Bariatric surgery requires a lot of dedication and hard work, and the road may be littered with unexpected challenges.  You must pay very close attention to your overall health to ensure success.  Your nutritional needs have now changed; it is most important to know what your body’s new needs are so that you can avoid malabsorption and its symptoms.

Some patients experience post-op symptoms that cause them to worry that their procedure caused more problems than those it is working to help fix.  Brittle nails are common for patients when their nutritional requirements aren’t met.  This can be frustrating and disheartening, but do not lose hope.  Such difficulties are actually very simple to resolve.  It is usually simply vitamin deficiency, and can be fixed by the right bariatric supplements that will strengthen your hair, skin, and nails.

Malabsorption

After gastric bypass surgery, it isn’t as easy for your body to absorb all the nutrients in your food.  Even dietary supplements usually deliver only a small fraction of the vitamins they are designed to provide.

(This is usually due to unnecessary fillers such as talc and artificial ingredients found in most of the supplements you will find at the pharmacy.  These are difficult for your body to break down and contain no nutritional value.)

Vitamin deficiency will deprive “superfluous” areas of your body of nutrients, sending them only to areas that seem to need it the most.  These “superfluous” areas include your hair and nails.

How to Have Naturally  Beautiful Nails after Gastric Bypass Surgery

If you aren’t getting proper nutrition, you may notice your nails become discolored and don’t grow as quickly.  They may become thin and brittle, and will crack easily.

The solution is not to run to the salon to have acrylic ones applied.  This will weaken your nails even more.  A lack of bariatric vitamins is the culprit, and only by choosing the right kind of gastric bypass supplements will you reverse this problem.

After switching to vitamins designed for the needs of gastric bypass patients, you will discover your nails will not only recover, they will become stronger and more beautiful than before.

Perseverance–The Most Important Ingredient of All

Don’t give up if at first it seems you are not getting the desired results, or if your body seems to be experiencing unwanted changes.  If you monitor your health and make sure you are getting the vitamins your body needs after gastric bypass surgery, you will achieve your goals before you know it!

Some concerns many women have after their weight loss surgery are easy to alleviate with the proper encouragement and emotional support.  To help you succeed in this journey, you need to be optimistic.  Here are some common questions that may arise.

Will My Family be Proud of Me?

Of course they will!  But sometimes issues pop up just the same.

You are doing something to actively make a drastic change occur in your life.  Some families may feel threatened, especially if weight maintenance is difficult for other members in the family.

They may feel threatened as you start to lose weight.  They might be unwilling to aide you with your recovery, or pessimistic with regards to exercise.  They may also be reluctant to consider your dietary needs.

Do not fear that they do not love you or aren’t proud of you.  They may just be worried that you won’t need them once you’ve met your goals.  Assure them that you value their opinions, and let them know how important their help is for you to succeed.

Will My Husband Still Love Me?

For some couples, marital problems can begin after you’ve had surgery.  Many spouses worry that you are not losing weight to improve your health.  They may fear that you are trying to attract someone new, and that when you’ve met your goals you will leave or replace them.

Especially if your spouse struggles with their weight, they may feel insecure that you are losing so much while their difficulties persist.  Make sure they understand that you are doing this for your own health and self-esteem, and that you still love them.  Let them know that it is because of their love and encouragement that you are able to do this.

My Family isn’t Supporting Me on My Strict Bariatric Diet.  What Can I Do?

First, know that you are not alone! This is one of the most frequent issues that arise after surgery.

It is challenging already to adopt new eating habits.  Having others disregard your dietary restrictions can make things especially difficult.  If you cannot get your family to start eating healthier foods with you, you may be up for a real challenge.

Having junk food in the house, or watching other people eat unhealthy foods, can cause constant temptation.  Don’t give in!  Don’t let anyone sabotage your aims.  After a few weeks, greasy burgers and soggy fries won’t look nearly as appetizing as they used to–trust me!

In the meantime, try to discuss these and any other issues you may be having with familial support.  If you talk to them about it, they will feel less threatened and will start encouraging you.

If you need to, enlist the aid of outside help from a bariatric professional counselor.  No matter what do not give up, you have what it takes to get thin again!

#1 Vitamin Intake

Your surgery can leave you feeling drained, and improper nutrition could be the leading cause.  Many vitamin supplements do not contain enough B-12.  It is extremely important to combat fatigue.  It also helps improve your mood and emotions.

