5 Things You Can Do to Prepare for Weight Loss Surgery
It’s often a combination of personal reasons and health concerns that convinces someone carrying around excess pounds to opt for surgery when other efforts fail. IHere are five specific things you can do before you have your procedure to increase your odds of enjoying the results that matter most to you.
1. Educate Yourself
Take some time to learn more about your procedure. Books and websites are good starting places, but go further and attend support groups or talk to other patients who’ve gone through surgery already to get a firsthand account of what you can expect.
2. Make Diet Changes Early
The easiest way to get used to how you’ll have to eat after your weight loss surgery is to get started before your procedure takes place. Ways to do this include eating smaller portions with each meal, opting for healthy snacks like fruit, and upping your intake of lean proteins, healthy fats, and fresh veggies. A related thing you can do is track your eating habits and patterns pre-surgery to get a better of idea what kind of changes you’ll need to make.
3. Find Exercises You’ll Actually Stick With
If regular exercise hasn’t been part of your life, use the time you’ll have to prepare for your surgery to explore your options. For example, if you’re not a fan of gym-based exercise, take a water aerobics class or a beginner’s yoga class. Sampling various activities like this will give you a chance to find forms of exercise you’ll be more likely to stick with after your procedure.
4. Put Together Your Support Team
Weight loss surgery isn’t something you have to handle alone. Get started with your preparations for your procedure by putting together your own personal support team. Other than family members, these people may include friends and co-workers along with therapists you may want to visit pre-surgery to work through mental health issues that might have contributed to your weight gain.
5. Quit Smoking
Many of the thousands of chemicals in cigarettes, especially nicotine, can increase complication risks during surgery. The same thing also applies to tobacco products. Going tobacco-free will also minimize issues with circulation and help improve the flow of essential nutrients to your surgical site as you heal.
One other thing you can do to prepare for weight loss surgery is to view your upcoming procedure as a beginning and not an end. In other words, avoid the temptation to overeat prior to your surgery as you prepare to say “goodbye” to certain foods you’ll be advised to avoid post-procedure. Instead, use the time you’ll have before your scheduled surgery to make an effort to start changing your way of thinking about your relationship with food.
