Life after Weight Loss – Changes Bariatric Patients are Faced With

Author: Dr. Timothy Ehrlich
Thanks to the many medical technology advances of the last decade, weight loss surgery has become an essential aid for many people faced with the challenges obesity raises. Having a second shot at a healthier life of a much better quality is of immense value. There are many things weight loss surgery is, but for bariatric patients to succeed in achieving a healthier, better quality of life, it is essential to understand what weight loss surgery is not:

• an easy way out
• a solution on its own
• an alternative to diet and exercise

Life Changes to Expect after Bariatric Surgery
Regardless of the exact type of surgery chosen, weight loss surgery should always be a commitment of the patient to a different approach to life. If certain life style changes are not made and adhered to, patients will later inevitably regain the weight lost after surgery. Necessary changes that affect:

• Diet and nutrition. On their journey to a stronger, healthier and leaner body, bariatric patients are generally assisted by dieticians too. A thoughtfully planned, balanced diet is a deciding factor in successful weight loss and in keeping the body nourished with all nutrients needed despite of significantly smaller amounts of food.
• Exercise. No bariatric surgery will ever replace exercise. Weight loss surgery patients need to learn to love their body to the point where maintaining muscles toned and strong turns from an effortful burden into a powerful inner need.
• Socializing skills. After years spent in isolation, it is not easy for bariatric patients to come forward and be open and sharing with the outer world. Changes needed on the social field include shifting from gatherings with the main focus on eating, to social events where physical activities play the main role.
• Relationships.  Resistance to change is an innate impulse of humans. As not all friends or members of the family are able to accept and support the new lifestyle changes, bariatric patients must prepare for having to close harmful relationships and to be open to new friendships based on support and acceptance.
• Emotional distress. The relationship that many bariatric patients had with food prior to surgery was a compensatory one, where food was used as emotional comfort. No weight loss surgery is able to eliminate that. Recognizing emotional distress and learning to cope with it without trying to silence it with food is never easy, but it is the only way to true healing.
• Excess skin. A factor often not taken into account at the beginning of a weight loss journey, excess skin becomes a reality that needs to be dealt with, as soon as a significant of weight is lost. Fortunately, solutions exist.

The best that bariatric patients can do is to stay in contact with their weight loss surgeon, physical therapist and dietician after surgery, to meet with other people in the same situation through online forums or support groups and to accept that it is natural that the journey has its ups and downs.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/life-after-weight-loss-changes-bariatric-patients-are-faced-with-6486436.html
About the Author
Dr. Timothy Ehrlich serves as director of bariatric surgery at Griffin Hospital, Derby, Connecticut. He is a skilful bariatric surgeon performing minimally invasive weight loss surgery.