Healthy Snacks While Losing Weight

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains the benefits of healthy snacking.


Now that school is back, and everyone is getting back to daily routines, it's easy to forget to eat healthy an dhave healthy snacks throughout the day.

Don't overlook the benefits of snacking when trying to lose weight. Snacking helps you fuel up between meals and can prevent you from overeating and making unhealthy food choices. The healthiest snacks include a mix of complex carbohydrates and protein to keep you feeling full throughout the day.

In fact, many nutrition experts suggest shifting away from the traditional three-meals-a-day diet. Instead, they recommend eating small, nutritious meals every three hours or eating five to six times a day. Although it may seem counter-intuitive to weight loss, eating smaller, more frequent meals helps you maintain consistent blood sugar levels throughout the day, and prevents ravenous hunger that often leads to overeating and poor food choices.

If you are tired of your usual snacks or looking for healthier alternatives, here are a few ideas to liven up your healthy snack options:

• Celery sticks spread with one to two tablespoons of almond or peanut butter
• Fresh vegetables (i.e. carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes or fresh green beans) with two tablespoons of hummus
• One serving of whole grain crackers topped with one ounce of reduced-fat cheese and sliced green grapes
• One small apple, sliced with one tablespoon of peanut butter for dipping
• Half a cinnamon raisin, whole-grain English muffin topped with low-fat cottage cheese, no-calorie sweetener (i.e. Splenda^®, Truvia or Pure Via™) and cinnamon
• One serving Greek yogurt with fresh fruit
• One cup homemade vegetable soup
• One brown rice cake with pesto, canned salmon and diced tomatoes
• Three handfuls of air-popped popcorn seasoned with spray butter and herbs
• One brown rice cake topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg, light mayo and fresh herbs

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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Believe it or not: Carbs are an Essential Part of Your Healthy Diet after Weight-Loss Surgery

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains the importance of carbohydrates for a healthy diet after weight-loss surgery.

Carbohydrates often get vilified in weight-loss circles, with claims of preventing weight loss and even contributing to weight gain. But the truth is that carbohydrates, or carbs for short, are actually your body’s main source of energy and an essential component of a balanced diet.

In fact, your body relies on carbs to power everything from breathing to walking to thinking! So, while it is important to focus on eating adequate protein after weight-loss surgery, it is also essential to incorporate good carbs into your diet. 

The first few months after weight-loss surgery, your diet should primarily consist of protein since your stomach is too small to consume much else. Once your stomach is ready for a more diverse selection of food, aim to get half of your daily calories from carbs. That should amount to approximately 130 grams of carbs per day. Remember, it might take several months or up to a year after surgery to get to this point, so it is important to be patient and set short-term goals along the way.

Consuming adequate carbs from good food sources allows your body to use protein for healing and maintaining muscle mass, instead of being diverted for energy. The best sources of carbs contain fiber, which slows digestion, keeps you full longer and helps regulate your bowel. Examples of healthy carbs include:

• 1 piece of fruit (i.e. an apple the size of a baseball) = 15 grams of carbohydrate
• 1 cup of milk = 12 grams of carbohydrate
• ½ cup of oatmeal = 15 grams of carbohydrate
• 1 slice of whole-grain bread = 15 grams of carbohydrate
• ½ cup cooked beans = 15 grams of carbohydrate 

Try to avoid simple carbs like white bread, white rice, white pasta and sweets. They contain minimal nutrients, promote hunger and can cause blood sugar spikes.
Keep in mind that your carbohydrate needs may vary depending on medical issues such as diabetes, so check with your dietitian or health care team to determine your personal dietary goals.   

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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What to Eat After Weight-loss Surgery

There is a misconception that after weight loss surgery, people can only eat tiny morsels of food, are malnourished and no longer enjoy food.

While patients do, in fact, need to restrict the amount of food they eat – especially in the first few weeks after surgery – most people can resume healthy, moderate eating.

Patients cannot eat large quantities of food they ate before surgery, because their digestive tract is physically different and can no longer accommodate large amounts of food.

