Top Apps After Weight Loss Surgery

Melissa Beitner • Jan 09, 2024

Now that you’ve had weight loss surgery and are on your way to a healthier life, it’s time to take advantage of technology and use some of the great apps out there to help you along the way. But which apps should you use? There are a lot of choices and many of them seem similar.

We reviewed over 30 of the most popular apps for weight loss and below are some of our favourites.

BARITASTIC

This free app is specifically built for bariatric surgery patients.

Features:

Nutrition and Water Tracking
Reminders - Vitamins, Water, Protein Shakes, Meals, Other
Bariatric Food, Water, and Bite Timer
Create a Photo Timeline to Track Your Journey
Patient Journal - Log thoughts, take pics, rate your hunger and happiness.
Newbie Checklist - Stay on task and get to surgery.
Bariatric Surgery Specific Recipes
Bariatric Surgery Specific Resources
Baritastic Social Support Group
Connect to YOUR Bariatric Program Through the Baritastic App
Body Mass Index Chart

Whether you are considering weight loss surgery or are already losing weight, this app is great. Lap Band, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, gastric balloon, duodenal switch - it's all here.

MY DIET COACH

With My Diet Coach, you’ll keep on top of every calorie with the diary section, while the macro tracker, diets, recipes, and daily recap will make sure you have all the guidance you need to keep you on the right track.

Features:

Daily food diary and macro tracker. Break down everything you eat by day, meal, and macronutrients. Swipe through the days and plan future weeks by logging your meals in advance. Receive calorie intake recommendations and track your path towards your target weight. Incorporate calories burned off through exercise, so you always have the full picture of how your workouts affect your progress.
Ketogenic diet...and many more. Keto is just one of the several diets included in My Diet Coach. Want more flexibility? Enter your own custom plan.
Recipes. Get all the good stuff with a pantry full of delicious recipes to explore, create, and enjoy!
Meal groups. Eat the same items regularly? Group them together into a meal and log them in a flash.

MyDietCoach integrates with Health App, allowing users to import body measurements data from Health App to MyDietCoach.

FOODUCATE

This app comes highly recommended by health professionals everywhere.

Features:

Log your food intake and exercise
See the quality of calories
Count your macros: protein, fats, carbs
Analyze your sugar intake
Track your sleep, mood, and hunger levels
Enter your recipes and instamagically & see their nutritional value!
Seamlessly integrated with Apple Health

This app can be personalised. Note: some personalization features require a premium account.

set your desired weight loss rate
keto diet coach
low-carb advice & carb management
lower your cholesterol,
discover foods for heart health
eat to beat diabetes
women's health (pregnancy, lactation,PCOS)
dietary goals (non processed foods, vegetarian)
avoid MSG, HFCS, GMOs and other ingredients
low FODMAP diet
Gluten free and other allergens

Fooducate analyses information found in product nutrition panels and ingredient lists. Scan to discover things manufacturers don't want you to notice:

added sugars
artificial sweeteners such as aspartame
trans fats
high fructose corn syrup
MSG
controversial food colorings
GMO - genetical modified organisms (premium feature)
additives and preservatives
and more...

This app has a huge database of foods.

Scan hundreds of thousands of unique product barcodes
Get a personalized nutrition grade (A, B, C, or D) for each food
Get suggestions for healthier foods based on what you scan

WATER REMINDER

Water Reminder will help you to calculate how much water your body needs, track your hydration and gently remind you to drink water to fulfil your goal.

Features:

Improve your health with personal drink notifications.
Create custom drink volumes easily.
Schedule notifications according to the time you wake up and sleep.
Choose the interval between notifications.
Track your historical consumption during the day, week and month.
Track your daily nutrition values.
Supports Imperial ( fl. oz. ) and Metric ( ml. ) units.

Water Reminder uses HealthKit in order to record drinking data to the Nutrition section in the Health application. The app requests access to the following data types: Water, Caffeine, Protein, Dietary Energy, Fat, Carbs and Sugars. When you add a drink to the app - it automatically sends to Health app.

MYFITNESSPAL

Track progress toward your nutrition, water, fitness, and weight loss goals with MyFitnessPal. This all-in-one food tracker and health app is like having a nutrition coach, meal planner, and food diary with you at all times.

