This simply works as a guide and helps you to connect with doctors of your choice. Please confirm the doctor’s availability before leaving your premises.
Emergency bariatric care may be needed if you experience severe abdominal pain, complications from weight loss surgery, or symptoms of nutritional deficiencies.
I want you to be the healthiest version of yourself.
If you’ve been brought up like I have, with Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee lining the cupboards, creating healthy kitchen habits can be complicated and challenging. Cheese Whiz and Fruit Loops were also in my kitchen pantry. To this day, I still crave these foods. They are severely processed and extremely addictive.
It takes a “mindset” to make a change. You’ve got this.
When it comes to your health and well-being, the importance of cooking and preparing meals at home cannot be overstated.
Not only can you save money by cooking at home, but you can also protect your health and create a variety of low-carb options that will protect you against lifestyle diseases.
Cooking at home can help you save money in a variety of ways. By shopping for fresh ingredients, you can cut down on the cost of pre-packaged, processed foods. Additionally, cooking at home allows you to buy in bulk and take advantage of store sales, meaning you can get more for your money.
By utilizing the leftovers from your meals, you can stretch the cost of your ingredients over multiple meals. Say YES to “no leftovers”.
In addition to saving money, cooking at home also allows you to control what goes into your meals and protect your health.
By choosing fresh, whole foods you can get the most nutrition out of your meals and avoid processed, packaged foods that can be high in sodium and preservatives.
By preparing your meals, you can create low-carb options that will help protect you and your family against lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
For example, you can replace white, refined carbohydrates with whole grains, vegetables, and legumes. These low-carb options can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of disease, and improve your overall health.
Cooking and preparing meals at home can also be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Not only are you able to control what goes into your meals, but you can also experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques. This can help you expand your culinary palette and create delicious, nutritious meals that you can share with your family and friends.
Cooking at home can be a great way to spend quality time with your family and teach your children the importance of healthy eating.
Overall, the importance of cooking and preparing meals at home cannot be overstated. Not only can you save money, but you can also protect your health and create a variety of low-carb options that will protect you against lifestyle diseases.
Make sure to take the time to cook and prepare your meals at home and reap the health benefits that come with it. Visit my BLOG and my RECIPE section to find free meal plans, and low-carb recipes and expand your knowledge on eating low-carb post-bariatric surgery.
For 30 bariatric recipes for stage 2 post-op Visit this link:
Take what you put into your body seriously. You are what you eat and digest.
Healthy Hugs,
About the Author: Sheri Burkeis 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.
Why soups and salads? Well, it’s February and it’s cold in a lot of places and the last thing on our minds is eating vegetables. Vegetables are more of a Spring/ Summer craving. This is why so many of my clients experience “stomach issues” in winter. They are not eating enough fibre-rich foods. Let’s do something about that.
I challenge you to get in your kitchen and make 2 pots of homemade soup and one large salad each week this month. That means searching your local supermarket for deals on fresh veggies.
If cauliflower is on sale, a homemade cauliflower soup it is. If carrots are on special, they can be turned into a beautiful soup or salad in 20 minutes. Zucchini is on sale? Great, adding zucchini to your dishes is a great way to increase fiber.
I will link sample recipes for you to use as your own at the end of this blog. Bop and weave. You can add or subtract ingredients from my recipes.
Eating homemade soups and salads is a great way to improve your overall health and well-being. Let’s explore the numerous health benefits of these dishes and how increasing your fiber intake through these foods can have a positive impact on your body.
Fiber is an essential component of our diet and plays a crucial role in maintaining good health. It helps regulate digestion, prevents constipation, and maintains a healthy weight. Fiber is also known to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions.
Soups and salads are excellent sources of fiber and are easy to incorporate into your diet. For example, a serving of vegetable soup can contain up to 10 grams of fiber, while a large salad with a variety of greens, nuts, and seeds can contain over 20 grams of fiber.
To increase your fiber intake through soups and salads, try to include a variety of fiber-rich ingredients in your dishes. For soups, include vegetables such as carrots, peas, and broccoli, as well as legumes like lentils and chickpeas. For salads, add nuts, seeds, and a variety of greens, such as spinach and kale.
