Top 10 Mistakes Made the First Year After Weight Loss Surgery
It all begins with an idea.
We all make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. The important thing is we learn from our mistakes or in this case, you can have me to remind you that you may be doing something incorrect so you can work on improving it. The first year after your weight loss surgery is critical to your success. Review the list below and see if you can identify anything you need to work on.
1. You are not “pre-measuring” your portions!!
You will always be in control if you premeasure ½ cup portions of most of the foods that you consume. Whether you had Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass, or Lapband, you should also stay around 1/2 cup portions. Some are harder to measure (like lettuce/vegetables) but if you premeasure, you will still stay on track with your goals. You can weigh your food if you want to know how many calories are in that food, but volume is the most important.
2. You are not always eating protein first!
This will ensure that your smaller “pouch” will always be filled with the necessary protein before you start consuming other calorie sources. Following this rule will also help to decrease overeating and help control sweet cravings.
3. You are not drinking enough fluids!
It is hard to drink when your stomach is the size of a banana, but it is imperative that you focus on your fluid intake and not just drink when you are merely thirsty. Think of water as the lifeline to everything else you do each and treat it as such.
4. You are unaware of the concept of “caloric density” in relation to some of the healthier foods that you are choosing.
This is leading to the consumption of more calories that you thought. For example, 1 cashew is 10 calories, or 1 T of olive oil is 120 calories. These are considered “healthier” alternatives so many of us ignore the fact that they are packed with calories. Don’t make this mistake.
5. You are not following up with your surgeon/dietitian many times the first year after surgery (including attending support groups if they are offered).
Go see your bariatric surgeon and registered dietitian and ask questions and get feedback on how you are doing. Don’t just have the surgery and never go back in! If you had surgery out of the country (Like Mexico, which is common), you can follow up with another surgeon near you or you can reach out to Michael Murphy Dietitian (Dietitian Dad).
6. You are not feeling that sense of urgency the first year!
Your body is most willing to lose the weight the first year and then it adapts in year 2 and beyond. You are likely already busy with work and family. Don’t waste that year by taking on a 2nd job or going back to school. You need the time to focus and devote to yourself.
7. You haven’t gotten rid of the negative people in your life!
You know these people, the ones who are passive aggressive, say nothing supportive or positive, ask you why you had the surgery, etc. You may not be able to sever ties with them forever, but you can scale back the amount of interaction you have with them.
8. You aren’t exercising with enough intensity and focus!
You don’t want to hurt yourself but and although a leisurely stroll is better than the couch, you should also have a plan to drum up a decent amount of sweat and push yourself so that your body has no option but to change. Seek out exercise help if you don’t know what to do.
9. You do really well the first few months but lose focus after you lost a good amount of weight!
This is not time to relax of take your foot off the gas pedal. It’s tempting to feel like you have done well, and you deserve a break. Fight those thoughts. Take a day off but not a week. Keep pushing to get to the finish line!
10. You’re weighing yourself too much and putting too much emotion into the number on the scale!
Yes, the number matters but you will go a week or longer and see no weight change. Things are still changing that cannot be measured on a scale. You are most likely doing just fine and don’t need to change anything. Don’t panic, believe in the system, and try to avoid the scale as much as you can!
Email Registereddietitianmike@gmail.com if you have any questions!