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Our journey is coming to an end. After these final chapters, your information will be enough to make a life-changing decision on whether to go for a weight loss surgery or not. But before jumping to the next chapter, weight loss surgery diet before and after the operation, let’s take a short quiz. Just see how many of the below questions you can answer. Are you ready?

1- Why do overweight or obese patients choose bariatric surgery?

2- What are the preoperative weight loss requirements?

3- What are the most popular types of this operation?

4- What is the average weight loss after each surgery?

5- What changes should you make in your lifestyle before and after the surgery?

6- How much is the cost of different procedures?

7- What are the long-term and short-term post-surgery risks?

8- How can you reduce the risks of surgery?

Well, what’s your score? If you couldn’t answer all of them, make sure to take another look at the previous chapters. You don’t want to miss even one piece of information! In case you have given the right answer to question number 5, you must know how to follow a healthy diet and its necessity. In this chapter, we’ll cover all the eating tips you should be aware of weeks before the surgery, and also the ones you need to follow during specific periods after your surgery in order to have healthy nutritional management. Please note that these suggestions might not be beneficial for everyone, even though the main principles are mostly the same. So, make sure to consult with your doctor about your diet before and after the surgery.

Pre-Operative Weight Loss Diet

Pre-op diet both prepares you mentally for the post-op process and prepares you physically for the surgery by decreasing the complication risks. This diet is also known as liver-shrinking diet. A fatty liver makes the surgery hard for the surgeon, so they ask you to shrink your liver by doing a pre-operative diet.

Basically, this diet is high in protein and low in carbs. In this way, the body preserves the muscles and shrinks the fat cells at the first stage. Then, the fat cells are filled with water because the body doesn’t want to lose its emergency fuel. But when the water is also emptied from the cells, the fat amount decreases around the liver.

Why pre-op diet?

In order to decrease the possibility of different risks of complications, you need to follow a set of instructions to reduce the size of your liver during the preoperative period. Even a modest weight loss may increase the success rate of surgery. However, your doctor is in charge of identifying the need for pre-op weight loss. So, in case they advise you to go on a specific diet during a particular time before your surgery, you must stick to this diet and follow it word by word, otherwise, you will put yourself at high risk, and even there’s a chance your doctor cancels your surgery.

Why Do Some Surgeons Require Pre-op Diet for Gastric Sleeve and Others Don’t?

Those who suggest pre-op diet hide behind the fact that body fat alters the organ, and when correlated with anesthesia, the organs are affected much more badly. So, before surgery, they aim to decrease the fat for patients to have a lower BMI.

Some other surgeons, on the other hand, defend that as long as the patient’s BMI is not greater than 50, there is no point in following a diet plan. Before deciding to have the surgery, these patients already try dieting, exercising, detoxing and basically, they have enough of it. As the last chance to lose weight, they consider bariatric surgery. Especially, gastric sleeve mortality rate is lower than %1. That’s why, surgeons do not want to bother their patients, as the diet is not going to affect their well-beings after the surgery.

Who is it for?

Patients whose BMI is equal to or greater than 50 have higher complication risks during and after the surgery. Obese patients do not suffer not only from obesity but also other metabolic and cardiovascular diseases or syndromes. Regarding these conditions, you may be obliged to do a diet to minimize complication risks. It is illegal to operate on a patient whose BMI is equal to or greater than 63. These patients will be on a diet until their surgeons do not see the surgery is risky for the patient.

What to Eat

If your surgeon or dietitian recommended you a pre-op diet, here is an idea to what to consume. Protein shakes, and other high-protein, easy-to-digest food will be the most part of your pre-op diet. Protein is necessary for muscle tissue protection. As a consequence, during the weight loss process, you will lose fat, not muscles. Here’s a sample diet you can follow 2 to 3 days a week. You can ask your doctor for more eating plans.

Breakfast	2 boiled eggs, 200 ml protein shake (unsweetened), 5 olives and unlimited seasonal greens
Lunch	120 gr lean meat/chicken/fish, boiled vegetables
Snack	1 portion fresh fruit
Dinner	120 gr lean meat/chicken/fish, boiled vegetables, non-fat yogurt and seasonal salad
Snack	10-12 raw almonds

During the day, do not forget to drink approximately 85 oz of water; you should keep yourself hydrated. As much as you consume water, the weight loss process will be so much faster.

Approximately 2 days before the surgery, you need to transition to a mostly liquid or all-liquid diet. But the final decision is made by your doctor. Please, do not eat anything out of their prescriptions. Also, make sure to ask your anesthesiologist about the food and drinks you can or can’t have before the surgery.

Other Foods and Drinks to Consume During the Pre-op Diet

• Protein shakes
• Sugar-free drinks
• Drinks without caffeine
• Soup broth
• Vegetable juice

If your surgeon approves, you can consume one to two daily servings of lean meat or vegetables.

Exercise Before Weight Loss Surgery

Don’t assume your excess weight loss journey starts after the operation, but it begins the exact moment you decide to undergo surgery. As the famous aphorism suggests, fake it till you make it. You should start to insert the post-surgery changes into your life, even before the actual surgery day. You don’t need to become a pro in such a short time. Even a 10-min walk every day is much better than nothing. Imagine yourself with your ideal body weight. This is the strongest motivation that will keep you moving before the surgery and even long after that.

