It is a big deal building up to bariatric surgery, preparing for it and making sure it truly is the right decision for you (if you are looking for help with this, more can be found in our recent blog here). However, what a lot of people forget to focus on is after surgery. Once you’ve had your operation, the hard work doesn’t end there. You need to recover and maintain your weight in the long term. Where you have had a
If you are finding yourself in this stage, here’s what some of our healthier weight ambassadors want to say to help you out…
Vicky
“Take time off work to recover properly”
It’s important you don’t rush your recovery time. As frustrating as it can be, our body needs time to heal properly. If your body is put under too much stress too soon then it can prolong your long-term recovery period. Therefore, we recommend taking time before starting work after bariatric surgery as well as prioritising listening to your body until you feel 100% comfortable going back to everyday activities.
“Write a meal plan”
Writing a meal plan is known to help you out with your portion control, which may be a struggle with your new journey. This is because, when recovering and maintaining, you can easily lose sight of your expectations versus reality. Therefore, by measuring and planning your food you can stick to a fixed routine that aligns with your goals.
Emma
“Take your time, your journey is a marathon, not a sprint”
When facing all the stages after your weight loss surgery, it is vital you remember that this is your new life, not just a temporary diet. For this reason, you aren’t going to lose weight immediately, it is a long-term solution to help you live the healthier and happier life that you deserve. Therefore, be patient with yourself and make the small changes that are required to see a big difference.
“Don’t compare yourself to others”
We all know it is easier said than done to focus on your own journey and not compare yourself to others. However, for long-term success and true happiness, try your best to remember that everyone’s journey is different. Comparing yourself to other people isn’t going to improve your own journey, it will only get in the way. Finally, studies have shown that comparison leads to unhappiness and low self-esteem, which will only limit your success.
Melissa
“Have someone there to help with day-to-day tasks”
One of Melissa’s top tips is to have someone around you to help you out with day-to-day tasks or any strenuous activities. This is because your body may struggle whilst recovering to do the same as it did before. Therefore, it’s always helpful to have someone there to give a helping hand if you can.
“Don’t make plans, take every day as it is”
When you’re recovering from your bariatric surgery, your mental barriers and emotions can be a rollercoaster. Therefore, Melissa suggests treating every day as it comes. Don’t add any extra pressure on yourself to socialise or plan activities if you don’t feel up to it.
“Don’t increase your portions sizes”
When you have fully recovered and are comfortably living your new lifestyle, still stick to the practical solutions that helped you in recovery. An example of this is using side plates to eat your meals. This ensures that you won’t begin to overeat or increase your portion sizes when it isn’t necessary. These small tips and tricks helped you to begin with and they can continue to help you maintain your weight once you’re healthy.
James
“Stay focused on your goal”
When it comes to maintenance and recovery, both can have their struggles. However, James recommends trying your best to remember your goals and look at the bigger picture when it comes to these things. As Melissa mentioned, a lot of this journey can be a mental and emotional rollercoaster. Therefore it’s important to try and keep your intentions at the centre of your mind. This can be done with simple tasks such as writing yourself prompts or taking the time to see how far you’ve come when trying to maintain your weight, as a simple reminder of what you can achieve.
Sherriden
“Listen to your body”
Sherriden highly recommends listening to your body, especially within the first few weeks. If you are tired or in pain, then you need to rest and give yourself time to recover. When you listen to your body and acknowledge how you feel, you can clearly evaluate how well you are recovering alongside how you feel in general which is always crucial for a better and healthier lifestyle.
“Have a little bit of everything”
That’s right, for maintaining, Sherriden recommends you have everything you want… in controlled potions. If you limit yourself too much, it is more likely you will give in to those mental wants that are associated with your previous lifestyle. Therefore, remembering that this is a permanent solution you need to work with, can allow you to live a realistic life that works with your needs and wants that will achieve sustainable results.
Kelly
“Stay hydrated”
One main principle that is important to follow for recovery is drinking two litres a day. This is vital to keep your cells, hair and skin hydrated to help eliminate any waste. Kelly recommends setting alarms to remind you to sip your water and ensure you are staying hydrated throughout this time.
“Keep healthy snacks around”
As the saying goes… out of sight out of mind. When you know there aren’t any ‘unhealthy’ snacks around you, you are going to be a lot less likely to want them. Although the temptation may still be there, the effort to get those unhealthy snacks is a lot more. An example of some healthy snacks you can have include:
– Almonds
– Babybels
– Yoghurt and berries
– Apple slices
“Follow people that inspire you”
Today, there is a lot of content that goes out online (like this blog!) This content can be both positive and negative depending on how you use it. Your social media can be filled with whatever you tailor it to, with that being said, Kelly recommends you all choose to follow platforms that you know will inspire you! This can be from different fitness or cooking channels or keep it simple with people whom you can relate to, that you know will help you with your journey in a positive way, helping you maintain that healthy weight you’ve always wanted.
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Reading Time: 2 minutes Bariatric surgery is a life-changing step towards achieving a healthier body and a healthier lifestyle. Whilst it does offer a physical transformation, it’s crucial to
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