Weight Loss Seminar

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Plaza Medical Center hosts and coordinates twice–monthly meetings for prospective bariatric patients.

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FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions patients often ask about maintaining excess weight loss and the resumption of normal activity.

Why is exercise so important?

After you have bariatric surgery, you lose weight because the amount of food energy (calories) you can consume falls below the threshold of what your body needs. Your body has to make up the difference by burning unused fat or muscle tissue. It will tend to burn unused muscle before it begins to burn the fat it has saved up. Therefore, without daily exercise you will find yourself losing both muscle mass and strength. Twenty minutes per day of aerobic exercise will tell your body to burn fat instead of muscle.

How much exercise is needed after bariatric surgery?

Exercise usually begins not long after you wake up after surgery. You’ll be asked to get out of bed and begin walking. The goal becomes to walk a little furtherevery day, including during your first few weeks at home. After that other types of exercise may begin, depending on your overall condition and the amount of discomfort you feel. For example, those with hip and/or knee problems are likely to be hindered from walking much, but may be able to swim or bicycle. Those who begin with low–stress forms of exercise can move on to more demanding activities later.

Why is it important to drink so much water?

When you are losing weight, there are many waste products to eliminate, mostly in the urine. Some of these substances tend to form crystals, which can cause kidney stones. A high water intake protects you and helps your body rid itself of waste efficiently, promoting better weight loss. Water also fills your stomach and helps create a feeling of fullness. If you feel a desire to eat between meals, it may be because you did not drink enough water in the hour before.

How much food will I be able to eat following surgery? How often will I be able to eat?

Usually patients are instructed to eat 1/4 cup, or 2 ounces, of food. As time goes on, you can eat more (per the guidelines laid down by your Plaza healthcare team). A year after undergoing surgery, most people can eat approximately 1 cup of food at a sitting.

What is dumping syndrome?

This occurs when foods that have a small particle size − including high–fat foods and containing large amounts of refined sugar − are “dumped” from the stomach into the intestine at a rapid rate. Water is then pulled into the intestine from the bloodstream to dilute the sugar load. This flush of water causes symptoms that can include diarrhea, rapid heart rate, hot flashes or sweating and clammy skin, dizziness, or the feeling of needing to lie down.

When can I go back to my normal activity level?

Your ability to resume pre–surgery levels of activity depends on your physical condition, the nature of the activity, and other factors. Many patients return to normal levels of activity within six weeks.

How soon can I drive?

You should not drive until you have stopped taking medications (associated with surgery) and can move quickly and alertly. Usually, this takes seven to 14 days.

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