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Author admin Categories Bariatric Surgery, Bariatrics, Emotional Eating, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery, WLS Posted on

Eating Out After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

 

Eating Out After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

 

Are you fearful of eating out after bariatric weight loss surgery?  You are not alone.  The thought of It can fill you with anxiety and dread. The good news is that with a few new strategies you can eat out and do it with confidence.  Whether you are attending a social function such as a wedding or going to a restaurant, you can master the art of eating out and enjoy the experience.

Helpful Tips for Eating Out after WLS

 

  1. With so many people having special dietary requirements, social functions are much easier to attend after bariatric weight loss surgery. You can now use this option to stay on track without feeling different.
  2. Several days prior to the attending a Restaurant, I always view the menu online. This allows you to plan your meal ahead of time so you can order with confidence.  Sometimes there may be nothing suitable, in this case I would generally ask if we could move the venue, or I would eat at home before hand and arrive a little later for coffee and maybe a little dessert.
  3. Some functions will offer only finger foods. I find that if you always have a plate in your hand with a couple of nibblies on it then people don’t keep pressuring you to eat more. It works!
  4. Remember to hydrate at least 30 minutes before your meal to avoid any confusion between thirst and hunger
  5. Eat slowly, chew your food, really saviour the flavour of what you are eating, enjoy every mouthful. There is no rush to finish your meal.
  6. Stop eating when you feel that first sign of satiety. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you have had enough to eat.
  7. Enjoy the company you are with. Talking and interacting will help slow down your eating process.
  8. If there is food left on your plate, ask the waiter for a take-out container, and take it home for later.
  9. Avoid Alcohol. Apart from the hidden calories, alcohol is metabolised differently after bariatric weight loss surgery.  You can get quite tipsy very quickly and lose control of your eating and alcohol consumption.

Planning prior to your social engagement

will diminish stress and worry of eating out allowing you to enjoy a normal social life after weight loss surgery.  You just won’t eat as much as you used to and you will be surprised how easy it is to maintain a social life after weight loss surgery.

 

Bon Appetit!

Julia-Lorent-black-high-res

 

 

Author admin Categories Bariatrics, Diet, Emotional Eating, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery, WLS Posted on

Relationship Issues after Weight Loss Surgery

Relationship Issues after Weight Loss Surgery?

Experiencing Relationship Issues after Weight Loss Surgery are many and varied. They have all the elements of being good, bad and ugly. And it’s all your fault. You decided to change. You being “fat” makes others feel comfortable and safe.

Bariatric weight loss surgery is associated with improved confidence and self-esteem and psychological changes in general. It’s a great “side-effect” of weight loss and one that we all want.

What is hard to fathom is other peoples’ reactions to our weight loss after surgery. Family and friends who you thought were 100% on your team may begin to show signs of jealousy and indifference to your achievements. You may even be met with remarks such as “you took the easy way out” or “you will just put the weight back on anyway”. These comments by people we love and who are supposed to love us cut straight through to the heart.

Weight Loss Surgery is no easy way out. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve the desired weight loss and to maintain it.  The last thing you should have to deal with is other people not coping with you changing.

 

Herein lies the issue. You being the “fat” one in a group or family allows others to feel more confident with their body and life. Seemingly, they have no competition from you. You are no threat until you have lost enough weight. Then someone else in the family or group of friends now becomes the “fat” one. Resentment can set in from the newly crowned “fatty” of the group which will often find them trying to sabotage your success. Jealousy from others is a human emotion that you may find yourself having to deal with after losing significant amounts of weight.

If you remain the “fat” identity in the group or family relationships will generally be stable.

They won’t be what you want necessarily but you accommodate it because as someone who is obese you may feel your friendship options are limited. And unfortunately, this is often the case. Fat shaming happens in all areas of life. Its ramifications are underestimated.

Weight affects the way people see you and treat you. Weight loss affects the way people treat you and respond to you.

Bariatric Divorce figures vary depending on the research module you look at. Suffice to say however, that the divorce rate following bariatric weight loss surgery is high. With physical and psychological improvements, comes increased confidence and self-esteem. Clients find they no longer need unhealthy relationships, and many choose to end those relationships.

 

 

In this article I won’t be dissecting the myriad of relationship issues that can and do occur for the Bariatric patient, but it is something that is addressed in depth when I work with Bariatric Weight Loss Clients pre and post-surgery.

Let’s also not forget those acquaintances who have had surgery the same day/week/month etc. that you have. It could be in a group you belong to. Yes, unfortunately this is another area where we see fellow Bariatric patients becoming jealous because someone else is losing quicker or losing more. Everyone loses at different rate for numerous and obvious reasons. Comparing your weight loss journey with another can make you feel like a failure if the rate of loss is not the same. DON’T do this to yourself. Just don’t do it. Focus on your journey knowing that your body and mind will lose weight at a rate that is perfect for you.

Relationships will change after you have surgery. Some will excel and others you will find dissipate.

It is not a reflection of you or the surgery. These relationships quite often were unhealthy and the power within them one sided long before you decided to have surgery.

 

If you would like more information on our programs or how we can help you through this life changing journey, please visit our website at www.savvybariatrics.com

Stay Savvy

 

Importance Of Supplements
Author admin Categories Bariatrics, Diet, Emotional Eating, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery, WLS Posted on

The Importance of Supplements Post Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

The Importance of Supplements Post Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery.

It’s easy to forget The Importance of Supplements post Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery.  However, they are essential for your optimal health and wellbeing. You will quickly feel the effects of not taking your supplements or indeed not receiving adequate dosage.  A simple blood test requested by your GP or Dietitian will allow them to recommend which supplements you need, and levels required.

Missing a day here and there is ok, we all do it.  But it really is imperative that you stick to a committed daily routine of taking your supplements.  Keeping a diary on your kitchen bench and ticking it off each day will alleviate any amnesia on your part.

Remember this is a lifelong regime required for ongoing health of your body and mind.

In this Series we will take a quick look at each of the Essential Vitamins & Minerals required after Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery.

 

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a powerhouse. It helps make DNA, nerve and blood cells, and is crucial for a healthy brain and immune system.

A Vitamin B12 deficiency is the most common deficiency among people who have undergone bariatric surgery. While about 5% of patients have this deficiency prior to surgery, about 13% have it once surgery is complete. The B12 deficiency tends to occur due to the inadequate digestion of vitamin B12.

B12 plays a vital role in nervous system functioning and the growth and replication of cells. Potential complications from having a deficiency in vitamin B12 include:

 

                      • Heart palpitations
                      • Shortness of breath
                      • Light-headedness
                      • Pale skin
                      • Loss of appetite
                      • Diarrhea
                      • Vision loss
                      • Memory loss
                      • Depression

Bariatric patients are more likely to develop a vitamin B12 deficiency than other people because their digestive tracts have been changed.

This causes an interference with the natural absorption of B12. In adults who have not undergone bariatric surgery, the body uses stomach acid to break down vitamin B12, which lets it get absorbed into the body.

 

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There are several ways to take your supplements.  My personal preference is via Sublingual methods, e.g.: Sprays, Dissolvable/Chewable tablets under the tongue, Liquids, Drops or powders.  B12 injections are also very effective way of administering this vital supplement. Most vitamin and minerals tablets you get from the pharmacies are full of fillers and actually don’t dissolve that well for people who haven’t had Bariatric Surgery.  Those of you who may have had Lap Band surgery will have found that tablets will have become stuck and caused many problems.

Sublingual ingestion, in my opinion. is the only viable way for Bariatric Surgery recipients to get the recommended requirements of Vitamins & Minerals necessary for optimal long-lasting health.

 

It is very important to understand the importance of Supplements post bariatric weight loss surgery due to the malabsorption issues created by the change in the gut microbiome.

