Healthy Connections
PrintA guide to better health from Backus
August 2010
Nutrition education key to weight loss
Do's and dont's
Examples of post operative dietary and physical activity rules include:
- Eat only three small meals a day
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
- Stop eating as soon as you feel full
- Do not drink while you are eating
- Do not eat between meals
- Exercise 30 minutes per day
Educating patients about nutrition and healthy eating habits is a key part of the Backus Weight Loss Center program.
Joan Sommers, a registered dietitian with the Backus Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Center and a certified diabetes educator, will play a crucial role in patients’ success. She will educate people on smaller portions and other habits such as eating slowly, chewing thoroughly and using the food guide pyramid (mypyramid.gov) as a tool.
“We work with the whole person, discussing different stages of diets and vitamin and mineral supplementations,” she said.
She will encourage patients to follow a 1,000-calorie diet, and help them achieve that goal through recipes and cooking demonstrations at the Backus Outpatient Care Center community kitchen.
The LAP-BAND® procedure reduces the size of patients’ stomachs so paying attention to protein intake and portion control need to become a way of life for the weight loss to be successful. Before the surgery, weight loss goals are established
“Surgery is a tool, but they have to understand why they eat,” Ms. Sommers said. “Our team approach will help them along the road to discover their new life.”