I’m a long time member in Arizona. I was wondering if you have some tips for after gallbladder removal. Things tend to run right through me. It seems perhaps I’m not absorbing nutrients like I should. Plus, I tend to not get enough protein. Not a big meat fan. I’d like to bulk up a bit. I work out 4-5 times a week.
– Sherry H.
If you don’t have advice from your surgeon/physician regarding an appropriate post-cholecystectomy diet, ask for one! Generally speaking, without a gallbladder to hold bile until it’s needed to break down fat globules, bile just constantly drips into the gut (like a leaky faucet) and fat digestion may be impaired. You do have pancreatic enzymes to digest fat, but they work best when ingested fat globules are first broken down by the bile.
My recommendations for after gallbladder removal: Consume small meals. Avoid more than 10-12 grams of fat per sitting. Chew slowly and thoroughly. Stay hydrated. Ask your doctor about taking supplemental lipase enzymes.
In regards to not getting enough protein, you can add non-meat sources such as eggs, beans, nuts, tofu, reduced-fat cheese, milk and yogurt. Vegetables are essential for consuming enough nutrients, plus they give modest amounts of protein with negligible fat (except avocados and olives).
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
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Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
I work out 4-7 times a week and have been going consistently for the last 8 months. I just found out I am pregnant. I would like to continue working out and keeping my body strong and fit for the baby and myself. What do I need to do differently than I did when I was not pregnant, regarding eating and working out, to make sure I am getting proper nutrients for baby and me?
– Melinda
Congratulations, Melinda!
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I will address the eating side of your question. For initial advice on working out during pregnancy, see our previous article Can you Exercise While You’re Pregnant? and this and this link to tips from the U.S. National Institute of Health. Of course, these suggestions shouldn’t replace the guidance of your obstetrician.
You’ll need extra fluids, nutrients and calories as your pregnancy progresses. See details from the U.S. Office on Women’s Health by clicking here. In the first trimester, folate and other vitamins and minerals are crucial for proper neural tube development, so a good prenatal vitamin is key. Strictly avoid alcohol during this time. The second trimester is when you start to expand blood volume and increase maternal stores while your baby grows rapidly from the size of a nut (3”, 1 oz.) to a football (12”, 1 lb.) while developing all of its organs and features. About 2 additional cups of fluids are needed per day. Adding around 300 extra calories from healthy foods with adequate calcium and iron will support this growth. In the last trimester, your baby is filling out to full-term weight. This is when you are truly “eating for two, ” although in terms of energy, you really only need an additional 200 calories on top of your 2nd trimester needs.
For weight gain recommendations, click and be sure to ask your obstetrician for guidelines tailored to your specific needs.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
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Are there any clean commercial salad dressings that don’t have soybean oil or other bad oils? I also want a better mayo sub.
– Judy Y.
The only 100% clean (raw or minimally processed) salad dressing would be to mix your own oil, vinegar and seasoning at the time of use. This is the way my family did it in the 80’s, with a spice mix in a glass shaker. Now you can get an organic, low-sodium spice mix or use an herb mix to do the same.
For a single serving, mix about 1 Tbsp. oil and 2 tsp vinegar in a small container with a tight lid by shaking vigorously. For lighter flavors use vegetable or canola oil and rice wine vinegar. For robust flavor use olive oil and red wine vinegar. Soybean oil has a fatty acid profile (high in polyunsaturates) similar to cottonseed or safflower oil and is fine to use. Mix in 1 tsp of an herb seasoning blend. I like Italian Seasoning, Herbes de Provence or Lemon Herb mixes with no sodium added.
For a creamy dressing, I suggest substituting Greek yogurt and/or pureed avocado to avoid the harmful saturated fat from the cream used in traditional versions. Check out this recipe from the March/April 2011 issue of Eating Well magazine:
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Makes 16 Tablespoons at 16 calories each; 1 g fat (0 g sat); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates (0 gm fiber, 1 g sugar); 1 g protein; 80 IU vitamin A; 2 mg vitamin C; 18 mg calcium; 0 mg iron; 8 mcg folate; 80 mg sodium; 61 mg potassium.
While I’d recommend hummus in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches, for tuna, pasta and potato salads you’ll need a mayo substitute that mimics the white, creamy original. If you’re looking for a mayo substitute without eggs or soybean oil, you’ll need to find one with grapeseed oil or coconut oil, which will often include rice as a binder. Vegetarian mayonnaise substitutes are still processed products, most with preservatives. In the refrigerated section you might find preservative-free versions, which last about 2 weeks.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Everyone wants a flatter belly, especially when warmer weather dictates lighter clothing. When it comes time to hit the beach or pool, will you be ready to dive in? To even head in the direction of belly-baring status, you must first know thine enemy – your abdominal fat. Afterward, read on to see what you can do to help chisel a trimmer tummy.
No matter your current physique, the following approaches may help you achieve obtaining a flatter belly.
Your abdominal fat is actually in two places or compartments – under the skin (subcutaneous) and intra-abdominal (visceral) fat. The former lies above the abdominal muscles, the latter beneath. In simple view, here’s what they look like:
It just takes a quick measurement to see how much fat you’ve got and to track changes. Waist circumference can’t pinpoint where fat lies, but this measurement does correlate with overall abdominal fat. Total waist measurement depends on your body frame size, so it’s better to look at waist to hip ratio which shows how your belly area compares to your hips.
