Ep 8: Four Nutrition Habits to Embrace After WLS
This post is a companion to Episode 8 of the Bariatric Nutrition Coach Podcast. Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
These are the four habits I start working on with my clients from as early as three weeks after surgery. They're the foundation of long-term success after weight loss surgery — both for maximising results in the weight loss phase and maintaining those results for life. As you read through each one, I invite you to do a compassionate self-audit: where are you doing well, and where is there room to grow?
1. Have a Regular Eating Schedule
A consistent, structured eating schedule is one of the most powerful habits you can build after bariatric surgery. Eating regularly throughout the day helps you chip away at your protein goals, creates windows for adequate fluid intake, and gives you a natural structure to fit in your multivitamins.
After surgery, you simply can't eat enough in one sitting to sustain you for hours — so regular meals and snacks are essential. Aim for five small, structured eating occasions per day in the early to medium days, adjusting over time to suit your appetite and capacity.
2. Take Your Multivitamins Regularly
Your anatomy changes after bariatric surgery, which affects how you absorb certain nutrients. Deficiencies can take years to show up in blood tests — so the fact that your levels look okay right now doesn't mean your body doesn't need ongoing supplementation.
If you struggle with this habit, tie it to your eating schedule. When you eat regularly and at consistent times, remembering your vitamins becomes much easier.
3. Small Bites, Chew Well, Eat Slowly, Stop When Satisfied
I group these together because they work as a unit. Small bites reduce the volume going into your stomach at once. Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly gives your body time to send satiety signals. And stopping when satisfied — rather than when the plate is empty — is the key to avoiding overeating.
After surgery, your hunger and fullness cues feel different. They may be subtle, quiet, or unfamiliar. That's normal. But they're worth listening to — because tuning in to those signals is what prevents overeating in the long run.
4. Follow the Protein Bites Ratio
Three bites of protein to one bite of other if you're under one year post-surgery; two bites of protein to one bite of other after one year. This simple guide helps you prioritise protein at every meal without weighing or measuring — and when combined with habits one through three, everything falls beautifully into place.
These four habits work together. They're not complicated, but they do require consistency. Pick one to focus on if you're not yet doing all four, and build from there.
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