bay between meals.

The recommended amount will vary based upon the type of weight loss surgery you had, but the general guideline to follow is 60 to 80 grams per day for women and 70 to 90 grams per day for men. Always ask your doctor if you are unsure of what and how much you should be eating.

You’ll want to choose to good sources of lean, preferably grass fed, beef, chicken or turkey for your protein choices and if you follow a vegetarian diet consult with your doctor to learn about your best options for sources of protein.

Getting your food/liquid balance right post weight loss surgery will be trial and error at first, but you will have signs that you are on the right track by how you are feeling. Pay close attention to things like the color of your urine (pale yellow means you are adequately hydrated), you feel full, but not stuffed after eating and you continue to see progress with your weight loss.

Keep going-you’re doing great!