How to measure your Waist-to-Hip ratio (either metric or customary):
Greater physical activity is associated with lower waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. It’s no secret that moving muscles are the furnace for fat burning. Exercise is really essential in fat metabolism. Exercise burns fatty acids (in processes called lipolysis and oxidation), contributing to reduction in body fat. Aside from exercise aiding in fat-burning, a developing theory is that fat cells, including those in the abdomen, are temporarily ‘starved’ when blood flow is focused to moving muscles.
True, you can’t spot reduce, selectively dropping fat from only one area of the body. But new research indicates that certain types of exercise can reduce belly fat more than others. While the same level of calories are burned with each, anaerobic high-intensity intermittent training has been shown to produce greater abdominal fat reduction than continuous aerobic training.1
Energy
Calorie restriction (regardless of energy source) affects both visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. This is only true to an extent, as very low calorie diets end up with the losses of visceral fat regained weeks afterward. In fact, modest weight loss, even 5% body weight for overweight individuals, is enough to reduce visceral fat, regardless of method. One study showed that 4 different calorie-reduced diets were equally effective in reducing abdominal fat, with most loss coming from subcutaneous fat.2
Composition
A greater intake of fat and carbohydrates, typical of Western diets, is associated with higher waist circumference. Conversely, those following a Mediterranean style diet were less likely to gain abdominal fat over 10 years.3 This style reflects a focus on plant-based foods (like vegetables, fruit, and whole grains) with moderate protein intake, minimal animal fats, and a prominence of olive oil, all resulting in a low saturated fat intake. The bulk of research indicates conventional nutritionally-balanced plans are as effective as high protein diets in reducing abdominal fat.
Green Tea
Green tea (vs. black) is made with the youngest leaves, which have the most catechins. See our related article – Nutrition is Sprouting this Spring!
At a certain threshold, catechin compounds in green tea can impact abdominal fat. These compounds (prominently EGCG) may affect the sympathetic nervous system in a way that influences fat distribution. It takes about the equivalent of 5 cups of tea, or 500 mg catechins, for an effect. Studies with significant finding used catechin-enhanced beverages.4,5 More is not better… consuming >800 mg ECGC in one sitting would be like slamming a gallon of green tea all at once, and instead of acting as an antioxidant (as it does at lower levels), you’d get pro-oxidant effects! Also, having smaller servings spread throughout the day is more effective than a single huge dose.
For the most catechins, look for quality packaging to ensure better storage with minimal exposure to oxygen, light, and moisture. Also, don’t take highly concentrated EGCG green tea extracts or supplements while taking acetaminophen.
Though it won’t change your belly fat, adjusting your posture could improve the appearance of your midsection. Tilt your pelvis when standing so that your tailbone is in (pointed down, not out), as shown to the right.
References:
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Before reaching for one of your favorite donut styles, do you know how many calories you are consuming? Ignorance may be bliss, but too many tasty treats can start showing on the waistline. Have no fear – you can still celebrate the holiday and perhaps even indulge in one of your favorites. We have listed a few different methods below to help you work off that scrumptious splurge.
How many calories are in your favorite donut? *
Glazed Donut | 260 calories2
Exercise:
**You would need to walk at a brisk pace for about an hour and 10 minutes to burn around 260 calories.
Plain Donut | 320 calories1
Exercise:
**It would take approximately 30-35 minutes of kickboxing to burn about 320-325 calories.
Chocolate Glazed Donut | 340 calories3
Exercise:
**You would need to cycle at a moderate pace for about 45 minutes to burn roughly 340-350 calories.
Chocolate Cake Donut | 250 calories4
Exercise:
**It would take about 1 hour and 15 minutes of engaging in jumping jacks to burn off about 250 calories.
Jelly Donut | 270 calories6
Exercise:
**In order to burn about 270-275 calories you would need to do about 1 hour and 30 minutes of Pilates.
Sugar Donut | 280 calories5
Exercise:
**It would take about 1 hour and 20-30 minutes of constant sit-ups to burn roughly 280 calories.
Vanilla Crème Donut | 370 calories7
Exercise:
**You would need to engage in moderate rowing for approximately 1 hour and 40-50 minutes to burn off about 370 calories.
Sprinkle Donut | 290 calories8
Exercise:
**You would need to jump rope at a moderate pace for about 30 minutes to burn approximately 295 calories.
Donut hole | 59 calories9
Exercise:
**It would take about 20 minutes of yoga to burn about 50-60 calories.
Maple bar | 490 calories10
Exercise:
**You would need to run approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes to burn about 500 calories.
Apple Fritter | 350 calories11
Exercise:
**You would have to engage in about 45-55 minutes of a Zumba® class to burn approx. 350 calories.
Depending on body weight, gender, age and fitness level you may burn more or less calories. If you want to learn the exact amount, there are online calculators that can give you an estimation of how many calories your body will burn based on the exercise you complete. Simply input your personal fitness information and you’ll have a good idea of how many calories you can burn.
*Calorie counts are approximate and may be higher or lower depending on size, brand, and ingredients.
**Based on a 130 lb. female
Referenced:
Sources:
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...