Packing on a couple of extra pounds after indulging in too much fruitcake and eggnog may not sound like a big deal, but those Christmas calories can add up over time. Consider a 30-year old who gains an additional five pounds each holiday season. Without taking action to curtail the trend, those extra calories will result in a 50-pound weight gain by the time he or she is 40 years old. Research also shows that it is harder to lose weight the older you get, particularly for women after menopause.

Weight loss surgery is a proven treatment for the management of obesity for people who are at least 80 to 100 pounds overweight. Weight loss surgery restricts the amount of food you can comfortably consume at one sitting, which in turn restricts your caloric intake. Most patients lose weight rapidly within the first 12 to 18 months – often a pound a day or more – and are much less likely to gain additional weight during the holidays.

Gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band) surgery are the most common forms of bariatric surgery. Each procedure has a track record of success and is effective for achieving significant weight loss for patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher. Gastric bypass surgery can have the added effect of dumping syndrome, which can result in painful cramping, diarrhea or vomiting that is often triggered by eating foods high in sugar. Many patients actually consider this side effect a benefit, as it prevents them from consuming too many sweets during the holidays and throughout the year, helping them keep the weight off for the long term.

To have a lasting effect, weight loss surgery patients must stay mindful of their new eating habits even years after their procedure. Bariatric surgery can result in rapid and dramatic weight loss, but it is not a miracle cure. You still need to eat a healthy diet, keep portion sizes small, and follow the guidelines for pouch management to ensure you do not regain weight over time. Getting regular exercise – even walking for 30 minutes a day – can also help you maintain a normal BMI and increase your longevity after weight loss surgery.

If you gained a couple of extra pounds this holiday season, you need not be overly concerned. Cutting back on fatty foods and sweets for a few weeks and increasing your physical activity can help you shed the excess weight within a month or two. But, if you have struggled with obesity for several years and have not been able to lose the weight with diet and exercise alone, weight loss surgery may be your best option. We invite you to attend one of our upcoming informational sessions or call our office to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Provost to learn whether bariatric surgery is right for you.

If this describes your past experience, then you should be aware of the changes that take place after weight loss surgery, both physically and psychologically. One of the first issues you will face is learning to redefine what it means to be hungry and how it feels to be satisfied. Here are some pointers to help you navigate the new landscape and manage your pouch post-surgery.

Recognize Head Hunger
Often, we think that we’re physically hungry when really we are “head hungry”. Head hunger is that nagging or impulsive voice that you want to satisfy with food. The voice often repeats the same message, like, “I had a bad day”, “I deserve a treat”, “Just one more…” or “It’s the weekend.” Typically, we reach for unhealthy food choices when we’re feeding our head hunger. (Really, when was the last time you had an insatiable craving for carrot sticks?) Physical hunger, on the other hand, is the gnawing sensation in the stomach, which is easily remedied with a nutritious snack or meal. So, the next time you feel “hungry”, ask yourself which one you are feeding – your stomach or your head.

Mark Yourself Present
Before weight loss surgery, being “satisfied” after a meal might have meant eating until you thought you were going to burst. Or, you might have eaten large quantities of one particular item – say, cereal, chips or ice cream – to feed a craving rather than actual physical hunger. Once you have a new, smaller stomach pouch – whether from a gastric bypass, Lap-Band or gastric sleeve – you will become physically full after just a few bites. To recognize this feeling of satiety, however, you need to be both physically and mentally “present” when you eat. (That means no multitasking during meals!)

We teach patients to stop eating when they feel a pressure sensation at the breast bone. If you feel chest pressure, you already ate too much, and if you feel pressure in your throat or esophagus…be prepared to spit up. Becoming attuned to these physical sensations as you learn to navigate your bariatric pouch will help you determine when you should stop eating.

Think of the Funnel
Think of your post-weight loss surgery stomach as a funnel. Your goal is to fill the funnel with foods that will make the walls stretch just enough to tell your brain to quit eating. DO NOT eat foods that pass through funnels, including liquid calories (such as juice, milk, and soup), soft mushy calories (like yogurt, cheese, cream of wheat, and grits), all sweets, and small salty crunchies (like pretzels, chips and Cheetos^®).

