5 Important Steps for Maintaining Weight Loss Post Bariatric Surgery
Maintaining weight loss after obesity treatment (bariatric) surgery requires commitment towards transformative lifestyle changes. Doctor's advice will include special attention towards dietary adjustments and exercise. After their guidance, consider surgery as a starting point for a healthy life, focusing on eating properly and staying active
Change in your eating habits
Eating will be an entirely different experience after your surgery. You physically won’t be able to consume as much food, but this restriction will not contribute to weight loss if you still eat high-calorie foods. Eating will be a completely different experience after surgery. You will not be able to consume too much food, but this restriction will not contribute to weight loss alone if you are still eating high calorie foods.
- Pay careful attention to both what you eat and how you eat to take complete advantage of the potential positive effects of your surgery
- Choose a diet consisting primarily of protein, vegetables, a small amount of cereals and very limited amounts of refined sugar for the rest of your life
- If you are not familiar with the foods you will need to take forward, introduce yourself to new foods one by one to see how they affect your body
Focus on eating a high-protein, low-fat diet
Emphasize on fish, dairy products, meat, beans and other legumes. It is likely that you will have to move towards protein-focused diet after surgery, starting with the leaner options first.
- Follow your doctor's instructions - possibly after a few weeks of surgery to start eating meals based on very soft protein sources.
- Options may include protein shake, egg whites, non-fat cheese, and low-fat yoghurt
- Once you are able to start eating more solid foods, turn your diet, over the long term, into protein-focused meals that contain soft chicken, soft turkey, fish or tofu.
Drink plenty of water
Plenty of water intake or keeping yourself hydrated is associated with countless health benefits, especially after surgery to treat obesity.
- First of all, you need to drink more water than usual to help your body get rid of waste and toxins that must be disposed of by your system during rapid weight loss.
- Aim for at least 64 ounces of water daily
- Drinking water also helps you feel fuller for a longer time, helping you eat less frequently and stick to scheduled meals.
Committed exercise program
Your doctor is the right support to advise you on the specific exercise types that will be safer and more effective for you. The important thing is to keep your body active.
- Exercise will not only help you feel comfortable; it will also enable your body to burn fat more efficiently.
- As your body first looks for muscle burning during weight loss, exercise will protect your muscles and force your body to burn excess fat instead.
- You may notice that exercise is easier and more enjoyable after the procedure as faster weight loss will improve joint health and agility.
- Exercise for 30 minutes a day for at least four days a week even if you miss on some days
Join and participate in a post-surgery support group
People who join these groups and keep themselves actively involved remain well advised, motivated and involved in the weight loss process and maintain it. It is important to keep in mind the frequency of meetings, cost and type of meeting.
- While you can get a lot of important support from your friends and family, it's also important to be able to talk to those who are going through the same experiences as you do. These groups do more than simply help you in losing weight, they also help in promoting positive changes in life.
- Some support groups meet personally, while other groups meet online.
- Some groups may include a health care professional to act as an intermediary, to answer questions or to ensure that encouragement and decision-making are safe and healthy.
Remember that returning to old habits are inevitable, but you should not have let them to become big setbacks. If you feel like you're sliding into old eating habits, you should not hesitate to ask for help. By building a strong support system, improving your relationship with food, and creating new healthy habits, bariatric surgery can be a valuable tool in promoting long-term success for weight loss