What should my plate actually look like post-surgery?
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:
we fill most of the plate with 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻, because it's what's going to keep you fuller for longer and help you stick to small portions
it's great if most of the rest is 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝘆 𝘃𝗲𝗴 (e.g. your salad vegetables) for some fibre (again, keeps you full!), vitamins/minerals
you don't need to exclude 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗯𝘀 if you don't want to - if you're having them, try keeping them as a smaller amount on your plate as they might not fill you up for as long
add or cook with some 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝘀 for those omega-3s and vitamins
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿:
Not every meal is going to look just like this - and that's okay. It's simply a guide to help you know what's helpful to focus on.
A bit of a flexible mindset with your diet can be a great tool.
Everyone will have different needs based on things like exercise, current weight, their individual metabolism and any health conditions they may have such as diabetes. Your plate could have a slightly different % of each component (also okay!).
This is based on a 1 cup portion (the rough portion for those 9-12+ months post-surgery), you may need to adapt this model if you're currently at <1 cup.
When you’re on 1/4 cup portions post-surgery, it’s best to focus mostly on protein and a bit of veg mixed in if you can - we don’t have much space to work with! Keep carbohydrates to one option in the day e.g. porridge for breakfast
When you’re at 1/2 cup portions you’ve got a little more flexibility - still keep aiming for 1/2 the meal being protein, most of the rest being non-starchy veg, and just a small amount of carbohydrate e.g. you may be able to comfortably fit a wrap (small amount carb) with chicken (protein) and salad veg (non-starchy vegetables) -> focus on those fillings as the priority.
If you’re unsure or want to individualised advise, chat with your dietitian to find the right balance for you.
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