This is a health app to help you learn about your habits … see how you eat … make smarter food choices … find motivation & support ... and conquer your health goals.

Features:

Log Food – Easy-to-use tools make food tracking quick and simple
Record Activity – Add workouts and steps with the fitness tracker
Customize Your Goals – Weight loss, weight gain, weight maintenance, nutrition & fitness
See Your Progress – Track at a glance, or analyze nutrition & calories in detail
Learn From a Registered Dietitian – Meal Plans customized for your target calories, whether you want to lose or gain weight—with access to our Meal Planner tool
Stay Inspired – 500+ healthy goal-focused recipes and 50 workouts keep routines fresh and fun
Connect With Community – Find friends and motivation in our active forums

Gain Valuable Insights Through Food Logging

Discover which foods fuel you best. It’s not just a diet app, calorie counter to lose weight, or a faster way to fat loss—it’s about holding yourself accountable and understanding what you put in your body.

One of the Largest Food Databases – Track calories in over 14 million foods (including restaurant dishes)
Fast & Easy Food Tracker Tools – Type to search, add foods from your history, or quick-add calories
Bar Code & Meal Scan: Log store-bought foods and entire meals using your phone’s camera
Calorie Tracker – Automatically count calories and see your daily progress
Macro Tracker – See carbs, fat & protein breakdown by gram or percentage—no need for a separate carb tracker or keto diet app!
Nutrition Tracker and Insights – Analyze nutrition intake and set specific goals for macros, cholesterol, sodium, fiber & more
Water Logging – Easily keep track of your water intake.

Customize Your App Experience

Choose settings that help you achieve your goals.

Custom Goals – Track calories by meal or day, set up macro goals & more
Personalized Dashboards – Pick stats you want to see at a glance
Net Carbs Mode/Carb Tracker – To simplify a low carb or keto diet, view net (not total) carbs
Protein Counter – Set your protein goals and track how much you eat during the day
Add Your Own Foods/Meal Tracker – Save recipes and meals for quick logging
Connect 50+ Apps & Devices – From fitness tracker and smartwatch apps, including the Health app
Track With Apple Watch – A calorie tracker, water tracker, and macro tracker on your watch face.

LOSE IT

Lose It! is a calorie counting, nutrition tracking, and intermittent fasting tool that helps you ditch the unwanted behaviors that are holding you back from reaching your weight goals.

HOW LOSE IT! WORKS

Lose It! uses the proven principles of calorie tracking to educate and help you succeed. To get started just input your profile details with your goal weight and we’ll calculate the daily calorie budget best for you. Next, easily track your food, weight, and activity, and get ready to celebrate your weight loss victories. There’s no easier way to change your habits and learn about your nutrition needs.

LOSE IT! FEATURES

NEW! Nutrition Strategies - Whether you're a nutrition novice or a macro-tracking expert, we have a nutrition strategy that will meet your needs. Our dietician-curated strategies will support everything from keto to plant-based and more!
Barcode Scanner – quickly scan food barcodes or search our database to track foods you’ve eaten.
Snap It – log food by simply taking a photo of your food. Just tap the camera icon for food tracking as easy as taking a picture. (2016 CES Innovation Award Winner).
Track Nutrients – track more than just calories including macros, proteins, water, carbs, sugars, body measurements, sleep cycles, and more.
Milestones - break down your weight loss goal into smaller, more achievable segments
Healthy Living Articles - get inspired and stay informed on wellness topics with new content every day.
Fitness App Syncs – connect trackers, apps, and devices like Fitbit trackers, Misfit trackers, Fitbit scales, Garmin trackers, Withings scales, Google Fit, Healthkit, and more.
Biggest Food Library Database – 50+ million searchable foods in our international library.
Intermittent Fasting - set your fasting plan and track your fasts in the same app where you track your food.
Calorie Scheduling - schedule higher days and lower days so that your plan fits in your lifestyle.
Meal Planning & Targets – meal targets help you calculate suggested calories per meal based on your goal while meal planning allows you to customize your meal names and snacks for more accurate records.
Patterns – learn about your habits with our exclusive personal insights and patterns to identify what is hindering or helping your progress.
Themes – personalize the look and feel of Lose It! with themes that speak to your personality.
Recipes – customize your weight loss journey with breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals you create yourself.