Post-Operative Weight Loss Diet

A post-surgery diet consists of 4 phases, each of which helps your body to heal and accelerate long-term weight loss. We’ll go through each of them in the following sections. But before we take a closer look at each phase, let’s see what we mean when we say ounce, cups, teaspoon, and other portion measurements.

Phase 1 of the Post-Op Diet: Clear Liquid Diet

This stage starts immediately after your surgery, from your hospital stay, and after your discharge. Its duration is usually different for gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass with duodenal switch, and lap band patients: Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass patients ==> Weeks 1 and 2 Lap band patients ==> Week 1 Attention! Stay hydrated. That’s the first and foremost rule of this period.

Diet Guidelines to Keep Well Hydrated

• Keep drinking liquids

You have to sip 48–64 ounces of fluids every day, which is on average, seven 8-ounce cups of drinks.

• Stay away from fruit juices

Overall, fruit juices are perfect for bariatric patients, but in the beginning, due to the possibility of nausea or diarrhea, you’d better avoid them.

• Not too hot, not too cold

Extremely hot or cold drinks may cause discomfort as your stomach is not completely healed yet. After maybe the 6th week, you can start to drink hot or cold fluids. Remember, your stomach is still recovering from bariatric surgery. It’s common to experience nausea or vomiting at this point. Please keep yourself hydrated.

More Options for a Clear Liquid Diet

Fruit Juices	Broths	Other Drinks
AppleGrapeCranberry	Clear beefChickenVegetable	WaterIce chipsCoffee or tea with no caffeineLow-calorie sports drinks

After visiting your surgeon, they will tell you if you’re ready to move to the next stage. So, this phase might become less or more based on your doctor’s diagnosis. However, it usually takes two weeks for most bariatric patients.

Phase 1/B, for Gastric Banding Patients: Full Liquid Diet

This phase is mainly for gastric banding patients and it usually starts from the end of week one and lasts for about a week.

What to Eat During the Second Week After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band

Keep drinking 48–64 ounces of fluids per day. Add more fluids to your diet:

Beverages	Protein Supplements	Other Drinks
Liquid replacements for solid foodSkim milk with protein powder	Protein supplements after each meal	Non-fat yogurt

Remember, nausea and vomiting are normal after gastric banding because your body is still recovering. Just stay hydrated and you’ll fully recover soon.

Phase 2 of Post-Surgery Diet: Pureed Foods

(Weeks 3 and 4) After a thorough examination, your surgeon will ask you to proceed to the next phase, which requires pureeing your food. Patients should mostly start this stage 3 weeks after surgery and follow this diet for about two weeks. Main goals of pureed food diet are:

• Provide more variety, nutrients, and fiber
• Include high-protein food in the post-surgery diet
• Taking chewable vitamin supplements with minerals

Gastric bypass patients should take their protein supplements after each meal. Protein matters so much in your post-surgery life that we’ve devoted one part of this article to it. You’ll read more about its significance later. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band patients can take the required protein supplements just as they did in the first stage.

Points to Remember Regarding Drinking Liquids

• At least 30 minutes after each meal is the best time to consume protein supplements or protein shakes (8 ounces) in addition to sugar-free liquids.
• Do not drink too much drinks at once and then non for 5 or more hours. There should be 3-hour intervals between drinking liquids.
• Do not drink any fluids, including water, for at least 30 minutes before and after your meal.

Pureed Food Ideas

Proteins	Vegetables	Fruits	Grains
Sugar-free, zero or low-fat yogurtStrained cream soups (celery, potato, mushroom, or chicken made with skim milk)Skim milk with half a scoop of protein powderLow or no-fat cottage cheeselow or no-fat Ricotta cheeseScrambled eggs or egg substituteBeef, chicken, or turkeyWhitefish (cod, haddock, orange roughy)Canned chicken breastCanned tuna fish in water	Tomato juiceDiet V-8 Splash® or V-8 Juice®High-protein vegetables like spinach, carrots, and green beans	100% fruit juices (apple, grape, cranberry)Light juices sweetened with non-nutritive sweetener (aspartame, acesulfame, and potassium)ApplesauceBananas or canned fruits in their own juicesPeaches, apricots, pears, pineapples, and melons	Cream of wheat or cream of riceFarinaGritsMashed potatoes/sweet potatoesWinter squash

The non-fluid items of the above-mentioned table must be mashed and pureed. Remember that because this is a pureed food phase, not even soft food is allowed yet. You don’t know how to puree food? Read the next part then.

How to Puree Foods

1- After cutting boiled food into small pieces, put them in a blender or any kind of food processor. 2- Add some liquid to it. You can use skim milk in this phase as the liquid of your pureed food. Both are also a good option. 3- Puree your food until it gets totally smooth. Your pureed food, as soft as baby food, is ready to be eaten!

Phase 3 of Post-Op Diet: Adaptive/soft Diet

* Months 2 and 3 for Gastric Sleeve and Gastric Bypass Patients * Weeks 5 and 6 for Gastric Banding Patients

Now your stomach is fairly healed and ready to digest soft, solid pieces of food. So, you can add fish, cooked vegetables, meat, chicken, and other soft foods to your diet. It is necessary for women to use about 50 grams of protein and for men to use 60 grams of protein on a daily basis. You can first eat high-protein food, and then continue with the rest of your meal, so in case you become full up, your body has received the necessary amount of protein. Don’t forget your daily chewable vitamin supplements and of course, drink plenty of water and fluids.

