Ah…calories. Never has a concept been so misunderstood and feared.  Calories (or kilocalorie [kcal] if we want to be official) are units of energy. That’s it, that’s all. We can get energy from several sources: from protein, from fat, from carbohydrates. THAT is the information we most need to pay attention to. Calories, in and of themselves, are …

Most foods sold in the United States, with a very few exceptions, MUST have a nutrition facts label on them. It looks something like this: It’s a lot of information, isn’t it? And, to add insult to injury for us, at the bottom it says it’s based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. Yeah, that’s not us. Well….it’s not …

Happy Spring everyone! Last week set our clocks an hour ahead and today is the spring equinox. I’m so excited! I’m definitely a summer girl and I come alive in warm weather. What’s your favorite season? This week was a good week over here in the “messy kitchen” (I name everything, by the way. My kids are the divas, you guys …

Due to various acts on the part of the dark forces of the universe, this post has not gone up as scheduled the last two weeks. No more! I am taking control and making a commitment to do it. Why? Because I know you guys are busy and you have your lives so I think it makes things a lot …

Making it all work on YOUR plan  One of the most common questions I see new post-ops ask is “how many carbs a day should I eat?” The tricky thing about this is that it’s not a “one size fits all” question. The number of carbs YOU should eat a day and the number I should eat can (and probably will) …

Carbs and Fiber: YOU do the math…  You ever notice we WLS folk have NO problem talking about poo? Seriously. It’s an acceptable topic of conversation no matter where you are or what you are doing. So long as you are talking to other post-ops that is. It can (and has been) even discussed around the dinner table. Why …

A Time for Every Carb…  Let me tell you a little story about one of my first post-op experiences in the gym. I was on the treadmill. I was walking fast (or fast for me at the time). There was wind in my hair, sweat on my face and then all of a sudden…the room got very, very dim …

Simple vs. Complex: Why it’s not that simple… Most sources will tell you that there are two different kinds of carbohydrates — simple and complex. I don’t like that explanation, mainly because it sets us up with an “either/or” method of thinking that has led to some characterizing carbs as “good” (complex) versus “bad” (simple). Folks, it’s just not that …

So What the Hell is a Carb Anyway?  Ok, do you want the textbook definition or the practical one? Let’s start with the former. Here are the two best definitions I could find on what a carbohydrate is: A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the general formula Cm(H2O)n, that is, consisting only of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the …

This is something new I’m trying out. I figured it’d be an easy way to summarize everything we’ve covered on Bariatric Foodie this week! Monday: we went over the details of the Pouch Party Pledge and announced the winner! Tuesday: For all the Reuben lovers in the house, I offer the recipe for my adorable Reubein ramekin! Wednesday: We visited …