Posts belonging to Category 'Weight Loss Surgery'

If you want to increase your success after weight loss surgery, there are several things that you can do. Recovery is a slow process and can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months. In order to get the most out of your weight loss surgery, you’ll need to follow a strict diet and bariatric supplements regimen. 

Recovery Strategies after Weight Loss Surgery 

In order to support your weight loss surgery, you need to make different, healthier choices. Instead of eating fast food and snacking on sugary junk food, you will have to nourish your body in other ways. 

You will have to think about what you eat and plan your meals carefully. It helps to try and cut out the non-essentials that are damaging to your health, like caffeine and nicotine. 

It’s Not Easy for Anybody 

Change is difficult for us all–especially major dietary change. It’s not uncommon to struggle and backslide. If you want to hold onto the benefits of gastric bypass, you need to have a plan. 

The first step is shopping smart. You need to have healthy and nourishing foods in your home so that you can create the right kind of meals. Your meals should be made with whole food ingredients with little to no processed food. Avoid additives and processed preservatives. Make your food as nourishing as possible 

Bariatric Vitamins after Weight Loss Surgery 

The second step is to give your body the right nourishment through vitamins. Vitamins are an essential part to recovery after weight loss surgery. Your body needs specific nutrients to repair itself. For this reason, you should seek out bariatric vitamins. 

Bariatric vitamins are designed to assist gastric bypass patients with the nutrition necessary to maintain results and rebuild a healthy immune system. Bariatric vitamins should easily dissolve and contain no additives and preservatives. These support you body and assist with healing. 

If you find yourself having a moment of weakness there are support groups available after weight loss surgery. Just search on the Internet to find a group in your area. Your doctor may also be able to suggest resources that will help support you in your new life. 

Although the changes are many, the rewards are worth it. Slow and steady progress are the keystones to long lasting success.

Weight loss surgery, be it roux-en-y, gastric bypass, or lap band, can be a great help to your health and well-being. Having the support of your family makes the success even sweeter. In talking with WLS patients we sometimes see that family members become very anxious and can even fight your success.

Staying Strong and Losing Weight Post Gastric Bypass

We have heard of couples who cannot agree with each other and object to their spouse having surgery because they like them just the way they are. People that have WLS are generally unhealthy because of their weight and staying that way is not a good or healthy idea.

Health benefits are associated with weight loss for the obese person. Staying overweight to please your spouse is simply not an option–especially when your health is at stake! Even if surgery is not your choice for how to lose weight, you must be diligent and follow through with losing the extra pounds. Staying strong and on track against adversity will work in your favor in the long run.

Educate Your Family about the Benefits of WLS

Although weight loss surgery is not for everyone the benefits can be significant for most that have the surgery. Your family needs to be educated about bariatric surgery and what those benefits are.

• Diabetics can often reduce or eliminate their diabetes medications. Blood sugar glucose levels often return to normal or nearly normal.
• Hypertension is often a problem with overweight people. Many people lower their blood pressure as they lose weight. Many patients are able to eliminate or reduce their dosage of blood pressure medication within a few months.
• High cholesterol or hyperlipidemia gets better in many bariatric patients.
• Sleep apnea is a common problem with the overweight population. Significant weight loss can cure this.

Include Your Family at Your Physician Visits

Whether you are contemplating weight loss surgery or you have already had it, don’t be shy about having your spouse and family come along on your doctor visit. Let them get their questions answered “straight from the horse’s mouth”. Involving them in the details and benefits is a great way to gain support.

Ask for Your Family’s Help

Sometimes it just takes asking for help to get it. If some of your family is doubtful about what they can do, asking them if they will help might get them more enthusiastic. They can help by encouraging your intake of healthy foods. Having them remind you to take your bariatric vitamins can help.  So can any way to include them in your daily bariatric routine.

Encourage your family to join you on your healthy journey. Everyone can benefit by eating nutritious foods and exercising. It’s more fun too – doing things as a group or with a partner could be just the encouragement you need to meet your goals.

Bariatric surgery is a life changing experience. Your loss of weight may go quickly but your emotions just might be in turmoil with all the physical and mental changes. Your previous life may have included low self-esteem and low self-confidence.

Body Image Issues

You may have a rather negative image of your body. The good news is that with your life after bariatric surgery this is something that you can overcome. Body image is psychological in nature and may have been influenced by your peers and family. Changing how you’ve thought of yourself for years can be done and your loss of weight is a great incentive.

Take the time to do something nice for yourself. Your body is changing and deserves some pampering. Try some of these ideas to show yourself some love.

1. Schedule monthly massages for yourself.
2. Get a manicure and/or pedicure.
3. Buy some new lotions with a soothing aroma. Use them frequently to feel and smell good.
4. Give yourself a facial. There are some great items you probably have in your kitchen to use. Egg whites smoothed on your face and rinsed when dry is a great one.
5. Take a long hot bath by candlelight.
6. Get a new haircut. Go out on a limb and try something totally different.
7. Give someone a hug or tell someone you need a hug.
8. Make a top ten list of what is great about you.
9. Do something by yourself like going to a movie or out to lunch. You may surprise yourself about how much fun you can have.
10. Celebrate your journey. While you are losing weight and still not at your goal weight always remember that your journey is now and needs to be treasured.

If you notice yourself having thoughts of negativity about yourself pinpoint those moments. Think about what situation triggered it. Sometimes it helps to hear another person’s take on the situation. You may have misinterpreted what was really meant. Your friends and family can help you see that you are a great and beautiful person.

You may be struggling with your body changes but you have a right to feel good about yourself. Your emotions will catch up with your new body. Soon you will be on track to enjoy the rest of your life feeling healthy and confident.

Every bariatric surgeon, or at least his or her team, does their best to prepare gastric bypass patients for the physical issues that pop up after weight loss surgery.  Only a few of them tend to the emotional side of things; even those that do, rarely take into account what is known as the “weight loss identity crisis”. 

Post-Bariatric Identity Crisis–What Is It? 

The “new you” effect of weight loss surgery is at the top of the “what I love about WLS” list for most of us.  The flip side of the new you is that sometimes, your identity can seem a little nebulous or confusing. 

Whether we like it or not, we take a lot of our self-image and identity from the way we look.  This is only natural–in part because the way we look affects how other people respond to us, and that affects how we respond to ourselves. 

So when our outer self starts to change dramatically or rapidly, it can be hard for our inner selves to keep up with the change.  Nobody can hold it against you if you have a minor identity crisis.  After all, bariatric surgery is all about changing your life, and it can certainly feel like you’re walking around in someone else’s body. 

How Can I Moderate My Sense of Self after Weight Loss Surgery? 

What can you do about this?  Most people’s first choice is a bariatric support group.  You can use Google to find one in your area.  If there is none in your area, you can always join an online bariatric forum group. 

A good support network like this will help you keep your confidence.  Once you hear from other people who have gone through the same thing–and come out ahead–you’ll have a much easier time dealing with any temporary identity crisis.  Not only will you feel more confident knowing you’re not alone, but you’re likely to pick up some good coping mechanisms as well.