Back Off the Beverages
Another habit that many patients have to break is the custom of drinking a beverage with their meal. When managing your pouch, you need to forgo liquids for at least 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating. This is so that food is not washed through your system too quickly, which can negate the effects of the pouch and cause you to consume more food (and calories) before you feel full.

Remember the Pouch Rules
Regardless of which procedure you have, pouch rules are universal to all bariatric surgeries. The pouch rules are there to help you maintain your pouch size and decrease the chances of complications or weight regain. Here is a recap of the essential pouch rules:

• Meals should take only 15-20 minutes. (If you’re taking longer, odds are you’re eating too much.)
• No drinking with meals or within 30-60 minutes of mealtime, and no carbonated beverages ever.
• Eat 1 – 1½ cups of solid food at every meal.
• Eat proteins first to fill your funnel, then produce and carbs if you still have room. Let satiety (not pain!) tell you when to stop eating.

Above all, remember that your pouch is your friend! You suffered from the disease of obesity, and your pouch is part of the treatment plan designed to help you get healthy and live a more fulfilling life. Yes, you will need to change the way you think and feel about food, change how you approach holidays and events, and learn how to feel your way through emotional upset rather than stuff down those feelings with food. In short, you are going to have to change everything. If you partner with your weight loss surgery as if it were your best buddy, you can keep your pouch happy and enjoy lasting post-surgery success!

Questions? Call our Denton weight loss surgery practice at 888-715-4330.

Managing Your Pouch
Your pouch will naturally stretch a little over time; however, it is generally unlikely that it will stretch all the way back to its original size. That said, you are in control of your body and how you treat it. Here are some tips for managing your pouch to ensure you maintain a healthy weight for years to come:

• Avoid Overeating – Before weight loss surgery, many patients wouldn’t think twice about taking seconds, thirds…even fourths during a meal. After weight loss surgery, you may only eat a few bites because the pouch makes you feel full with less food. In the first months after your procedure, note exactly how much you are eating to achieve that “full” feeling. Avoid helping yourself to seconds when your stomach is already at maximum capacity. Also, eat slowly to let that “full” feeling sink in. By measuring your food, taking your time during a meal, and being mindful of when you are full, you can avoid stretching your pouch.
• Don’t Skip Meals – Skipping a meal will leave you hungry, and often you will find yourself grabbing the first snack available. Rarely are snacks grabbed on the go nutritious. Most folks will reach for a Snickers® instead of a banana at their local convenience store. Likewise, grazing on junk food, such as popcorn, cookies and chips, is a sure-fire way to pack on a lot of calories without feeling full. You can avoid temptation by planning your meals, packing nutritious snacks when you’re on the go, and making sure you stay on schedule with your eating.
• Watch Out for Emotional Eating – Many people who struggle with obesity have a habit of emotional eating. They eat when they are bored, lonely, angry, happy, or stressed. In other words, they eat to manage their feelings. Although weight loss surgery can curb physical hunger, it can’t do anything about your “head hunger” or appetite. Joining a support group and learning to recognize triggers and patterns can help you avoid emotional eating to ensure that you eat only when you are hungry, and that you limit the food on your plate to the calories your body needs (not what your eyes crave).
• Protect Your Stoma – The stoma is the opening that gastric bypass patients have between the upper pouch and the intestine, which helps to regulate their food intake. If you don’t chew your food thoroughly or you wash large bits of food through the stoma with liquids, you can actually stretch this opening. If the stoma becomes enlarged, food will not stay in the pouch as long, and you will end up eating more because you never really feel full.
• Avoid Bubbly Beverages – Regular sodas are packed with sugar and high in calories, which can cause you to regain weight quickly, and also cause dumping syndrome if you had a gastric bypass. Diet sodas have zero calories, but ironically, they still can cause you to regain weight. Numerous studies show that diet sodas trigger certain hormonal reactions that cause the body to store more fat. In addition, if you drink a carbonated beverage – even seltzer water – while eating, it forces food through the stomach pouch faster. That means food does not stay in your pouch as long and you lose the feeling of satiety and increase the chances that you will eat more. Finally, the gas released from the carbonated beverage may cause the food forced through the pouch to enlarge your stoma, which again would allow you to eat more at one sitting – defeating the purpose of the weight loss surgery. Stick with water, caffeine-free teas, and other non-carbonated beverages for best results.

