Five Ways Your Life Will Change After Weight Loss Surgery

[Dr. Adeyeri 272]

After bariatric surgery, many people begin losing weight at a rapid pace. Whether you have the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or change your lap band to another bariatric solution, your body is going to change inside and out.

I’ve outlined some of the most important improvements you are going to experience during the transition to a healthy weight and lifestyle:

Food will not rule your life

Once obesity sets in, life is about food, first and foremost. But after bariatric surgery, you’ll see that food isn’t really your ‘best friend’ anymore; it just keeps you alive, nothing more. Get ready to say goodbye to the constant worry about your next snack, next meal or which drive-through you’re going to visit.

Going forward, you will learn that food gives your mind and body fuel to perform at its highest level possible. Food is not a crutch or a protector from the challenges of daily life.

You’re going to feel so much better

Preparation is the number one key to weight loss success. Before surgery, you’ll work with our Bariatric Navigator to start the process of changing what you eat. Go ahead and dump the junk food, the sugar products and empty carbs now. Your body doesn’t need artificially processed foods (nor does your family). After about a week or two of excluding these foods from your diet, you’re going to feel the difference.

Read articles, blogs, magazines and books about healthy living. Prepare your body and your mind to make changes toward living a healthier lifestyle. By utilizing all of the resources from our comprehensive bariatric weight loss program, you will have many levels of support and education available to you.

You are not alone in this journey

Through your surgeon or hospital's bariatric program, you are going to meet people at all stages of the bariatric process. You will garner the tools to live a healthier life and learn how to meet and overcome obstacles. There is strength in numbers so seek out both live and online support groups. Sign up for a few and build relationships with people. You will be as big a help to them as they will be for yo u!

Only you can change your mindset about food, exercise and weight

The struggle against obesity is not just physical. It’s also mental and emotional. Having the courage and dedication to have weight loss surgery is a strong statement about your regard for your value and self-worth. The battle against obesity is complicated; if you feel you need psychological counseling services, we’ll be happy to provide you with recommendations based upon our patients’ feedback.

You will be amazed that you actually like to exercise

Once you are eating solid foods again, you can incorporate exercise into your routine, in most cases. Many patients enthusiastically report that weight loss surgery gave them a new chance to reap the benefits from working out.

After weight loss surgery, you call the shots about what happens next.

How will you reclaim your body, redeem your health, and start a journey toward a healthier quality of life?

Discover or re-discover activities that you enjoy—start with walking around the neighborhood; jog/walk on a treadmill while you watch your favorite TV show or play ball with your kids (they will be elated, I assure you). Have you always wanted to hike? Take a Water aerobics class? Try Yoga or Zumba? Embrace the new life you are creating for yourself. Dive in, try everything!

The battle against the disease of obesity is often in the mind. When you see the physical changes happening, your mental outlook will improve as well.

Seize that momentum and go after your goals with everything you’ve got. It’s well worth the effort.

[Soyounique 35]

I made several meal plan changes pre surgery.

I stopped drinking any soda, juices, or liquid calories... Haven't had any junk food or sweets.. But... Post surgery I have been hungry! I wasn't this hungry on my pre op liquid diet! I am 8 wks post op, I eat 3 meals of 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mostly Protein some veg.. 1 snack... Drinking has been hard only up to 50oz per day 😞 .. Not much weight loss... 16 lbs ..

Why am I so hungry?? I was led to believe the opposite.. That my appetite would be less..

Any advice?? 😧

[Andrea F 48]

I think the the preoperative work is important. We changed our meal plans and even some of the foods we were eating so that by the time we got to our pre-op diets (which were whole food) it wasn't such a big change. I also focused for months on training myself to eat and drink separately. Being and remaining physically active has been challenging at times through this process has been one thing I have struggled with. The other, which I want to work through now is the psychological aspects. I want to understand how I became obese, understand my relationship with food better and develop a healthier relationship with it.

I really love your first point.

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food will not rule your life

Prior to this I was resolved to be obese or hungry for the rest of my life. That is no way to live. Now the struggle is to eat/drink when you have no desire to, which is a whole different ballgame.

[Judymo 33]

I made the decision to stop drinking soda/caffeine during my pre-op process. I have not had caffeine since the 1st of September 2016. I have my surgery next month and I didn't want to try to stop soda cold turkey. I drink Water now and am thankful that I don't have to worry about that

[queendeborahbee 119]

I am so procrastinating stopping the coffee.

[charsarie 1]

I am also hungry feeling ALL the time but can't eat that much!!!

[Julie norton 2,850]

The best way I can explain my relationship with food after 10 years post band..... it really doesn't interest me.

Amazing coming from someone who shopped and cooked for my family daily

Now they are grown and gone..... sort of like my appetite. Shrunk and not coming back!!