Changing Habits After Weight Loss Surgery

Posted by Dr. Nick Nicholson on March 3rd, 2015

When you quit smoking, they tell you to change your habits so that the people and places around which you used to smoke do not remain triggers for continuing with what you are doing. You ask smoker friends to give you a wide berth, you remove smoking paraphernalia from the home and office, and you change up the routine that you had for smoking throughout the day. The very same thing can be said for weight loss and following surgery many people forget that in addition to eating better and exercising, they need to change up their habits surrounding eating.

Things have to change on a fundamental level for there to be long standing sustainable change in your health. And that means changing up things that would otherwise have led to unhealthy habit forming. Here are some of the things to be aware of following your weight loss surgery:

*Be wary of eating out. What may have once been a fun thing to do with friends can now be fraught with dangers. It’s best to stay away from restaurant eating in the short term following surgery and in the long term be sure to visit the restaurant’s website so you can decide what to order before you get there.

*Be wary of team eaters. When you are overweight, you often form relationships with people who make overeating uncomfortable. When you have weight loss surgery, you may discover that these relationships change. In the beginning, it’s important to stay away from situations that could be triggers for overeating. That doesn’t mean you can’t hang out with your friends but it does mean there needs to be parameters set and that everyone is on board with helping you stay on track. Don’t listen to naysayers and keep your distance from people who are anything less than supportive.

*Plan, plan, plan. In the past, you may have just eaten what was on hand but that won’t fly after weight loss surgery and will only serve to set you up for failure. Be sure to plan all your meals ahead of time and follow your plan strictly.

About Author

One of the most experienced weight loss surgeons in the country – Dr. Nick Nicholson – along with a full staff of surgeons, nurses and other experienced clinicians, help patients reverse obesity with LAP-BAND, Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy and Revisions.