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WHAT ARE SLIDER FOODS?
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For patients who have undergone bariatric surgery, the process of eating will change soon after surgery. Eating the right foods and getting enough nutrition into the body is hugely important both before and after surgery, following an eating plan in different stages that will aid recovery and prevent weight regain.
Sliders are foods that are very easy to eat and are often foods that bariatric patients turn to for a number of reasons. They are easy to eat - the sometimes uncomfortable feelings of tightness that follows when a patient is full doesn’t occur as often with softer foods. They are convenient and taste good, often satisfying emotional triggers like stress and boredom and providing instant pleasure. They are often consumed as a result of poor food planning - patients feel ravenous and so turn to slider foods because they are convenient and easy to eat. Unfortunately, most slider foods are high in fat and sugar, provide very little satiety (a feeling of fullness) and contain very little nutritional value. They can sabotage weight loss because they don’t fill you up and it is more likely that more will be eaten as a result.
There are lots of slider foods including:
- Chocolate
- Cake
- Milkshakes
- Crisps
- Sweets
- Pretzels
- Crackers
- Chewable sweets
- Soup
It is worth noting that soup, although healthy, can be classed as a slider food because it slides into the stomach and out again very quickly. It is likely that you will feel hungry again soon after eating soup and similar sloppy foods. Many of these foods are also incredibly salty, which means that lots of fluids must also be taken in order to make them palatable.
Slider foods can result in ‘Dumping Syndrome.’ Dumping Syndrome occurs when you eat foods containing sugar, caffeine and fat or you eat food and drink together at the same time. Gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and mini bypass patients may experience Dumping Syndrome, and the symptoms can be different for each individual, including:
- Flushing
- Dizziness / lightheadedness
- Abdominal cramps or pain
- Feeling bloated
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea and vomiting
Avoiding slider foods
You may think that the effects of Dumping Syndrome from consuming slider foods would change your relationship with food, but unfortunately this isn’t the case. It takes lots of willpower and a change in mindset to move away from slider foods. Bariatric surgery patients should follow a high-protein eating plan, balanced with veggies and carbs, in order to assist weight loss. While protein can result in feelings of restriction and tightness after eating only a small amount of food, it is important that this should be followed in order to maintain a healthy body and avoid potential weight regain.
Here are some useful tips to avoid slider foods:
Speak to your dietitian / aftercare specialist. Remember that weight loss surgery supports you 30% with physical hunger, while the other 70% is all about looking at your weight loss journey from a holistic perspective, and it may be useful to look at your relationship with food and any potential emotional triggers that may lead you to turning to slider foods for comfort.
Keep healthy snacks within reach at all times. Being able to access a high protein healthy snack like nuts, eggs, cold meat and shredded chicken will help to overcome hunger and cravings for sugary snacks.
Don’t have slider foods in the house. Out of sight, out of mind is a great way to avoid them - if they aren’t in the house it will take much more effort to access them than to eat a healthy snack instead. Similarly, speak to family members and ask that they avoid slider foods around you, even if it is temporary.
Exercise. If you are feeling stressed and would normally turn to slider foods for comfort, try doing some exercise to release those happy endorphins! Go for a walk or a light jog, stretch - anything that gets the heart pumping!
Take it one day at a time. Rather than looking at the big picture, start by taking each day as it comes. Congratulate yourself at the end of each day if you’ve succeeded, and avoid being too harsh on yourself if you have slipped up. The more you work on it, the more it becomes a habit.
Are you struggling with slider foods? Want to know how I support you in your weight loss journey and help change your eating habits and relationship with food?
Book in for a Discovery Call to find out more, or visit me on my social media platforms, my
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YouTube channel for helpful information, hints and tips and Q&A opportunities!
