8Dec
Why oh Why are we in such a rush to get to some magical finish line post-bariatric surgery? 
 
I spend a good part of my Monday to Friday’s chatting with pre-op and post-op bariatric clients. We review the surgery itinerary. We discuss a bit of “what to expect” as well as the pre-op and post-op guidelines. I try my best to make sure my clients are mentally and physically prepared for their journey.
 
One question that comes up a lot is, “how long will it take me to lose the weight”? This is an important question but the answer is very different for each person. It’s not a cookie-cutter answer.
 
The weight-loss timeline is going to depend on a lot of different situations. Some of the questions are: Are you male or female? How old are you? What is your starting weight? What is your goal weight? Are you taking any medications? Do you have a metabolic disease? Are you physically healthy? Are you able to exercise? What are your stress levels like? How are your sleep patterns? Are you experiencing hormonal fluctuations? 
 
It’s not as easy as saying, “you need to lose 100 pounds and it will take 6 months”. I wish I had a crystal ball and I was able to share this information with you but it’s not so easy. There is also the matter of your post-op diet and are you following all the recommendations? Are you eating your protein first? Are you restricting processed carbohydrates? Are you getting in all your fluids?
 
If only it was a “surgery and be done” with being overweight, but it’s not. 
 
Surgery is the starting line. From there we need to recover and allow the stomach to heal. Next up we introduce pureed foods, working up to soft foods over a month. Finally at the one-month stage, if all is well and progression has been on target, we can add a solid protein like red meat, etc. 
 
Once we are cleared for a “full diet”, we need to be sure that we are eating in the correct way to promote weight-loss. Weight loss doesn’t magically happen. We need to work for it by feeding our new stomachs the correct types of foods. 
 
Prioritize Protein – Fill with Fat – Reduce Carbohydrates – Drink Your Water
 
Weight loss takes time. We all know somebody who lost 100 pounds in 3 months but that is not your average weight loss surgery patient. How long did it take you to gain weight? 6 months? I don’t think so. It took a lot longer than that. Most of my clients have lived with being overweight or obese for YEARS. They didn’t just wake up like that. 
 
Why do we believe that there is some “finish line” waiting for us? 
 
We need to be thinking “long term” and not “short term” with regards to weight loss and our tools. 
 
If we cross that finish line and get to the goal weight quickly, sometimes I fear that the bad habits will resurface quickly. I think that if we need to fight a bit to get to our goal, then we will appreciate it more and take care of it with a good maintenance plan. 
 
There is no need to be in a big rush, as long as the scale is moving in the right direction. One to two pounds a week is a perfect number. If “Karen” is losing weight quicker than “Katherine”, who cares? Maybe Karen had more to lose? Maybe Katherine is older than Karen. Maybe Karen has more muscle mass. Maybe Katherine is having hormonal issues like menopause.
 
What matters is that both Karen and Katherine have their scale moving in the right direction.
 
Please do not be in a rush to see some magic number on the scale. I want you to enjoy your journey to health and wellness. I want you to see not only the numbers on the scale getting smaller. I want you to rejoice from the numbers on your lab reports improving. I want you to feel better. I want you to sleep better. I want you to feel what great energy you get when you eat the right foods. I want you to spend less money on clothes because you can now shop in regular clothing departments. I want you to do a happy dance when you need to buy new shoes because your current shoes are too big. That’s right, even your shoe size AND your ring size will change when you lose weight.
 
With all these wonderful things happening, why are we in a rush ONLY to see the numbers on the scale. You are BIGGER than the number on the scale and as long as it is moving in the right direction, decide to focus on the other amazing things occurring in your body. It is these changes and improvements that will solidify your reasons for having bariatric surgery. 
 
If the journey takes a bit longer, that only means that the changes we made to get there are more likely to stick with us for the long haul. 
 
Let’s look at our bariatric surgery as the “first step” to a very long and happy journey to continued health and wellness. Once we reach our goal weight, it doesn’t just end there. We continuously strive to get better and better. We get to learn more about food and exercise. We get to educate ourselves about supplements. We get to work on sleep-hygiene. We find ways to lower our stress levels. It goes on and on. 
 
Enjoy your bariatric journey. Embrace it. Don’t be in a hurry.
 
 

About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery clients for over 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric clients.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teens and cooking up a nutritional storm in the kitchen.

