Post-Bariatric Weight Management

One of the biggest fears of patients who have had weight loss surgery is weight regain. This is understandable since many patient’s who’ve undergone weight loss surgery have, at some point, been “yo-yo dieters” during their weight loss journey.

Bariatric surgery certainly has its benefits. The good news about weight loss surgery is that most patients can maintain a healthy enough weight to improve chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. However, it is important that patients keep in mind that obesity is a chronic disease that is not cured by surgery. Surgery provides a powerful tool for significant weight-loss, but without proper care, “the tool” can lose its effectiveness, leading to weight regain.

That’s Where We Come In

Dr. Rohn Rigby and the Ogden Clinic Medical Weight Loss Team specialize in equipping patients to maintain a healthy weight. Our staff knows how difficult it can be to make food choices, which is why our approach focuses on daily habits and nutrition education. To maintain the benefits of weight loss following bariatric surgery, it’s critical that patients adapt their diet in a way that promotes weight management.

Causes of Weight Re-gain After Bariatric Surgery

It is common for post-bariatric patients to regain weight, usually 12 to 18 months after their surgery. It can be due to an anatomical problem (something wrong with the surgery), a medical problem, or, most commonly a behavioral change—returning to old habits.

The truth is that life after weight loss surgery feels unfair. You require more calories to function at a heavier weight than you do when you lose weight. So if a patients consume the same amount of calories at 160 pounds that they did at 350 pounds, for example, this leads to weight gain.

Most weight regain boils down to eating habits. Common culprits people find themselves in are binge eating, eating after fullness, eating continuously during the day without acknowledging hunger signals, or excessive fast food consumption. These are all lifestyle habits that we can help you recognize and reverse.

Your Post-Bariatric Weight Loss Team

Obesity is a multifaceted condition and having a weight management team on your side after surgery makes all the difference in keeping you on track. Bariatric surgery is not a permanent solution to obesity, but a tool for losing weight. Take control of your success by visiting our Medical Weight Loss team to help you maintain your quality of life and prevent regain.