Food to Avoid

Foods to Avoid During Phase 3 of Post-Op Diet

Raw vegetablesSkins and seeds on fruits and vegetablesBreadFatty foodFried foods like chips

Phase 4 of Diet After Weight Loss Surgery: Stabilization Diet

The last phase of your post-surgery diet begins at some point between months 4 and 6 after the operation and usually takes more than months after surgery. If your doctor is sure your body is ready for this phase, they will ask you to start eating food with more normal consistency. However, you can’t ever go back to your eating habits and regular diet before surgery. It is better to follow this diet until you get the healthy weight you had in mind before surgery. Rapid weight loss enables you to pass this stage faster.

Points to Remember During Phase 4 of Post-Op Diet

• Do not miss any of your three meals a day.
• Make sure to keep your daily meals well-balanced.
• Have drinks with 0 calories during the day, but not with your meals.
• Pay attention to eat rich in nutritious foods. So, your pieces of food intake must be all nutrient-dense to avoid malnutrition.
• Steer clear of fatty or sugary food with no protein, minerals, or vitamins.
• Stay with your vitamin supplement with minerals.
• If the amount of food your body can tolerate is not enough, you can divide your three meals into 6 parts and eat more than 3 times a day.
• Stay away from liquids less than 30 minutes from your meals.

What to Eat During Phase 4 of Post-Op Diet

Proteins	Vegetables	Fruits	Grain
Different types of fish and shellfishChopped Turkey breastChopped chicken breastLow-fat cheese (sliced)Boiled eggs (mostly egg whites)Poached eggsSoups with skim milk	Cooked vegetablesCanned vegetables	Canned fruitSoft fruit without skin (bananas, apples, peaches, pears	Sugar-free porridgeNo sugar cereals (with skim milk)Baked potatoes (sweet or normal)Pasta, noodles, or white rice (boiled)

Food to Avoid

You should not consume hard-to-digest food at all, otherwise, you will feel a lot of discomforts:

• Fatty foods such as fast food, burgers, chips, fried food, etc.
• Popcorn
• Dried fruit
• Bread
• Muffins
• Carbonated beverages
• Crunchy foods
• Spicy foods
• Junk food
• Alcoholic beverages

More Tips on Post-Surgery Eating Habits

1- Your dietary intake is different from your food intake before weight-loss operation. The picture below clearly shows how your plate should look like after weight loss surgery.

2- From now on, everything in your life should change. You don’t want to consume unhealthy food anymore. So, the first step is to stop buying them. Fill your fridge with healthy nutrients and welcome them to your life.

How to Reduce Post-Op Risks through Healthy Eating Habits

Surgery makes major changes in your body and in case you do not take care of your health, you will face uncomfortable surgical complications. Systematic review shows patients can eliminate a lot of these risks with new healthy eating habits they adopt. A healthy diet even reduces the possibility of mortality in patients to some extent.

Risks	Solution
Dumping Syndrome	Drink 64 ounces of liquids, including water, per dayDo not drink liquids with mealsDo not consume too many simple carbohydrates (pasta, rice, and potatoes)
Dehydration	Drink a lot of water and other healthy, sugar-free liquids every day
Constipation	Eat rich in fiber foodsExercise on a daily basisEat more slowlyDrink a lot of fluids
Lactose Intolerance	Drink lactose-free fluidsAfter consulting with your doctor, take lactate enzyme tablets
Heartburn	Do not drink too cold fluidsAvoid or limit consumption of fatty or gassy foodsYour last meal should be at least two hours before going to bed
Blockage of the opening of the stomach pouch	Chew your meals a lot, carefully, and slowlyMoving to the next phase of your diet without consulting with both your surgeon and dietitian is not recommended at all and may cause stretching of your stomach.Slowly move from one phase to another.

 

Protein Is Important

During your weight loss process, what you want to lose is the fat stored in your body, not your muscle mass. To protect your muscle mass and have enough energy to do your daily tasks, you need to increase the amount of your protein intake. It also prevents thin hair and weak nails. But the only way to get that protein to your muscles and strengthen them is to eat 60 to 80 grams of protein per day. Moreover, medical evidence proves more muscles prevent saggy or excess skin after weight loss surgery. Protein shakes are good sources of protein both before and after the surgery. Here’s the anatomy of your protein smoothies:

You can choose different ingredients for your protein shake from the foods and drinks we mentioned in this article. But still, it’d be better to check with your doctor as well. Also, here’s a list of ideas you can use for your post or pre-bariatric surgery protein smoothies.

Eating which types of food is your most favourite? Which restriction is the most difficult one for you? Well, are you ready for the last chapters? So, let’s move on to our guide on the costs of all bariatric surgeries and the factors that influence these prices.

