Bariatric surgery helps patients lose weight, but it is merely a tool to jumpstart the process of getting to and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Success depends on making changes that last months and years after surgery. Here are five ways to avoid falling into old habits and stay on the road to weight loss success.
Stay hydrated
Dehydration is the No. 1 reason for hospital readmission after weight-loss surgery. Sip plenty of water between meals – aim to drink 48 to 64 oz. per day – to stay hydrated. With a new, smaller stomach, it can be difficult to reach this goal at first, but it’s important. Staying hydrated is a lifelong commitment after surgery and key to ensuring your new stomach heals properly. Learn four steps to stay hydrated after weight loss surgery.
Prioritize protein
Protein is a very important part to both healing and weight loss after surgery, and it’s also an integral part of maintaining muscle mass and healthy hair, skin and nails. When sitting down to a meal or snack, start with protein. While fruits, vegetables and other carbohydrates are still part of a healthy diet, the priority is always protein – shoot for 60 to 80 grams per day. See how to make protein a priority.
Practice mindful eating
Mindful eating is based on the concept of mindfulness, which emphasizes a person’s focus on the present. Mindful eating involves eating slowly without distractions, measuring portions, eating only until you are full, eating to maintain overall health, appreciating what you are eating and distinguishing between actual hunger and non-hunger triggers such as boredom. When eating, turn off the TV, take a hiatus on answering emails, put down your cell phone and focus on the meal.
Jot it down
Keeping a food journal of what and how often you are eating can help you easily identify ways to improve your diet, or make it more clear when your healthy habits are slipping. Are you grazing? Drinking enough water? Getting enough protein? Write down what you eat or drink, the time, and how you felt before and after eating to help build and maintain good habits.
Keep cheerleaders close
Fill your inner circle with supportive friends, family members and other bariatric surgery patients who encourage you to continue on the path of health and wellness. Building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is difficult, so it's important to have a support system. Penn Medicine offers several support groups for bariatrics patients in all stages of their weight-loss surgery journeys. Find a support group that’s convenient for you.