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Giving kindness to your post-bariatric surgery body

November 27, 2013

The holiday season is in full swing in Connecticut. The weather is getting colder and it seems that everyone is busy cooking or shopping for friends and loved ones. The holidays remind us to take some time to reconnect with our family and refocus on what is important: love and kindness for one another. It is also a good time for a reminder to be kind and loving to yourself. Patients who had bariatric surgery such as Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy or Lap-Band have a lot to be thankful for. They are better able to lose weight and keep it off, enjoy better health than before surgery and tend to have lots of new found energy that can come in quite handy during the busy holiday season. However, not all patients are as enamored with their body. Most bariatric patients can expect to lose between 50 to 80% of their excess weight with the help of bariatric surgery and the very hard pre- and post-op work that comes with a healthy lifestyle. Depending on the surgery type and the total... Read More

Tools of Success for Bariatric Surgery

October 11, 2013

You have often heard that Bariatric Surgery, or Weight Loss Surgery, is a tool for fighting obesity and its related diseases. It is a very effective tool. We now have decades of studies that show the effectiveness of procedures such as the Gastric Bypass and Lap Band. We also have nearly 10 years of data on the Gastric Sleeve and its effectiveness against obesity and comorbid conditions. Bariatric surgery works. It helps patients lose weight, keep it off and most importantly avoid or control diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Unfortunately, sometimes we forget that Bariatric Surgery is not a miracle worker. It takes dedication and very hard work. This is where the other tools in your toolbox need to come in: nutrition, exercise, behavior management, follow-op and support. Let’s look at these in a bit more detail. Nutrition: Bariatric surgery helps patients feel satisfied with less food. It is the patient’s responsibility to ensure that the food is nutritious. Feed your body decadent, healthy food that is rich in protein, low in fat and low in sugar... Read More

Bariatric Surgery and Weight Management For The Long Run

September 16, 2013

The road to weight loss is hard. Some people may think that having Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy or Lap Band is the easy way out. After all, you had bariatric surgery; the pounds just fall off you, right? We love to talk about the success stories: Amy lost 80 pounds, Peter lost 150. What we need to discuss more is how much work goes into weight loss, regardless if it is lost with the help of weight loss surgery or not. Bariatric surgery does not make weight loss easier. What it does do, however, is make it more effective. You can see results. If you exercise daily, take care of your mental wellbeing and eat a bariatric-friendly diet, bariatric surgery will ensure that you lose weight. No more dieting and exercising with slow results and gaining the weight back and then some when you start to live like a person who is not on “The Biggest Loser” television show. Bariatric surgery helps you retain control of your weight loss. But it is still hard. Sometimes, it is difficult to stay... Read More

A Healthy Post-Bariatric Surgery Lifestyle Includes Behavior Management

July 29, 2013

Adapting to a healthy lifestyle after bariatric surgery is the key to optimal weight loss, disease management and weight loss maintenance. The most talked about components of the healthy lifestyle after Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy and Lap-Band are nutrition, exercise and behavior management. Nutritionally, it is well understood that a balanced diet that is low in simple carbs and sugars, rich in lean proteins and supplemented with bariatric-specific multivitamins and minerals is best. Choosing a type of exercise that you enjoy and that you can do every day leads to better compliance of the rigorous exercise requirements put upon bariatric patients. What about behavior management? How does behavior management fit into the healthy post-bariatric lifestyle? Create a Positive Inner Dialog – Listen to your inner voice. Are you a friend to yourself? Are you encouraging to yourself or do you criticize? Your inner dialog directly affects your long-term success: It is very hard to stay motivated when you keep discouraging and criticizing yourself. Keep a positive attitude and don’t forget to compliment yourself. Surround Yourself with People Who Uplift You... Read More

Considering Bariatric Surgery

April 5, 2013

If you are a person who has been suffering from severe obesity (morbid obesity) you may have considered bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery). There are several types of bariatric surgery. Each procedure has pros and cons. Each procedure requires a lifestyle change that includes stress management, exercise and good nutrition. Bariatric surgery also requires lifelong follow-up with the bariatric surgery team and multivitamin and mineral supplements. Oversight of Bariatric Procedures performed at Griffin Hospital Lap-Band – The lap-band is a restrictive procedures (allows you to feel satisfied with less food). The key to success with the Lap-Band is frequent follow-up and optimal adjustments to the silicone ring. The expected average excess weight loss is around 50%. Thus, this procedure is usually recommended for persons who need to lose less significant weight. Health benefits such as resolution of sleep apnea, better control of diabetes and other conditions are related to the amount of weight loss and maintenance over the long term. Sleeve Gastrectomy (Gastric Sleeve) – Even though the Sleeve Gastrectomy is considered a restrictive procedure, it must be noted that... Read More

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