Of all the side effects that bariatric patients might face after the operation, hair loss is one of the most irritating ones. Of course, the main reason people undergo any type of weight loss surgery is to regain their health, but the importance of one’s appearance is undeniable for patients, which is why hair loss is one of their biggest concerns. Hair loss occurs for many reasons with or without surgery. But each time you face this problem, first you need to find its reason, otherwise, treatment is almost impossible.What you will read in this blog post is all the possible reasons for hair loss after weight loss surgery, a more common type of hair loss, alongside the solutions that will help you get rid of it and feel better about yourself. 

Gastric Bypass/Gastric Sleeve and Hair Loss

Sudden hair loss after surgery usually happens when patients undergo more serious surgery types such as and gastric bypass and gastric sleeve operation. About 30 to 40% of obese patients experience an incidence of hair loss to some extent due to the extreme changes in patient’s eating habits, nutrition absorption, and most importantly rapid weight loss. This condition mostly happens in younger women.

Do Gastric Banding Patients Experience Weight Loss?

Since the weight loss process is more gradual in the case of lap-band procedure patients, there is 0 or little chance of hair loss among them. However, other conditions such as a feeling of psychological stress also increase the rate of hair loss. So, there is a chance that some gastric band patients experience hair loss.Lap-Band patients, however, lose weight gradually and have less risk of hair loss. This is because they lose weight at a slower rate when compared to other bariatric surgery patients, and don’t suffer from a high level of nutrient deficiency.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen Effluvium, or telogen phase, is when your hair suddenly starts to fall due to mental stress or any other reason. Excessive hair loss after sleeve gastrectomy or other types of bariatric surgery is included in this type of hair fall.In order to understand the hair growth cycle, let’s take a look at this picture: As you can see, hair growth consists of three stages. The first stage is the anagen phase, that is, the growth phase of hair. The second stage is catagen, the transition stage of hair to telogen. The third stage is telogen, that is, the falling also called the resting, stage of hair.For a scalp that is not experiencing hair loss about 5-15% of our hair is in the resting phase at any given time.At least 5% to 15% of each individual’s hair is in the resting phase. This stage lasts an average of 6 months.The hair that falls out after operation for weight loss is most likely your hair that is in the resting phase. But don’t worry, you will have full hair regrowth.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Malabsorption and reduction in food intake after weight loss operation makes your body prioritize the number of nutritions it gets. So, the majority of nutritional resources you get into your body go to more vital organs like your heart and brain and less will be left for the health of other parts like your hair.According to a study published on National Library of Medicine, most hair loss patients had low levels of zinc and iron. Another study found out younger women and people with lower levels of Zinc, Vitamin B9 (folic acid), and protein have more potential for hair loss. Also, people with weaker medical conditions must be more careful with their diet.

How to Stop Hair Loss After Bariatric Surgery

As you saw in the previous section, what you eat and the nutrition your body receives directly affect the loss of hair after operation. So, among all hair loss treatments, the first step is to make sure your body is getting what it needs. Remember, there are for sure other resources that are rich in these nutrients, but these are the ones that fit your post-op diet. However, it is best if you consult with your dietitian.The below-mentioned resources are necessary for the growth of your hair. You can see lack of them results in.

Nutritions	Signs of Malnutrition	Supplements
Iron	It causes hair loss mostly in the form of thinning hair.	Iron Supplements: Lean meats, eggs, green leafy vegetables, molasses, dried fruits, and grains are good foods for your iron-rich diet.
Zinc	It causes hair loss mostly in the form of thinning and brittle hair.	Zinc supplement: Fish, oysters, wheat germ, almonds, milk, and eggs are both good for your diet and rich in zinc
Protein	It causes post-bariatric hair loss mostly in the form of thinning hair, change of color, dry hair.	Protein Supplements: Red meat, lean white meat, milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, pumpkin seeds, and almonds, you prefer protein-rich foods
Copper	Lack of copper results in thinning hair or a change of color.	Copper Resources: Spinach, parsley, fennel, eggplant, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, lentils, cabbage, basil, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, walnuts, liver, and tofu
Vitamins A & C	Brittle hair is the main result of low levels of Vitamins A & C.	Vitamins A & C Resources: Lemon, green and red pepper, tomato, arugula, parsley, lettuce, orange, tangerine, strawberry, kiwi pineapple, and grapefruit
Niacin (Vitamin B3)	It causes noticeable hair loss mostly in the form of thinning hair.	Vitamin B3 Resources: Meat, fish, liver, all poultry, legumes, and green leafy vegetables are rich in niacin

How Long Will Post-Op Hair Fall Last?

Hair fall mostly starts a short while after the major surgery and continues up to 4 months, in some 6 months after surgery. If you consult with your bariatric doctor, they must tell you to pass this time with patience and following your post-op diet.Your hair follicles aren’t damaged during telogen effluvium. So, after a few months, when your body is fairly recovered and used to its new circumstances, it will not only stop but grow fully again.

When Should I Visit a doctor?

If 6 months passed and you still experience significant post-bariatric hair loss, it means the problem is not solved. You might be under pressure, having excess stress, or not getting enough nutrients.You can take some blood tests that measure all the elements in your body to see what is missing. If everything is OK, you should ask for more professional help. But remember, do NOT panic at all. Panicking just makes it worse. Stress is the last thing you need right now.Let’s have a review!Watch out for any type of- Vitamin deficiency- Protein deficiencies- Low Iron levels- Low levels of protein intake- Micronutrient deficiency- Biotin Deficiency- Low folic acid levelsAnd remember, avoid extreme dieting. You want to reach your weight loss goals as soon as possible, but not at the cost of your health.