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1Dec
Here we are. We’ve all made it to December 2020. Thanksgiving is behind us and we all look towards the MAIN EVENT – CHRISTMAS, and all its decorations, presents, family, friends, and FOOD.
 
This year some of us will have a smaller celebration. I normally host a party for 25 people and this year we are whittled down to 6 people. 2020 has put a huge damper on large groups gathering but most of us will find ourselves still celebrating, only it will be a bit different.
 
I want to discuss how we can still have our Christmas cake and eat it too. 
 
I am so fed up with “feeling guilty” during the holidays. I think most of us feel this way. Guys, cut it out, please. This is the year that I will PLAN my cheats and ENJOY them fully. The next day I will hop back on plan and that’s it. Done and dusted and zero guilt allowed to enter into my brain this year. 2020 has been hard enough. I won’t beat myself up for eating a meal or two and thoroughly enjoying it.
 
In other years, I have found myself “building up” to Christmas and falling off the wagon as we turned the Christmas corner and headed into the New Year. There are cookies here, and chocolates there. My neighbor drops off some Christmas cake and my daughter comes home with a Starbucks billion calorie “special” coffee for me. 
 
This year things will be a bit tamer so let’s put a good, solid plan in place.
 
Here’s my plan and I encourage you to steal mine or adapt it to your upcoming holiday events.
 
This year there will not be any “office parties” so I don’t have to worry about that event. One down, four to go. Those four events I am discussing are: 1/ Christmas Eve 2/ Christmas Day 3/ New Years Eve 4/ New Years Day
 
I am in charge of all the food this year. There won’t be anybody bringing any dishes to “Casa Sheri”. On the guest list, we have Sheri (that’s me), Erick (my husband), Valentina (daughter), Sebastian (son), Liam (daughter’s BF), Zia (son’s GF). That’s the whole guest list for all my 4 events.
 
Here’s how I will prepare for the event: I will be following my regular intermittent fasting routine. I don’t eat before approximately 1 pm. I will also make sure to get a nice, long workout in before I break my fast. The rest of the day (after working out and eating) will be prepping for two of the main events. I cannot forget to guzzle plain water all day because I will be serving alcohol at these events and I will also be imbibing. 
 
PARTY 1 – On Christmas Eve we will celebrate in style. On the menu, we have shrimp cocktails to start, lobster tails, and steak as the main and for dessert, I will be buying some kind of delectable dessert that is FULL of calories. I will be enjoying the appetizer and main course. I am not a “dessert” person but I will have a few bites. Oh, I almost forgot… (not really lol), there will be lots of wine and champagne being served. This is a dinner which takes a few hours as we also open gifts at this time. 
 
PARTY 2 – Christmas Day will be a bit more relaxed this year. This is the day where I normally host 25 people but we are just a tiny group of 6 again. I will prepare a late Christmas Day Lunch. I will bake a small turkey. We will do all the trimmings like stuffing, mashed potato, gravy, warm bread, baked beans, and cranberry sauce, and don’t forget the wine and champagne (yes, again). Did I forget to mention dessert? I see a gorgeous chocolate fondue to end the meal.
 
*** there will be a long workout on Christmas Day as well as intermittent fasting. 
 
Now we get to take a little “food-break” between Christmas and New Years’. Every year we have a 2nd Christmas dinner on December 27th with my Mom’s side of the family but this year it has been canceled. (Covid is a B!T*H).
 
This means that December 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 will be all about “getting back on track” and following my usual lifestyle. If I’ve gained a few lbs, I will hunker down and make sure not to allow them to remain. This means a diet high in protein, with moderate amounts of healthy fats, and lots of low carb veggies. It also means hitting the gym 5 days in a row and sweating out all the toxins. I can’t forget to drink water. It’s not my “strong point”.
 
PARTY 3 – Get ready to PAR-TAY! I haven’t planned this far yet BUT each year we have a small group of people over and we have lovely food and a wonderful time as we “ring in the New Year”. This year what will that look like? I don’t know? If my husband and I are alone, we will eat a nice meal, listen to awesome music, drink a bit too much, and dance salsa in the living room. Ya, you read that right. We like to dance salsa when nobody is watching. We’ve been known to dance salsa when people are watching also (ha). We will eat, drink and be merry and I am not going to count carbs. Carbs don’t count on New Year’s Eve. 
 
