Sterling Surgicare Bariatric Center

Five Ways Your Life Will Change After Weight Loss Surgery

April 10, 2017 by Ayotunde Adeyeri

After undergoing bariatric surgery, most patients 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.’ 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 online support group here on ObesityHelp.com or a live support group, 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 and our support group meetings at Sterling Surgicare often exceeds 40 participants.

• 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 bariatric 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 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?

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.