Let me, as a bariatric surgeon, tell you the most important thing about bariatric surgery: you won’t achieve your ideal result unless you change your lifestyle both before and after a weight-loss operation.

So, if you’re not ready to do regular exercise after bariatric surgery, either forget it right now or try to make yourself prepared for this lifetime change.

You cannot expect to lose most of your extra weight and stay fit for the rest of your life if you don’t change your mindset, eating habits, and the frequency of your physical activities.

If you’re ready to take this step but don’t know where to start, this is the right article to read. You have to know when to start exercise after surgery. Which activities are better for each step. Moreover, what are the benefits of a regular exercise plan, and how it guarantees sustained weight loss?

Benefits of Exercise after Weight-Loss Surgery

As Nietzsche’s famous saying suggests, “If you know the why, you can live anyhow.” So, before I give you the details about your exercise program, take a look at the reasons for doing regular activities.

– Sustained and rapid weight loss

– Reduction in the risk of heart disease

– Improving muscle strength

– Preventing post-op depression

– Increasing metabolic rate

– Improving your self-confidence and self-esteem

– Decreasing or eliminating post-op constipation

– Better wound healing

– Retaining mobility

– Improved joint stability

– Reducing the risk of cancer

– Improving blood circulation

– Tightening your muscles and skin

– Reducing the risk of blood clots

This list can go on and on because the benefits of being physically active are uncountable even for people who did not have weight loss surgery. Remember, after bariatric surgery, you become lighter, and moving becomes easier. And of course, as you have an active lifestyle, you become lighter and healthier. So, losing weight and work out are complementary. They both enhance each other and ultimately, increase the quality of your life.

When to Start Exercise after Bariatric Surgery

The answer depends on your type of surgery in addition to your individual circumstances. Your doctor might ask you to walk for a couple of minutes the day after the surgery. This walking time will be more over time.

Types of Post-Operation Physical Activities

Bariatric patients have exercise routines tailored for themselves by their surgeon and their team of specialists. These routines include three main types of activities: Cardio, strength workout, and flexibility exercise.

Let’s see which activities belong to which group and you should start them at which point of your post-op life.

Cardio and Calorie Burning

Cardio activities mostly help you burn calories and get more energy. Other benefits of cardio exercise include:

– Better sleep

– Increase in blood flow

–  Protecting against Alzheimer

– Improving blood sugar control

– Enhancing sexual well-being

– Boosting metabolism

– Increasing self-confidence by producing more endorphins

– Improving your energy levels

– Better management of anxiety

Cardio Activities Early after Surgery

You should avoid heavy, too-long activities after surgery. Walking, swimming and cycling are beneficial cardio exercises for obese patients in the early stages of their post-op life.

Walking starts from the day after your surgery. But it should not be very long. Till the second or third week, it’d be better if you do not walk more than 20-30 minutes but keep it regularly even if it’s only 5-10 minutes a day. Walking decreases the risk of complications and expedites your recovery.

After the third week, you can add swimming and cycling to your exercise program. However, do not overdo it. The most important point about the type of your activities is that you should enjoy them. If you don’t like swimming or walking, there are many other cardio activities you can take in. It would be better if you do cardio exercises at least two days per week.

Look at this chart and find your favorite activity alongside the number of calories you burn during each one (This amount varies depending on weight loss surgery patients’ weight and the percentage of fat and muscles in your body).

	155 lbs	185 lbs
Running	808	965
Jogging	492	587
Bicycling	596	710
Aerobic Exercises	492	587
Hiking	421	503
Swimming	492	587
Skipping Rope	562	671
Calisthenics	596	710

Muscle Strengthening Activities

When you lose weight, you should be careful to lose fat not muscles. Less fat is beneficial to your health, but you don’t want thin and weak muscles at all. Also, strengthening your muscles is one of the ways to enhance your lean muscle mass and lean body mass (total weight – fat mass).

Strength training is not just about stronger muscles, but also increasing our bone strength. Greater muscle mass and stronger bones is synonymous with being able to do more physical activities.

The main way to strengthen your muscles is by lifting weights. Of course, resistance training is also important. If your muscles are not that strong enough, you start with little steps. Use light weights, 1 to 5 pounds, and increase them once you feel the task is becoming easy for your muscle.

Some of the most popular muscle strengthening exercises are squats and lunges in addition to lifting weights. Don’t forget sit-ups and crunches. You can start with 3 sets of 15-20 reps. But adapt it with your body’s strength. You don’t want it to be too hard, but not too easy.

Flexibility Training

Flexibility training protects your body from any probable damages after a post-bariatric workout. You might feel tightening or pain in your muscles. If you feel sore or tight after your bariatric workout, flexibility training can help. It can also help you avoid straining yourself when you’re running or lifting weights.

The greatest flexibility exercise is stretching. Here are a few examples of stretching practices you can do at home:

One more tip: do NOT forget to warm-ups before starting your exercise and cool down after it’s finished. Also, don’t think you should keep this plan till 5 or 6 months after surgery. This is your new lifestyle forever 🙂

Does Exercise Help Excess Skin After Weight Loss Surgery?