PARTY 4 – This is not an event. It is a lot of leftovers. January 1st usually consists of leftovers and Netflix (and house-cleaning). “IF” the weather is not too cold and there is snow on the ground, I would love to go cross-country skiing but it’s too soon to plan this. If the weather is lousy, Netflix. If the weather is lovely (for winter), then I may wax up my skis. 
 
I will workout on New Year’s Eve. I will make sure to get it in early in the afternoon. It will be good for my mood and energy levels. It’s a great way to set some intentions going into the New Year also.
 
So, those are my upcoming holiday events in a nutshell. This year will be easier to stay on track. I am totally in control of the meals and I am not feeling overly stressed as my HUGE party has been canceled for 2020. I am sad but I know that things will be better next year. 
 
It can be cathartic to sit down and write out your “Holiday Plans”. Of course, there will be cakes and cookies and mashed potatoes with gravy. Don’t allow this to derail all your hard work. Allow for these cheat times and then jump back on track, please. I know people who allow one cookie to set them on a 6-month set-back. I think that planning for these types of events can protect us from falling hard.
 
If it helps, send me your holiday plan. I can be your accountability partner.
 
Healthy Hugs, 
Sheri Burke RHN, your bariatric nutritionist and surgery coordinator.
 
 

About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery clients for over 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric clients.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teens and cooking up a nutritional storm in the kitchen.

For bariatric patients Bariatric Expert Amazon Line

Time for a “bariatric expert” multivitamin?  Here is a perfect way for bariatric patients to get it now on Amazon:  Bariatric Expert MultiVitamins.

Eat Like a Bariatric Expert with our Nutrition Plans.

Feel free to share your victories and struggles in our Facebook Group. I would love to connect with you.

 

 

BUY HERE
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24Nov
What say you? Easy Way Out OR a Jump Start? 
 
 
I’ve been working with bariatric clients for many years now and I watch their struggle while discussing the procedure with their friends and family. I also see their posts on FaceBook and how they didn’t take “the easy way out” and how “weight loss surgery is also a struggle”. 
 
A lot of my clients need to defend their stance on weight loss surgery, explaining to friends and family all the sacrifices they make daily to lose the weight and then to maintain it.
 
Let’s start at the beginning. Bariatric surgery is not the last step. Many years ago, we felt like it was the final step to get to our goal weight and then maintain it long term. Today I teach my clients that bariatric surgery is the FIRST step in losing weight and then maintaining that weight loss long term.
 
We complete a short and effective pre-op diet, have surgery, and return to regular life. Now the work BEGINS. We need to take our nutrition seriously. We need to learn how to count macronutrients. We need to know how to balance our diet. We need to understand carbohydrates and how they affect our blood sugars, insulin levels, and weight loss. We need to be able to calculate grams of protein because if we are not eating sufficient, hair loss will occur. We need to understand the importance of taking our vitamins and supplements and the proper times to take each one. We are required to move more. We need to get active and we need to prioritize time for exercise.
 
Sure, bariatric patients have a tool to use and that tool is either restriction or restriction with malabsorption but it’s not the tool that does the work. It’s my client who is feeding their tool the correct foods to reach their goals. They are doing the work and they are taking the time to understand food and the mistakes that were made in the past with poor food decisions.
 
They are putting in the work every day to reach their goals. They become BOSSES in their kitchen recreating recipes so that they now fit into their macros and their new lifestyle.
 
If my clients want long term results, they know that they need to put in the work. They need to do a deep dive into nutrition and what works for their biochemical individuality. They become very connected to their nutrition and how it makes them feel and what kind of energy it gives to them.
 
My clients discover food sensitivities along the way. They eliminate a lot of comfort foods from their diets. They find ways to replace those comfort foods. They find solutions as they work through their new diets.
 
My clients discover who they are through this process. They learn to love themselves again. They learn how to stop with all the negative talk in their heads. They start to deal at times with childhood trauma and the reasons WHY they became obese in the first place. If we never way to go back, we need to understand the reasons that got us there in the first place. 
 
Weight loss surgery is a “jump-start”. What comes after the “jump-start” is the pot of gold. That pot of gold contains a new healthy lifestyle that is filled with encouragement, an active lifestyle, and a diet of whole, live, fresh, natural, good quality food.
 
