While bariatric surgery can help you lose weight, it is up to you to ensure that you’re giving your body the proper nutrients it needs to thrive. Being able to lose weight and feel your best is a matter of balancing your newly reduced calorie intake with a diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals.
After weight loss surgery, you will only be able to eat a small amount of food at a time. It’s true that you might be able to lose weight eating small amounts of unhealthy foods because your portions have been drastically reduced. However, you might find yourself feeling tired or run down because of vitamin deficiencies if you’re not eating enough whole foods.
What are whole foods? Whole foods are fruits, vegetables, grains, and animal products that have not been chemically altered or processed. With the exception of dried grains, whole foods often have a much shorter shelf life than other foods because they haven’t been manufactured to last an unnaturally long period of time. These whole foods contain the vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients that your body needs to function at its best. Because you can only eat a small amount of food, it’s crucial that whole foods make up the bulk of your diet.
Many bariatric patients rely on multi-vitamins and nutritional supplements to provide their bodies with vital nutrients. While this may help ensure that you’re getting enough of specific vitamins, obtaining these chemical compounds organically through eating is still believed to be the most effective option.
