Lifestyle Changes After Bariatric Procedure

A bariatric surgical procedure does not give you a passport to lead a carefree life. Meticulous planning on diet and physical activities are a need to make your surgery a success. The success we are talking depends on how positively we face the lifestyle changes and how to make important adjustments. Here are a few points that outline the lifestyle changes a person who had undergone a bariatric procedure should adopt.

Diet planning

As always said, small meals taken on lesser intervals make you crave less for food. The weight loss procedure has anyways reduced your intake and this should only compliment it. The person who has undergone the surgery would do well if their family is involved in their life journey of reducing the weight. Yes, it will be better if the family plans their meal together. It drives home a point that the entire family cares for the well-being of the patient and they are in the journey together. This measure also eliminates the probability of any high-calorie junk food being made available at home.

Diet planning – The Post-Bariatric Nutrition Plan as laid by the Surgeon

It is not the quantity of food but the quality of food that matters. Even a low quantity food can be nutritious. In the days and weeks that follow the surgical procedure, your surgeon advises you to strictly follow a diet plan. You will be advised to have a high protein; low carb diet. Also, you may have to take vitamin supplements almost for your life. Fluid intake is a very important aspect for a healthy bowel movement. Take plenty of water and hydrate yourself properly. Follow this regimen strictly to get the maximum benefit out of weight loss procedure.

Physical Activities

Any physical activity keeps your body active and burns more calories. So a patient who has undergone a bariatric procedure can start with a more moderate physical activity like walking. Ask your surgeon on when the short walks can be resumed after the surgical procedure. On a long-term develop an interest for any particular physical activity like walking, cycling, rowing, etc. A more amazing approach would be set a goal in your physical activity like preparing for a short marathon, completing a short cycling circuit competition, etc. This kind of preparation would definitely give a morale boost while boosting the metabolism of your body.

Catching Enough Sleep

Often people miss out on sleep which is very wrong. Cut down all unhealthy lifestyle practices. Go to bed early, catch enough sleep and get up early. To bring the hormonal rhythm it is better to catch up a good sleep between 10 pm and 5 am. Also, early sleeping helps avoid midnight snacking. A night of good sleep helps reduce stress and anxiety and helps to cut the chain of the vicious cycle of getting into stress and obesity.

Cut Smoking and Alcohol

You anyways need to quit smoking and alcohol before 6 weeks at least before the surgical procedure. Alcohol works against weight loss goals. Alcohol gives empty calories. 1 gm of alcohol can give 7 calories which are almost like fat. After the weight loss surgical procedure, the stomach is small and hence taking alcohol erodes the stomach and can cause ulcer and gastritis. This, in turn, can stop nutrient absorption. Since it goes directly into the small intestine, the same is absorbed by the system immediately. They can get high much faster. Since it goes directly into the enterohepatic circulation, the brunt of alcohol is on the liver and is prone to cirrhosis easily. Smoking can individually cause gastritis and ulcer. Both are evil that they would drag you into the unhealthy world. So take measures to completely quit smoking and drinking.

The good thing about the bariatric procedure is it reduces the craving for alcohol and smoking which the patient has to capitalize to quit these 2 evils. Good Example is Diego Maradona who underwent an obesity surgical procedure to come out of cocaine addiction.