18 Twelve months and onwards after surgery From what we read in the medical literature and also what we see from our patients, the success post surgery will depend on your life long efforts to change your lifestyle. This includes making changes to your eating and exercise habits as well as taking responsibility for every decision you make that affect your weight and general health. Studies have shown that in order to maintain your weight loss you need to: • Monitor your weight • Eat regular meals – aim for three small meals per day • Avoid mindless snacking and grazing • Eat a higher protein, low glycaemic index carbohydrate balanced diet • Take your multivitamin & mineral supplements daily • Avoid discretionary (junk/fast/processed) food • Use meal replacement as needed • Practice mindful eating – do not watch TV when eating, sit down to eat, chew well and eat slowly • Exercise regularly – aim for at least 10,000 steps daily Remember: What you eat and how often you eat will help you maintain the weight lost. Importance Of Protein You will be going through a rapid weight loss phase, therefore protein is important to prevent muscle loss, improve healing, and immunity. We do not expect you to be able to meet your requirements in the first few weeks as your stomach is healing but we do recommend: • Include protein at every meal and eat it first • Good sources of protein include: meat, fish, chicken, eggs, legumes and dairy foods • Include meal replacements such as Optifast®, as they are high in protein – eat half a serve at a time • Use protein supplements as recommended by your dietitian, eg. whey protein powders or protein waters • Aim for 60-80 grams of protein per day – use your protein counter to estimate serving size. As your stomach heals, you will be encouraged to increase this. Your dietitian will also calculate your individual protein requirement and discuss it with you. Remember to: • Buy lean meat • Remove all visible fat from meats and the skin from chicken before cooking • Avoid processed meats e.g. salami, ham, bacon or sausages • Use low fat cooking methods such as grilling, steaming, microwaving or boiling instead of frying. Protein supplements/meal replacements Meal replacements such as Optifast®, Tony Ferguson, OptiSlim and/or Formulite are a great substitute for meals. They are high in protein, convenient and generally tolerated at this stage after surgery. You may be able to only have half the recommended volume at a time, so remember to finish the rest at your next meal to ensure meeting your protein needs. There are also other commercial supplements available at pharmacies. Your dietitian will recommend these at the time of consultation. OUR SLEEVE WILL HELP YOU TO EAT LESS FOOD, AND STILL BE SATISFIED LESS FOOD = WEIGHT LOSS
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