There are a lot of misconceptions about food selections after bariatric surgery. The general idea is to make healthier choices that support a well-balanced diet. Maintaining good health is more than balancing the scales—it is about learning to balance life. And as we all know, life is not always perfect. 

Most of the time, most of us are in situations where we have the opportunity to make healthy choices. Although it may not always be exactly what we "want", making good choices is about bringing our mindset towards food back into balance. This week I've been traveling and I haven't always been in situations that allowed the ideal food selections. Life doesn't always give us "ideals" so we need to learn to make the best choice when life is not perfect.  

Take pizza for example. Do we cut out pizza for life? Certainly not. I didn't choose pizza during my weight-loss phase, but I did add it back during maintenance. I don't eat pizza often, but I do eat it on occasion. I have learned how to make adjustments that allow me to remain compliant and not swing from over indulgence to total deprivation. Here are a few tips for eating pizza.

foundational tips: 

Make pizza an occasional choice. 

Choose thinner crust or whole wheat when available.

Cut down on the bread by moving the toping ingredients (especially the protein of two small slices to one slice.)

or Eat the toppings and not the crust. 

topping it off:

Don't skip the protein: choose leaner proteins, such as chicken, tofu, or ham. 

Add heathier toppings such as veggies.

When omitting the bread, add fruit, such as pineapple or tomato.

Go light on the cheese, or when making it at home, choose lowfat cheeses and add plenty of veggies.

Be successful. Practice making healthier choices for life, and enjoy food, even when life isn't "ideal.", and yes even after weight-loss surgery. Yes, you can. You have many more miles to go!