Weight loss surgery helps you get rid of the excess fat stored in your body but leaves you with saggy skin. To what extent you face this challenge depends on different factors including your genes. But one of the ways that firm up your skin is muscle toning.

Obesity causes folds and rolls in your skin, especially in the abdominal area, breasts, and arms. But muscle toning tightens your skin, which results in less excess skin after weight loss. There are other solutions for this problem in case exercise is not enough. Take a look at the most effective solutions for saggy skin after bariatric surgery.

Your Frequently Asked Questions

I want to undergo weight loss surgery because I can’t lose weight with exercise, why do I have to do sports after the surgery?

After weight loss surgery, you don’t do exercise to lose weight. The main part of losing weight is gained because of your surgery and diet. As you’ve read in this blog post, lasting weight loss is only one of the benefits of an exercise routine in your post-operation life.

You can eliminate the complaints such as skin sagging and constipation that you will encounter after the surgery by exercising.

Is weight loss more successful if I do exercise?

Exercising can make your weight loss much more successful as it burns excess calories, fat and eliminates extra weight. If you want long-term success, you need exercise.

When can I do sports after gastric sleeve?

For a normal workout, you should wait for 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. But during this time you can take short simple walks.

Home workout or gym workout, which one is more effective?

It will be more convenient for you to start with home exercise to lose weight. As your weight loss level increases, you will be able to use the equipment in the fitness centers. You can also consult with a fitness professional if you feel you need motivation and guidance.

Closed stomach surgery is a laparoscopic procedure that does not need large open wounds to see internal organs and perform the operation. Laparoscopic stomach surgery offers advantages for both the doctor and the patient. Today, almost all stomach reduction surgeries are performed with this method.

What is Laparoscopic Surgery?

During a laparoscopic operation, surgeons use special instruments and create mini incisions. This procedure takes its name from the laparoscope, a thin special instrument with a small camera and light at the tip.

During the procedure, the laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen through a small incision. It provides an image to the monitor to which it is connected with the help of the light and camera at the end of the device. The surgery is also performed by following this monitor.

Preparation Before Laparoscopic Stomach Surgery

Before bariatric surgery, people need to prepare themselves for various issues;

• You should start an exercise and diet program before surgery. You should be fed with as much liquid as possible on the day of your surgery and before.
• You should stop consuming alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and similar drinks one month before the surgery.
• If possible, you should attend lifestyle training. You can learn the necessary motivation and the steps to take.

How is Closed Stomach Surgery Performed?

The steps applied in performing closed stomach surgery are as follows;

• The type of anesthesia used in closed stomach surgeries is general anesthesia. First, the person is put to sleep with the appropriate dose. Thus, he does not feel anything during the operation.
• Depending on the operation, 3 to 5 mini incisions are made on the abdomen of the person. The size of these incisions is 1 cm or less than 1 cm.
• A laparoscope is inserted into one of the opened incisions. Thus,  the surgery spot will be recognized.
• In addition, other instruments are inserted into the abdomen from the appropriate place of the other incisions, depending on your type of surgery.
• Your stomach surgery is completed using a monitor.

Considerations Before and After Laparoscopic Stomach Surgery

Points to consider before laparoscopic stomach surgery;

• Before the operation, you should prepare a mini bag for yourself and put the things you think you need.
• You should forget your doubts about the surgery and believe that this surgery is a good chance for your life.
• In order to prepare your intestines, you must comply with the liquid diet given to you by your doctor.

What you should pay attention to after the operation;

• During laparoscopy, CO2 is given to the abdomen to keep the abdomen swollen. Because of this, you may experience shoulder pain after surgery.
• You should not forget why you had this surgery. You will be waiting for a difficult process after the surgery. Consider what motivates you throughout the whole process.

Differences of Closed Stomach Surgery Compared to Open Surgery

There are two main types of surgeries; open and closed. There are serious differences between the two surgeries:

• The incision made in open surgery is quite large. Therefore, after the surgery, the person is exposed to many complications and pain caused because of the incisions.
• In closed surgery, the incisions are small and few. Wounds heal faster after surgery.
• After open surgery, a large scar remains on the person’s body. It may not be possible to completely remove this.
• In the closed surgery type, the incisions are less than 1 cm. For this reason, the probability of scarring is much less, and the remaining traces are much smaller.
• The risk of complications is much higher in open surgery. Closed surgery is a much safer procedure than open surgery.

Patients Who Have Had Laparoscopic Stomach Surgery

Considering the experiences of people who have had closed stomach surgery before, the points you should pay attention to are:

• Since the number of incisions is much less in laparoscopic surgery, the recovery period is shorter. Moving after stomach surgery is one of the most important activities.
• The risk of complications after laparoscopic surgery will face is much less.

Are you considering gastric sleeve surgery? You need to keep in mind that before the operation you should prepare yourself mentally. Being emotionally ready will help you a lot and make your recovery process much easier. Keep in mind that your physical, mental, and emotional state is equally important for your healing. There are many steps you can take to prepare yourself before you even start your weight loss journey. In this article, we are going to help you discover them one by one. So, if you are wondering how to mentally prepare for gastric sleeve surgery, let’s have a look!

