Weight Loss Surgery Demands a Commitment

As the benefits of bariatric surgery become more widely known, more people are considering this weight loss alternative. While it is quite true that weight loss surgery can help people obtain and maintain a healthy weight, this type of procedure shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Weight loss surgery requires a lifelong commitment in order for people to gain the full benefits.

 Some of the most commonly performed bariatric procedures involve rather invasive surgeries that alter the body permanently. The gastric bypass, for example, shrinks the stomach’s holding capacity while also rerouting digestion to reduce caloric absorption. Sleeve gastrectomy procedures, a popular alternative to bypasses, permanently shrink the stomach’s holding capacity. The end result of both of these procedures is dramatic weight loss, but that doesn’t mean patients don’t play an important role in the process.

 In order to gain the full benefits of weight loss surgery while also maintaining health in the process, patients must be committed to:

 • Addressing food-related concerns – Counseling before and after surgery often plays a very important role in weight loss procedures. These sessions are designed not only to help patients understand what to expect after surgery, but also to prepare them to address any food-related concerns that may have contributed to obesity. Issues such as nervous eating, night eating and binge eating should all be addressed before and after surgery.
• Eating right – Since the stomach’s holding capacity is alerted in many bariatric procedures, it is necessary for people to be committed to following a smart diet after surgery. There will be a need to carefully consider the nutrition of every bite following many procedures.
• Exercise – Physical activity is an important part of the overall plan recommended after weight loss surgery. To gain the full benefits of a procedure, patients must get active and gradually increase their activity levels as healing and health status allows.

 Weight loss surgery is simply not a fix-all for obesity. Patients who walk this path will find it is a lifelong journey that demands commitment on their part. To find out more, speak with a qualified bariatric surgeon.

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