Life after Bariatric Surgery
I had a choice. My life after bariatric surgery could feel like an endless diet or I could adjust to my new normal and create an environment that supported me.
I had a choice. My life after bariatric surgery could feel like an endless diet or I could adjust to my new normal and create an environment that supported me.
It’s important for people to understand that the honeymoon phase is temporary putting you at risk for relapse after WLS.
Eating enough protein after WLS may be particularly challenging because the capacity of your stomach is much smaller and you may not feel very hungry.
Weight expectations after bariatric surgery are the “shoulds”: I should lose x amount. You should weight x by now. Mindfulness helps you focus on what is instead.
How WLS affects hunger and fullness is different for each procedure, each person, and at different times! Mindfulness helps you adjust to this new normal.
Mindful eating is increasingly recognized as a powerful approach to optimal eating and health. Contrary to popular belief, mindful eating is not “just” eating with awareness.
Mindful eating has been one of my tools after bariatric surgery that has helped me in my journey and freed me to work on the important things in my life.
Now, six and a half years since bariatric surgery, it’s sometimes hard to remember the days where I wasn’t living, I was merely surviving.
While mindful eating is sometimes misused as just another diet, the true concepts of mindful eating such as awareness, nonjudgment, curiosity, and acceptance are very helpful after (and preferably before) weight loss surgery.
About half of gastric bypass patients (and a small number of sleeve patients) experience dumping syndrome.