Weight Loss Surgery and Breakfast: Why Eating this Meal is a Recipe for Success

We’ve all heard the old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And it's just as important after you've had weight loss surgery as it is before you had your Gastric Bypass, Gastric Sleeve or LAP-BAND procedure.

Breakfast recharges your brain and body, giving you energy to start your day. Studies have found that children who skip breakfast are late to school and absent more frequently than students who do eat a morning meal.

If you skip breakfast, you could be going as many as 18 hours without food. (No, your morning coffee does not count as breakfast!) After this much time, you’re more likely to eat a larger meal for lunch. For bariatric surgery patients, whose stomaches can only hold about 4-6 ounces of food, overeating at lunchtime (or anytime) can cause vomiting. Skip breakfast and you're more likely to eat too fast at your next meal or crave the wrong foods -- also big no-nos for weight loss surgery patients. Remember, eating three small meals a day is the rule for weight loss surgery patients - whether you've had the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or the LAP-BAND. Sticking to this key reccomendation is one of the first steps to weight loss surgery success.

A healthy breakfast doesn’t have to be a big production. For weight loss surgery patients, a good breakfast should include a lean protein, such as an egg white or a fat-free dairy product, a vegetable and a small amount of fruit or a whole grain. Remember to eat your protein first. Don’t be afraid to stray from traditional breakfast foods. If you love hummus, eat it for breakfast! Refer to the chart below for some great ideas. With a little planning, it’s easy to have a healthy breakfast every day.

Choose 1 protein, 1 vegetable and 1 fruit OR whole grain

Protein	Vegetable	Fruit or	Whole Grain
1 egg 2 egg whites ¼ cup egg substitute 1 Tbsp. peanut butter 6 ounce low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt 1 part-skim string cheese ¼ cup 1% cottage cheese or ricotta cheese ¼  cup dried (1/2 cup cooked) beans/peas ½ cup tofu 2 Tbsp. hummus 3 oz. lean ham 3 oz. turkey breast 3 oz. lean roast beef 3 oz. low-fat cheese 3 oz. Canadian bacon	Asparagus Bean Sprouts Broccoli Carrots Cauliflower Celery Cucumber Eggplant Greens Lettuce Mushrooms Onions Peppers Radish Spinach Squash Tomatoes Watercress Zucchini	1/2 sm. apple 1/2 sm. banana 1/2 sm. kiwi 1/2 sm. orange 1/4  cup berries ¼  cup cantaloupe ¼ cup honeydew ¼  cup pineapple ¼  cup watermelon ¼  small mango ¼  small papaya 4 cherries 1 ½  dates 6 grapes	1/2 slice whole wheat bread 1/2 slice 7-grain bread ½ whole wheat pita ½ Mini-bagel ½ Sm. Whole-wheat roll 1/2 slice rye bread ½ 6” whole wheat wrap 3  whole wheat crackers 1 melba toast 1/4 cup whole wheat pasta1/2 Whole-wheat English muffin 1/4 sweet potato