Lifestyle Changes after Weight Loss Surgery
People living in Tampa, FL who are severely overweight or obese can have weight loss surgery, like Lap Band surgery, which constricts the stomach and reduces the amount of food that you can eat. While weight loss surgery is an important part of the process, patients need to make lifestyle changes to achieve maximum results.
- Consult with a nutritionist – After bariatric surgery, dietary restrictions must be adhered to closely. Obtaining advice from a nutritionist is helpful in developing a healthy meal plan that’s in line with post-surgery dietary restrictions.
- Prevent ulcers – An ulcer may develop after weight loss surgery if you are taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, like Advil, Motrin, or Celebrex, for pain. Because acids may build up as a result of bariatric surgery, ulcers may be more challenging to treat.
- Change medicine forms – Because bariatric surgery can impact the absorption of medicine in the body, required medications will need to be taken in powder or liquid form.
- Adjust eating habits – Meals now must be eaten slowly in small bites. Foods must be chewed completely and only very small portions can be consumed at a time. Bariatric patients are advised to allow three minutes between each bite of food.
- Adjust drinking habits – Instead of taking sips of a beverage throughout a meal, bariatric patients must wait until the end of a meal to take a drink – or else vomiting may occur.
- Adjust snacking habits – Lap Band surgery will limit a person’s ability to snack between meals because the stomach will now only hold a small amount of food at a time.
- Discuss pregnancy goals with physician – Because both bariatric surgery and pregnancy place a great deal of stress on a woman’s body, women who want to have weight loss surgery and get pregnant need to discuss these goals with their physician. Experts recommend that women of child bearing age follow birth control for two years post bariatric surgery.
