Expert Advice

Transitioning from Early Soft Stages to 'Real Food'

Full Liquids - Your First Baby Steps with Food

The goal in this phase is to introduce a few calories into your diet and ready your surgically altered stomach and intestines for food. Doctors vary in their requirements for length of time in this food stage; some as little as a few days to as long as a month or even longer in cases. Stay with your surgeons prescribed timeline.

Stop the Comparison!

Domonique Christian, Administrator on BE Support Groups on Facebook, had her Gastric Sleeve Surgery two years ago and has lost over 250 pounds! She is our featured writer...

FAQ: Do vitamin patches work?

Can we absorb vitamins and minerals through our skin by using one of those multivitamin patches I have heard of?

FAQ: When can I have coffee? Anyone else told no coffee?

When can I have coffee? Anyone else told no coffee?

FAQ: WHY DON'T YOU POST NUTRITION STATS FOR YOUR RECIPES???

WHY DON'T YOU PUBLISH NUTRITION INFORMATION OR SERVING SIZES WITH YOUR RECIPES???

FAQ: I'm 'released' to eat PURÉES after my Bariatric Surgery, what can I have?

I just had my first post op check up and they released me to eat Pureés, what about scrambled eggs?

Mexican Taco Soup

A soup pot full of Mexican Taco Goodness that's so simple you can make it on a weeknight for family supper! You'll get hugs from everyone and feel good about it because it's so much better for them than take out. This is great soup and so healthy.

FAQ: HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN BROTH?

WHEN HAVING BARIATRIC SURGERY, EITHER PRE OP OR POST OP, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE CLEAR LIQUID. YOU WON’T MIND THE DAYS OR WEEKS ON A RESTRICTED DIET IF YOU HAVE HOMEMADE BROTH.

Egg Drop Soup

So easy and delicious! When you make this a few times you will have it in your back pocket for a quick to the table supper to warm up a sandwich.

Meatball Parm Soup

I traveled to Salt Lake City for a meeting last week and had some soup from Caputo's Italian Deli that was so delicious that I had to recreate it at home.

Dips Without Chips?

Survey says PLANNING is how post ops remain at goal. They don't eat chips and dip during the football game just because they have a craving or have lost all their weight... they happily live with the changes that got them to goal for life.

Summer Zucchini Pancakes with Ranch Dressing

I am Italian and love love love zucchini! You are going to love zucchini when you taste this recipe.

Sliced Steak & Cheesy 'Rice' - Learn to cook fresh food!

Sliced Steak & Cheesy 'Rice'. Learn to cook fresh food!

'Zoodles' Zucchini Noodles Alfredo, big yum!

Zucchini noodles are hot right now.

Skinny Fiesta Casserole

The key to this dish is the homemade red enchilada sauce made right in the skillet! It is so much better than anything you can buy in the can and super easy to make!

Banana Muffin In a Mug

Warm...comforting and high protein. This is one muffin you can eat without guilt and still lose weight!

Inspire Diet 'Back On Track' PROTEIN BROWNIE

Drumroll... for the Inspire Diet Back on Track *PROTEIN BROWNIE*

How 2 Grill Pouch Friendly Burgers!

Seasoning is key to great simple food and since these are very simple freshly made turkey burgers, what you sprinkle on your meat along with basic cooking technique is going to make the biggest difference!

Grilled Pork Loin and Tomato Cucumber Salad

EAT YOUR VEGETABLES... they are important to your life!

Best Ribs Ever

Everyone needs a killer rib recipe in their back pocket for summer grilling - here is yours! These are Competition Worthy Ribs that are fall off the bone tender.

Cook a Bariatric Perfect Steak

Steak is hard to cook unless you give it some thought and then do it the same way every time. Its common to hear 'Restaurant Steak is so much better!', because it usually is.

Bye Bye Miss American Pie! No Sugar Fruit Tart

This Summer Show Stopper dessert is actually easy - a sugar free shortbread cookie, spread with no sugar vanilla cream, as a base for flag inspired fresh fruit!

