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Maintaining Weight After Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery continues to help obese patients lose more weight. It also helps reduce the health problems linked with obesity, such as diabetes and sleep apnea. While weight loss surgery can be the answer to your excess weight and health risks, it is essential to follow weight management guidelines in order to maintain the results.

Post-weight loss surgery requires patients to manage their lifestyle by making changes and modifications to their eating and exercising habits. Most often, psychotherapists, nutritional counselors and support groups help patients maintain their weight and keep up the great results. Here are some things you can do on your own to ensure you lead a healthy lifestyle after weight loss surgery:

Exercising
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), exercising after surgery may be the most important factor in helping patients achieve successful weight loss. Patients are required to rest and dedicate time for recovery right after the surgery. After 2-3 weeks of healing, low-impact aerobic exercises can be a great start. It is recommended to weight loss surgery patients to wait at least 4-6 weeks after their surgery to go ahead with an exercise program as well as activities that increase the heart rate and work out the muscles. Water aerobics, step aerobics, pilates, speed walking, elliptical trainer workouts and yoga are great workouts for weight loss surgery patients.

Dieting
Since weight loss procedures drastically change the functioning of the stomach, dietary changes are mandatory and immediately effective following surgery. Soft, pureed foods for lunch and dinner are the usual dietary plan for most patients. Fruit smoothies, steamed vegetables, soups/stews, rice, wheat, protein bars and dairy free products are a few good items. 

Remember that the size of the stomach is reduced, so eating in small quantities regularly throughout the day is important for keeping energy levels high. Consuming too much foods and liquids at once can result in nausea and discomfort. The ASMBS recommends patients to take daily multivitamins since reduced food intake may cause nutritional deficiencies.

Stress management
Some patients turn to food when they find themselves in stressful situations. A mandatory change in lifestyle means that those patients can no longer turn to food for comfort. It is important for patients to understand that they need to turn to other sources of stress management such as massage therapy, taking on a hobby, joining support groups, meditation and yoga.

Therapy
Before the surgery takes place, the ASMBS recommends that surgeons assess patients and require them to go through therapy. This can ensure a patient is emotionally prepared to accept the drastic lifestyle changes following surgery. Some patients have food addictions and other eating disorders which can be dangerous if not property addressed.

Weight loss surgery is ideal for morbidly obese patients who can’t lose weight with dieting and exercising alone. However, even weight loss surgery won’t be effective if a patient does not pursue a healthier lifestyle and make weight maintenance a part of their everyday life.

A Board-Certified weight loss surgeon can help you learn more about maintaining your weight loss surgery. Consult with a Board-Certified Surgeon for more information about which weight loss surgery procedure is right for you and how to achieve long-term results.