The last thing most people want to do at the end of a busy work day is prepare dinner. According to the USDA, Americans in 2014 spent an average of 37 minutes a day preparing food and cleaning up. That’s over 4 hours a week! Why is meal planning so important?

Caitlin McCullough, RD, LD, clinical dietitian with the Lake Health Bariatric Surgery Center, explains: 

Have you ever heard your stomach growl, gurgle or rumble? A common misconception is that a growling stomach means you're hungry, but this is usually not the case.

Whether or not you've had weight-loss surgery, you should always be eating healthy, balanced and whole foods. Here's a day's worth of recipe ideas to enjoy the flavors of fall. 

Abdominal pain is a common complaint after any surgery, including weight loss surgery. Initially, this is often caused by the abdominal incisions from your surgery. This pain should be temporary and lessen over the first six weeks after surgery. Farther out from surgery, you may experience abdominal pain for a number of reasons: 

Myth: I should look for foods with “protein” on the packaging because it is probably better for me. 

One of the most common questions bariatric patients ask is, “Will I regain my weight?" Everyone considering bariatric surgery naturally has this concern. Certainly, the answer is complicated.

After weight loss surgery, one common side effect is occasional constipation. Most patients agree the benefits of weight loss surgery outweigh the challenges. One of the most frequently asked questions after surgery is about avoiding constipation. Bariatric surgeon Dr. Aviv Ben-Meir shares his tips for avoiding constipation and other gastrointestinal issues after weight loss surgery:

Weight loss surgery patients find that success comes from not only the surgery, but from lifestyle changes that their bariatric surgery center help them achieve. Exercise is an important component of healthy living and weight management after bariatric surgery. How soon can you start exercising after weight loss surgery? Bariatric surgeon Dr. Aviv Ben-Meir shares what he recommends for his patients. 

Excess weight can prevent you from living the life you want and increase your risk of many health issues. With the help of weight loss surgery and lifestyle changes, you may improve or reduce your risk of health issues such as sleep apnea and other respiratory problems. Approximately 70% of Dr. Aviv Ben-Meir's weight loss surgery patients have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, also known as OSA. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you might wonder how long after weight loss surgery you can stop using your CPAP machine at night. Dr. Ben-Meir answers this common question. 

When adopting a new, healthier diet after weight loss surgery, many people question if artificial sweeteners are a good alternative to sugar. Dr. Aviv Ben-Meir explains which option is healthier and most helpful in sticking to a diet that meets your weight loss goals: