A Change of Lifestyle & Steps to Long-Term
Weight Loss

While weight-loss surgery is a vital tool to make dramatic changes in your life, it is only the beginning of a life-long commitment to good health, good nutrition, exercise and permanent weight loss.

A survey of the most successful long term bariatric surgery patients revealed six common habits. They:

• Eat three well balanced meals and two snacks per
  day. Focus on protein, vegetables and fruits with
  only small amounts of sweets.
• Drink 40-64 oz. of water per day. Most did not
  drink carbonated or caffeinated beverages,
  sweetened drinks or alcohol.
• Take daily vitamins and if needed they also take
  daily calcium and iron supplements.
• Sleep 7 hours per night.
• Have a regular exercise routine -- four times per
  week for 40 minutes or more is the average.
• Take personal responsibility for staying in control.

Surgery is a tool used to reach and maintain a healthy weight. By weighing themselves often, and allowing only a few pounds leeway, patients stay in control.

Remember, you have a new and very small stomach. Your new stomach and opening to the intestine are very small and only well-chewed foods will pass through without a problem. Eat and drink very slowly and small amounts at a time. Take time to chew your food very thoroughly.

The normal stomach grinds food into tiny particles less than 1/16 of an inch. However, this normally occurs in the lower part of the stomach but after surgery this will no longer be part of your digestive system.

If you do not thoroughly chew your food, it may block the outlet of the pouch and make you vomit, or undigested foods may have to be removed with special techniques such as gastroscopy.
Avoid high carbohydrate foods such as chips and pretzels. Eating snacks can cause you to regain your weight. Avoid breads, rice and pasta, they expand and potentially can cause dangerous blockage.

Protein is important to your health. Always eat your protein first, followed by vegetables and fruits.

Each day you need to have a minimum of 60 grams of protein in your diet. You may take extra protein in the form of liquid, powder or special bars or cookies.

Many protein supplements are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Look for high protein, low sugars, low carbohydrates on the foods you buy and prepare.

READ LABELS.

Be careful of what you put in your mouth. Chewing gum, large seeds, popcorn and hard candy such as breath mints or LifeSavers can become lodged and be dangerous. Even Goldfish Crackers not well chewed have caused emergency situations. One concern with bariatric surgery patients is the development of micronutrient and vitamin deficiencies. Most studies suggest these deficiencies can be prevented by meticulous attention to aggressive vitamin, mineral and protein supplementation. BIW regularly monitors the patients' vitamin, mineral and chemistry levels.