If you’ve just gone through lap band surgery, congratulations! Going through it is a big step in your weight loss journey. Any amount you lose brings you a step closer to a healthier you.
However, you should also be aware that despite going through this procedure, it is still possible for you to gain back all the weight you will lose.
While weight loss does occur within 12 to 18 months after surgery, you should remember that surgery is not a magic bullet to keeping the weight off forever. That’s especially since obesity is a long-term condition that wires your body and instructs it to gain weight. It can lead to a vicious cycle of weight loss and regain that is a source of a great deal of frustration, anger, hopelessness, and even depression.
All hope is not lost, however. There are ways to keep the weight off for good. Let’s take a look at five ways you can avoid weight gain after surgery.
1. Nurture a helping relationship with your lap band surgery team.
Be honest with yourself that you may be needing help from your lap band surgery team after undergoing surgery. There is no shame in reaching out to your medical team if you start to gain weight.
Actually, it is much better that before you even get to the point of gaining weight, establish a regular check-in schedule with your weight loss medical team to track your weight loss progress.
Check with your doctor if appetite-suppressing medications can be part of your post-lap band surgery options if you’re really having a hard time stopping yourself from eating.
Also, one last thing to remember is that your medical team will not judge you if you are starting to gain weight. First and foremost, they are doctors. Their primary concern is your health and well-being.
Don’t let those negative thoughts affect you and confide in your doctor! Out of everyone you know, they can help you with this problem the most.
2. Strictly comply with your post-lap band surgery nutrition plan.
You still have to eat after a weight loss procedure. But now you have to eat smart. It is best that before surgery, you and your medical team discuss and come up with a nutritional plan.
And after surgery, diligently follow your recommended nutrition plan to ensure that you eat smart, receive adequate nutrition, and maintain muscle mass. It is best to avoid snacking or grazing because the extra calories will add up to weight gain.
Remember, a large part of gaining weight after surgery is diet-related and unhealthy food choices. It can either be due to binge or out-of-control eating. It can also be about not knowing when to stop and still eating even when you are already full.
Another possibility for weight gain after surgery can be about eating fast food, which is definitely not in your nutritional plan.
Your nutritional plan is not just there for you to follow. It has been drawn up to complement the weight loss procedure that you went through. Make sure you stick with it!
3. Stick to the lifestyle changes that you have made after surgery.
Even before lap band surgery, your medical team may already have recommended that you make certain lifestyle changes in preparation for the procedure. Incorporating these lifestyle changes and turning them into habits is a testament to how much commitment you are putting into losing weight, and doing whatever it takes to reach that goal.
If you’ve made particular lifestyle changes such as eating a better diet, eating smaller portions of food, and increasing your daily time allotment for physical activity, keep at it, especially after lap band surgery. Make sure to run these lifestyle changes by your medical team for proper advice and guidance.
4. Integrate physical activity into your daily routine.
Other than a poor diet, a lack of physical activity is one of the surefire ways for you to gain back the weight you have lost. And if you want to make sure that the weight stays off, commit to moving around more and making use of your body more frequently.
You can start by doing more things around the house. Increase your workload in terms of house chores. Volunteer to do the dishes after every meal. If you run out of milk for example, take a walk to the nearest convenience store and get a liter or two of milk.
You can also find more things to do in your neighborhood. Ask a neighbor if you can walk his dog every day around the block. If you feel like it, you can also offer to wash your neighbor’s car every weekend for added physical exertion.
The point is, there is something to gain when you move more – not weight, but better health. And physical activities can even help you avoid weight gain after surgery.
5. Build a support group outside of your medical team.
Know that you are not the only person caught up in a vicious cycle of weight loss and regain after lap band surgery. Other people have the same struggles as you do. Outside of your medical team, it might be a good idea to find a bariatric support group.
A bariatric support group can provide a safe space for all of you to share your fears and struggles with seeing your weight go up. While each individual’s weight loss journey is unique, there are common threads that keep you all connected. Avoiding weight gain may be one of them.
Talking about weight gain, and finding support to stop it dead in its tracks, can bring relief and comfort to those who struggle with it.
If you prefer a more individual type of support, you can ask your medical team for a mentor or a coach. Preferably, it’s someone who has been on the same journey as you are, and has succeeded. It can be a great motivator to have someone who has come out on top of weight loss be by your side, especially during the rough parts of your journey.
Get weight loss support after lap band surgery with Dr. David Davtyan.
Weight gain after lap band surgery is not inevitable. While it can happen, it can be avoided and even reversed.
And if you need lap band surgery plus help and support after, you can always reach out to Dr. David Davtyan in Glendale, CA, of Davtyan Medical Weight Loss and Wellness. He is a renowned weight loss surgeon.
He can not only help you lose weight, but also make sure that your weight stays off permanently. He’s not one of the most sought-after medical professionals for bariatric surgery in California for nothing!
Aside from lap band surgery, Dr. Davtyan and his team of medical professionals perform a variety of bariatric surgery procedures with great success. If you need to see it to believe it, just check out patients who have undergone gastric sleeve before and after surgery photos and be in awe of how much weight they’ve lost.
Reach out to learn more. Dr. Davtyan is looking forward to hearing from you!
