Life After Surgery

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    • For weight loss surgery to be successful long form. It is mandatory to make permanent lifestyle changes in your eating & activity patterns.
    • Regular follow-ups with your BARIATRIC NUTRITIONIST will help you to attain your weight loss goal in a healthy manner without any nutritional deficiencies.
    • Individuals who are eating to cope with negative emotions or stress are most successful after surgery if they have learned to replace eating with more adaptive coping strategies such as deep breathing, exercise or developing a hobby.
    • The majority of patients who have weight loss surgery report having a better quality of life after surgery and recovery.
    • The majority of patients also report improved body image and increased self esteem.
    • The majority of patients who have undergone weight loss surgery report an increase in energy after a brief recovery period. This new energy should be put to good use as soon as possible by exercising & being active.

Diet after surgery

Stage 1 (1-2-3 days after surgery)

Clear Liquid Diet

    • About one day after your surgery, you will be started on sips of clear liquids like rice kanji, coconut water, and clear soup & will continue this for two days.

 

Stage 2 (4 to 15 days after surgery)

Full liquid diet (High protein)

You will be able to consume liquid like protein shakes,skimmed milk ( amul lite or nestle slim milk )tea/ coffee with skimmed milk(no sugar)chicken soup (without fat)buttermilk vegetable soups ( no butter and corn flour added , no readymade soups)dal(tur dal/ moong dal – not watery dal) Protein powders are mandatory to be added to water or milk.

Stage 3 (15 to 30 days)

Mashed /Pureed Soft Diet (for 2 weeks after stage 2)

All foods need to be blended to a baby food consistency. food items that can be consumed are oats porridge, oats upma, daliya upma, mashed patato, fruit, khichadi, custard ( made with skimmed milk powder / sugar free & custard powder) fruits yoghurt / fruit raita ( fruit should be grated ),peeled and soft textured fruits, Well cooked vegetables without seeds and skin, daliya khichadi with vegetables, soya paneer (tofu), baby cerelac – wheat /rice /barley, cooked egg white/ cooked fish, chicken soups, cooked pureed lean meats (chicken, fish are best tolerated and avoid red meat).

Stage 4

Full Diet

You can eat all foods and follow the full diet given by the nutritionist. continue adding one new food at a time. you still have to restrict high calorie, high fat foods such as all sweets/ ice-creams / deep fried items and all carbonated beverages should be avoided completely. If you are a smoker, please quit smoking. Refrain yourself from alcoholic beverages if you were taking them prior to surgery. You may be able to tolerate crisp and hard foods better like a khakra /toasted bread instead of phulka/ plain bread respectively.

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General Instructions

For a successful weight loss, it is important to note that lifestyle and behavioural changes are mandatory.

    1. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. You must take at least 15 – 20 minutes to finish your meal. Sense your satiety then stop.
    2. Drink adequate fluid to avoid dehydration, aim for 6 – 8 cups of fluid per day. Sip on your beverages, no gulping please! Avoid carbonated beverages, beverages containing sugars and alcoholic beverages.
    3. Stop eating when you satisfied, over eating can cause nausea, vomiting and size of the stomach to stretch. It can take 6 – 9 months for your new stomach size to stabilize.
    4. Avoid eating and drinking at the same time, Wait for atleast 30 minutes after a meal.
    5. Add one new item so that you can decide what suits you or not.
    6. Choose your food choices wisely; consume proteins first at each meal, then vegetables then whole grains.
    7. Avoid – High fat foods, potato chips, fried foods, fast foods. Ice-creams, cakes, cookies, milkshakes, sweets, preserved and processed foods and readymade soups.
    8. Exercise, aim for minimum 30 minutes every day.

Please follow the menu as planned by the Dietician /Bariatric nutritionist.

Exercise Post Surgery

Based on your physical condition and recovery phase, your bariatric surgery team will recommend how soon after your surgery should you start with exercise.

    • To begin your exercise program, take walks or use a treadmill
    • Use caution when bending at the waist and picking up heavy objects.
    • Your surgeon will advise you when to return to work and when to resume prior activities.
    • Consult with your surgeon before starting an exercise program

3 to 6 week post-surgery

    • Continue walking and add aerobic exercises such as cycling, jogging, and swimming.
    • Lift objects with caution and do not perform any abdominal exercises until a member of your surgeon gives you permission to do so.

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Choose physical activities that you enjoy as you will be more likely to continue doing them.

Commit to an exercise plan report on physical activity and health states that exercise helps to:

Beginning any exercise program.

Benefits of exercise:

    1. Reduce the risk of dying prematurely.
    2. Reduce the risk of dying from heart disease.
    3. Reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
    4. Reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.
    5. Reduce boodle pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
    6. Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.
    7. build and maintain healthy bones, muscled and joints.
    8. Reduce feeling of depression and anxiety.
    9. Control weight.

Getting Started:

Remember: The key to weight loss is expending more calories than consumed!!!!

Walking is an excellent way to start an exercise program.

    1. A walking program can be started before surgery and resumed once home from the hospital.
    2. A walking program can be followed year round. Walk outside during good weather and move indoor to a gym or mall on cold, rainy or humid days.
    3. Start by walking on a flat surface and gradually add hills or slopes, as you get stronger.
    4. Gradually increase the distance or amount of time you walk.
    5. Alternate your walking routes will keep you from getting bored with your walking program.
    6. It may help to join a walking club or walk with a family member or friend to keep you motivated.
    7. Walk only where you feel safe.
    8. If you can, invest in a good pair of walking shoes.
    9. If you have not exercise in a long time, it might make you feel better to take a cell phone with you on your walks.
    10. Take a bottle of water with you on longer walks. Sip water at intervals, especially if you walk outside on hot days.

Aerobic Exercise:

    1. Check with your doctor before starting any form of strenuous exercise program.
    2. The best form of aerobic exercise is one that you will enjoy. It is difficult to stick with an exercise program you don’t enjoy.
    3. A variety of aerobic activities can help you from becoming bored with your exercise program. Try doing different activities on different days.
    4. Swimming and water aerobic are a good dorm of exercise, especially if you have joint problems or joint pain.
    5. If you want to take an aerobic class, always start with a low impact class. Make sure the class is geared for beginners.
    6. Research has shown that increasing lifestyle activities can have the same effect on health and weight loss a structured exercise program.

Examples include:

    • Taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
    • Parking at the far end of the parking lot and walking to the office or store.
    • Getting up from your desk to deliver a message instead of using E-mail.
    • Walking to do errands instead of driving.

Strength:

Note: Strength training is not recommended for the first three months post – operative. Check with your doctor before starting strength – training program.

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