A bland diet is typically prescribed for those who are recovering from surgery or overcoming an illness. While the foods are generally low in fat, they may not necessarily constitute a considerable weight loss. Including exercise can help increase your weight loss. Ask your physician if a bland diet for weight loss is appropriate for you before you begin to diet.
Liquids
A bland diet includes some liquids such as soup, milk, fruit and vegetable juices and gelatin. You can also drink clear beverages such as water white soda. Weak tea is also recommended for bland diets, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Fluids while following a bland diet are intended to help keep you hydrated and feeling full since the types of solid foods that you can have are limited.
Solids
When following a bland diet, the idea for recovering surgery patients or those who have overcome an illness such as food poisoning is to slowly reintroduce solid, bland foods back into the diet. Bland solid foods include crackers, rice, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cooked vegetables, tofu, peanut butter, applesauce and lean tender meats. These types of foods are easy for your body to digest and tend to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
Foods to Avoid
Certain foods should not be eaten when following a bland diet. If you're following a bland diet for weight loss, ask your health care provider whether you are permitted to eat these types of foods. Foods to avoid include dried fruit, whole grain or bran cereals, fresh berries and other fresh fruits, raw vegetables and strong cheeses, such as bleu cheese. Fatty dairy foods, such as high-fat ice cream, fried foods and spicy foods, such as chili, should not be eaten while following a bland diet. Eating fatty foods while on any diet will inhibit weight loss.
Considerations
A bland diet does not allow for a wide variety of foods, and it does not include important foods such as whole grains. It also doesn't allow you to have very much fresh fruit and raw vegetables, which make healthy snacks and should be part of a healthy diet. Unless it's medically necessary, a bland diet is not something that you can live off of for the rest of your life. Your body needs nutrients and lots of them. If your health care provider allows you to follow a bland diet for weight loss, discuss a specific time frame for how long you should follow the diet.
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