If friends or relatives think that you have taken the easy way out, let them read this. Ask them “when was the last time you lost 50 or 60 or 120 pounds”? And leave it at that. You don’t need to explain to anyone why you’ve decided to take your health into your own hands. 
 
Your body/ your health. You do you Boo! 
 
Healthy Hugs, 
Sheri Burke RHN, your bariatric nutritionist and surgery coordinator.
 
 

About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery clients for over 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric clients.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teens and cooking up a nutritional storm in the kitchen.

For bariatric patients Bariatric Expert Amazon Line

Time for a “bariatric expert” multivitamin?  Here is a perfect way for bariatric patients to get it now on Amazon:  Bariatric Expert MultiVitamins.

Eat Like a Bariatric Expert with our Nutrition Plans.

Feel free to share your victories and struggles in our Facebook Group. I would love to connect with you.

 

 

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19Nov

Sheri’s Keto-Buns

Print Recipe
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Ingredients Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Egg
  • 3 tbsps Almond Flour
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tbsps Water
  • 1 tsp Mayonnaise (You can use sour cream instead of mayo)

Notes

NUTRITION
amount per serving
 
Calories......223
Fat.................19g
Carbs............5g
Fiber.............2g
Sugar............1g
Protein.........11g
 
18Nov
Why Would Anybody Require a Revision Surgery – Let’s get into it.
 
Revision Bariatric Surgery – What is it? 
 
I get a lot of questions about “Revision Surgery” which can also be called “Conversion Surgery”.  
So what is it?  It is a laparoscopic bariatric surgery that is performed AFTER the original bariatric surgery.  
 
  • Revision surgery can be re-doing a VSG to make the pouch smaller.
  • Revision surgery can be revising a VSG to a mini-gastric bypass.
  • Revision surgery can be revising a VSG to a full gastric bypass.
  • Revision surgery can be the removal of a lap band which is then converted to a sleeve, mini or full bypass.
  • Revision surgery can be re-doing a full bypass or a mini bypass.
  • Revision surgery can be re-doing a duodenal switch surgery.
 
There are many different types of revision bariatric surgeries.
 
So why would somebody require revision surgery after their first bariatric surgery?
 
Some people regain their weight and they want to get back into control through surgery as dietary interventions did not work for them.
 
Others have lost a tremendous amount of weight but they still have a large amount of weight to lose.
 
Some people have a good restriction but they are not losing their weight quickly enough so they choose a malabsorption procedure to help with the process.
 
Others had their first bariatric surgery many years ago and they feel like their restriction or malabsorption is not what it once was.
 
Just like there are many different revision surgeries, there are also as many reasons as to WHY you would need revision surgery.
 
I don’t want any of my clients to feel shy or embarrassed to reach out if they have questions about revision surgery.  We can talk about the “whys” and also about the “possible revisions” as well as the “pricing”.  Some of my clients do fine with dietary interventions but if they do not, revision is always a possibility.
 
I know that when you are newly operated, you have the very best intentions and you make the best food choices but sometimes life has a way of “getting in the way” and regain can occur.  There are so many reasons why people can get derailed.  There are divorces, pregnancies, depression, career changes, illness, geographical changes, addictions, poor support systems – the list goes on and on.  
 
This is a “no shame” zone.  If you need help, please reach out to me.  We can discuss what’s been going on and if you are a good candidate for laparoscopic bariatric revision surgery.
 
 
 
Healthy Hugs, 
Sheri Burke RHN, your bariatric nutritionist and surgery coordinator.
 
 
 

About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery clients for over 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric clients.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teens and cooking up a nutritional storm in the kitchen.

For bariatric patients Bariatric Expert Amazon Line

Time for a “bariatric expert” multivitamin?  Here is a perfect way for bariatric patients to get it now on Amazon:  Bariatric Expert MultiVitamins.

Eat Like a Bariatric Expert with our Nutrition Plans.

Feel free to share your victories and struggles in our Facebook Group. I would love to connect with you.

 

 

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10Nov
What could “Happy” and “Diet” have in common? I think you will like this one.
 
Healthy
Adult
Purging
Processed 
Yuck
 
That’s what HAPPY stands for and I am going to start using this as part of my “regular talk”. I want to use positive words to create positive habits.
 
So what exactly am I trying to say with this HAPPY acronym?
 