Stay Savvy

www.savvybariatrics.com

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Author admin Categories Bariatrics, Diet, Emotional Eating, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery, WLS Posted on

Shame Can’t Be Vitamised

Shame Can’t be Vitamised

So you lose 60 kilos, which is a fantastic achievement! You have worked so hard, only to find yourself in the same cycle of consuming non-nutritious food, in liquid form. 

 

You receive the temporary joy food brings you, but an overwhelming shadow of shame lurks — fat shame. A cruel self-deprecating habit that is often reinforced by miseducation and the ignorance of others. It’s time for change and understanding. Your thoughts form beliefs, validated by the presumptions or perceptions of either ourselves or others. 

Leaderboard for Julia Lorent the Savvy Changemaker

This is not an uncommon story, and we would like to paint you a picture. We want to talk about Jennifer. This is not her real name, it has been changed for privacy reasons.  However, her pain, her trauma and her victory are very real. 

 

Jennifer is 44 years old, and is a sensational sister, partner friend and mother of three. Jennifer is going through perimenopause in this current stage of her life but still maintains her busy lifestyle and career with enthusiasm. What Jennifer doesn’t realise is that on a subconscious level, she has an emotional attachment to food because of a variety of reasons. Jennifer has in desperation, tried every diet, pill, exercise there is, but nothing seems to work, and the mental cycle of shame and negative self-talk ensues and grows. So, she saves up and books in for bariatric surgery. The problem is, however, regardless of the fat removed, or the stomach surgery, the neuro pathways in her brain that formed many years ago, are still there. She has no mental scaffolding for what comes next. After surgery, the weight starts to go off, but the emotional attachments, beliefs and perceptions still exist. 

 

She starts vitamising the food she finds to nurturing, along with an array of habitual processes and actions steeped deeply within. Chocolate, even pizza turned to liquid to fill a need. However, Shame can’t be vitamised.

 

She is at a very great risk here of physical harm post surgery, emotional trauma and a failed surgery. Jennifer comes to us. The program she begins starts to educate Jennifer, understand herself, unlocking the deeply held triggers and reasons. Then begins the process of creating new thoughts, patterns and beliefs. Then comes empowerment, understanding, self belief and success. 

Leaderboard for Julia Lorent the Savvy Changemaker

Bariatric Surgery, a broad term used to identify weight loss procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy, is becoming more accessible for people trying to lose weight in Australia. 

 

According to the AIHW, From 2014-2015, there were 9.7 weight loss surgery separations per 10,000 of the population, with Western Australia with the highest rate at 17.3. Furthermore, around 18,000 (79%) weight loss separations were for female patients and 4,800 for male patients. 

 

This growth in weight loss surgery can be linked-to ABS statistics (2017-18), which state nearly two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese, over 12.5million people!

 

There are physical and mental problems that can derail the success of weight loss before and after bariatric surgery. What is most alarming, however, is the unsuccessful rate of these weight-loss surgeries due to the lack of mental health.

Leaderboard for Julia Lorent the Savvy Changemaker

A lack of postoperative therapeutic follow up by a professional can lead to failure, heartache and even life-threatening physical side effects just like Jennifer. 

 

This is extremely unfortunate given the postsurgical psychological challenges the procedure elicits because of an inadequate psychological support system. Which may result in body image concerns, mood changes, stress, substance use, and weight regain. 

 

“There is nothing worse for a patient than to go through the trauma of a physical surgery on their stomach, lose 60 kilograms and then gain it all again. Why does this happen? Because they put a patch on the hole in the dingy without finding out why the dingy keeps smashing into the rocks. We are the lighthouse. We shine a light on why the mind is triggering behaviours. Then we retrain it, reform it and revitalise the patient,” says Julia. 

 

According to a report from James Cook University psychological support for the mental health needs of obese patients, post-surgery requires more attention. 

 

The psychological impact of having bariatric surgery has received less attention. This study investigated whether patients who receive psychological counselling have better physical and mental well-being post-bariatric surgery. Patients who attended between one and four counselling sessions had significantly higher mental well-being.

