Some people who select weight loss surgery may be under the impression that it will cure their obesity suddenly, improve their relationships and solve all of their problems. Weight loss surgery is not a magic bullet for what is wrong with your life, it is a good trigger to help jumpstart your weight loss journey.

Preparing yourself for some of the psychological difficulties that may arise as you begin to adjust to your new body and your new life may help you manage some of the physical and mental ups and downs that will occur along the way.

There are several long-term habits that you should adopt to get the most out of your surgery. The first post-operative year is a critical time that must be dedicated to changing old behaviors and forming new, lifelong habits. Lack of exercise, poorly balanced meals, grazing or snacking, and drinking carbonated drinks are frequent causes of not achieving or maintaining weight loss.

To maintain a healthy weight and to prevent weight gain, you must develop and keep healthy eating habits. A remarkable effect of weight loss surgery is the progressive change in attitudes towards eating. Patients begin to eat to live; they no longer live to eat. Exercise and the support of others are extremely important to help you lose weight and maintain that loss following weight loss surgery.

Emotional thoughts before weight loss surgery

Obesity is something that you go to sleep and wake up with. You can’t get away from it. It becomes your identity. There is so much shame and guilt that is associated with being overweight. There are many bad thoughts you are daily face them:
  • Look in the mirror and see a familiar face, but unsure who it is.
  • Look at my body and wonder how I allowed myself to get this way.
  • See the disappointment in my children’s faces when they ask me to play with them.
  • Avoid public places and gatherings with friends as I fear the stares and comments that may come.
  • Can’t find clothes in my size at stores.
  • No longer comfortably sit in any average size seat.
  • No longer feel attractive towards my significant others.
  • Walking even short distances feels like I have run a marathon.
  • Feel always hot and sweating even when it’s cold outside.
  • Feel like I have lost all sense of myself.
  • Scared that today may be my last day.

Emotional adjustments after weight loss surgery

Having weight loss surgery causes a wavy effect and many other areas of your life will change. A person will often experience changes in their emotional state; for example, depression may often times go away. Patients also could experience less physical pain and obstacles. Some changes that could occur include:
  • Career
  • Relationships
  • Marriage
  • Friendships
  • Emotions

Getting patients to realize that weight loss surgery is not the easy way out is essential in successful weight loss. Regardless of what we hear in the media and from society, this is not easy. However, deciding to have this surgery is difficult, and living as a weight loss surgery patient is not always easy, patients should know that they finally will see the light at the end of the tunnel and realize that they will get there.

Emotional adjustments for your journey

  1. Follow orders and recommendations.
  2. Set your future realistic goals and expectations.
  3. Remember the moment when you decided to have weight loss surgery with its risks to push you forward.
  4. Take lots of pictures, measurements and keep your old clothes to remember your progression.
  5. Support groups and counseling are especially helpful because many patients often experience the same issues and it makes you feel less isolated and alone while you travel your journey.
  6. Live life to the fullest. You deserve to be healthy, happy and have fun. Enjoy every moment of your weight loss journey. You deserve it.

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