Bariatric Surgery Success

Can you really eat carbs? I see a lot of chatter about carbohydrate in my Facebook group. Some people think carbs are bad and try to never eat them, others fear carbs and still others love carbs… especially the less healthy ones. Are you confused and don’t know what to believe about carbs? Every friend tells you something different? To make it more confusing, some post surgery medical teams advise very little carbohydrate in the diet while others caution their patients not to cut carbs too low. This idea that carbs are bad for you is flat-out wrong diet information and can lead to unhealthful eating. Let’s get the carb facts you need. 

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Podcast Guests: 

Bariatric Dietitian Isabel Maples, RD

Bariatric Coordinator

UVA Health in Haymarket, Virginia

Email: [email protected]

Gayle Brazzi Smith MS, RDN, CSOWM, LDN

Registered & Licensed Dietitian

Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Institute

Orlando, FL

Email: [email protected]

Website: OrlandoHealth.com/Bariatrics  

Obesity Action Coalition Dumping Syndrome Fact Sheet

Podcast #32 4 Ways to Prevent Dumping Syndrome from Dumping on Your Day 

https://www.breakingdownnutrition.com/blog/32-4-ways-to-prevent-dumping-syndrome-from-dumping-on-your-day

Topics Covered in Podcast

Is it true that a carb is a carb is a carb and you don’t need it?

It’s interesting that with all the fears and confusion surrounding carbs, most people in the US, UK and Australia eat way more carbs than we need for our weight. After bariatric surgery, the bottom line is what type of carbs and how much you eat. Do you agree Isabel?

Gayle what about the term net carbs… do you look at this? Besides energy, high fiber smart carbs offer up a serving of health benefits…what are some of your favorites?

Isabel, so much misinformation on Dr. Google about carbs, particularly sugar and other sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup but the body doesn’t see it that way. Why?

Discussion of both early and late dumping syndromes

Is there a range or recommendation for grams of carbs each day and does it vary with how far out from surgery you are?

Favorite smart carbs

On your coworkers desk, tonight at your neighborhood party, tomorrow at the kid’s school, this weekend at your friend’s annual get-together…holiday foods and treats are everywhere you turn. Does all this food make you nervous, heck even anxious? What do you eat without kicking in your cravings or imploding your nutrition plan that’s working so well for you? Food is meant to nourish you and to be enjoyed, not to totally stress you out. I have five nutrition tips to help you destress about the food, enjoy the season and NOT feel defeated as you go into next year.

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Go back and review episode #123 Podcast: How to Successfully Navigate the Holiday Food-a-Palooza after WLS

Nutrition tips discussed:

Is chocolate ok to eat after WLS?

What about dessert? Can you have dessert?

How to stop that 'hangry' feeling

The best type of snack to eat before you go to a function

How to feed your brain

Wayne told me that he use to have a disconnect between what he saw in the mirror and what he knew to be true from his scale and clothes. This disconnect is referred to in my Facebook group as ‘fat brain’. Do you feel it too? Your scales clearly show you have lost a lot of weight and you have changed clothing sizes BUT when you look in the mirror you still see your previous, heavier self. Wayne has worked thru this disconnect and today, we’re going to as well. 

Guest: Connie Stapleton, PhD

Website: http://www.conniestapletonphd.com

BariAftercare: The Podcast; available on phone podcast apps, Apple podcasts and most other podcatchers 

Mind Prep The Book: How To Prepare for Bariatric Surgery and Live as a Healthy Post-Op Mind Prep: The Book

BariAftercare Daily Progress Journal  

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Fat Brain Discussion: questions that Dr. Connie answers

Have you heard of what my Facebook group calls 'fat brain'? What is it?

What is body-image distortion and is it common after WLS?

Is this similar to phantom fat?

What causes this disconnect or feeling of fat brain/body image disturbances?

Is it tied to the idea of 'never good enough'?

What do you do if you have these kinds of thoughts and struggle with body image distortions?

How to retrain your brain.

Getting rid of stinky thinking.

The holiday season is in full swing. I’m curious. Does your schedule get more hectic or do you work hard to slow down and savor the season? As much as we want to slow down, I bet you’re saying…"are you kidding me, the stress of the holidays seems to rachet up my life everyday. And food is everywhere." I hear you. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, you CAN successfully navigate the holiday food scene and stay on your journey. Let’s talk about your plan.

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Podcast Episodes Referred To:

#30 Bariatric Surgery and Alcohol Buzz: What You Need to Know:

#118 Negative Self Talk: Bariatric Mental Health Q & A

Think about how far you have come. Let’s not let this annual food-a-palooza destroy your success. It all starts with a PLAN so let’s us the mnemonic P-L-A-N. Listen to devise your plan for the holiday season.