Remember that having weight loss surgery is not a get-out-of-jail free card, as far as your eating habits go. Long-term success requires long-term discipline. Although your body might let you get away with a small cheat now and then, eating sweets, high-calorie foods, and carbonated beverages will have a detrimental effect on your weight and your waistline. Eventually, those bad decisions will catch up with you again. Your best bet is to plan your meals in advance, avoid temptations, and connect with a weight loss surgery support group that can help you keep up all of your new healthy habits.

So how can you avoid gaining weight as summer transitions into fall? It’s simple: you need to plan ahead. Just as the Boys Scouts’ motto is “always be prepared,” patients who have had Lap-Band, gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery should be prepared, too. Following are six suggestions for staying fit during the shift to fall weather and the prospect of the holidays looming up ahead.

Eat Protein First
If you are at an event where food plays a major role, always make sure to eat protein first. If you’ve had bariatric surgery, you can only tolerate small quantities of food at one time, and protein has more of the nutrients you need to function well. Protein can satiate hunger, boost your fat-burning metabolism, and even promote the healing of wounds. So once you’ve eaten your protein, you can turn your attention to other dishes on the menu, assuming you’re not already full. (If you are full, stop eating. Remind yourself that there will always be other parties and other treats – just because something is available or tasty does not mean you need to eat it if your stomach is already satisfied.)

Don’t Arrive Hungry
If you know you are going to an event where lots of tempting dishes will be served, do yourself a favor and eat before you go. This will take the edge off your hunger and help you to make more responsible food choices once you arrive. You can also bring along a healthy dish, such as a fruit or veggie tray, to share. Not only is it the hospitable thing to do, it also allows you to have at least one type of food at the party that you know you can eat.

Don’t Build Social Occasions around Food
If you are planning your own get-together, try planning it around an activity rather than food. As the weather cools down, the opportunity to stay outdoors becomes attractive. You can organize outdoor activities, such as a fun run to benefit a local charity, or a game of flag football for parents and kids. Why not volunteer to take care of an elderly neighbor’s yard with a group of friends? Try looking for ways to help others and stay active, rather than planning an event with a lot of fattening foods.

Give Food Away
Along that same path, consider giving food away to your local food bank or other charity. As a weight loss surgery patient, you might feel deprived at times about what you can’t eat. Shift your thinking by organizing a canned food drive with your local community organization, church, or school. Sometimes focusing on how much we have can help prevent us from nurturing those feelings of self-pity or lack.

Drink Water
Many people find they need something to keep them occupied during social occasions. Instead of hitting the buffet table, try sipping water or a no-calorie beverage. This will keep your hands occupied without adding lots of unwanted calories. Plus, drinking enough water will help you keep your weight loss going, so be sure you are meeting your daily water intake needs.

Reach Out
One of the most effective ways to stay on track and maintain a healthy weight, regardless of the season, is to participate in a support group. Whether you have had gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery or the Lap-Band procedure, attending regular weight loss surgery support group meetings gives you the opportunity to share your struggles and triumphs, and gain encouragement and insights from the other members. Dr. Provost hosts a support group meeting at his office on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. The meeting begins at 7:00pm, and guests are encouraged to arrive early at 5:45pm for an hour-long group walk with other members. Click here for more information.

Candidates for the gastric sleeve procedure generally have a body mass index (BMI) over 40, although patients with BMIs of 35 to 39 are eligible if they have obesity-related illnesses. The surgery reduces the size of the patient’s stomach by about 75%, and patients who undergo this procedure can typically expect to lose between 50% and 60% of their excess body weight within a year of having the surgery.