Eating soups and salads can also help you feel more satisfied and less hungry. Fiber-rich foods take longer to digest, which means that you will feel full for longer after eating. This can help to reduce overall calorie intake and prevent overeating.
Eating homemade soups and salads is a great way to improve your health and well-being. These dishes are easy to prepare and are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for good health.
So, next time you’re looking for a healthy and delicious meal, whip up a bowl of soup or a big salad and enjoy all the health benefits that come with it.
Bonus points if you add a portion of protein to your soups or salads. Protein and Veg for the WIN.
About the Author: Sheri Burkeis 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.
Taking a Daily Walk: The Simplest Way to Get Moving.
I am always blogging about exercise and how much I want this for you. It’s one of the most important lifestyle changes I want you to make post-bariatric surgery.
It’s not enough to “want” to do it. You “need” to do this. I want to gently encourage you to take this part of your bariatric journey very seriously. If you haven’t started yet, you can start now.
Get up, put on your shoes, and just go outside and walk, please. You can do this as soon as your finish reading this. No time like the present.
Staying active is essential for our health and well-being, yet many of us struggle to make it a priority in our busy lives. If you’re looking for a simple way to add movement to your routine, look no further than taking a daily walk.
A daily walk can be as simple as it sounds – just a leisurely stroll around the block or through a park. You don’t need any special equipment or a gym membership, just a comfortable pair of shoes and a little bit of time. But despite its simplicity, taking a daily walk can have a big impact on your health.
Right now I am experiencing a “Quebec, Canada winter”. Folks, it isn’t pretty. It’s cold. It’s really cold. As soon as I am finished writing this, I will bundle up in my boots, snowsuit, hat, scarf, and double mittens, and I will go outside. I am going to walk my dog who already has her fur coat on. It’s our routine. I’ve built this into my lifestyle and you can do this also – with or without the dog and snow.
By building a daily walk into your routine, you are creating a designated time for exercise each day. This helps to establish a habit, making it easier to stick with your active routine in the long term. Plus, a daily walk is a low-impact form of exercise that is easy on your joints and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
As you become more comfortable with your daily walks, you may find that your walks turn into jogs, yoga sessions, or weight-lifting routines. This is a great sign – it means that you are becoming more active and comfortable with incorporating exercise into your life.
But the most important aspect of taking a daily walk is the time it provides to focus on yourself and your health. By taking this time each day to move and care for your body, you are showing yourself that you love and value your health. A daily walk is not just a physical activity, but a mental and emotional one as well.
Taking a daily walk is an easy and effective way to start incorporating movement into your life. By making a daily walk a routine, you are setting yourself up for success and taking an important step towards a healthier and happier you.
So, grab your shoes, head outside, and start enjoying the benefits of a daily walk today!
Healthy Hugs,
About the Author: Sheri Burkeis 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.
You reach out to me, we talk about the bariatric journey but we focus more on the logistics:
How do I know I qualify for bariatric surgery?
Now that I’ve qualified, how do I decide to have weight loss surgery?
Now that I’ve decided to have the sleeve (or bypass etc.), how do I go about scheduling?
What dates are available?
How many nights will I spend in Mexico?
When do my flights need to arrive and depart?
Can I bring a guest?
Can I come alone?
Who will collect me at the airport?
Which hotel will I stay in?
Talk to me about my pre-operative diet.
Do I require a passport?
These are just a few of the questions I answer daily. You get it. You’ve all been there. It’s the nervousness and excitement of embarking on this bariatric journey. It’s the joy of having decided to take your health into your own hands and committing to weight loss for several reasons:
You want to feel better.
You want to look better.
You want to stop taking medications for a metabolic illness.
You want your back, knees, feet, and ankles to stop aching.
You want to exercise more.
You want to eat in a much healthier way.
You want to change your lifestyle.
I am here to help you accomplish all of these goals.
You are super motivated. You are ready for everything in front of you.
Post-surgery we start the journey of “what, how, and when to eat”. It’s your new reality and you are doing great.
One month passes, two months, three months, six months …. Your motivation starts to fade. What harm can one cookie do? Why not have that popcorn? I’m going to add some rice back to my diet.
I know, I know – I am not into demonizing foods or food-shaming anybody but you are only ½ way to your weight loss goal. Why not take it ALL THE WAY and get to that goal?
