Many people who are significantly overweight or obese undergo weight loss surgery in order to help them lose excess weight and reclaim a healthy body. However, many people find it difficult to keep the weight off in the years after their surgery, with some heading back for further revisional surgery. We’ve put together our five top tips to help aid weight loss post bariatric surgery.
1. Exercise
It’s hugely important not to overdo it after bariatric surgery, and your dietician should give you some small exercises to do at home, as well as letting you know when it’s safe to do so. It’s vital that you follow these in order to aid you on your weight loss journey. We’d advise starting with low-intensity exercises, such as walking to the local shop or around the block. As your strength increases, you can begin to upsurge the length, pace and frequency of your exercise walks.
Whilst it’s important to be remain cautious about the exercises you are taking part in, good habits will develop immediately after surgery.
2. Stick to your Diet
Post bariatric surgery, your dietician will supply you with a post-op diet. It’s extremely important for you to follow this, particularly as your calorie intake will be severely limited for the first few weeks. Even once you feel like you again, it’s vital you don’t overindulge. We’ve put together our top foods for you to avoid to keep your stomach happy, and the weight off!
Liquid Calories- i.e. alcohol, fizzy drinks, energy drinks and milkshakes. These drinks provide no nutritional value at all, but also contain high calorie numbers and therefore can slow your weight loss progress.
Sugar- anyone who is on a weight loss journey knows to avoid sugar at all costs, as it can cause hunger pangs and make blood sugar rise, not to mention restricting weight loss! For some bariatric patients, excess sugar can lead to dumping syndrome.
Snacks- cut the snacking habit as soon as you can! Most snacks tend to consist of processed foods and poor portion control. We’d advise sticking to healthy meals from your post op diet plan, instead.
3. Stay Hydrated
Post bariatric surgery, it’s important for you to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Water helps you to feel energised, and it will also help to prevent mistaking hunger for thirst. When looking for a weight loss aid, water is really helpful. Not only is it calorie and fat free, but it also helps you to burn more calories and can suppress appetites.
4. Chew, Chew, Chew
Help to prevent any post-surgery nausea and vomiting by thoroughly chewing your food. Large bits of food can have an extremely hard time passing through the digestive tract after bariatric surgery, which can result in pain, particularly if it gets stuck along the way! Not only this, but taking the time to chew your food into smaller particles helps to reduce stress on the oesophagus, which in turn helps the stomach to metabolise food.
Chewing every mouthful of food in the correct way means you will release a lot more saliva. Saliva contains digestive enzymes which helps to break down food.
5. Stay Positive!
Stay positive and find a great support network in order to remain disciplined and motivated throughout your weight loss journey. Whether you choose to confide in your family and friends or join a local group, the more people who will hold you accountable, the less likely it is that you’ll revert to unhealthy eating habits. Keep yourself busy and you’ll soon find food is the last thing on your mind!
Have you undergone bariatric surgery and are having issues losing weight? Or perhaps you are interested in one of our bariatric surgeries? To find out more information, get in touch with a member of our friendly team by visiting our contact page or by giving us a call on 0808 1280 022.
*Disclaimer: Please note that weight loss surgery results and benefits are unique to each individual and in such The Bariatric Group cannot guarantee specific weight loss goals as results for each surgery can vary. If you have any questions or would like to know more about weight loss surgery please contact our expert team.