How quickly you recover from surgery and how much weight you lose will depend almost entirely on whether you follow your surgeon’s instructions and adjust your eating habits and physical activity, as prescribed. Here is an overview of what to expect in the weeks immediately after gastric sleeve surgery, as well as over the long term.

Post-Surgery: The First Two Weeks
The surgery itself generally takes one to two hours, after which you will likely stay in the hospital for a couple of days. Your abdomen may be swollen or sore, but your surgeon will prescribe pain medications, if appropriate, to help you be more comfortable. You need to allow your body time to adjust to the surgery, which means that you will follow a liquid-only diet during this time. You will need to follow the instructions provided by your surgical staff precisely and may want to have a family member or friend take notes. You don’t want to do anything that could cause complications after surgery.

Post Surgery: The First Two Months
Once you have been released from the hospital and have followed a liquid diet for a couple of weeks, you may slowly transition to solid foods. This means that for two weeks after a liquid diet, you may have pureed foods. After those two weeks, you may proceed to solid foods if your doctor has approved you to do so. When you transition to solid foods, you will need to change the way you approach eating to follow these guidelines:

• Eating slowly
• Eating only small quantities
• Chewing food thoroughly until it is completely mashed
• Drinking beverages 30 minutes before a meal, not during the meal

You will need to follow these instructions for the rest of your life, so it’s essential to think of the entire vertical sleeve gastrectomy as a lifestyle change, rather than a temporary solution to obesity.

Post Surgery: The Long Term
Because vertical sleeve gastrectomy is such a new procedure, limited data exists to show what patients may experience in the way of health improvement or weight loss after five years. However, you should expect to make the same lifestyle changes that anyone who has bariatric surgery must follow in order to lose weight and keep it off:

• Get regular physical exercise (at least 30 minutes five times a week)
• Find a support group and attend frequent meetings
• Learn to modify your behavior regarding food
• Follow dietary guidelines set forth by your surgeon

Post-Surgery Dietary Benefits
The dietary changes after gastric sleeve surgery are similar to those prescribed after gastric bypass surgery. However, vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients generally do not experience “dumping syndrome”, because the digestive system is not re-routed, as is the case with the gastric bypass. (Dumping syndrome can occur when food passes through the large intestine too rapidly and enters the small intestine undigested. This can lead to vomiting, nausea, dizziness, bloating, and cramping. It is often triggered by foods and beverages high in sugar or fat.)

Similarly, because the small intestine is not bypassed during the vertical sleeve gastrectomy, there is also no risk of malabsorption issues. Your body will still be able to absorb all the nutrients it requires from your food.

If you are considering gastric sleeve surgery, we encourage you to call Dr. Provost’s office to learn more about the risks and benefits of this procedure. Call 888-715-4330 to schedule a free consultation.

Research shows that the health risks associated with obesity can grow more severe over the long term. Cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and sleep apnea have all been identified as serious medical issues linked to obesity. Although staying obese does not necessarily mean one will experience these specific conditions, at the very least it will lead to poor health and, in many cases, low self-esteem or depression.

A New Beginning
Weight loss surgery can provide a turning point. Joining a gym on January 1st and going on a six-week diet may work for people who are simply overweight. That’s their turning point. But when an obese person has reached a certain size, they are often incapable of losing enough weight through dieting alone, and sudden exercise could present a health risk. In such cases, weight loss surgery can be the best bet.

“Almost all of my patients have dieted,” notes Denton weight loss surgery specialist Dr. David Provost. When an individual becomes morbidly obese, however, the likelihood that a diet will be effective for long-term weight loss is about 2%, he explains. Bariatric surgery becomes the only viable option for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Recipe for Success
The decision to undergo weight loss surgery is actually a two-fold resolution. First and foremost, you are choosing to have surgery. With the counsel of a qualified medical professional, you have determined that bariatric surgery as a treatment for obesity offers the greatest likelihood of success, based on your previous attempts at weight loss and your current health condition.