Super Cheesy 6 Carb 'Mac & Cheese'

What we LOVE about Mac & Cheese is the creamy cheesy sauce!

Dinner on a Stick! Shrimp Fajita Skewers... yum.

Dinner on a stick is as fun as it is delicious. I love fajitas, but in a restaurant, they can be an expensive meal.

Ancho Tomato Sauce

This delicious super flavorful yet mild sauce originally appeared in Before & After by Susan Maria Leach but it's too good to NOT feature here as well!

Ricotta Enchilada - Creamy, Cheesy, Beefy & Delicious!

This dish is Suzi Shaw’s creative genius - its creamy, cheese and beefy - with the classic flavors of Mexico!

Grilled Vegetable Platter

This one is Bariatric Friendly and Super Easy!

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake! It's Sugar Free!

Perfect for any summer Patio Party or BBQ this is one dessert everyone will enjoy and NO one will realize there's no added sugar!

Easy No Noodle Lasagna, aka Ricotta Bake

This low carb, super high protein lasagna is perfect when you need a comforting meal to satisfy your craving for Italian food.

Shepherds Pie... Low Carb, High Gravy, Bariatric Eating Style

My mom used to make Shepherds Pie in a brown ceramic dish with a big handle. It was creamy and beefy with lots of delicious gravy. With the explosion of cauliflower, I can make lovely roasted and whipped *faked* potatoes... perfect to top the beef and gravy. This is a wonderful warm and comforting dish that you will love.

Boston Baked Beans

Rich with tomato and molasses - good old fashioned New England baked beans. Delicious with a backyard burger!

Old-fashioned Deviled Eggs

Bariatric BBQ Tips: How to Navigate the Sauce and Slaw!

Getting an invite to a family or friends barbecue is always exciting, but when you have had bariatric surgery, the second thought is often about not being able to eat. There is hidden sugar in many summer dishes.

Garden Fresh Summer Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette

Can you Eat Chicken?

I hear so much discussion about chicken... chicken breasts, chicken thighs, light meat, white meat, dark meat, can eat it, can't eat it, gets stuck, doesn't get stuck...wow!

7 Yummy No Bread Foods!

Bariatric friendly food doesn't have to suck. We've taken the flavors of high carb, bread wrapped foods we ALL love and made new & just as tasty, versions that are good for you. Get creative, have fun... its not about the bread... it's the flavors in the filling.

Hidden Valley Ranch PROTEIN Dip! Oh yeah, I said it.

Everyone Loves Ranch Dip! In less than a minute you can transform plain yogurt into a delicious dip that EVERYONE will love! It's GUILT FREE. Scoop it up.

Don't Say Cheese

You are eating wayyyyyy too much cheese! This is not a blame game, but a testament to the fact we didn't know how to eat right and simply having surgery didn't magically infuse that knowledge.

The Inspire Diet: Easy Button for Weight Loss

Every single day in our Facebook Support Groups we see well meaning post-ops working hard but not quite understanding why the pounds aren't melting off. Here's the Easy Button....

Make a Toasty Warm Cafe Bella Latte!

Make a Toasty Warm Cafe Bella Latte! Mmmmmmmmm... 

Bariatric Friendly Supper: Skirt Steak, Southwest Beans, Tomato Salad

FAQ: But My Nutritionist Said I Could Take Flintstones Vitamins?

What's wrong with taking Children's Vitamins?

FAQ: Which sweetener is best? Can I use HONEY?

Which sweetener is best to use after bariatric surgery? I don't like artificial sweeteners, can I use Honey or just a little regular sugar?

Zucchini and Ground Beef - Fast, Family & Bariatric Friendly Meal!

Quick Roasted Salmon & Vegetables

Salsa Fresca or Pico de Gallo

Salsa is one of my favorite foods. No chips though, I use a spoon and eat it from a small dish!

IS the Struggle Real?