Help me to help you to get motivated to jump back on the bus to lose weight. Don’t help yourself stall out your weight loss.
The time for “moderation” is almost there … but you are not there yet.
KEEP GOING, PLEASE. GO ALL THE WAY…. And then we can discuss “moderation”.
Life is full of ups and downs. When motivation fades and bad habits creep in, it can be hard to get back on track. Going back to the basics can be a great way to regain motivation and get back on the path to success. (go back to your basic diet of protein and veg).
First, it’s important to take a step back and think about why you set your goals in the first place. What were you trying to achieve? What was the end goal? Reminding yourself of your long-term goals and why they’re important can help you stay focused and motivated. (go back and review the reasons WHY you had weight loss surgery in the first place).
Second, break down your goals into smaller, manageable tasks. It can be overwhelming to try to tackle a big goal all at once, so breaking it down into smaller tasks can make the whole process more manageable.
Once you have the small tasks in place, set up a plan and timeline for completing them. (instead of the “I want to lose X amount of pounds”, break it down into 5 steps. First 20 pounds, second 20 pounds, etc.).
Third, focus on building good habits and setting routines. Routines provide structure and help to keep you on track. Schedule time for the activities that help you reach your goals and try to stick to it. This will help to create a habit of taking action toward your goals. (write it down – I am going to go to bed at this time and wake up at that time. I am going to exercise 3 times a week).
Fourth, reward yourself for progress. Acknowledge the small victories and celebrate your successes. (Go buy yourself a new pair of pants or get a massage).
Get back on the weight loss bus again and go all the way to the finish line. If you need some motivation, reach out to me, please. I am always here for my clients and I want to see each one of you succeed.
Let’s do this.
Healthy Hugs,
About the Author: Sheri Burkeis 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.
I’m so proud of my clients. They are learning new skills in the kitchen. They are finding ways to remake their old favorite recipes. They are sharing them online and allowing us a peep into their kitchens. We are all learning together.
Taking control of your kitchen is a very important skill to learn as a bariatric patient. Cooking wholesome meals and snacks is a protective measure to ensure you lose weight in a healthy way and protect you against regain.
When we allow food manufacturers, restaurants, takeaways, gas stations, and corner stores to feed us, we turn our power over to them to make good food decisions for us. They want to sell us something. Their goal is not to keep us healthy.
Packaged “health foods” have fancy labels that tell you how great they are for you. They use words on their packaging that “pull you in”. They say things like: high protein, grain-free, no added sugar, low carb, high fiber, no artificial colors – and the list goes on and on.
Want to know what’s really in that package? Flip the label over and read the ingredients. Don’t just read the “calories or macros”. Learn the real story. If you don’t know what it is, you probably shouldn’t be eating it.
How can we avoid this packaged food situation? Take charge and get in your kitchen and cook at home. I know, we are all busy but this is a serious situation. This is your health. This is what comes between you and metabolic illness.
Let’s all take one GIANT step toward the kitchen. If you already are cooking your own meals and preparing your own snacks, good for you! I spend a lot of time in the kitchen but I am still learning new recipes and ideas every day. I want to be in charge of my own health. I also want to be in control of my wallet.
Food is expensive today. I want the best quality for the price I am paying. A lot of time that quality will depend on how I prepare meals.
Cooking healthy meals at home can be a great way to take control of your diet and improve your overall health and wellness. However, getting motivated to start cooking in a healthier manner can be a challenge, especially if you’re used to relying on pre-packaged or take-out foods.
A way to get motivated to start cooking healthy meals at home is to focus on the benefits that come with eating high-quality, homemade food. For example, you’ll be able to control the ingredients that go into your meals, so you can avoid processed foods, added sugars, and other unhealthy additives. Additionally, cooking your own meals can be more satisfying and enjoyable than eating out or relying on pre-packaged foods.
Another way to get motivated to start cooking healthy meals at home is to focus on the cost savings that come with using high-quality ingredients. While it may seem more expensive to purchase high-quality ingredients such as almond flour and chia seeds, these ingredients will typically last longer and be more versatile than lower-quality ingredients. This means that you’ll be able to use them in multiple recipes, which will help you save money in the long run.
