Proper Portions After Weight Loss Surgery
Almost everything about your diet changes after weight loss surgery. High-protein, low-carb foods become the norm, and sugary, greasy foods are out. Portions may be dramatically smaller, too.
The Reasons for Smaller Portions
Smaller portions have fewer calories, carbs, and sugars than larger portions. Cutting calories is the key to weight loss whether or not you have had weight loss surgery. Cutting carbs and sugars can help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce hunger, which makes weight loss easier.
Another reason to take smaller portions after weight loss surgery is because your stomach pouch or sleeve is smaller than it used to be. Eating too much can make you feel sick or can make the surgery less effective. Many bariatric surgery patients may need to eat 4 to 6 small meals instead of 3 large ones.
Take Proper Portions
Proper portions may be smaller than you thought. A serving of chicken, fish, or ground turkey can be 2 or 3 ounces. A serving of cottage cheese or high-fiber carbs, such as fruit, starchy vegetables, or whole grains, may be ¼ to ½ of a cup. A ½ ounce of nuts or teaspoon of oil is a portion of healthy fats. Vegetables can be a half-cup to a cup.
It is easy to take proper portions with tools such as PortionMate Portion Control Rings. They come in sizes from 1 to 8 ounces and are color-coded for easy use. They require no weighing or counting.
Eating from Portion-Controlled Plates
The right plates and bowls can make portion control easy, too. People who eat from smaller plates and bowls tend to eat less without even thinking about it. Using small spoons and forks can help, too.
Specialized bariatric plates can help, too. The BariatricPal Portion Control Plate is divided into sections, each with easy-to-see illustrations to help you know how much protein, vegetables, and healthy carbs to eat without measuring cups or scales. Other bariatric-specific sets are also designed to guide good choices.
Proper Portions Anywhere
No worries if you are eating on the go. Portion-controlled lunch and snack boxes can help. The BariWare Portion8 Plate Set has multiple adjustable compartments, perfect for items such as nuts, chicken, hard-boiled egg, cooked vegetables, berries, and peanut butter.
Single-Serve Meals and Entrees
Single-serve meals and entrees are perfect for when you are in a rush and you need something nutritious. They are high in protein and low in carbs, and they come individually packaged. Just a few high-protein options are pasta and pasta dishes, chili, chicken and vegetarian dishes, soups, oatmeal, and omelets.
Portion Controlled Snacks
The sugar, carbs, and fat in processed snack foods are just part of the problem. Just as bad is the tendency to eat too much. Have you ever eaten too much from the box of cereal or crackers, tray of cookies, bag of chips or pretzels, or jar of peanut butter?
Portion-controlled snacks can be your best friend when losing weight. You get the satisfaction of eating the whole package without the guilt or excess calories. Plus, with a load of protein and a limited amount of calories, carbs, and sugar, these snacks can stave off hunger for hours. Protein-packed, single-serve snacks include pretzels, chips, bars, cereal, cookies, pudding, and more.
Weight loss is a lot simpler when portion control is easy. The BariatricPal Store has the tools and foods you need to stick to your diet with less effort and more fun.
