Are you more aware of your nutrition and diet after DIEP flap breast reconstruction? I certainly am and I hear the same from many women. When breast cancer is the driving reason behind having this intricate surgery, it is little wonder nutrition and diet become a focus for so many.
At the same time, I hear a lot of inquiry about what is the best way to eat a healthy nutritious diet after breast reconstruction. The one factor that changes this is the “tightening down” of the tummy during this surgery. With the tummy tissue being used to reconstruct the breast, the tummy area is pulled down similar to a tummy tuck. Many women talk about the feeling of having less room, filling up quicker, and feeling like they can’t eat as much after DIEP flap breast reconstruction.
Where do your Food Values about Nutrition and Diet come from?
The first thing I want you to consider is where your food values come from. Proper nutrition and diet are deeply embedded in my roots. I was born and raised in Kansas. My relatives have been stewards of the land as farmers for many years. I watched my grandfather and uncles sit at my Grandmother’s farm table during my summer visits as a child. They ate their main meal at noon. It was full of protein, grains, and vegetables so they could go back out in the fields until dusk, sometimes dark, to finish working the farm. My grandmother made it all fresh, from scratch with little or no processed foods.
Is there Value in Prolonged Nightly Fasting?
We have evolved as humans, over time, to eat our main meal in the evening. How healthy can this be when we go to bed, supposedly in a resting state, just a few hours after consuming a calorie laden meal? Have you ever said, “I ate too much and too late! I didn’t sleep well last night.”?
Without going into the details of this study, I encourage you to focus on two words, insulin and inflammation. Insulin helps regulate our sugar levels. Over consumption of processed foods with high sugar content puts on weight. Inflammation, on a very simple level, can cause a number of health-related issues. Watch this video to understand these concepts more. It is scientifically based on studies done in breast cancer patients. The video is long. I put my earbuds on one day and watched it during my work out on the elliptical, a double bonus!
Focus on Proper Nutrition in Food after DIEP flap
Oh, that’s easy to say, isn’t it? I want to share a few tips with you, tips that have worked for me with my own nutrition after DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Meeting people in your life who drive you to do better for your health is the first important factor. I met Martha through the Facebook group I am administrator for breast reconstruction patients. We have both had breast cancer and DIEP flap breast reconstruction. She brought up a term, “appreciative inquiry” I find to be a positive way to evaluate your diet and nutrition. It helps you focus on the positive aspect of diet and nutrition after breast reconstruction.
Stop focusing on how much weight you want to lose but instead on what weight you feel comfortable at. Make a simple plan to achieve and maintain the weight you look and feel good at. For me, counting calories and using apps is too much detail and time. I want immediate and simple rewards.
The Importance of Motivation to Maintain Proper Nutrition and Diet
I found another fitness buddy. We are the same age, roughly the same body type and weight, but more importantly, she is a registered dietician. Susan knows nutritional value. We are keeping each other on track with a simple plan. We text each other with quick motivational statements or tips a few times a week.
Another part of our success plan is a chart. This chart has become so easy for me to keep. I put a glass of water by this chart and have it in my kitchen. I reward myself by circling one of those numbers each time I drink 8 oz. It helps me focus on eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Having all of these circled by the end of the day is a positive, visible reward.
When I’m feeling hungry and preparing dinner I eat a carrot, stick of celery, or an apple . I can go right over and circle a “V” for vegetable or “F” for fruit. I stop eating by no later than 7pm. A thirteen hours fast then translates into breakfast at 8 am. If I stop eating at 6pm, breakfast is at 7am the next morning. Make sense? That is easy for me and then I get to circle one more reward, “No eating after dinner”.
The Benefits I have Gained Focusing on Nutrition and Diet after DIEP flap
My gut is much happier following this plan. The biggest game changer for me has been the 13 hours of fast. I hear so much about letting our cells rest at night while we’re sleeping. It makes complete sense to me. Cells need time to repair. Why put them to work with extra sugar and calories before bedtime? My DIEP flap tummy is happier when I go to bed not feeling bloated from food. I wake up with more energy. That gives me the stamina to get those 30 minutes of exercise in each day. Yes, some days I don’t get it in. But the chart makes me aware of it and motivates me to get that reward the following day!
Find what works for you after your DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Proper nutrition and diet will help you live your best life. Staying focused on this as a lifestyle, rather than a diet, will keep you feeling vibrant for you and those around you. Don’t make excuses over the holidays. This is for you and those you love!
What tips can you share for proper nutrition and diet after DIEP flap breast reconstruction? I’d love to hear from you.