Life After Weight-Loss Surgery

Welcome to a new phase in your life!

After surgery, you can maximize your weight loss and stay healthy by following four simple lifelong guidelines:

1) Follow the proper diet.
You will be on liquids for the first 2 weeks, then soft foods (that don’t need to be chewed) for 2 weeks before gradually resuming a regular diet. Once you resume regular eating, remember to keep your portions small so that you don’t stretch your stomach or pouch. If you get hungry, eat more frequently and contact the dietician. Try not to eat a larger volume or you can stretch your pouch. Your goal will be to consume 64 ounces of caffeine-free, sugar-free liquids per day and 80-100 grams of protein per day.

2) Exercise.
You should begin a gentle exercise regimen within a few days of going home. This may include walking, low-impact aerobics, using a stationary bicycle, or an elliptical machine. After about a month, you should progress to more vigorous exercise such as circuit training, lifting weights, high-impact aerobics, power-walking, swimming, tennis, or water aerobics. If you have problems with arthritis, you will find that it will be much easier to exercise in the water and your joints will tolerate the stress more easily. Even walking in a pool can be very effective! You should try to exercise at least 3 times a week or more for a minimum of 20 minutes at a time. It may take you a while to build up to this, but that is ok!

3) Take your vitamins.
You will be required to take vitamins for the rest of your life. You will also need your vitamin levels checked at regular intervals to make sure you are getting the proper combination of vitamins. This will be monitored by your surgeon and/or the dietician.

4) Follow-up regularly with your surgeon and the dietician.
To optimize your health and weight loss, your follow-ups are critical. We can help you with weight plateaus, hunger, and help you to try to prevent health problems that may arise in the future. We review your vitamin levels and adjust your regimen as needed. For lap-band patients, regular follow-up is mandatory to optimize the adjustment of your band. We would also suggest that all of you attend our monthly support group meetings to meet other weight-loss surgery patients – it often helps to get new suggestions or share ideas with other people.

If you continue these good lifelong habits, you can look forward to seeing a healthier and slimmer person in the mirror…and you should continue to reap the benefits of weight loss surgery for the rest of your life.