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Men who follow a diet for weight loss say they are most successful when their "diet food" is big on flavor. While women may go day in and day out eating the ubiquitous boneless skinless chicken breast men rely on bold flavors and variety to keep the mundane out of meals. Consider the simple burger, an American classic. Changing the ground protein and topping provides a variety of flavors and nutrients. Vary the cooking method and you have a new meal every night. Here are three figure-friendly burgers that are big on flavor sure too keep your palate pleased. And these are recipes the whole family can enjoy!

Green Chile Bison Burger
Ingredients:
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 pound ground bison or lean (90% or leaner) ground beef
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, drained, divided
1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
1 cup very thinly sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium-high. Place onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Place bison (or beef), 1 can drained chiles, 1/4 cup cheese, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gently combine without over mixing. Form into 4 patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Oil the grill rack and grill the burgers, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 155°F (165°F for beef), 4 to 5 minutes per side. Top each burger with an equal portion of the remaining green chiles and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute more.   Drain the onion and pat dry. Assemble the burgers on toasted buns with onion and shredded lettuce.


Football Season Sausage Burgers
Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 lb bulk sausage, traditional flavor
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup skim milk or evaporated milk
1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon water
8 whole grain hamburger buns

Directions
In large bowl, combine ground beef, ground sausage, bread crumbs, milk. Mix well. Shape mixture into 8 patties, 1/2 inch thick. Spray large non-stick skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add onion, bell pepper and water; cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove veggies from skillet and cover to keep warm.  Wipe skillet clean and spray again with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add patties and cook for about 12 minutes or until there is no pink in the center. Serve patties and veggies on Kaiser rolls. Top with barbecue sauce if you want, and serve with a football game.


Western Burgers Sloppy-Joe Style
Ingredients
1 pound ground lean beef sirloin or ground lean turkey
1 cup fresh chopped onion
1/2 cup medium green bell peppers, chopped
1 (10 oz can) pinto beans, unsalted, fat free, canned, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 cup no-salt tomato sauce
2 tsp chili seasoning
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons bacon bits
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 English Muffins, split and toasted

Directions
Brown the meat, onion, and green pepper in a skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray. Stir in the pinto beans, tomato sauce, chili seasoning, black pepper, bacon bits, and Cheddar cheese. Lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. For each serving, top one English muffin half with 1/2 cup of meat mixture. Serves 8.

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Protein First is our WLS Rule #1 and our best friend during the holiday season. When we keep our protein intake above 80grams a day, spread throughout the day, we fuel our metabolism into high burn; we have increased energy and fewer cravings. Gastric bypass patients avoid dumping.

Protein First: Why it works and how to get enough
Get your protein from real food as much as possible in order to experience the process of eating and digestion. Protein shakes and protein bars are fine in a pinch, but they should be no more than 1/3 of your daily protein intake.

Be mindful of your liquid restrictions. While it is often necessary to sip during meals where conversation is enjoyed pay attention to avoid turning sips into gulps. Gulps with food will wash the food through your pouch before any of the nutrients are absorbed. You will be able to eat more and will not reach that comfortable satisfied feeling that comes with a properly fed pouch. Learn more: Liquid Restrictions

Enjoy your favorite classic appetizer, starchy side dish or dessert only after eating three to four bites of lean clean protein. In so doing we decrease the amount of treat we are able to consume thus maximizing our pouch space. The few bites we are able to comfortably eat are that much more delicious. We avoid glycemic overload and in the long run the dreaded holiday weight gain. This is a powerful way to work the bariatric pouch so that it works for us.

Have dessert within 15 minutes of your meal. Waiting any longer results in a larger serving and the satiation factor of your healthy high-protein meal is lost. Do you remember back in our morbidly obese days when we enjoyed our hearty meal, took a nap and enjoyed a second hearty meal starring dessert(s)? That's a tradition we don't need to bring back because we all know what comes with it.

Chose your indulgences carefully and proceed to enjoy them wisely. Give yourself a pat on the back when you do well. Be rational about events when you stray from your eating plan. Forgive yourself, learn from the event, and consider your next meal an Opportunity for Improvement.

Men who report following a diet for weight loss say a hearty breakfast is key for staying on track all day. And by hearty I mean eggs, bacon or sausage, whole grain and some vegetable or fruit complex carbohydrates. Women, on the other hand, tend to eat "proper" diet food for breakfast such as yogurt or granola, a meal replacement shake, fresh fruit or simply plain black coffee or tea. You already know who feels hungry by 10 a.m.

Joel, a weight loss surgery patient from Indiana down 120+ pounds told me, "I need to have breakfast, to put my food on a plate and eat it with a fork and knife. It has to look like a meal. I tried going with shakes for breakfast but it just didn't do it for me. I'm born and bred a farm boy and we eat breakfast early, every day. But now, instead of 12 slices of bacon and 4 pieces of toast I have 2 slices of bacon, scrambled eggs and a few bites of toast." Joel added that he pays attention to his pouch and stops eating at the first sign of fullness. And he saves that strong cup of cowboy coffee for a little bit later in the day giving his food time to digest.

Most of us cite lack of time as the major barrier in preparing a healthy cooked breakfast. Dedicating some time once a week to ingredient preparation can make tossing together a one-pan breakfast a snap. Consider cooking a package of bacon or lean sausage all at once and store in the refrigerator until time to make breakfast. Clean, chop, and store veggies (in the recipe below we use sliced mushrooms) so they are ready to toss in the one-pan breakfast as you need them. Use non-stick pans and cooking spray to make clean-up a snap. Save leftovers and gently reheat for a warm breakfast the next day.  And set the clock 15 minutes earlier if needed: you deserve to start the day with a healthy hearty meal.

The One-Skillet Breakfast
Here is a blueprint for a manly one-pan breakfast. Use it as your guideline for tossing together great food in snap to start the day off right.

Ingredients:
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mushroom slices
1 cup grape tomatoes, washed, halved
Salt and Pepper to taste
Canola or Olive Oil
8 large eggs

Directions:
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with the canola or olive oil, about 1 teaspoon. Heat over medium high and add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer mixture to a plate and keep warm. Add crumbled bacon to skillet and toss and stir until just reheated. Add warm crumbled bacon to mushroom and tomatoes. Add 2 teaspoons canola or olive oil to the pan and then carefully crack in the eggs. Cook them sunny-side up, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

As the eggs continue to cook distribute the bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes back to the pan arranging around the eggs. Cook eggs to your preferred doneness and serve warm, 2 eggs per serving, with a generous serving of the vegetables and bacon.

Change-ups:
Scramble the eggs if you prefer. When almost done top with bacon and veggies. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese and melt under broiler. Consider using cooked flaked halibut or salmon in place of the bacon. Peeled, ready-to-eat shrimp is another good lean protein that works well in this dish. No time for veggies? Use good quality salsa in place of the vegetables..

LivingAfterWLS, LLC
Kaye Bailey, Founder
Evanston, Wyoming 82931