We All Have Bad Days
The weight loss journey after bariatric surgery is an ongoing process—a process that will last the rest of your life. Losing weight and keeping it off is not easy, especially after the rapid weight loss immediately after surgery begins to taper off. Becoming obese takes many years, often decades, and reversing the problem requires difficult decisions and a great deal of dedication. Not the least of these hurdles is our own mind. So much of our success relies on our willingness and ability to implement the lifestyle changes that will make us happier and healthier. And like everything else we do, we sometimes make mistakes and trip up.
Getting Sufficient Protein in Your Diet
One of the most difficult dietary changes to make, post bariatric surgery, is getting enough protein. Protein is critical to healing during recovery after surgery. In fact you will be started on a protein supplemented liquid diet soon after you leave the hospital. Protein is also an essential part of weight loss and building muscle over the longer-term. In fact, consuming enough of protein and forgoing simple carbohydrates such as refined sugars can keep you fuller, longer and help you lose weight more easily.
Ghrelin, the Hunger Hormone:
Very few people will know what you’re talking about when you mention ghrelin, but as we learn more about this hunger hormone and its effect on our weight, it has become an ever more important part of weight loss research.
Ghrelin is produced in the fundus, a small gland located toward the top of the stomach pouch. When a person feels hunger, it is, at least in part due to this gland secreting ghrelin. The ghrelin sends hunger signals to the brain, prompting us to consume food. Once the body has received what it believes to be the appropriate amount of food, our hunger disappears.
Body Mass Index Considerations
The Body Mass Index, or BMI, has become the standard by which obesity and overweight is judged. Diets and exercise websites of all kinds use a BMI calculator to help their visitors understand if they have a problem with their weight. Even the FDA and bariatric surgeons use the BMI calculation as an estimation of a person’s surgical eligibility. It is important to remember however, that the BMI number is just a guide and it should not be taken as the final say on whether a person is suitable for weight loss surgery. In fact, the preoperative process to qualify someone for weight loss surgery is much deeper than just entering weight and height into a calculator.
Consuming Caffeine after Weight Loss Surgery
A common question asked of us by post bariatric surgery patients is whether or not it is appropriate to consume caffeinated foods and drinks after surgery. The short answer is yes, but with a big asterisk. While caffeine itself, in significant quantities, can cause mood changes even dangerous physical changes in the body, the average person does not consume enough caffeine for that to be the case. Rather, the foods and drinks that contain caffeine are often diet-busters.
Supplementation after Weight Loss Surgery
Every weight loss surgery patient will have to supplement their diet after surgery. It stands to reason that a patient whose caloric intake has been significantly restricted will be more prone to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies than a person with no restrictions whatsoever. Further, many patients, believe (wrongly) that starving themselves will make them to lose weight faster – in fact the body is losing muscle mass and water weight and this unhealthy weight loss may lead to the possibility of more severe deficiencies and even significant injury.
Dumping Syndrome
Dumping syndrome will be a common topic of discussion for anyone who has undergone gastric bypass. While not life-threatening, it can be a very uncomfortable side-effect that is a result of consuming too much fat or sugar, especially after gastric bypass surgery. When these foods are consumed, they pass through the stomach and into the intestinal system very quickly – largely undigested. The result is a sugar spike that causes the body to release additional insulin that in turn causes a low sugar (hypoglycemia) reaction shortly afterwards. Drinking water with meals rather than between meals can also cause dumping syndrome as the water flushes the food through the stomach too quickly causing the same problem.
How to Set Goals after Bariatric Surgery
Setting goals after bariatric surgery requires a little more thought than you may expect. We are all tempted to affix a goal weight to your surgery and while that is certainly an important and necessary aspiration, there are many considerations to be made outside of that final number alone.
First is the very important concept of interim or milestone goals. These are the goals that are not final, but mark a progress point toward your desired end result. Milestones are important because they are a reminder of how far you’ve come and allow you to celebrate progress. Without milestones, you risk becoming frustrated as the weeks and months go by. Milestones should be set with both a target weight and target time frame – both of which should be reasonable. In other words, losing 10 pounds in a week is not a sustainable nor safe goal to set. Goals should be measured and attainable.
The Changing Landscape of Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery has evolved significantly since the first procedure was performed several decades ago. As the obesity epidemic has spread in the United States, bariatric surgery has been an option for an ever greater number of people. To this point, the primary qualification criterion for bariatric surgery, According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health) guidelines has been the Body Mass Index or BMI. Those with a BMI of over 35 who also present obesity related diseases are considered candidates for any bariatric procedure. In short, bariatric surgery is for obese people.
Enjoying a Night out After Bariatric Surgery
For many patients, going out after bariatric surgery can end up being a delicate balance between enjoyment out and concern for over eating too much. The fact is that eating healthy at a restaurant or at a friend’s house is much harder than doing so at home where you have complete control over the ingredients.
Oftentimes, what seems like a healthy option can actually be loaded with extra calories fats and carbohydrates. The perfect examples are some salad or soup dishes that, while on the surface, seem like a healthy option can be rather unhealthy as a result of fatty salad dressings or high sodium broths. Even lean proteins such as grilled chicken or beef may not be as healthy as they seem if they are cooked in lots of butter or served with thick sauces.
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