Get motivated to start cooking healthy meals at home by focusing on the nutritional benefits of using alternative flour. For example, swapping out regular flour for alternative flour such as coconut flour and almond flour can help you lower the carbohydrate count in your recipes. Additionally, reading and researching ingredients and recipes can give you a better idea of how to improve the macronutrient counts in your dishes.
Cooking healthy meals at home can be a great way to take control of your diet and improve your overall health and wellness. With a little bit of research and planning, you can start cooking delicious, healthy meals at home in no time, allowing you to take control of your kitchen. Don’t give away this power. You deserve the very best.
About the Author: Sheri Burkeis 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.
“Protein” is the buzzword when it comes to nutrition today. We hear it everywhere we turn, “eat more protein”.
Makes total sense but how difficult is it really to eat more protein?
I pretty much hit my goals, or so I think I do. Yesterday I did a little count in my head of how I was doing throughout the day. I am not overly obsessed with counting grams of protein. I just make it a part of my regular diet eating a portion of protein at each meal.
I started my day with coffee and a splash of cream = 0 grams of protein.
I ate at noon. I had tahini bread with two slices of bacon, avocado and tomato = 17 grams of protein.
I made a shake at 3 pm = 10 grams of protein.
For dinner, I made a skillet lasagna for the family. I had a bite or two of the noodles but I focused on the meat sauce and cheese mostly and I had a salad on the side = 10 grams of protein.
That means I was under 40 grams of protein for the day and I also had a workout that required lifting heavy weights for a moderate amount of time.
Should I panic? Absolutely not. Our bodies know exactly what to do. Today I will just go along my merry way and make sure to include a source of protein at each meal. It becomes a habit.
I don’t eat plates of pasta or rice-based dishes or large sandwiches on a regular basis. I eat more eggs for breakfast, tuna salads for lunch, and chicken/ fish or meat for dinner with veg.
We are always trying to improve our diets. We are striving to eat better, eat smarter, and eat a diet that serves us in a way to increase our energy.
My point here is to let you know that you won’t always hit your protein goals or macro goals. Some days you will and some days you won’t. Try your best and allow room for some movement.
When my diet is “off” for a few days, my body feels it. I feel lousy and I get back on plan. That’s what happens when you figure out what the correct diet for your biochemical individuality is.
Not everyone wants or feels best on a high-protein diet. There are vegetarians and vegans out there absolutely thriving on their diet and lifestyle.
My personal diet focuses on protein plus veg, a tiny bit of fruit, nuts, seeds, and high-quality dairy products. That’s ME. You may be different and that’s perfectly fine.
For today’s blog, I am focusing on how to increase protein intake in your current diet. Here are some suggestions.
Eat more lean meats: Chicken, turkey, and fish are all good sources of protein. You can also try less common meats like venison or bison, which are lean and high in protein.
Include beans and legumes in your diet: These plant-based proteins are rich in fiber and nutrients. Examples include lentils, chickpeas, and black beans.
Add protein-rich vegetables to your meals: Some vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, are high in protein. You can also try adding protein-rich vegetables to your meals, such as edamame or peas.
Snack on protein-rich foods: Instead of reaching for chips or candy, opt for protein-rich snacks like nuts, seeds, yogurt, eggs, or cottage cheese.
Use protein powders: If you struggle to get enough protein from whole foods, consider using a protein powder as a supplement. There are many types to choose from, including whey, casein, and plant-based options like pea or rice protein.
Remember to always aim for a balanced diet that includes a variety of protein sources. It’s also important to listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel after eating different types of protein.
Some people may have sensitivities or allergies to certain types of protein, so it’s always a good idea to pay attention to your body’s reactions.
My body hates beans and legumes. I am unable to eat them. I have been like this since I was 10 years old. I can handle a bite or two and that is it. I learned to listen to my body and I eliminated them from my diet. It’s not worth feeling bad for two days after eating them. That’s just me.
Make a mental note of how you feel with an increased protein intake. Remember, we are biochemical individuals and what works for some of us doesn’t necessarily work for all of us.
Find what works for you and be flexible because it may change throughout your lifecycle.
Healthy Hugs,
About the Author: Sheri Burkeis 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.
About the Author: 
