Whether you are gearing up for weight loss surgery or have already had it, there are many tools to help you along the way.  Below is a list of a few items that will help to make your new life easier. 

Supplements.  In a previous Tidbit Tuesday article, we learned about the importance of supplementation.  We cannot stress just how important it is for everyone who has had weight loss surgery to take your vitamins on a daily basis.  If you have trouble remembering to take them, set timers on your phone.  There are all sorts of pill bottles and organizers that you can buy to help keep them organized and easily accessible.  Many pill containers you can pop right into your lunch bag or purse and take with you to work or school.  

Spiralizer.  We have recently learned about food swaps and one of the ideas is to swap out traditional pasta noodles with spiralized vegetables.  Swapping out the traditional noodles with vegetables cuts the amount of carbs down drastically. Spiralized vegetables also contain more nutrients than noodles.  A few vegetables that can easily be turned into “noodles” include zucchini, cucumbers, squash and carrots.  

Air fryer.  These are great to leave on your kitchen countertop and use when you’re wanting something that is crunchy.  The fryers use a fraction of the oil that traditional fryers use; thus making your food much healthier.  Some suggestions for foods to air fry include vegetables, chicken and shrimp.  There are many wonderful air fryer recipes online as well.    

Food scale.  Measuring your food portions is a huge key to success.  With a new, smaller stomach, measuring out your food ensures you’re not consuming too much.  Sometimes your eyes can be bigger than your plate and having a food scale will help keep you on track with correct portion sizes. 

Food and exercise app.  Technology has changed how easy it is to track our daily food, exercise and weight these days.  There are many free apps you can download right to your phone. These apps allow you to scan foods through their barcodes, create recipes and find nutrition for thousands of food items, which can be added to your daily food journal.  You can track exercise, medications (vitamins) and food with ease.  Or, there are many different versions of traditional paper journals to help you track your progress.  An internet search will reveal all sorts of different options for both digital tracking as well as paper journals. 

Infuser water bottle.  The very first Tidbit Tuesday article was on the importance of water and how everyone needs to get in a minimum of 64 ounces of fluid per day.  If you struggle with plain water, you can add flavor by cutting up a lemon and/or lime (or any other fruit) and add to an infuser water bottle.  The infuser flavors the water while keeping you from swallowing the seeds that come from the fruit you have added.  There are many benefits to drinking infused water. Infused water promotes increased water consumption, is low in calories, provides increased energy, rids toxins from the body and is easy to make. 

Food storage containers.  Meal prepping is another big key to success.  By cooking and planning ahead, you can control everything from portion sizes to the nutrients that you are eating.  Meal prepping also cuts down on food cost.  Because meal prepping is a key part to any bariatric patient’s way of life, investing in good storage containers is recommended.  You don’t have to start off all at once; buy one or two containers at a time.  Shopping online or walking down the store aisle will reveal many different container materials (glass, plastic, snap-on lids, etc.).  Get something you think will work best with your everyday life. 

Shoes.  Another huge part of weight loss is exercise.  When you exercise, whether that involves running, walking or using sports or gym equipment, having good, supportive shoes is a must.  Without good shoes, the risk of injury such as ankle strains, fractures, bunions and/or corns can derail your journey.    

Support.  Having support, whether that be a family member, friend or coworker is a huge part of your success.  If you feel you don’t have a good support system, join a weight loss group.  Our center offers an online support group once a month. You can find more information on our support group here.

If you have any questions, feel free to call our office at 785-232-0444.