1- Make yourself your first priority

When it comes to deciding whether to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, the only voice that truly matters is yours. Your family and friends can offer their opinions and support, but at the end of the day, this is your body and your health we’re talking about. It’s important to prioritize your own needs and feelings above all else, and to make a decision that feels right for you. You deserve to feel confident and empowered in this process, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

What you only need to do is to focus on yourself and your mental health. Listen to yourself and understand what you’re feeling.

Make sure you are emotionally ready to take this important step in changing your life for the better. If you don’t feel emotionally ready for the surgery, it may affect your recovery process negatively. Take all the pros and cons into consideration before you make this life-changing decision.

2- Be realistic

You need to keep in mind that every patient is different, so your results may differ from what other people experienced. Don’t compare yourself with anyone. Beware that you and your body are unique.

Your new stomach is just a way to help you on your weight loss journey. It’s a long-term process that will take some time and require your patience. Remember that sleeve gastrectomy is only a starting point of your post-operation journey and it extends beyond your hospital stay. Realistic goals and expectations are going to make the healing process so much easier for you.

3- Find out the main reason for your overeating

Relationship with food is different for every individual. It will be a great help for creating healthy diet habits in the future if you understand your relationship with food better. Remember that seeing the meals as a reward or a punishment would affect your relationship with food in a negative way.

To find the reason lying behind the tendency, it might be a good idea to visit a psychologist. This way you are not left alone with your post-operation recovery stress. Psychologists along with dieticians will guide you. A psychologist will help you find the right path and a dietitian will lead you to it. It’s a good idea to meet a psychologist so that you are not left alone with your post-operation recovery stress.

4- Meditate

Meditation is one of the most effective activities, but to get the best results, it’s great that you start it before the surgery. What if you never tried meditation before? Well, there are plenty of free videos online that you can watch and practice on your own. They will definitely help you start! 

Meditation affects our overall well-being and has an impact on many somatic symptoms that are related to stress. It will help you relax, calm down and ease your nerves so you can start your new healthy habits after your weight loss surgery. Meditating is also going to help you with your self-control and concentration.

5- Find ways other than eating to cope with stress

Choose an exercise plan that is right for you and your lifestyle. If you are not currently exercising, start with small steps and create your own training routine. The physical activity that you choose for yourself should be appropriate to your fitness level. You can go for a walk or climb the stairs at home, maybe ride a stationary bike while watching TV. The most important thing is to find something you enjoy doing and practice consistently.

6- Plan & implement

Lifestyle changes will have a major effect on your long-term success after the surgery. Exercises and a healthy diet are crucial in your weight loss journey. We recommend you plan your daily physical and dietary activities some weeks before surgery. This way you will be able to implement new healthy habits into your daily routine much easier after your gastric sleeve operation.

Keeping a record of your food and exercise routine can help you understand your habits better and identify your needs properly. This will make it easier to help you achieve your goals. There are many apps on mobiles that can help you with this.

You can also search for your new diet recipes and exercise videos online. Don’t hang back from trying new things. This is going to be good preparation before the surgery and will definitely give you motivation during your weight loss journey! To get even more motivation though, not only plan and implement but also set your milestones.

7- Set milestones and reward yourself

Setting achievable milestones will increase your dopamine level. Dopamine affects well-being, energy, willingness to act, and overall motivation. It is all related to the reward system of your brain. The level of dopamine increases when we are waiting for an event that gives us pleasure, for example, a favorite form of relaxation or entertainment. (2)

For instance, have daily plans for your meals and activities, and each night reflect on what you did that day. If you reached your little milestones, the reward will come back to you as an increased dopamine level and good results.

8- Witness other people’s success stories

Generally speaking, seeing people face to face rather than on-screen can be more convincing and therefore helpful. That’s why you can find a supportive group of people who are undergoing the same procedure. Gastric sleeve support groups may be a really useful source of information and a great help! You can attend seminars or online discussions about weight loss surgery and connect with a gastric sleeve community. This will have a beneficial effect both before and after the surgery.

What about gastric sleeve success stories of other patients? Whenever you lose your motivation, you may watch a few YouTube videos about gastric sleeve patient stories. Remember you can follow social media, attend support group meetings, join Facebook groups, and ask your questions to other patients. Online communities are going to show you how to mentally prepare for gastric sleeve surgery because people there will share their honest opinions.

Bariatric patients should not assume their post-op life is like torture. Many of my patients ask about eating out after bariatric surgery and whether they can do it or not. The direct answer is, yes you can. But you need to bear in mind one major rule: choose meals that are high in protein and low in carbs and fat. There are ways you can do this better like checking the menus before going out and choosing the dishes that tick these boxes. You can also ask for half a normal-sized portion or share your food with someone else. Keep reading this article to get the necessary information in detail.

Tips on Eating out After Bariatric Surgery

Eating out is not just about food, but more about socializing with your friends and family. As you learn some solutions to eat out more healthily, share your information with them too so that they can help you experience a better time as well. Let’s check out some of these tips.

Some General, Handy Eating out Tips

As I’ve mentioned in the introduction, when it comes to eating out, the rule of thumb is to eat protein and avoid fats and carbs as much as you can. It might seem easy, but it takes some time for you to get used to the new situation, enjoy eating out after bariatric surgery, yet at the same time do not harm your health.

