You’ve likely heard that weight is just simple math. Calories in and calories out regardless of what you eat, when you eat, or how your body is affected by what you are eating. But is this really true, and do all calories affect weight in the same way after bariatric surgery?
What is a calorie and how does it affect weight?
A calorie is a measure of energy. The energy it takes to increase the temperature of a liter of water from 14.5°C to 15.5°C to be exact. A calorie is always a calorie, but not all the calories you eat have the same impact on your body. Some cases in point. A study from 2019 demonstrated that eating unprocessed, high fibre foods decreases the amount of energy (calories) metabolised vs from ultra-processed foods. In other words, few calories are “absorbed.” Read our summary of this study here.
Similarly, high sugar foods (often ultra-processed) that cause our blood sugars and then insulin levels to spike can send signals to the body to store those calories. This is especially true for people who have insulin resistance (prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, PCOS). Some studies have also shown that, for various reasons, having most of your calories earlier in the day can make a difference in your weight.
There are just a few examples that not all calories affect weight in the same way.
What does this mean after WLS?
Many of the changes that we see in the body after WLS – including improved insulin resistance, healthier gut microbiome (bacteria in your stomach and intestines), and decreased inflammation – are some of the same mechanisms that promote weight loss in the cases presented above. That said, the changes in hormones that happen after surgery (like those that improve insulin resistance or help us feel full) can fade over time which can coincide with weight gain for some. For this reason, routines and structure are very important including choosing protein rich, high-fibre foods, keeping blood sugars in range, being active, and maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle overall.
How many calories should I be eating after my surgery?
This is a very common question that doesn’t have a straight-forward answer because everyone is different. But there are averages. For the first few weeks after the operation, many people eat between 500-800 kcal/day. From 3-12 months, that goes up to 800-1000 kcal/ day, and long-term the average is about 1500 kcal/day. How many you need is very individual and based many different things going on in your body. Regardless of how many calories you eat, try to get the most nutrition out of those calories that you can! Think minimally processed, high protein, high fibre. This will help give your body the nutrition it needs foods and may also affect weight maintenance over time.
Do you notice if your body reacts differently to different foods?
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Baricol® Complete
Baricol Complete is a vitamins and mineral supplement created by doctors and dieticians using to the Nordic guidelines to give you all you need after WLS in one product. Choose between powder, effervescent, chewable, and tablets. Recommended by healthcare professionals.
