Success in to Weight Loss Surgery

After weight loss surgery, it is essential to make lifestyle changes to prevent the weight from coming back. Of course, it becomes easier to exercise and eat healthier once you see the positive results from the weight loss procedure. Being patient is the key to success. It may take months or even years to get to your ultimate goal.

Diet

1. Changes made to the intestines or stomach during a bariatric procedure require new eating habits to prevent complications. While you will get post-surgery requirements from your surgeon, the diet after the procedure must be followed for life in order to keep from gaining back the weight.
   
   After the weight loss surgery, you will need to eat pureed foods for approximately four weeks. Pureed foods are gentle on the stomach and are easily absorbed into the body for nutritional purposes.
   
   Once you are eating regular food, chew the food thoroughly and slowly to be sure that it is digested properly, especially meat. Since the stomach is a very small pouch, do not drink while you eat or you will become full and not finish your meal, preventing proper nutrition. Drinking during a meal may also cause vomiting, leaving you hungry in a short period of time.
   
   Stay away from high calorie foods to prevent gaining back any weight. Divide meals up into five or six small portions to accommodate your smaller stomach size, prevent hunger and keep blood sugar stable. Overeating may stretch the stomach and slow down the weight loss process.

Lifestyle

2. Exercise is important to increase the metabolism and burn off fat. Start out slow and get approval from your physician on when to begin exercising. You might start with 5 to 10 minutes of walking, and increase the time gradually to about 45 minutes a day. Exercise will help you to lose more weight and not plateau when the body gets used to eating smaller quantities of food.
   
   Those who undergo weight loss surgery often find support from those who have already had the procedure to deal with issues around weight loss, diet and emotional responses to the surgery. Most hospitals and bariatric centers have support group meetings to address short- or long-term needs.

Follow-Up Care

3. Frequent physical check-ups are needed to ensure you are getting enough nutrition, as well as important vitamins and minerals (such as B12 and iron). Testing for anemia is also recommended.
   
   Speaking with a psychologist may be helpful to deal with the emotions that caused you to gain weight in the past. Those who have been obese for a long time often have self-image issues that manifest as depression or anxiety. Weight loss may also change how people view you--and that can be scary.
   
   Some people who lose a large amount of weight decide to remove excess skin once they are done losing. Skin removal is a new process that requires evaluation, consultation and insurance approval. Most surgeons do not recommend skin removal until at least one year has passed since the surgery and the patient has gained control over proper nutrition.