MYNETDIARY

This is a free, unlimited calorie counter with a barcode scanner, food and macros tracker, or a comprehensive and effective diet plan? MyNetDiary is sleek, smart, simple. It's the most personal weight-loss, diet, and nutrition assistant with a large food database.

FOODILITY

A simple food and fitness diary. A picture says a thousand words - this app is excellent if you prefer taking photos of your meals to track your intake rather than writing them into your diary.

Features:

Simple food and fitness diary without required calorie counting (calorie is OPTIONAL).
Supports meal, exercise, water, weight, medication, supplement, and mood logs.
Just write what you want on beautiful and simple expandable sticky notes.
PDF support for meal, exercise, water, weight and other note types.
Statistic Charts for water and weight posts.
Sync data between iOS devices (Account registration required to use this feature).
Push notification (alarm) to remind yourself of meal, water, exercise and etc.
Calendar view lets you organize your food and fitness experience.
Supports both restaurants and custom locations for posting.
Intuitive and clean posting pipeline that guides you to create an organized food and fitness posts/log.

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Let’s Put An End To Weight Shaming

By Melissa Beitner • 16 Apr, 2024

Body shaming involves humiliating someone by making inappropriate or negative comments about their body size or shape. Some believe that making overweight people feel ashamed of their weight or eating habits may motivate them to get healthier. However, scientific evidence confirms that nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of motivating people, fat shaming makes them feel terrible about themselves, causing them to eat more and gain more weight. A study from researchers at the University of London found that people with obesity often feel weight-shamed at their GP office, so much so that they sometimes avoid going to appointments. As a result of feeling shame, the study discovered that many patients would then blame themselves for their condition. It left them feeling humiliated and anxious and made them more likely to overeat. The study recommends training medical professionals in “non-stigmatizing weight-related communication.” This includes increased education for healthcare students about the complex factors involving regulating body weight and for all healthcare professionals to be more empathetic. IMPACT OF WEIGHT-SHAMING Researchers say that weight shaming can act as a barrier to services and treatments that can help patients with obesity – a critical issue given the risk of developing health conditions related to obesity such as: Joint and Bone Pain Heart Disease Sleep Apnoea High Blood Pressure Type 2 Diabetes Depression 360 SURGERY MAKES ALL PATIENTS FEEL WELCOME Our expert multidisciplinary team in Melbourne are leaders in weight loss. We take time to understand the complexity of your situation and work with you to find ways to help you achieve your goals. 360 SURGERY in Melbourne takes pride in offering you a welcoming, inclusive place to share and discuss your health and weight loss goals. Talumaa B, Brown A, Batterham RL, Kalea AZ. Effective strategies in ending weight stigma in healthcare. Obesity Reviews. 2022; 23(10):e13494.

Getting Ready to Succeed

By Melissa Beitner • 09 Apr, 2024

Let our weight loss surgery team in Melbourne help you succeed Mental preparation for weight loss surgery is just as important as physical preparation. Getting mentally prepared will help you make the most of all this weight loss tool has to offer. Mental preparation is an ongoing process, and it's okay to have concerns and fears. Openly communicate with your weight loss surgery team and support network, and be kind to yourself. It's natural to feel a mix of emotions before a major life change, and acknowledging your feelings and seeking assistance when needed is an important part of the process. Our weight loss surgery team, 360 SURGERY, here in Melbourne, will help you get ready. Let’s look at 7 ways to help you mentally prepare for this life-changing procedure. 1. Educate yourself Knowledge is empowering. Learn as much as you can about the surgery,, including how the procedure is done, expected outcomes, risks, benefits, alternatives, recovery time, follow-up, and anything else you might want to know. Use reliable sources—your healthcare team is the best source of reliable information. Knowing what to expect can definitely help reduce anxiety. 2. Set realistic expectations Understand that bariatric surgery is a powerful tool for weight loss but it’s not a magic solution. Speak to your bariatric surgeon about how much weight you need to lose and how much you can expect to lose. Set realistic expectations for what lifestyle changes you’ll need to make and what your postoperative diet will look like. 3. Embrace a positive mindset Think positive. Visualise your success and all the health benefits you’ll enjoy. Focus on how life will improve. Think of success, and you will be halfway to achieving it. 4. Build a support network Reach out to family and friends for support. Let them know your decision and the challenges you anticipate. Getting them on board and knowing you have people to depend on can make a big difference to your mental preparedness. 5. Meet with our weight management psychologists Our weight management psychologists have years of experience preparing people for weight loss surgery. They can help you address any emotional issues or concerns you have and provide coping strategies for the journey ahead. 6. Address emotional eating If you use food to manage your emotions, it’s good to identify this as a problem before surgery. You can work with our psychologists to identify triggers and work on healthy coping strategies. This can help prevent old habits from creeping back after surgery. 7. Prepare for lifestyle changes Surgery is only part of the solution. The key to success will lie in making lifestyle changes, dietary changes and changes in your physical activity. Have plans in place to ease into these changes after surgery or even start working on them before surgery.

