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 Bariatric surgery is a tool that helps you live a lighter lifestyle for life. It can permanently limit your ability to eat enough food to regain all the weight you have lost. It is important, however, to remember that bariatric surgery is just a tool. To get maximum benefit from your tool - to achieve your goal weight and maintain it - you must use your tool properly. Listed below are habits that can help you live light for a lifetime:
Eating Habits
- Protect your staple line. Restrict portions to the
size recommended. Stop eating as soon as you feel full or as
soon as you have eaten the recommended portion size.
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Chew small bites
of food well. Sip liquids between meals. Take 20 to 45 minutes
to eat a meal.
Exercise
- Be Active. Engage in 30 to 60 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times each week. Include strength training 2 to 3 times per week and some type of stretching after exercise and/or as a separate activity such as yoga.
- Be creative. Look for ways to make exercise fun. Participate in activities such as hiking or dancing.
Attitude
- Focus on your strengths. Pay attention to what is good about you.
- Focus on what you want. Set your own goals and be self-responsible in meeting them.
- Engage in meaningful work, family, friendship, and recreational activities. Spend your time and energy doing things that enhance your self-esteem, self-confidence, and pleasure in living. Weed out or change activities and interests that are negative or sabotaging.
Nutrition
- Eat to protect your health. Eat a balanced diet. Make sure you're getting the recommended amount of protein, calories, and vitamins. See your physician as scheduled or whenever you have discomfort or concern.
- Eat like "normal" people. Eat to live rather than live to eat. If you lapse into sabotaging behavior, stop and get back on track immediately.
Relationships
- Develop relationships that are good for you. Surround yourself with people who care about you and support you.
- Make changes in relationships that are troubled. Seek to improve troubled relationships that are important to you. Let go of hurtful relationships that cannot be improved.
- Be your own best friend. Treat yourself with love, care, and respect. Spend time taking care of yourself and promoting your lighter lifestyle.
Stress Management
- Learn and practice good coping and problem solving skills. Learn to problem solve in order to protect your emotional and physical well-being. Learn to keep your head when your environment feels out of control.
- Practice stress management skills. Use good stress reduction exercises. Learn to balance the needs of work, family and friends with your own needs. Learn to say "no" to things that are hurtful to you and your goals. Learn to say "yes" to things that are helpful to you and your goals.
St. Joseph's Support Program includes:
What if I have questions?
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