There can be sensitive issues after patients undergo a surgical weight loss procedure, and frustration can deplete your energy.  Having plenty of B-12 will not only help you feel happy and optimistic, it will significantly increase your energy.

Over the counter multivitamins do not contain the bariatric vitamins needed for digestion and vitamin absorption.  The culprit could be that you aren’t properly digesting your nutrients.  A person usually only absorbs about five percent of chewable B-12 supplements. Get the right vitamins so you can absorb 100%!

#2 Staying Hydrated

It is very important to stay well hydrated.  This will not only help you maintain your energy, it will also improve your digestion and increase your ability to absorb nutrients.  It is very important to drink plenty of water.  Drinking enough water will combat hunger and make you feel full.  This will help you to adjust to the reduced calories in your diet.

Do not drink beverages that are carbonated or that contain caffeine.  The carbonation can upset your stomach. The caffeine will act as a diuretic, interfering with your vitamin absorption.

Also stay away from drinks with alcohol.  They are loaded with unnecessary calories and empty carbohydrates, which will make it more difficult to lose weight.  Avoiding these and drinking plenty of water will make you lose weight more quickly. Being well hydrated will help you preserve energy.

# 3 Exercise Regularly

This is by far the most difficult for most of us, but it is also possibly the most important.  Exercise will help you tone up and drop pounds much faster, and will increase your stamina.  Every time you exercise it gets a little easier, and it will improve your digestive health.  It will also strengthen your circulatory system, increasing your oxygen levels and helping to increase natural energy-producing adrenaline.

It may be challenging at first to get used to a new fitness routine.  It can be exhausting at first, but regularity will help build endurance and stamina. Also, consuming bariatric vitamins with enough B-12 you will make your efforts easier.

Walking, biking and yoga are generally appropriate exercises for gastric bypass patients.  Be sure to consult your doctor as to what type of fitness plan is best for you.

It takes diligent efforts to rewire your appetite, and the process can be exhausting and frustrating.  Do not be disheartened, however.  There are a few things you can do to get the most out of your procedure.

#1  Ensure that your body gets the proper nutrients!

After your procedure, your doctor will tell you how important it is to take vitamin supplements to expedite your recovery.  Do not simply take any multi-vitamin, however, and expect it to be effective.  If your body is lacking the proper nutrients, you will feel hungry even if you aren’t.

There are dietary supplements designed to help you after bariatric surgery and that are highly preferable to standard vitamins.  Avoid anything with artificial colors and flavors, ingredients like talc, and especially anything that contains unnecessary sugars or transaturated fats.  These will conflict with your efforts, and maintaining proper nutrition after your surgery is absolutely imperative to success.

#2  Plan your meals.

Try to abstain from carbohydrates that offer no nutritional value.  Prepackaged and processed foods, even when they appear to offer a healthy, balanced diet, are full of hidden ingredients like sugars, fats and chemicals that will wage war on your efforts to lose weight!

There are many very good recipes created by dieticians that are healthy, delicious, and were developed specifically for individuals who have undergone surgical procedures to help them lose weight.

#3  Exercise your right to a leaner, healthier you.

Exercise is really the most important, and often most neglected, aspect of any weight loss plan.  Not only will it help you shed pounds, it also helps your body heal faster from surgery and increases energy and stamina.

Also, be sure to get plenty of rest.  Proper sleep is as important to your health as exercise.  If you have difficulty sleeping or suffer insomnia after weight loss surgery, be sure to notify your physician.

#4  I’ll take water, please.

An average adult requires 8, eight ounce glasses a day to remain properly hydrated.  For gastric bypass patients, this is absolutely mandatory!  It will keep your body healthy and will aid your digestive processes.

Also, abstain from carbonated beverages and drinks that contain alcohol.  They will dehydrate you and add hundreds of empty calories to your diet, making it difficult to lose weight.

#5  A healthy mind will lead to a healthy body!

Stay optimistic!  If you maintain a positive attitude, you are sure to succeed.  Your transformation may not happen immediately, but if you are persistent you will change your life.

Emotional issues can be a struggle for many individuals after gastric bypass surgery, and there are support centers and counselors that can assist you and your family members as you adjust to the changes in your lifestyle.

Also, vitamin B-12 can help improve your mood, so when in doubt, be sure to remember your bariatric vitamins!