There are many reasons we gain weight. A sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating, genetic & biological factors, drinking too much alcohol and even smoking. For some, work and family obligations seem to take up most of their time. Physical activity or proper meal planning goes by the wayside. After a few years, it begins to take its toll and the weight increases.
Bariatric surgery – which includes gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, duodenal switch, and others – is one of the most effective ways to lose that weight. Even more than that, the lifestyle changes that follow make sure the lost pounds never return. Weightwise has dietitians, exercise physiologists, and patient advocates working to help every patient through the recovery process.
You could say bariatric surgery recovery lasts for years after the procedure. After all, the surgery is just the first step of an overall lifestyle journey of change. But there are some processes over the following days, weeks, and months that our patients must adhere to.
Bariatric Surgery Recovery Diets
Every patient is different of course, but one of the first steps of recovery happens days before the surgery. To prepare, your surgeon will give you an ideal weight to reach before surgery. This will happen at your initial consult. Our dietitians will outline a diet plan to help patients reach that goal.
After surgery, the diet plan becomes much more strict. Consisting of liquids and supplements for the first two weeks, the first steps of the recovery is managing your diet. Soft proteins follow and after a month the patient will begin their life-long meal plan. Any alterations to the plan – especially at the start – could cause discomfort or even injury.
Like we said, the recovery plan is a life-long endeavor. But, to be blunt, the previous lifestyle just wasn’t an option for a long and healthy life.
Physical Recovery
Some of the physical changes happen without the patient even trying! What makes the diet so important at the start are the changes that begin to happen naturally. As the body begins to adapt to less food, hormones become accustomed to the new intake and actually lessen the desire to eat.
In the weeks that follow, the weight loss will become more apparent. As far as physical activity, many patients return to their day-to-day operations after a few days. Walking, going to the grocery store, and returning to work (depending on the occupation) all happen within a few days after surgery.
For those working in more physical jobs, our surgeons and exercise physiologists will design a physical therapy path to get you back to work. Because Weightwise uses a laparoscopic technique on most of our patients, the recovery time is faster. With open surgery, the recovery time will be a bit longer.
While the recovery time is different for every patient, one thing that will always remain constant is our dedication to the patient. We provide consultations, either in person, via video conferencing, or over the phone, for all patients following the surgery. In fact, it’s another step in the recovery process.
Interested in learning more about the recovery process that happens after bariatric surgery? Or have questions about surgical options we provide? Feel free to attend one of our seminars or view our online seminar. You’ll see why the Weightwise way to lose weight has been so successful for so many of our patients.