Bariatric Surgery and Pregnancy

By Melissa Beitner • 02 Apr, 2024

Your questions answered by your weight loss surgeon from 360 SURGERY, Melbourne When can I get pregnant after weight loss surgery? Most groups advise waiting 12-18 months after surgery before getting pregnant. Most women are much more fertile after surgery, even with moderate weight loss. Birth control pills do NOT work as well in patients who are overweight. Birth control pills are not very reliable during the time your weight is changing. For this reason, it’s important to speak to your GP or gynaecologist about contraception. Menstrual periods can be very irregular, and you can get pregnant when you least expect it. Before surgery and for the month after surgery, you’ll need to use contraception that does not contain oestrogens because of the risk of blood clots. Will the baby be healthy? Yes. After surgery, there is much less risk of experiencing problems during pregnancy and during childbirth. There are also fewer miscarriages and stillbirths than in women with obesity who have not had surgery and weight loss. Babies born after weight loss surgery are LESS at risk of being affected by obesity later due to activation of certain genes during foetal growth. There is also less risk of needing a C-section and less risk of birth trauma.

Staying Hydrated

By Melissa Beitner • 26 Mar, 2024

Advice after weight loss surgery with 360 SURGERY in Melbourne Staying properly hydrated is essential for everyone, but it becomes even more crucial for individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery. Fluid intake guidelines for bariatric patients emphasise the importance of staying hydrated and how hydration avoids complications. Complications of dehydration: Kidney Stones - Dehydration can increase the concentration of minerals in the urine, raising the risk of kidney stones. Constipation - Insufficient fluid intake can lead to constipation, which can be particularly uncomfortable after bariatric surgery. Electrolyte Imbalances - Dehydration can result in imbalances in vital electrolytes like sodium and potassium, potentially causing heart irregularities and muscle weakness. Reduced Energy Levels - Dehydration can make you feel fatigued and reduce your energy levels, which can hinder your overall recovery and well-being. Delayed Healing - Adequate hydration is crucial for healing, as it helps transport essential nutrients to the cells. How much fluid do you need? Most people need about 1.5-2L of fluid per day. You may need more than that depending on factors such as the weather and your activity level. This volume includes both water and other fluids you may drink during the day such as protein shakes and unsweetened tea. If you experience symptoms of dehydration, drink additional fluid. You’ll know you’re dehydrated if you have: Thirst: Increased thirst is the body's natural response to a decrease in fluid levels. It serves as a signal that the body needs more water. Dark Yellow Urine: Concentrated and dark yellow urine is often an early sign of dehydration. In a well-hydrated state, urine is typically pale yellow. Reduced Urination: Decreased frequency of urination or a significant reduction in the amount of urine produced may indicate dehydration. Dry Mouth and Dry Skin: Insufficient fluid intake can lead to a dry mouth and dry or sticky feeling on the skin. In severe cases, the skin may lose its elasticity. Fatigue and Weakness: Dehydration can cause a drop in blood volume, leading to reduced oxygen transport to muscles and organs. This can result in feelings of fatigue and weakness. Dizziness or Lightheadedness: Dehydration can affect blood pressure and circulation, potentially causing dizziness or lightheadedness, especially upon standing. Rapid Heartbeat and Breathing: In response to decreased blood volume, the heart may beat faster to try to compensate. This can lead to an increased heart rate and rapid breathing. Sunken Eyes: Dehydration can cause a sunken appearance around the eyes due to a reduction in fluid levels. Confusion or Irritability: Dehydration can impact cognitive function, leading to confusion, irritability, or difficulty concentrating. Headache: Dehydration may contribute to the development of headaches and migraines. Constipation: Dehydration can contribute to constipation - making the passage of stool hard or infrequent. Fluid intake guidelines Sip, Don't Gulp Since the stomach's capacity is reduced, it's crucial to sip fluids throughout the day. Avoid gulping down large quantities of water or other beverages in one go, as this can lead to discomfort and even vomiting. Prioritise Water Water should be your primary source of hydration. It's calorie-free, won't interfere with nutrient absorption, and is essential for overall health. Avoid Carbonated and Sugary Drinks Carbonated beverages and sugary drinks can lead to gas and discomfort. Steer clear of these, as they can also hinder your weight loss efforts. Monitor Your Intake Keep track of your daily fluid intake to ensure you meet your hydration goals. Consuming 1.5-2L of fluids daily is generally recommended, but consult with your surgeon for personalised recommendations. Stay Hydrated Between Meals Don’t eat and drink at the same time. Aim to have a 30-minute break between eating and starting drinking or vice versa. Consuming fluids primarily between meals rather than with them to ensure you don't fill your stomach too quickly and hinder your nutrient intake. Protein First Prioritise consuming your protein before your fluids, as protein is crucial for muscle preservation and weight loss after bariatric surgery. Coffee Coffee is a diuretic, which means it can contribute to fluid loss. Ensure that you balance your coffee intake with ample water consumption to prevent dehydration. Avoid Drinking Close to Bedtime To prevent nighttime discomfort and disrupted sleep, avoid drinking large amounts of fluids close to bedtime. Listen to Your Body Pay attention to your body's signals. If you're feeling thirsty or experiencing symptoms of dehydration (e.g., dark urine, dry mouth, dizziness), drink water immediately. Proper hydration is a fundamental aspect of post-bariatric surgery recovery and long-term success. Staying hydrated can help prevent complications and ensure health, comfort, and overall well-being. Always consult with your weight loss surgeon and nutrition team on personalised recommendations and support on your post-bariatric surgery journey.