P: power pack

L: love what you choose to eat

A: assess the situation

N: no negative self talk or guilt allowed

What to do now...

Have you heard that sugar substitutes can increase your cravings and maybe cause you to regain the weight you’ve lost? Or, maybe you’ve heard that these no and low calorie sweeteners might cause diabetes? Is this information true and even accurate? Don’t go anywhere as award-winning dietitian Neva Cochran joins me on the Bariatric Surgery Success podcast to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Guest: 

Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD, FAND

Twitter: @NevaRDLD

Instagram: @nevardld 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NevaRDLD/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neva-cochran-ms-rdn-ld-fand-a935225/ 

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/nhcrd

Website: www.NevaCochranRD.com 

Promotions:

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Joining me from Dallas, Texas, is award-winning registered dietitian nutritionist, Neva Cochran. She’s passionate about sharing fact-based food and nutrition information to help you “eat beyond those headlines” and enjoy your food. She blogs about trending food and nutrition topics on her “Eating Beyond the Headlines” blog. For 20 years, Neva was a researcher and writer for Woman’s World magazine and she brings her expertise to share with you today. 

Fat and sugar have both been demonized and right now there is a low sugar fad much like the low fat fad some years back. Low calorie and no calorie sweeteners are so popular but on the flip side, social media posts and other media headlines have created fear and uncertainly about using low calorie and no calorie sweeteners. Do they cause diabetes and/or weight gain? It’s confusing and hard to decipher what is sound science against what is pseudo science. There have been several questions posted in my FB group so let’s answer them and clear up the confusion so you know if it’s ok to use them and if so which ones. 

Questions we answer in this episode:

**There are so many names for artificial sweeteners such as low and no sugar sweeteners. What are other names and are they all referring to the same thing? 

I recently did a podcast on erythritol, episode #107. Here's the link to listen:

#107 Can You Have Erythritol after Bariatric Surgery? https://www.breakingdownnutrition.com/blog/107-can-you-have-erythritol-after-bariatric-surgery

**Explain microbiome and specially the gut.

**Should we be worried about these using these sugar substitutes? Diabetes in the bariatric community.

**I’m in the grocery store and see box after box or container of various no and low calorie sweeteners. Is there a better choice among sugar substitutes?

**Not everyone uses the same amount of these products. How much is too much and will it affect the gut? 

**Maybe you’ve heard that using no and low calorie sweeteners cause you to crave sweets more and gain weight. Is this accurate or unproven?

**One member of my FB group was told not to drink Gatorade Zero, just water after surgery. Your thoughts?

**What haven’t you told us that is important to know? The bottom line so to speak.

Have you wondered what life will look like two or more years down the road from your bariatric surgery? Maybe you’re there now, and wonder if others at the two year mark deal with the same things you do. Rob joins me on the Bariatric Surgery Success podcast to share what life is like two plus years down the track and what he faced along the way. It’s very insightful.

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Guest Contact:

Rob’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my_weight_is_history/

Rob is joining me today from New Jersey. We connected on Instagram where he openly shares his life since surgery almost two 1/2 years ago now. His posts let you see what he deals with day-to-day and how he’s handling it. 

Questions we discuss:

Would you briefly share your back story, especially what was going on in your life that led you to have surgery over two years ago?

First, how did you feel when you heard that? What concerns did you have about undergoing weight loss surgery?

Did you have family and/or friend support?

During the getting-ready for surgery stage- what was difficult? What helped?

Fast forwarding…the dreaded scale. What has been your relationship with the scale since surgery? Is there a disconnect between what you see in the mirror and what you know from scale and clothes? 

Let’s talk about some of your non-scale victories..like weightlifting and other sports

Rob, you’re a teacher. People look to you for all types of things. Talk about how surgery has affected others at school, both students and faculty, as they have watched your journey.

Tell us how life is different today than two years ago…what does Rob’s day look like now?

Rob, those are huge non-scale victories. So, how do you deal with down day…one that is just not working for you and what do you say to everyone listening when they are feeling like a failure?

What are your health goals now and are they any challenges you still face that you want to conquer?

Are you feeling LESS restriction after weight loss surgery than you think you should feel? Does it vary with exercise and how hard you work out? Is this a big deal? Is it the surgery, your diet, what is it? Let’s talk about this feeling of LESS restriction.

