How to prevent weight gain years after Weight Loss Surgery
A Weight Loss Surgery is considered a ‘success’ when patients lose 50% or more of their excess body weight and maintain that level for at least five years. Successful results are determined as well by their improvement in quality of life and measured in terms of big changes in health conditions or renewed ability to enjoy and participate in life more fully and happily. Some patients however do not achieve the success they want or deserve long term and sometimes gain their weight back years after surgery. Here is some information to help you prevent weight gain years after your weight loss surgery.
It is important to mention that right after Weight Loss Surgery, most patients are able to lose weight initially due to the mechanics of the procedure even without following fully all the changes they should make as instructed by their surgeon. Obviously, as time goes by, active weight loss will slow and the patient’s body will adjust to the portion sizes which would be larger than they were in the early months after surgery. As such, as the body begins a maintenance phase, patients must keep on living with a healthy diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes; otherwise, their weight loss success may not last.
Gaining the weight back years after Weight Loss Surgery is one of the greatest fears patients have and for some, it is a reality if they make the wrong decisions. However, when a patient has lost a large amount of weight, a regain of few pounds after a length of time is relatively normal. The patient typically will start to tolerate a wider variety of foods and begin to eat a little more than right after surgery and some may even forget to exercise or exercise less than when they were in their weight loss mode. As such, weight loss obviously slows down and plateaus before starting to climb, so the patient should use this as a warning sign to make changes before the weight starts creeping back on.
It is important that the patient understands how this procedure works and what their roles are in their new slim life. So, if the patient gains a pound, they should remember how many pounds they have lost, be strong and return to their healthy diet and physical activity. They should attach at the moment the weight gain and lose what came on to avoid a larger amount of weight regain down the road.
The following are some of the main aspects patients must remember to prevent weight gain years after their bariatric surgery:
- Rethink your relationship with food
- Recreate your eating habits from your weight loss phase
- Track protein intake, having at least 60 to 80 grams a day
- Avoid foods with more than 15 grams of sugar per serving
- Choose foods low in fat
- Eat lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy
- Separate eating and drinking by 30 minutes
- Choose healthy snacks
- Avoid sugar and junk food: milkshakes, high-calorie drinks, cakes, pastries, fried foods, soft drinks, candies, etc.
- Eat slow and small portions
- Avoid stress and strengthen your mental health
- Prioritize physical activity being physically active most days of the week
- Take suggested multivitamins and mineral supplements on a daily basis
- Do not give up
Dr. Juan F. Hidalgo, Bariatric Surgeon at Weight Loss Team in Puerto Vallarta suggests that “Long term success involves a lifestyle change with a strict alteration to the patient’s diet and daily routines for life”. This is the true key to long-term success. In other words, don’t let your guard down and put down the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. As with any challenge in life, the path to reach and maintain your weight loss goal won’t be easy, but it is doable. You just need to make the effort to succeed and you will.
For more information regarding Clinics/ Hospitals and Weight Loss Options mentioned in this article:
Weight Loss Team – Bariatric Surgical Center at the CMQ Riviera Nayarit Hospital
Website: www.weightlossteam.com/
Email: info@weightlossteam.com
Telephone: Toll free 1(800) 404-9064 or + 1(818) 949-6911