Following surgery, meals will likely consist of two to four tablespoons of food. As you advance your diet, you should be eating "regular" food within six to eight weeks of surgery.

Smoothies, shakes and purees

Following weight-loss surgery at Penn, you meet regularly with a dietitian who offers nutritional support. And, since protein plays an important role in both the healing and weight loss process following surgery, it is recommended you incorporate high protein drinks that are low in fat and sugar into their diets.

As you are able to eat more and increase the variety in your diet, you should rely on high protein foods to help meet your protein goal as outlined by the nutrition team.

Try this recipe for a Banana Berry Smoothie.

Get more information about weight-loss surgery at Penn

Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you by attending a free information session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

At this free session, you will learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn, and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Register for this free event here.

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5 Weight-loss Apps for Your Smartphone or Notebook

Research shows that people lose more weight when they track their food and exercise and receive a lot of motivation and support throughout their entire weight-loss journey.

Here are 5 weight-loss apps for your smartphone or notebook.

My Fitness Pal (iTunes®, free)

This app was designed to support the features of the website, My Fitness Pal. With its large database of foods, and simple design and functionality, you can track food and exercise, take photos of bar codes to identify foods and servings, and share your success with friends.

Weight Watchers® Mobile (iTunes, free)

You don’t have to be a Weight Watchers member to enjoy the perks of this weight-loss app. If you are a Weight Watchers member, you have access to the full benefits of this application. It helps you track your points, find recipes, locate a meeting, and track your weight. Not a Weight Watchers member? No worries. You can still use some of the features this app offers like recipes and Weight Watchers articles.

LIVESTRONG® MyPlate Calorie Tracker (iTunes, $2.99)

If you’re a fan of LIVESTRONG brands, you might enjoy this app for counting calories, too. LIVESTRONG MyPlate Calorie Tracker helps you determine your calorie needs based on your weight and weight goal. It has an extensive database of foods to help you track, and an easy-to-read design that inspires you to be well and eat nutritiously.

Lose It!® (iTunes, free)

Lose It! is another app for tracking food and exercise. While the database is not as large as some other apps might be, its barebones and simplistic approach to logging food and exercise keeps people motivated to lose on the go.

The Eatery® (iTunes, free)

The Eatery lets you take advantage of your phone’s camera to decide if you are eating balanced meals. What we like about this app is that it forces you to look closely, and think about what you are eating. While other people’s reviews of your plate may not be inspiring, we think it’s a great way to be mindful of how and what you eat.

Have you used an app to help you lose weight? What would you recommend?

Note: Penn Medicine does not specifically endorse any of these recommended apps. 

Penn Medicine can help you lose weight with weight-loss surgery. Learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn in a free information session about weight-loss surgery. 

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How Much Weight Will I Lose with Weight-loss Surgery?

Here’s an exercise:

Imagine losing 1/3 of your weight.

Take your weight and multiply it by .30. Now subtract that number from your current weight. Imagine what your life would be like if you weighed that number.

Could you move easier? Would your knees still hurt? Could you keep up with your kids or grandchildren?

Would you be able to stop taking some of the medications you take every day? What would it be like to regain your health?

On average, someone who undergoes weight-loss gastric bypass surgery can expect to lose approximately 30 percent of his or her starting weight. Most of this loss is experienced during the first few months following surgery with the weight loss continuing for 12 to 18 months after surgery.

Weight loss associated with the adjustable gastric band and sleeve gastrectomy may not be as rapid and the weight loss may not be quite as great.

Each person’s weight-loss progress is different, but one thing is clear: healthy eating habits, exercise and ongoing support are critical for continued success.

Get more information about weight-loss surgery at Penn
Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you by attending a free information session from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

At this free session, you can learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Register for this free event here.

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Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap Water?

