wendy_fou
The following is a list of things I think are real MUSTS for RNY post-ops who want to:
a) lose all the weight they want/need to lose
b) maintain that loss FOREVER.
Argue with me if you want to OR add to the list if you want to. I'm just compiling information
and putting it out there because I agree with it.
Tips for Successful Weight LOSS and MAINTAINANCE for post-op RNYers
1. Attend all your follow-up appointments with your surgeon. Post-op Time:
Excess Weight Loss for RNYers attending support group meetings regularly Excess Weight Loss for RNYers NOT attending support group meetings regularly 2 weeks 10.5% 11.3% 6 weeks 21.4% 21.8% 3 months 30.9% 31.8% 6 months 45.4% 41.3% 9 months 53.6% 45.2% 12 months 55.5% 47.1%
Your relationship with your RNY surgeon should be a life-long relationship. Follow-up is not just for lab work-ups and/or to pad your surgeon’s pocket.
Research has shown that patients who continue long-term follow-up care
with their surgeon maintain substantially more of their weight loss than those that do
not. Differences in maintained weight loss become evident around 3 – 4 years.
See below:
Source: http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(07)00570-9/abstract
Post-ops Attending Every Scheduled Post-op Appointment (even 3 - 4 years out)
Post-ops Attending Only the 1st Year's Post-op Appointments Before Being Lost to Follow-up
Post-ops Who Were Lost to Follow-up During 1st Post-op Year
Excess Weight Loss at 1 Year Post-op
70%
65%
not stated
Excess Weight Loss at 3-4 Years Post-op
74%
61%
56%
2. Attend support group meetings regularly.
Regular attendance to monthly support group meetings produces MULTIPLE benefits: emotional support, practical advice/tips, continuing education and fellowship.
But it also produces physical benefits as well.
Research has shown that regular attendance (>5 per year) to support group meetings has been linked to increased weight loss after RNY. The difference in weight lost between post-ops attending or not attending support group meetings is seen after
the initial 6 months post-op. In addition, research has shown that an increase in the frequency of support group attendance has been shown to increase weight loss.
See below:
Source: http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(07)00087-1/abstract
http://www.soard.org/medline/record/MDLN.9819086
3. Exercise regularly.
Regular exercise has many mental, emotional and physical benefits. Not surprisingly, it is imperative to incorporate exercise into your life to increase your
chances of getting to goal and staying there.
In fact, research has shown that 75% of patients who incorporate exercise
into their life GET to their goal and STAY THERE. Research also shows that the
majority of patients who regain are consuming too high-calorie foods and beverages
and don’t exercise enough.
Source: OH Magazine March-April 2008
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastric-bypass-diet/WT00007
4. Measure your meals (by volume). Do not just eat until you are “full”.
It is unreasonable to expect an individual who has overeaten, in most cases,
for years to:
1) identify a proper portion size for a “normal” person, much less a new post-op portion size
2) know what “full” feels like, especially as a new post-op.
Research has shown that post-ops who measure their meals have a much
higher success rate than those that eat until “full”. If you are eating until you feel "full",
you have eaten enough food to fill your pouch to capacity. The problem with this is
that, over time, it will take more and more to give you that "full" feeling. This will lead
to regain long-term and inadequate short-term weight loss in some cases.
Source: OH Magazine January-February 2008
5. Do not eat and drink at the same time.
There is a reason that - despite VASTLY different post-op directions given to
RNY patients regarding diet allowances, etc - 99.9% of surgeons agree that post-ops should not eat and drink at the same time. Drinking with your meals can cause a
wide range of issues, some directly affecting your health and weight loss chances.
Drinking with your meals can:
a) lead to dumping, even in individuals not prone to dumping since the food is washed
out of the pouch sooner than it should be
b) lead to malnutrition since a pouch that contains liquid in addition to solids can hold LESS solids (therefore less nutrient rich foods)
c) lead to inadequate satisfaction following a meal (since the food is almost immediately "washed out", leaving the pouch empty of protein rich foods that are most satisfying
d) stretch the stoma (since food needs time to slowly leave the pouch - it does not
need to be pushed through the stoma by ingesting liquids too soon after meal).
Edited to add:
Okay, I don't have time (and don't foresee enough time in the near future to finish typing all this. So I will just type the main tips without all the explainations to save time. I will copy this to my blog & update it bits at a time when I have the time. (Sorry.)
6. Avoid carbonated beverages.
7. Journal all food and liquids consumed daily, as well as exercise completed.
8. Weigh yourself regularly (bi-weekly?).
9. Do not deprive your body of adequate amounts of sleep, food or drink. Lack of adequate amounts of ANY of these can lead to weight gain. (This includes waiting too long to eat/drink.)
10. Avoid high calorie and/or high fat foods in excess.