But that’s not all. In choosing to have weight loss surgery, you are resolving to do things differently. Although the procedure will help you shed pounds very quickly, you need to follow your doctor’s dietary guidelines carefully and get regular physical exercise — not only for the first year after surgery, but for the rest of your life. You are resolving to change the way you live.

What does that look like? First, weight loss surgery patients are encouraged to get moving immediately after their surgery, even if they can only manage a few laps around the living room couch.

“Within a few months, they generally lose enough weight that more intensive exercise, like jogging, dancing or swimming, becomes a safe proposition,” says Dr. Provost.

In terms of the dietary changes, you will make a gradual transition from liquids to purees and soft foods for the first several weeks after surgery before switching over to small portions of normal foods. Surprisingly, these changes often come easier, because the surgery restricts the amount of food that a patient can comfortably eat. In short, you’re not hungry, so you don’t mind eating less. Together, regular physical activity and a healthy diet built on small portions of low-fat, low-sugar foods provide the foundation for lasting success.

A Lifelong Resolution
Like other New Year’s Resolutions, the commitment to make changes after having weight loss surgery can be broken. Some patients who have had a gastric bypass or Lap-Band procedure actually regain all of their weight over time, because they failed to stick with the guidelines provided by their doctor and maintain a lifelong commitment to new eating and exercise habits.

Weight loss surgery is only a tool, notes Dr. Provost. By joining a support group, planning meals carefully, and scheduling time to exercise, patients can dramatically increase their odds of maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding medical complications, and living a longer, happier life.

If you are considering a bariatric procedure in the New Year, call Provost Bariatrics for a free consultation at 888-735-4430, or check the online calendar for a listing of upcoming informational seminars.

Whether you have had weight loss surgery or are trying to lose weight in preparation for your bariatric procedure, a little advanced planning can go a long way to helping you avoid an expanding waistline during the holidays. Here are some tips to keep the number on the scale from creeping upward as you make the social rounds:

Portion Control – Popular Thanksgiving foods, like turkey, green beans and yams, are actually very nutritious. As long as you eat a normal amount, rather than heaping a double-portion on your plate, and avoid adding excess butter or fat, you’re unlikely to gain weight.

“I tell them, all good things in moderation,” Dr. David Provost says of the advice he gives patients at his North Texas weight loss surgery practice. Dr. Provost also recommends choosing lower-fat white meat poultry over dark meat, avoiding the gravy, and taking only a tiny taste of stuffing.

Healthy Alternatives – You can save 200 calories by choosing pumpkin pie over pecan pie, and trim down even more by having only half a slice. If you make the pie yourself, substitute a no-calorie sweetener, like Splenda®, for sugar. (This is a must for gastric bypass patients who want to avoid dumping syndrome.) Skipping whipped cream or ice cream on top goes without saying. Even better, bypass the pie in favor of healthier alternatives, like a small fruit salad or chocolate-flavored protein smoothie.

If you’re a post-op patient just a few months out from surgery, holiday meals may seem awkward, notes Dr. Provost.

Mindful Eating – Turkeys aren’t the only ones saying “gobble gobble” at holiday meals. Often, people get so excited with the anticipation of a family feast that they practically wolf down the food once it hits the table. Setting down your fork between bites and chewing each bite 20 times can help you maintain a moderate pace. This gives your body time to process the meal and tell you when it’s full.

If you’re a post-op patient just a few months out from surgery, holiday meals may seem awkward, notes Dr. Provost. You can only eat a few bites, which helps you keep your weight in check but can also leave you feeling like you’re missing the action. Sharing stories around the dinner table or playing board games with loved ones after the meal can shift the primary focus from food to fellowship.

Increased Activity – Many Americans conk out on the couch right after a big holiday meal. Try talking a 15-minute walk around the neighborhood instead. Not only will you help improve your digestion and reinvigorate you after a long sitting at the table, but you’ll burn 100 calories in the process.

Finally, plugging into a weight loss surgery support group can help you prepare for holiday festivities and keep you on track throughout the winter party season. Patients of Dr. Provost’s Denton weight loss surgery practice are encouraged to attend the support group meetings at his office on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. If you do not have a support group in your area, online forums, like Obesity Help and Renewed Reflections, are also great tools.