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Podcast Guests: 

Bariatric Dietitian Isabel Maples, RD

Bariatric Coordinator

UVA Health in Haymarket, Virginia

Email: [email protected]

Gayle Brazzi Smith MS, RDN, CSOWM, LDN

Registered & Licensed Dietitian

Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Institute

Orlando, FL

Email: [email protected]

Website: OrlandoHealth.com/Bariatrics  

I want to give a SHOUT OUT to Chef Henry who said:

"I listen to a lot of podcasts but this is always the one I look forward to. Dr. Susan Mitchell provides a great service to the community with lots of information and support. Also her soothing way of communicating with the audience and her awesome guests are definitely a breath of fresh air."

Chef Henry, I’m happy to hear that I’ve brought some fresh air to you and hopefully to others. There’s so much mis-information out there to wade thru, I’m glad to deliver information you can count on to be accurate. 

My facebook group is really supportive of each other and has a lot of discussion. One question recently asked was this “Do you feel your pouch has less restriction on days you train especially hard? Is it hunger that makes you feel less restriction? What’s going on?”

Questions we did into during this episode:

What is restriction and should you be concerned or not? What causes less restriction?

From a medical nutrition therapy standpoint, what is important to know about restriction or less restriction?

What is the body set point and will it return there after bariatric surgery?

What about feeling full and learning satiety cues? Can you learn those even when you have never used them in the past?

Can the body sense when it is full?

What about calorie and macro needs when training hard? How does this affect restriction?

Does everyone need the same increase in calories and macros?

The role of carbs.

Feeling a little down, maybe even depressed since your bariatric surgery? Did you know that depression and anxiety are the most common mental health conditions in the world? What you choose to eat is more important than ever after surgery if you’re dealing with these feelings. Why? Because certain foods, like fish, can help. Let’s talk about fish as a brain multivitamin for mental health.

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What happens when you’re feeling depressed or anxious? Do you find that some of the things you always do for your self care particularly prepping and eating nutrition-packed foods kinda gets kicked to the curb? If you’re dealing with depression, what you choose to eat influences your mental health. And research has shown that seafood is brain food. What does this mean? Those feelings of anxiety and stress can be eased by regular consumption of fish.

Today, I’m focusing on fish which is bariatric-friendly because of the evidence-based research pointing to benefits. Research indicates that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can reduce risk of depression along with arthritis and dementia.

Discussion:

How often and how much fish to eat

What are omega-3 fats?

DHA and EPA

Fish as a brain multivitamin

Which fish are rich in omega-3s

Ok, be honest with me. Do you talk to yourself? Do you say negative things to yourself, aka, negative self talk? Do you remember when and why you started talking negatively to yourself? Doesn’t make you feel so good, does it? Psychologist Dr. Connie Stapleton joins me today to help you get a better understanding of how negative self talk gets started and key steps you can take now to stop it.

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Joining me in the studio is Atlanta-based psychologist Dr. Connie Stapleton. You know that Dr. Connie brings her vast experience in the mental health aspect of bariatrics to the table. She gets right to the core of the issues and always shares practical ways for you to improve your relationships with food, other people and most importantly with yourself. Today she’s doing that with negative self talk.

Website: http://www.conniestapletonphd.com

BariAftercare: The Podcast; available on phone podcast apps, Apple podcasts and most other podcatchers 

Questions I ask Dr. Connie:

In your experience what causes negative self talk? Are there triggers that kick it off and at what age does it tend to start or does age even matter?

It seems like there would be a lot of negative consequences from engaging in consistent negative self-talk

Is negative self talk as common among men or kids as it is women? 

How do we stop negative self-talk?

Can you share some examples of how to change negative self-talk into something more positive? 

What last thought do you want to leave us with Dr. Connie?

I just googled the word “immunity” and guess how many results popped up in 0.5 seconds? 1 billion, 400 million! Think people are concerned about their immune system? Are you? Are there foods that can help keep your immune system healthy? Yes, there are. I have a list to share that you can add into your diet.

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You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM15 to save 15%

Bariatric Surgery Success Episode #54 covering must-have vitamins and minerals including vitamin D

Your immune system is a fascinating, intricate and very capable system made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together. It goes into action when some type of foreign invader such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites tries to hack into your body, take over and make you sick. 

Does an Immune-Boosting Diet Really Exist?

Some of the nutrients which are critical for the healthy functioning of immune cells include vitamins C, D and E, folate, zinc, selenium, iron, and copper.

Foods discussed where you find these particular vitamins and minerals:

Probiotic and prebiotic foods

Citrus foods like oranges, tangerines and grapefruit

Salmon, tuna and sardines, egg yolks

Oysters, crab, shrimp and mussels

Beef, ham, veal, sardines, mussels, oysters, chicken or turkey

Nuts, seeds, avocado and spinach