Maintaining Your Figure After Bariatric Surgery

After your bariatric surgery, you will no doubt want to maintain the dramatic results. A post-bariatric surgery diet and exercise routine are two basic means of maintaining your new figure. For loose skin that is present after the weight loss, you may want to consider obesity plastic surgery.

After Bariatric Surgery – Diet and Exercise

After your bariatric surgery, diet and exercise routines are essential for success. These two measures will help keep the weight off. A post- bariatric diet involves both portion control and the avoidance of certain foods. If you deviate from the post- bariatric diet, you risk vomiting, pain, or other side effects. It is very important to follow the bariatric diet after your surgery.

It is also important to take small bites and to chew food well. Mealtimes should be savored rather than rushed, and you should stop eating when you feel full. The amount of space in the stomach after gastric bypass surgery is small, and if you fill this space with too much food, you will feel sick. In the bariatric diet, liquids are not consumed during mealtimes but are sipped throughout the day, in between meals.

Snacking is to be avoided with a bariatric diet; junk food and snacks take up vital space in your stomach that should be relegated to healthy, nutritious mini-meals. Because you are not going to be consuming as many calories as before the surgery, your bariatric diet needs to consist of the most nutritious foods available. You will also take a daily multi-vitamin to ensure that you are receiving important nutrients. The eventual bariatric diet goal is to eat foods that are high in protein, and low in sugar and fat.

Exercise should also be part of your post-bariatric surgery routine. Walking is the ideal exercise for the period shortly after surgery. More intense exercise may be added to the routine in six to eight weeks, but walking and less vigorous but steady exercise should be a long-term goal. Making exercise part of a lifestyle change will help to keep your weight down, and will cause you to feel much better.

With weight loss surgery, there are important considerations to think about before undertaking the procedure. With an awareness of the bariatric diet and lifestyle changes, you will have realistic expectations and can look forward to the healthy maintenance of your weight loss.

Loose Skin After Weight Loss – Obesity Plastic Surgery

The loose skin that appears after extreme weight loss can be remedied with obesity plastic surgery. Obesity plastic surgery may consist of separate procedures to address particular problem areas—such as a tummy tuck, arm lift, or thigh lift. Many patients decide they want a more all-encompassing solution, and can undergo the obesity plastic surgery procedure known as the "body lift."

A body lift can remove the loose skin that many patients experience after weight loss surgery. A body lift is most often performed on the lower half of the torso and the thighs, addressing the loose skin of the stomach, back, hips, thighs, and buttocks. A surgeon performing obesity plastic surgery usually begins in the stomach area, removing loose skin and fat and smoothing the contours. Other areas of loose skin that have accumulated after the patient's weight loss are then addressed, resulting in an overall smoother silhouette.

Recovery from body lift surgery takes several weeks, and discomfort can range from moderate to severe. Most patients, however, find that the body lift is the most effective type of obesity plastic surgery for targeting loose skin after weight loss.

Find a Bariatric or Cosmetic Surgeon Near You

If, after bariatric surgery, diet and exercise have helped you to lose weight, but you still have loose skin that accumulated after your weight loss, obesity plastic surgery could be the answer. Let DocShop connect you with a cosmetic surgeon or bariatric surgeon who will help you achieve a more defined physique.