Bariatric surgery Topic

Stella_Celeste 01/14/23
Hi! This app seems amazingly complete but I was wondering if there were any features or nutritionist help for patients before and after bariatric surgery.

There are plenty of features for the trends of moments but I haven’t seen anything for bariatric patients which is a medical condition. This app is still very helpful for all the macros and nutrients we need to track.

The post-surgery life is very complex because we can’t drink 30 minutes before and after eating but still drink 1.5 L to 2 L a day while eating 6 times a day ( 3 meals, 3 snacks). At the same time we have to take vitamins, supplements and medications that cannot be taken at the same time or with food. We have to track nutrients like protein to eat at least the minimum while almost eating nothing. For people with diabetes pre-op they still have to track it. We also have to track our physical activities.

This surgery is essentially an helper to a whole lifestyle reset. Since it’s a reset, we need to learn healthy recipes that we can make and eat whatever the food stage we are on.

Wether we are in the nutritive liquid stage, the puréed stage or the soft food stage we need recipes that taste good for adults. In fact, savoury recipes in ALL these food stages should be more frequent. There are plenty of sweet recipes and recipes made with supplements but not enough recipes that are savoury and made with “real” food. Not just bariatric patients but anyone can be obligated to eat just liquids of puréed food and to be honest baby is not good and almost flavourless.

Since I see plenty of stuff for keto, “athletes” (real athletes are a rare), intermittent fasting etc. and all the other trends why not have something for people with real medical condition to control. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of medical conditions that need the help of a food diary like a lot of elderly (actual and future), people with celiac disease, bariatric surgery patients, people with heart condition, diabetics etc.

I like that this app does a lot but was wondering if it could be better. Including flavourful savoury recipes made with real food and high in protein.


Anyway, this topic is for people considering bariatric surgery or did have the surgery and maybe have tips and suggestions for us.

Suzib123 01/15/23
Hi just a helpful tip that might help with your needs... Look up bariatric cookbooks. I have a few people in my life that needed to have that surgery. All of us need a little help and I found that learning how to eat right needed to fit my life. I found the perfect cookbook for diabetes, it has changed the way I think about every meal! Hope this helps📖

Stella_Celeste 01/15/23
Thanks. The liquid and puréed stage are a challenge. Today I improvised with 2 oz of chicken breast that I had prepared for the puréed stage mixed with some homemade broth based vegetables soups with at least 1 cup of liquid and put it all in the blender. It was not the most elegant smoothie but it tasted good and had the nutrients needed. Bonus it was very low carb. You’re right learning how to eat right is so important. That’s why I prefer to go straight away with « real » food instead of readymade smoothie or powder to gain healthy habits.

Dietician 01/16/23 replied to Stella_Celeste
Hi there U1194200125-
Welcome to MyNetDiary! Congrats on your new lifestyle. Life after weight loss surgery is exciting and also very demanding!

While the MyNetDiary app was designed to support individuals as they work towards losing weight and improving health, it was not designed specifically for individuals pursuing weight loss surgery.

Here are some unique considerations to keep in mind-
1. The app is best used after weight loss surgery as an accountability tool. Good for you for keeping track of your food and liquid intake! Because you are only able to eat a small amount of food at a time, you want to make sure it is all nutrient-dense!
2. The app is a great place to track supplements! Simply scan the barcode of each supplement and then track it when you take it. This article provides extra tips on this feature: https://www.mynetdiary.com/food-barcode-scanner.html
I worked as a bariatric Dietitian for many years and found that individuals who kept up with taking the recommended supplements post-surgery, were able to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
3. Many folks find it helpful to utilize the "notes" feature in the app. You might keep track of how you are feeling after eating, which foods stay down the best, keep you full the longest, etc. Just look for the paperclip icon on your dashboard.
4. As you lose weight and improve your health, remember that the predictive equations in the app were not designed for post-bariatric patients. Follow the calorie and macro guidelines provided by your doctor and bariatric Dietitian for the best results.

Here is a resource we created for individuals after weight loss surgery. I am guessing it will complement the resources you received from your bariatric team.
https://www.mynetdiary.com/food-and-exercise-tracker.html

Finally, I am happy to pass along your feedback regarding recipes! We appreciate you taking the time to provide your thoughts on improving the app.

Wishing you all the best with meeting your weight loss and health goals! Please keep us updated on your progress. Joanna (MyNetDiary Dietitian)

Stella_Celeste 01/18/23
Thanks a lot for your answer. It’s a great idea to be able to track supplements. I will certainly use it. I was aware that the mathematical prediction were not made for people like me. I’m also aware the weight loss that I should expect from the surgery is not 100% of my extra weight. So I was hoping that by learning to have great healthy habits I would lose more than what’s expected and maybe getting closer what is considered a normal BMI for me. Most importantly I use this app to track my protein because of my surgery and my carbs because of my diabetes. I also love to be able to write recipes and the app calculates all the macros. It would be hell if I had to that myself.

Dietician 01/18/23 replied to Stella_Celeste
Hi Stella_Celeste-
It sounds like you are doing really well adjusting to your new lifestyle.

I think you will find supplement tracking as well as blood sugar and medication tracking helpful. Did you know you can input your own recipes? Here are a few resources to help you navigate the steps: https://www.mynetdiary.com/tips-for-entering-your-recipes-into-mynetdiary.html
-https://www.mynetdiary.com/mynetdiary-recipe-database.html
Please keep us updated on your progress! Joanna (MyNetDiary Dietitian)

Bariatric surgery