 

Weight regain could be reduced with the right mental help before and after surgery, equalling a better quality of life. There is also the new you waiting. How will you feel with a different body and changing attitudes? Get the scaffolding ready to be successful. We are all only human, and you don’t have to walk the path alone. We are here to help you feel empowered, confident and reassured. 

Please reach out today and choose success, choose to make a change, because you deserve your very best life.

Phone me on: 0412 810 078 or Click Here

References: 

 

 

www.savvybariatrics.com

 

Author admin Categories Bariatrics, Diet, Emotional Eating, Health, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Surgery, WLS Posted on

Mental Health Preventing Weight-Loss Surgery Success

Mental Health Preventing Weight -Loss Surgery Success

Bariatric Surgery, a broad term used to identify weight loss procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy, is popular for people trying to lose weight in Australia. 

Without psychological help before and after surgery, these procedures have been proven to lead to mental illness and weight regain. 

According to the AIHW, From 2014-2015, there were 9.7 weight loss surgery separations per 10,000 of the population, with Western Australia with the highest rate at 17.3. Furthermore, around 18,000 (79%) weight loss separations were for female patients and 4,800 for male patients. 

This growth in weight loss surgery can be linked-to ABS statistics (2017-18), which state nearly two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese, over 12.5million people!

Gastrectomies are now becoming the last resort for people suffering from health conditions due to obesity, trying in desperation to achieve the quality of life they desire. However, despite the positives presented in this surgery for reducing weight, there is a lack of focus on what can go wrong, particularly if mindset patterns are linked in with the weight issue. 

There are physical and mental problems that can derail the success of weight loss before and after bariatric surgery. 

Bodies post-surgery are not able to absorb all the nutrients in food, with most people thinking the more nutritionally healthy  they eat, the better. However, this is wrong. To eat the right way, for example, using a gastric bypass diet like Roux-en-Y, you also need to consume the correct vitamin and mineral supplements.

What is most alarming, however, is the unsuccessful rate of these weight-loss surgeries due to mental health. 

A study in 2017 by the Current Obesity Reports, ‘Psychological Aspects of Bariatric Surgery as a Treatment for Obesity’ found that there is a higher prevalence of psychological co-morbidities in people who seek bariatric surgeries. There is a higher rate of people getting this surgery with mood disorders, psychological distress, eating disorders, anxiety, alcohol use, personality disorders and low self-esteem. 

Leaderboard for Julia Lorent the Savvy Changemaker

Now with a drastic change like Bariatric surgery, where a part of your stomach is removed, change in thought patterns are required so you can align your beliefs and self talk with your goals.

A lack of postoperative psychological follow up can lead to failure, heartache and even life threatening physical side effects. This is extremely unfortunate given the “postsurgical psychological challenges the procedure elicits” because of an inadequate psych support system. Often resulting in body image concerns, mood changes, stress, substance use, and weight regain. 

We often get calls from distressed patients who are vitamizing their food into liquid for emotional comfort.

Ice cream and even pizza, or chocolate. Thousands of dollars being spent on surgery only to risk physical damage to the internal organs is no fun and dangerous. Often the reasons lurking beneath are not simple and require the help of a professional to gain control over and renew the possibility of success. Doctors refer patients to us post surgery to help them address habits and attitudes, retrain thought patterns and change. We are passionate about helping you achieve your goal and our success stories are inspiring. Re-patterning the brain is possible and we see the positive outcomes daily. 

The study suggests that people can lose drastic weight and appear to have positive physical health improvements post-op. 

Leaderboard for Julia Lorent the Savvy Changemaker

Weight regain could be reduced with the right mental help before and after surgery, equalling a better quality of life. There is also the new you waiting. How will you feel with a different body and changing attitudes? Get the scaffolding ready to be successful. We are all only human, you don’t have to walk the path alone. We are here to help you feel empowered, confident and reassured.  CHANGE IS A PHONE CALL AWAY. 

Need help? Call today on 0412 810 078 to make your best life changes happen TODAY.

 

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