Favorite Foods After Weight Loss Surgery

After weight loss surgery, your food choices must completely change for you to be successful. You probably once enjoyed cheeseburgers, tacos, ice cream, cake, and so many more foods. Well, that can’t happen anymore. You must learn how to love healthy foods. This takes time and can be frustrating when you are so used to eating a specific way. However, this surgery is just a tool to help guide you. You must make the changes to ensure you are successful on this journey.

One thing that has really helped me on my journey is learning how to make my favorite foods in a healthier way. For example, I love cheeseburgers. Who doesn’t!? Instead of going to McDonald's, I make a healthy casserole that resembles a cheeseburger. I use lean ground turkey meat, low-fat cheese, sugar-free relish, ketchup, and low-fat croissants. Together, these ingredients make a tasty casserole that is under 500 calories per serving. It might sound gross, but I promise it is amazing!

I have also grown to love fruits and vegetables. It took me longer to get used to vegetables, but I try my best to find creative ways to get them into my diet. My new favorite way to eat carrots and broccoli is by dipping them in a light ranch dip. You have to be careful with the extra calories, but it motivates me so much more when I have some sort of dip to help the taste. The good thing is that my taste changed after surgery. Vegetables used to gross me out to the point where I never touched them. After surgery, I have now found myself craving them sometimes. Another way I get my fruits and vegetables in every day is through smoothies. It is quick and easy and they taste amazing. I typically do kale or spinach with a berry mixture and protein powder. 

Another favorite food of mine after weight loss surgery is Greek yogurt. I used to hate yogurt, but now I enjoy it with some granola and fruit mixed in. It is a great way to get protein in, but make sure you keep an eye on the sugar content. My sweet tooth is always happy after I have some yogurt. 

My all-time favorite food after weight loss surgery is lettuce wraps. As you know, eating carbohydrates is difficult and sometimes very painful for bariatric patients. It is always easier to eat something without bread. I have learned to get creative with lettuce wraps. I use a variety of different flavors and enjoy these wraps at least once or twice a week. They are super easy to make and you can change up the flavor from an Asian style to Mexican style, etc. My favorite is one where I add buffalo sauce and blue cheese. I could eat those every day. 

Remember, you don’t have to completely deprive yourself after surgery. You just have to learn how to love healthy foods and let go of all the unhealthy foods that got you where you are. Use this time to get creative in the kitchen and explore new flavors. It can be a lot of fun trying out healthy foods for the first time. You just have to have an open mind. 

So, let’s hear from you. What are some of YOUR favorite foods after weight loss surgery?