Nutrition

Putting a Cork on Drinking after Bariatric Surgery

June 27, 2013

It's summer time and it's getting hot in Connecticut! Everyone is making plans for the 4th of July weekend and taking trips to the beach or state parks to celebrate with family and friends. When the heat rises, so does the consumption of cool drinks you might normally avoid. While it's easy to indulge in tasty beverages when everyone else is enjoying them, after bariatric surgery, it is important to consider the risks of high calorie drinks and the effect alcohol can have on your weight loss as well as your health. Reasons Why Alcohol and High Calorie Drinks Should be Avoided Inhibits Weight Loss – you may not be able to eat large quantities of food any longer, but nothing stops you from drinking them (unless you have dumping syndrome because you had a Gastric Bypass). How many calories are in that bottle of Mike’s Lemonade? 200. The frozen Margarita you had with your steamed fish and veggies? 480. The small glass of wine after work? 300. The iced coffee you got at the drive through to get you... Read More

Bariatric-friendly Memorial Day BBQ Recipes

May 24, 2013

After coming home from the Memorial Day Parade, everyone will be hungry for summertime foods. The usual burgers and potato salad are always appreciated, but what if there were a healthy, delicious alternative that everyone would enjoy? Think turkey burgers. No, not the dry hockey pucks everyone loves to hate: Moist, flavorful, nutrient packed patties so delicious, you’ll have to make sure you have plenty on hand. An equally pleasing side dish to serve along the piece de resistance: Quinoa Salad. Light, protein packed and refreshing. You can prepare these dishes ahead, so you can enjoy the parade and your time with family and friends. Turkey Chia Burgers Turkey burgers get a bad rap because they tend to be dry and flavorless. Many patients avoid them after the Gastric Bypass because dry foods are hard to break down. But it does not have to be this way. These burgers are packed with flavor from the fresh herbs and are nutrient dense due to the added chia seeds. Chia seeds retain up to 15 times their weight of liquid, so they... Read More

A Window of Opportunity

February 21, 2013

Many patients who suffer from severe obesity in Connecticut find help losing significant and sustained weight through bariatric surgery. There are several different types of weight loss surgery offered at Griffin Hospital. Our bariatric team will discuss your non-surgical and surgical options, taking into consideration your age, co-morbid conditions, lifestyle, expected surgical risk and weight loss goal. The average amount of expected weight loss varies with each surgery type: Lap Band Procedure: 50% of excess weight Sleeve Gastectomy: 60 % of excess weight Gastric Bypass: 70% of excess weight Revisional Surgery: case specific Hitting the target weight loss and exceeding weight loss expectations No matter which bariatric surgery is right for you, how quickly to jump into a healthy lifestyle directly affects how much total weight you are most likely to lose. Weight loss after bariatric surgery is very much a window of opportunity. The fastest weight loss is typically in the first 6-9 months and gradually decreases over the next 6-9 months to stabilize around 18 to 24 months post-op. That being understood, there are some ways you can... Read More

Hearty Soups For Cold Winter Days

January 14, 2013

Soups are a great way to make simple, one pot dishes that warm your body and soul and give you the nutrition that you need after weight loss surgery. That said, it is important that these soups be thick, protein-rich and delicious. We at Griffin Bariatrics do not recommend thin soups because they tend to not “stick to your ribs” and provide the long-lasting satiety that protein-dense foods can give you. Let us explain: Imagine that you just had a cup of tomato soup. With under 100 calories and the low fat content, it may seem like a great choice. However, after bariatric surgery, it is more important to ensure that you have enough protein – typically around 75 grams per day. So the tomato soup that has less than 2 grams of protein per serving does not give you much to run on (literally). Protein takes a long time to break down, so it keeps you satisfied longer and keeps you from feeling deprived. It also keeps your hair from falling out and generally makes you feel like Wonder... Read More

Journaling Helps Staying on Track After Bariatric Surgery

December 1, 2012

This is a very busy time of the year. Shopping, holiday parties, and family get-togethers can be lots of fun, but we tend to leave our healthy lifestyle habits by the side. Often we are not aware that we are not exercising as much as we should be, eating right or taking enough time to relax. One of the best ways to stay on track is to journal. You may not consider yourself to be a writer, but there are simple ways of incorporating this daily writing into your routine. You may want to start with a simple notepad or be a bit fancier with a beautiful keepsake journal that fits in your bag. If you are tech savvy, there are many aps available to help track protein content, calories, exercise, etc. Targeted journaling increases success, especially during the holidays So you are willing to give this journaling a try – where do you start? You have many options. Here are some things to consider tracking: Food This seems like a no brainer, but we all tell ourselves that we... Read More

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