Dietitians of Alaska
Guiding You To Better Health
Jennifer B.
After bariatric surgery, Jennifer, an associate broker for a real estate company, continued to work with Staci Kloster, a registered dietitian at Dietitians of Alaska. The requirement to meet with her dietitian was annually, but Jennifer chose to go every 3 months to hold herself accountable and make sure she was hitting the goals she wanted to hit. This allowed her to adjust her diet as needed.
Jennifer, who has been a vegetarian since age 13, found out she had a gluten sensitivity. “The surgery forced me to introduce foods very slowly so I was able to figure out that I had a gluten sensitivity. I had zero interest in eating until Staci, my dietitian, had cleared me.”
“You become very accustomed to eating certain foods with other foods. You have to realize that you don’t need all the things that are typically eaten together. It was hard knowing that I didn’t need it and it was ok if I didn’t have it. I still compulsively order foods but I’m not eating it all at one time. I can order a dinner and it will last me the next three or four meals. I have broken the habit of eating it all, but not yet ordering it all!” laughs Jennifer.
Through her journey, Jennifer learned that food doesn’t have to have the impact it used to have on her. “I can enjoy food without feeling bad about eating whatever I am eating. I can go out and do things and be healthy. I choose to make healthier choices now. My office is on the third floor and I choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator. With food, I tend to order items that I would have never ordered before because I’m not stuck in my old habits,” says Jennifer.
Since working with Staci, Jennifer has learned to listen to the signals her body sends letting her know she is getting full. This helps her readjust and make sure she is sticking to the tips she has learned, such as slowing down, thoroughly chewing her bites, and even putting her fork down for a while between bites. Jennifer says, “I look at it like this is my time to totally change because what I was doing was not working. With all the issues I had with my stomach and reintroducing foods, it really gave me time to reset what foods I ate and become accustomed to eating them. I don’t have food cravings anymore. Now if I want something sweet, I grab an apple.” Jennifer says she looks at food differently and also cooks differently for her family. “I am a lot more conscious of what I am feeding us.
“I love working with Staci so much,” says Jennifer. “I referred one of my friends to Staci and she is also working with my son. I recommend her 10 times over. I think Staci gets it and understands that everything is going to be different for everybody. As long as I’m getting my nutritional needs met, Staci gives me the freedom to eat what I want. She just wants me to be successful in whatever way I can!”
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