How To Maintain A Healthy Weight After Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is a huge step in helping a patient meet their weight loss goals, but it’s not going to do all the work for you. The operation is a step in the right direction, but you need to follow through on a number of different lifestyle changes if you really want to continue losing weight or maintain a healthy weight following weight loss surgery. In today’s blog, we share some tips for how you can maintain an ideal weight following bariatric surgery.

Avoiding Weight Gain After Weight Loss Surgery

Although advice will be a little more individualized based on the specific type of bariatric surgery you pursue, in general, you’ll find success with maintaining your weight or continuing to lose weight after bariatric surgery if you pursue these tips.

• Adjust Your Eating Habits – Just because your stomach was made smaller through surgery, it doesn’t mean you can continue to eat whatever foods you like. If junk food continues to make up the bulk of your diet, you’re going to continue to gain weight in spite of your operation. You need to strive to choose healthier options at meal time. You may have the benefit of feeling fuller faster, so smaller portions or eating more slowly can also help avoid excess calorie intake. Know that you’re going to have to alter your eating habits if you want to see sustained success after bariatric surgery.
• More Exercise – Exercise is crucial for expediting the weight loss process, and that’s especially true for anyone who has pursued bariatric surgery to aid in their weight loss. Exercise helps you burn excess calories, can help to curb cravings, and it can keep you from snacking out of boredom. Prioritize exercise in your life after bariatric surgery, because it will be huge in helping you maintain or continue to lose weight.
• Find A Support System – It’s also important to reevaluate who you surround yourself with so that these people can contribute towards your new goals instead of helping you fall back into bad habits. We’re not saying that you need to cut off friends who always want to go out to eat or who aren’t very active, but look for ways to surround yourself with people who will make it easier to continue your weight loss progress. Coordinate regular walks with your Mom or a sibling, or join an online support group that can answer questions and challenge you to continue making healthy choices. There will be people that want you to hit your weight loss goals, and believe it or not, there will be people who would rather see you fail because of their own insecurities. Surround yourself with people who will help you succeed in your weight loss journey.
• Consistently Update Your Goals – Many people find it helpful to set both short- and long-term goals when it comes to their weight loss. You may want to be a certain weight by Christmas, and that’s great, but don’t just have one target number that you hope to eventually reach. Be sure to set plenty of short-term goals that will make it easier for you to reach that end goal. Set goals like “exercise for at least 30 minutes, four times this week,” or “only eat fruits or vegetables for snacks this week.” When you hit those goals, challenge yourself to push it even further the next week. Exercise for at least 40 minutes, four times a week, or just snack on vegetables this week. Use short-term goals to fuel long-term weight loss success.
• Celebrate Your Success – Finally, don’t be afraid to celebrate the success you’ve had along the way. It shouldn’t just be about whether or not you hit a certain weight by a certain time. If you’re down 30 pounds in the last three months, that’s awesome! Don’t just focus on where you want to be, recognize all the hard work you’ve put in and how far you come. Taking time to appreciate your success will help make it easier to continue to progress to your end goal. 

If you want help maintaining or continuing to lose weight after bariatric surgery, or you have questions about how we can help with your weight, reach out to the team at the Bhatti Weight Loss Center today.