One of the biggest concerns for patients who get bariatric surgery is how to maintain the weight loss. Most bariatric surgeries such as a sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass have an initial weight loss of 60-80%, but then after that patients need to find ways to maintain their results. We have put together a few things that you can do to help maintain your results.
Healthy Habits
About three months post-op, your body will start to get used to the new stomach and will start adapting. This means that the way you eat will become the way you eat for the rest of your life. By learning to eat correctly and having foods with nutritional value will be a big step in maintaining your results. One of the main types of disordered eating that leads to obesity is binge eating. This is when you eat way past being full and in huge quantities. Though it is difficult to binge eat after surgery, eating beyond fullness will eventually have the same effect. If eating too much has always been a struggle for you, learning to adapt to smaller portion sizes is extremely important, especially with a smaller stomach. It is extremely important not to graze as grazing is known to lead to weight regain.
It is also important to eat food that is good for you. Some of the main tips for keeping your weight loss results are:
- Avoiding Foods High in Sugar
- Avoid Foods High in Fat
- Avoid Snacking
- Avoid Soda
- Drink Plenty of Water
- Eat Good Protein (Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs, Lean Meats)
- Eat Slowly
Most of these tips are self-explanatory. But learning to eat slowly and chew well are essential to maintaining weight loss. Not only does this help your food to break down so it doesn’t cause discomfort, eating slowly leads you to feel fuller quicker than eating fast. This helps make sure you don’t overeat. Managing your water drinking habits is also important. Stop drinking water at least 30 minutes before your meals and wait thirty minutes after. This helps your stomach to not over-fill, keeps food from flushing out quickly, and helps you feel fuller for longer.
Other Guidelines
As with any healthy lifestyle, exercise is crucial. You do not have to do major high-intensity cardio to be healthy. Doing small things such as taking daily walks helps you to get regular exercise that is important for your heart health and for maintaining your results. Along with exercising, Dr. Balsama may recommend that you take regular vitamins and supplements to ensure that you are getting proper nutrients
Talk with Dr. Balsama
Getting weight loss surgery is a very exciting time for many people. It helps them kickstart a way to a healthier lifestyle and getting their ideal body. In order to maintain your results, you need to improve certain habits. You don’t have to do this alone. Dr. Balsama will work with you to help you know what foods to eat, how to eat, as well as what vitamins and supplements to take. He will help you on your journey so you can continue to feel and look amazing long after your weight loss surgery.
