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Bariatric Surgery For Weight Loss – Tips For Post Gastric Bypass

With bariatric surgery for weight loss, many patients are required to have a psychological consultation prior to undergoing the surgery.  The goal of the consultation is to determine whether the patient is ready – mentally and emotionally in addition to physically – for all of the lifestyle changes that will be necessary for long-term success after bariatric surgery for weight loss.  Also known as the lap band surgery, with a procedure like gastric bypass, there are a number of things to know about what to expect after surgery.

Diet Changes

Diet after bariatric surgery for weight loss needs to emphasize realistic portion sizes and nutritional content. Because the stomach will be much smaller – especially in the weeks immediately following gastric bypass surgery – it will be crucial to ask your doctor exactly how much food you can consume before causing damage or risking side effects like GERD.

Although your body will still “tell” you when you are full, it may be more difficult to control your eating post-surgery if your pre-surgery eating habits had a psychological component (like a social experience, a ritual, or a coping mechanism). Making a conscious effort to enjoy your food and to eat slowly can help with this adjustment.

Also, because you will be eating less food, it is important to make sure that your diet is rich in highly nutritious foods. Choosing low-calories foods will also help to maintain the weight loss in the long term.

Finally, because your digestive system has undergone a serious surgery, you should be aware that some foods that you could eat before surgery may cause problems afterwards; tell your doctor if you experience any new allergies, pain, or general discomfort.

Exercise After Bariatric Surgery For Weight Loss

Because of a patient’s reduced caloric intake after lap band surgery, the body may automatically go into a starvation-response mode, which involves burning muscle (instead of fat). In order to avoid this complication, exercise – which recalibrates the metabolism so that the body targets fat stores instead of muscle – is advisable.

Getting into an exercise routine is also an excellent way to maintain weight loss as well as to improve physical and mental health. Although walking is often a good way to begin an exercise program after surgery, you should ask your doctor how frequently you should exercise and how intense your workouts should be in the weeks, months, and years after the procedure. Varying the types of physical activity that you choose to participate in can keep you mentally engaged in the experience as well.

Bariatric surgery for weight loss (also, known as lap band or gastric bypass surgery) is a viable option, but it’s important to understand the entire process, before and after, prior to moving forward with the procedure.

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