I want you to think about all of the yucky stuff that is hiding there… as in, the processed foods lurking in the dark corners. I have two teens (17 and 19), so there is going to be some junk food in my house in the form of boxed cereals, chips, cookies, etc. 
 
In a perfect world, I would NOT have these things in my fridge BUT I don’t live in a perfect world. I try my best and the processed foods that I have for my teens are NOT for me. Sure, there will a slip up occasionally but I also have my own “treats” set aside and those are “just for Mom”. 
 
In a perfect world, I would make my kids eat my treats and not buy them anything that is “bad” for them. They are almost adults and they are going to make their own decisions regarding food. They have had a lifetime of “food education” with me and sometimes they make wickedly good decisions and sometimes they make terrible choices. Just like any human. 
 
I also believe that our food choices are built up over a lifetime. What I used to love (Kraft Dinner), tastes very different today. My love of Cheerios in the “good old days”, has entirely disappeared. If I eat a bowl of Cheerios today, I feel hungry 10 minutes later. I can tell that this is fake food. It is PROCESSED YUCK. 
 
Now, getting back on topic… what is “processed yuck”? What are we talking about when we say “refined and processed” foods? A lightly processed food will be any food that has been altered in some way during preparation. Food processing can be as basic as freezing or canning something. I am not concerned about this type of processing. I eat frozen fruit and veg all the time. If I don’t have time to prepare beans, I can always open a can. These are not the foods that I fear.
 
People in Canada and the US consume almost 50% of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods, according to recent research commissioned by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
 
We can also see this as half of the foods we eat each day have been significantly changed from its original state. How has it been changed? There has been salt, sugar, fat, additives, preservatives, flavors, colors, emulsifiers added.
 
Food has a huge impact on our health and if we are eating things that are ultra-processed, we are doing ourselves harm. Ultra-processed foods come in the form of candy, ice cream, chocolate bars, protein bars, chips, pizza, and baked goods. This is just the obvious “tip of the iceberg”.  
 
THE MORE ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS WE EAT, THE LOWER THE QUALITY OF OUR NUTRITION IS GOING TO BE.
 
This is what our diet should look like post-bariatric surgery ….. 
 
Think about vegetables, berries, nuts, seeds, eggs, poultry, meat, fish, seafood, herbs, spices, and full-fat dairy products like Greek yogurt/cottage cheese.
 
Not everything in a package is “bad for you”. What about low carb bread, tuna, cheese, canned beans? These foods are super convenient and they can help you to build very nutrient-rich meals. These foods are considered “processed” because they contain added ingredients like oil, sugar, and salt.
 
Now, the category we need to stay away from is the ultra-processed stuff. How can we tell if it’s overly processed? These types of foods are going to go through multiple processes and they contain a lot of added ingredients. Simple examples are sodas, ice cream, boxed breakfast cereals, canned soups, french fries, and chicken nuggets.
 
How can we stay away from these types of ultra-processed foods? 
IT’S SIMPLE. 
 
We just need to spend more time in our kitchen and cook more. Take control over your kitchen and you will be able to take control over your health. Let’s take a hard look at what goes into our grocery carts and let’s try to fill it with whole, fresh, live, natural, good quality FOOD. 
 
Buying a TV dinner doesn’t count as real food. We need to buy and cook the meat, clean and mash the sweet potato and scramble our own eggs. “Convenience Foods” are not so convenient years down the road when we are riddled with high blood pressure and even higher triglycerides. 
 
Living a bariatric lifestyle means becoming a BOSS in your kitchen and taking back control of your food decisions. Let’s move as far as we can from the food manufacturers. Let’s get as close as we can to the real food source. 
 
Let’s be HAPPY – Happy Adults Purging Processed Foods!!
 

About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery clients for over 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric clients.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teens and cooking up a nutritional storm in the kitchen.

For bariatric patients Bariatric Expert Amazon Line

Time for a “bariatric expert” multivitamin?  Here is a perfect way for bariatric patients to get it now on Amazon:  Bariatric Expert MultiVitamins.

Eat Like a Bariatric Expert with our Nutrition Plans.

Feel free to share your victories and struggles in our Facebook Group. I would love to connect with you.

 

 

BUY HERE
BUY HERE
BUY HERE
BUY HERE

 

 

 

 

 

Gastric Sleeve Plush Toy Keychain $11.99usd

Plush Toy Gastric Sleeve Recovery Fun Pillow $13.99usd