*Source: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

At these meetings, you’ll have the opportunity to talk about and deal with the emotional pain of obesity and its aftermath in a comfortable setting, surrounded by people who have been through the same thing. The discussions are guided by an approach called Attitudinal Healing, which is a program of spiritual and emotional care founded on nonsectarian principles and designed to improve a patient’s health in conjunction with traditional health care practices. Its goal is to help you address the tumultuous feelings, many of which stem from childhood, related to your behaviors and self-worth and enjoy a more fulfilling and peaceful life.

Attitudinal Healing began in 1975 under the guidance of Dr. Gerald Jampolsky, who in 1977 founded the Center for Attitudinal Healing in Tiburon, California. Today, the establishment (now known as Corstone Center and located in Sausalito, California) works toward the goal of developing and support emotional resilience – the ability of people and institutions “to function competently, powerfully and peacefully under stress.” It seeks to reinforce people’s confidence that they can help themselves and others, enabling “individuals, families and communities to face challenges, develop and maintain a positive attitude, make healthful choices, and solve problems on every scale.”

The Provost Bariatrics Support Group meets from 7:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at Dr. Provost’s office (2501 Scripture Road, Medical Building #6, Suite 303 in Denton).  You can also come early (at 5:45 p.m.) and join other patients and the group’s leaders for an hour-long walk around the hospital grounds and neighboring park. After all, why not get in some exercise as part of your new, healthy lifestyle? The group is open to anyone who has had bariatric surgery, regardless of the surgeon, and friends and family are also welcome to attend.

For more information on the Weight Loss Surgery Support Group offered by Dr. David Provost, please call his office at 940-323-3450.

Dr. David Provost has helped thousands of patients during his 20-year career as a surgeon and is committed to the life-long treatment of his weight loss surgery patients. He is a recognized expert in bariatric surgery and performs weight loss surgery in Denton, Texas, at the Presbyterian Hospital of Denton.

Weight loss surgery has changed the lives and health of thousands of patients. Until recently, the fact that many of those patients no longer suffered from diabetes was only whispered in waiting rooms.

But a 2008 study led by Dr. John Dixon at the Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia, showed patients who had Lap-Band surgery to reduce the size of their stomachs were five times more likely to see their diabetes disappear over the next two years than were patients who had standard diabetes care. Other studies have shown that gastric bypass surgery can also resolve diabetes in most patients.

The 2008 study was published in the Journal of American Medical Association and compared diabetes in patients who underwent Lap-Band surgery against those who received standard medical care for weight loss. This was the first randomized study on weight loss surgery and diabetes, and scientists consider randomized studies to yield the highest-quality evidence.

The Risks of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes is sometimes called “death by inches,” because it erodes the quality of health and life slowly, often resulting in loss of eyesight, nerve damage in fingers and toes, and even amputation as circulation deteriorates from the disease.

The biggest common factor among Type 2 Diabetes patients is excess body weight: 55 percent of Type 2 Diabetes sufferers in the U.S. are obese. Hypertension, elevated cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, aging, a high-fat diet, and a less-active lifestyle also increase a person’s risk of getting diabetes. Of course, many of these symptoms are associated with obesity, also.

New Research on Weight Loss Surgery

The results of this study and previous research on the effect of weight loss surgery to treat diabetes are bringing recognition in the medical community to what many bariatric patients have realized for years: weight loss surgery is a possible cure for diabetes. In fact, more and more scientists are realizing that the weight loss that results from gastric bypass and gastric band surgery is really more of a side effect; the real benefit of weight loss surgery is that it appears to eliminate Type 2 Diabetes in the vast majority of cases.

In fact, more recent data is even more encouraging. Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University examined 177 morbidly obese patients with Type 2 Diabetes who underwent gastric bypass surgery. Nearly 90 percent of the patients experienced a return to normal blood sugar levels within the first year and almost 60 percent were still diabetes-free 5–16 years later. Those who were insulin dependent at the time of surgery were most likely to have their diabetes return.