Keeping Track After Weight Loss Surgery

By Melissa Beitner • 19 Mar, 2024

Advice after weight loss surgery with 360 SURGERY in Melbourne Studies have shown that self-monitoring weight improves weight loss most of the time and is important for weight maintenance. “You can't improve what you don't measure.” Often attributed to Peter Drucker, this quote has elicited plenty of admiration and plenty of ire. However, in the context of weight management, this expression rings true. You can keep track of several things during your weight loss journey (and into your weight management phase). These include such things as your: Weight Steps Food intake Physical activity Water intake Sleep Multivitamin compliance A systematic review of 22 articles by Shieh et al. found that self-weighing improves clinical outcomes without causing adverse untoward effects. Frequent self-weighing is actually associated with less weight regain and more weight loss, while breaks in self-weighing tend to lead to weight gain. Frequency and consistency matter in self-weighing for weight maintenance after weight loss. Daily or weekly weighing is best, and consistently doing so is key. Tracking your weight (in an app or spreadsheet or writing it in a diary) and accountability (to your clinical team, a health coach, a friend or whoever you want to be accountable to) will help too. Weigh yourself at the same time of day and under the same conditions each time. Finally, have a threshold to trigger you to change your behaviour or reach out for help if you see your weight consistently going off track. These tips will help you stay on track after weight loss surgery. Shieh, Carol et al. “Self-weighing in weight management interventions: A systematic review of literature.” Obesity research & clinical practice vol. 10,5 (2016): 493-519

6 Tips For Eating Healthy When Dining Out

By Melissa Beitner • 23 Jan, 2024

Having weight loss surgery does not mean you can never eat out again. Although many foods in restaurants are high in fat and calories, you can remain dedicated to your healthy eating plan and enjoy healthful food choices while you’re out.

Realistic Expectations with Weight Loss Surgery

By Melissa Beitner • 16 Jan, 2024

Weight loss surgery can certainly change your life but it’s important to have realistic expectations as to what it will achieve to best set yourself up for success. It’s important to remind yourself that weight loss surgery is a tool to help you lose weight.