Snacking after bariatric surgery – why to avoid

With so many different fad diets floating around today we are constantly exposed to mixed messages about diet and what is okay and what isn’t. A common misconception that is promoted is to eat five small meals a day, or that you should have a morning/afternoon snack to ‘keep your metabolism working’. We are not saying that these types of diets don’t work for the individuals that pursue them, but today we are going to talk about why post bariatric surgery patients should avoid snacking following surgery.

 

Why you shouldn’t snack following bariatric surgery

Weight loss surgery is designed to prevent the patient from being able to consume large volumes of food/drink by limiting the size of the stomach. This means that at meal times only a certain amount of food can be tolerated.

However, as small amounts of food can be tolerated by the ‘new’ stomach, this means that a patient can typically still get away with snacking in between meals. It is this snacking that is going to be detrimental to weight loss, as these additional calories increase the overall food intake of the day, despite eating smaller meals at meal time.

High calorie snacks are often the ‘go to snack’, such as cookies with a warm drink in the afternoon, a bag of chips/crackers/dips, or even a sugary drink. Even eating low calorie snacks is still adding to your overall calorie intake during the day and is hindering weight loss.

Typically those that struggle to lose weight during the first 12 – 18 months or regain weight following surgery find that they have done so by snacking in between scheduled meals.

 

Why do I want to snack?  

There are several different reasons why people may choose to snack, and it is important to first identify why you feel the need to snack.

Habit – often weight loss surgery patients needed the surgery in the first place due to an unhealthy relationship with food. In that food isn’t used simply as fuel for the body but as an addiction. This is a psychological issue that needs to be dealt with in order to move forwards with weight loss. If you are used to snacking mid-morning/afternoon, or in front of the tv at night, then it is easy to fall into this trap. You may even have a habit such as having a creamy coffee when you meet up with a friend each week, or enjoying an ice cream on your favourite bench.

Emotional snacking – very similar to the above, you may have developed a habit of eating when you feel a certain emotion. For example if you are sad you may be used to snacking on chocolate, or if you are bored you may have a few potato chips or crackers, if you are angry you may decide to order a takeaway to make yourself feel better.

Following others – you may find yourself snacking without realising it. For example snacking on leftovers when making dinner or unpacking the children’s lunch boxes. Or your partner may be enjoying a snack and you may also want to snack.

 

What if I am genuinely hungry and want to snack?Set featured image

Of course the reason we snack isn’t always out of habit or emotional, sometimes we do genuinely feel hungry in between meals and want a snack to relieve the hunger. If this is the case then ask yourself the following:

• Are you eating regular meals? You should be having a healthy and balanced schedule of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Are you eating enough protein at each meal? Protein can help make you feel full for longer, it is important to ensure that the meals that you are having are balanced and healthy, and don’t contain ‘empty calories’.
• Are you actually thirsty rather than hungry? Often we can become confused between the body signalling to us that we are thirsty as opposed to actually hungry. Try drinking a glass of water when you are hungry and see if this alleviates the feeling of hunger.

You may find that the reason you are hungry is because you are not including the right variation of food sources within each meal which could solve the problem. If you are still genuinely hungry after addressing all of the above then snacking can be allowed. However you have to ensure that this is simply a snack, so small portion size and a healthy option. For example a boiled egg (high in protein) or carrot/celery sticks/piece of fruit (avoiding high calorie dips which relegates them back to unhealthy snacks!).

Generally if you can avoid snacking in between meals you are going to have much more success with your weight loss following bariatric surgery, and will have a much higher chance of maintaining the weight loss long term and avoiding weight regain.

If you are an Upper GI Surgery bariatric surgery patient and are concerned about your diet, or are often feeling hungry in between meals then please contact us to ensure that we can get you back on the right track. If you are considering weight loss surgery then please contact our team today by either submitting an enquiry online or calling us on 02 9553 1120 to make an appointment.