Obesity is one of the most dangerous health problems adults and children can face. Having gastric bypass surgery is a step in the right direction to getting healthy again. However, having the surgery is not the end to remaining healthy for the rest of your life. You must maintain your weight and health through a proper diet, exercise and regular follow-up appointments with a physician.
Diet
After having gastric bypass surgery, you will not be able to eat the same foods you once ate. You will need to eat a lot healthier in order to keep your weight down. It will be recommended that you eat according to a four-stage meal plan. For the first two days, you will drink clear liquids and eat no solids. If you have no problems with the first stage, you will begin to consume high-protein liquids such as breakfast and energy shakes, which you will need to drink for a week or two. The next stage is the soft food/puree diet. During this stage, you will eat high-protein foods like scrambled eggs, or low-fat or cottage cheese. You may also eat tuna fish, ground chicken or pork. Once you are ready to move on from this stage, you will begin your regular diet, which begins 8 weeks after surgery. The regular diet will integrate all five food groups, but will intially focus mostly on high-protein. Meals and snacks will be much smaller than you are used to. If you stick to the diet your doctor or nutritionist has provided you, you should able to maintain a healthy weight.
Exercise
Exercising is a necessity when it comes to being healthy. After surgery, the best thing you can do is start walking. Start slow, perhaps 15 minutes a day. You may then increase by five to 10 minutes each day. With the surgery, and incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you will lose a significant amount of weight. Once you lose weight, you will become more mobile and able to do more. Walking is a great way to exercise, but you may find other activities and sports more interesting and more appealing to you. Whether you enjoy walking, playing tennis, or even tango dancing, stick with this activity and make sure it is a regular part of your life by scheduling it into your day.
Doctor's Appointment
You will need to go to your doctor several times following your surgery in order to ensure that you are not suffering from any other physical or mental. You will also need to have your blood drawn and your blood pressure checked on a regular basis.
