Weight loss surgery can be an effective treatment for obesity and its comorbidities but it takes a lot of commitment and necessary lifestyle changes for the surgery to be termed as successful. Although you may have several expectations before the surgery, there is no guarantee that your weight loss struggles will end. It is only the first step to achieving your weight loss goals since you have to adjust to the new lifestyle after surgery.
Many bariatric surgery patients may gain their lost weight a few weeks following the surgical procedure. There are several reasons why this happens and health experts always have an explanation as to why you cannot realize any significant results after the surgery. This article looks at top reasons why you are still gaining weight even after weight loss surgery.
- Prolonged Stress
Chronic or poorly managed stress, grief, or anxiety can make your body produce greater amounts of cortisol hormone. Not only does cortisol hormone promote weight gain, but it also affects where the excess fats are deposited around your body. Cortisol hormone stimulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism to provide energy. It stimulates your appetite and influences unhealthy eating decisions that result in difficulty losing unwanted pounds. Elevated cortisol can cause fat deposition around the abdominal area, which is closely related to the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart attacks.
- Snacking on Junk Foods
Weight loss surgery patients often crave salty and crunchy foods since postoperative meals consist of softer foods that they are probably not used to. You may be tempted to eat some snack foods as they are easy to tolerate compared to the meals you are required to stick with during the recovery phase. The more you continue to snack on junk foods the more your tolerance for a healthy diet diminishes. As days pass by, you may find yourself slowly slipping back to your old eating habits. The stronger need for sweet, sugary, or crunchy foods that have no great nutritional value can cause massive weight gain in the weeks following the surgery as they slow down your body’s ability to lose weight.
- Skipping Meals
Some people have a false idea that skipping meals can help them lose weight a lot faster. You will miss the essential nutrients and calories your body derives from a meal at that time of the day. When this happens for a prolonged period, you stop losing weight because your metabolism decreases. This means that the longer you do not eat, the hungrier you become, and excess hunger leads to poor food choices and overeating. However, if you maintain a healthy diet and follow your dietitian’s advice on how to control your food portions, you will be on the right track to achieving your weight goals.
- Surgical Complications
Some rare complications may arise after a surgery that can lead to weight gain over time. For instance, a newly created stomach pouch that is larger than the recommended size can make you eat more than what you should maintain your weight. While this can be corrected, it can make it difficult for you to keep up with the recommended food portions during recovery. Complications can also arise in patients who have undergone gastric band surgery. The band’s efficiency to restrict the organ can be reduced because of erosion or the device growing into the stomach. While such complications may be rare, they can happen and result in significant weight gain over time.
- Skipping Your Medical Appointments
Life after surgery requires frequent visits to your surgeon or physician to check your progress and address any problems you may experience during recovery. If you keep making excuses as to why you cannot keep up with your medical appointments, you can easily fall back on your plans to achieve long-term weight loss. Regular medical visits help to keep your weight in check and ensure that you do not have any complications resulting from the surgery. You also get professional advice as to what milestones you need to make to achieve your target.
The success of a weight loss surgery depends on how well you adapt to your new lifestyle by being mindful of what you eat, how you exercise, and how much you weigh, and what you need to do to achieve your weight goals. A dedicated bariatric team can be your ally when it comes to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the long term. Schedule regular medical visits with your physician to keep your weight loss on track.
Even with taking the above into consideration, our clients at the Weight Loss and Wellness Center have seen life-changing results in their health and quality of life after undergoing weight loss surgery. Contact us today for a consultation, or give us a call at (973) 888-1085.