And, researchers from New York University School of Medicine examined 95 patients who had laparoscopic gastric banding (more commonly known as Lap-Band surgery), with 88 percent taking oral diabetes medication and 15 percent on insulin. After five years, 83 percent had an improvement or remission of Type 2 Diabetes.

These dramatic results offer hope to the millions of people who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes. And although many medical experts caution that more research is necessary to determine the long-term health effects of bariatric surgery on patients with Type 2 Diabetes, current evidence leaves little doubt that weight loss surgery can have a positive impact on those who suffer from the disease.

Patients seeking weight loss surgery in Denton, TX, with Dr. Provost often suffer from diabetes and other co-morbidities. If you are concerned about how obesity is affecting your health, call to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Provost at 888.715.4330.

The biggest change will be in your portion size. If you’ve been to a restaurant recently, you know that what is considered a normal serving size in the U.S. is often enough food for three people. If you’re used to sitting down to a heaping dish of pasta or a large steak and stuffed bake potato, you may be surprised at just how little food you add to your plate following weight loss surgery.

After either gastric bypass or gastric banding (Lap-Band) surgery, you will only be able to eat a few bites at each meal. You must take small bites, chew your food well, and eat slowly, taking two to three minutes between each bite. By slowing down, you will be more aware of what you are eating, and are more likely to feel satisfied sooner. Most importantly, you should stop eating when you become comfortably full or are no longer physically hungry. Overeating or eating too quickly will result in discomfort or vomiting. Similarly, you will no longer be able to gulp large volumes of liquid when thirsty, and you will have to learn to drink water continually throughout the day to prevent dehydration.

FOOD CHOICES
After a gastric bypass, the types of food you eat will also change. You may have difficulty eating tough meats, particularly beef, following surgery. And, you should avoid greasy or fried foods, because your body cannot process them the way it is used to and they can make you feel ill. You generally won’t have a problem with most vegetables, although you may want to avoid raw vegetables, such as broccoli, celery or carrots. Carbonated beverages, even diet sodas, are a big no-no. They can stretch your pouch, limiting weight loss, and defeating the purpose of the surgery. And, if you know anything about the gastric bypass procedure, you know that foods high in sugar cause the dumping syndrome, which causes light-headedness, sweats, a jittery feeling, nausea, and vomiting. Cake, candy, ice cream, pies, cookies, and other sweets and desserts all can cause dumping and are off limits. (Artificial sweeteners, however, are permitted.)

With the Lap-Band procedure, adherence to the prescribed eating habits is equally important, and follow-up visits with your surgeon for adjustments are essential to long-term success. If you do not go back for routine fills to maintain the appropriate amount of restriction for the Lap-Band, you can easily regain the weight that you lost after your initial procedure. When the Lap-Band is adjusted correctly, you should feel full or satisfied fairly quickly. If small meals no longer satisfy you, if you still have weight to lose but have plateaued, or if you find yourself snacking more often and eating foods you previously couldn’t eat, like white breads and fibrous vegetables, then you are probably overdue for an adjustment. Overall, if you follow the nutrition guidelines provided by your surgeon, when you choose your food and then chew it well, you should not feel hungry or deprived.

PROPER EXERCISE
Exercise is an essential component of any weight loss program, and both the gastric bypass and Lap-Band procedures are no exception. You will be expected to begin a daily walking program upon discharge from the hospital. Patients who are unable to walk due to joint or back problems are encouraged to participate in alternative methods of exercise including water aerobics and stationary biking.

Like your new eating habits, maintaining an exercise regimen will be a long-term commitment. You don’t have to become a fitness junkie, but you do need to work regular exercise into your daily routine. Even walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day will help you shed pounds fast, and keep them off for good. Plus, you will lower your risk of heart disease by improving your cardiovascular fitness.

If you are considering weight loss surgery, you need to have a complete understanding and acceptance of the changes you will face. This is not the easy way out. Achieving weight loss goals requires dedication, and if you do not believe you can comply with your surgeon’s instructions, then weight-loss surgery may not be your best option.