Water is the best beverage for staying hydrated and avoiding extra calories, but it’s not necessary to buy it in a plastic bottle. The bottled water industry promotes bottled water as being healthier, yet the reality is that bottled water is less regulated for quality than tap water. Plus it is more expensive and can be environmentally unfriendly, too.
Before buying bottled water, consider these facts:

• Bottled water can cost nearly 2,000 times as much as tap water.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for regulating municipal tap water are far more rigorous in terms of control, disinfection and monitoring than those used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to oversee bottled water. In fact, a National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) study of the bottled water industry, tested over 1,000 bottles of water, and concluded that bottled water is not guaranteed to be any cleaner or safer than tap water. The study found that approximately 25 percent of bottled water was tap water packaged in a bottle and 22 percent of the samples contained chemical contaminants above the strict state limits on municipal tap water.  
• Bottled water companies are not required to disclose information about their products. A recent report released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) indicates that more than half of the bottled water products surveyed failed EWG's transparency test. According to the report, 18 percent of the companies failed to reveal the source of the water and another 32 percent did not disclose any information about the treatment or purity of the water.
• Studies have also shown that chemicals called phthalates, which disrupt testosterone and other hormones, can leach into bottled water over time.  Although there are regulatory standards limiting phthalates in tap water, there are no legal limits for phthalates in bottled water.  
• Although plastic bottles are recyclable, nearly 90 percent of them end up as litter or garbage contributing more than 2 million tons of plastic to landfills each year. 

A comprehensive list of the tap-water contaminants in your area is available on the EPA website. If you are concerned about the quality or flavor of your tap water, purchase a water filter to put on your tap. It is both easier on your wallet and on the environment. To keep filtered water accessible to drink when you’re on the go, put it in your own reusable bottle to carry with you throughout the day.  

• Complete guide to purchasing a water filter 
• More details on the NRDC study results

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

Get more information about weight-loss surgery at Penn

Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you and attend a free information session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

At this free session, you will learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn, and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program

Register for this free event here.

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Grocery Shopping and Cooking for One

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, provides tips for grocery shopping and cooking for one.

Shopping and cooking for one person can be a challenge. Reduced prices for bulk quantities cater to large families and can make it easy to prepare – and eat – more than you really want.

The difficulty of cooking for one can make options like take-out or fast food seem more appealing, but there are economical ways to shop and cook without resorting to unhealthy food. With planning and creativity, you can successfully stock up on healthy foods while keeping your portion size and budget in mind.

Follow these tips when grocery shopping for one:

Make a weekly meal plan  
Taking time to create a meal plan can help you shop strategically. To start, consider how many nights of the week you want to cook. Rotate between preparing single portions and multiple portions, which you can then use for leftovers.

Check the weekly supermarket circulars to see what items are on sale and for meal inspiration. Try to think of ways to reuse key ingredients so they do not go to waste. For example, a grilled chicken dinner can easily become a protein-packed salad topper the next night.

Be careful with coupons
While coupons are an excellent way to save money, they are often for processed foods that contain excess sugar, fat, refined grains and with little nutritional value. Try to avoid using coupons for food you would not otherwise purchase because of its nutritional contents.

Buy smaller portions of perishable foods
Sometimes it is worthwhile to pay slightly higher prices for less food. When buying smaller portions, you might spend more per ounce of food, but you avoid wasting food or overeating.  For example, next time you are at the grocery store, buy six eggs instead of a dozen, three bananas instead of the whole bunch or a quarter of a watermelon instead of a whole one.

Stock up on non-perishable foods
Dry goods like whole grain pasta, brown rice, dried beans, oats, nuts and spices are pantry staples. It is helpful to keep larger quantities in stock so you always have them on hand when you need them.

Shop the meat counter
Pre-packaged meats are often sold in relatively large quantities. At the meat counter, you can specify exactly what you want. For example, at the meat counter, you can request a single sirloin steak instead of purchasing the pre-packaged, larger quantity.

Freeze the extras
Storing leftovers in the freezer is a helpful way to keep ready-made meals on hand. It’s also a great way to keep larger packaged items fresh for longer. Next time you buy a loaf of bread, store it in your freezer to keep it fresh and avoid the temptation to eat too much too quickly. Cooked vegetables, beans and grains also freeze well, so plan to prepare extra and freeze them for a future quick meal starter.

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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