To do it all more efficiently, there are some tips I’m sure you’ll find effective. I recommend them to all my patients, and almost none of them has ever had a problem with eating at restaurants.

1- Choose the restaurant, check the menu items beforehand, and know what you are going to order.

2- Share your food with someone else. Almost all the time portion sizes are big for the stomach of bariatric patients. You don’t want to force anything on your stomach and then deal with discomfort and guilt.

3- You will need a to-go box. Don’t hesitate to ask for one as it’s better either not to throw the rest of your food or try eating it while you’re satiated.

4- Avoid alcohol after surgery. You can still have alcohol after weight loss surgery, but not as much as you could before.

5- Ask for the accurate size of the food portion and if it’s too much, order half a portion.

6- Avoid soups. Most people think soups are healthy but the fact is because they are low in protein and high in fat, soups are not good choices for bariatric surgery patients.

7- Order veggies as your side.

8- If you need drinks, avoid sweet beverages. Instead, you can drink water or unsweet tea.

9- You are allowed to eat out, but try to limit it to once or twice a week.

10- Avoid these: fried, butter, butter sauce, alfredo sauce, etc …)

11- Avoid dressings, especially creamy sauces. You can have tomato-based sauces and even that, ask it on the side, not covering your entire meal.

Can I have one of the world’s cuisines?

When you think about eating out after bariatric surgery, you might just want to go for a cuisine instead of a specific food. It’s very common to hear “let’s go out and eat Chinese” or “should we go for Italian?” The world’s cuisine is very rich in food and there are many options to fulfill your cravings. Let’s check them one by one and see the best option for every cuisine.

1- Italian food

Your meal should mostly contain protein with almost no fat like grilled chicken. It is better to avoid creamy sauces and order tomato-based sauces instead. You should also avoid carbs such as pasta, pizza, and garlic bread. Here’s an idea of what you can choose from the menu:

Appetizer Menu	Entrees	Sides
Grilled calamari	Whole wheat noodles	Grilled or steamed vegetables
Steamed mussels	Grilled fish	Lemon juice
Minestrone soup	Marina sauce	Marina

2- Mexican food

Mexican food generally includes carbs such as chips, tortillas, and rice. You can especially ask the waiter not to bring chips. Here’s more or less what you can eat at a Mexican restaurant:

What You Can Eat	Entrees	Sides
Ceviche, chicken tortilla soup, seafood soup	Fajitas	Black or pinto beans
Taco salad (minus the shell), churrasco, black beans, salsa, burrito bowls without the rice		Pico de gallo
Pescado veracruzano, siete mares

3- Chinese & Japanese food

Generally, Asian food is best known for noodles/ramen and good hot spices. However, they also have a lot of good options for protein-rich and nutritious foods. Here is what you can have at a Chinese restaurant:

Appetizer Foods	Entrees	What to Avoid
Egg drop	Steamed entrees	Fried egg rolls
Wonton soup	Sauce on the side	Lo mein
Hot and sour soup	Chicken or shrimp	Sweet and sour meals
Mixed vegetables with tofu	Steamed vegetables	Rice

Here’s what you can go for at a Japanese restaurant:

Appetizers	Entrees	Sides	What to Avoid
Miso soup	Sashimi	Wasabi	Tempura
Cucumber salad	Nigiri	Low-sodium soy sauce	Dynamite
			Rolls with mayo

Be Alert for These on the Menu!

If you see any of these words on the menu, just skip to the next option:

• Cheese sauce
• Butter-wine sauce
• Fried
• Baked or cooked in butter
• Cream sauce
• Fried with cheese
• Deep-fried

This means you MUST avoid:

Alfredo, escalloped, parmigiana, sautéed, Tempura, Hollandaise, and béarnaise.

Bariatric patients should not assume their post-op life is like torture. Many of my patients ask about eating out after bariatric surgery and whether they can do it or not. The direct answer is, yes you can. But you need to bear in mind one major rule: choose meals that are high in protein and low in carbs and fat. There are ways you can do this better like checking the menus before going out and choosing the dishes that tick these boxes. You can also ask for half a normal-sized portion or share your food with someone else. Keep reading this article to get the necessary information in detail.

Tips on Eating out After Bariatric Surgery

Eating out is not just about food, but more about socializing with your friends and family. As you learn some solutions to eat out more healthily, share your information with them too so that they can help you experience a better time as well. Let’s check out some of these tips.

Some General, Handy Eating out Tips

As I’ve mentioned in the introduction, when it comes to eating out, the rule of thumb is to eat protein and avoid fats and carbs as much as you can. It might seem easy, but it takes some time for you to get used to the new situation, enjoy eating out after bariatric surgery, yet at the same time do not harm your health.

To do it all more efficiently, there are some tips I’m sure you’ll find effective. I recommend them to all my patients, and almost none of them has ever had a problem with eating at restaurants.

1- Choose the restaurant, check the menu items beforehand, and know what you are going to order.

2- Share your food with someone else. Almost all the time portion sizes are big for the stomach of bariatric patients. You don’t want to force anything on your stomach and then deal with discomfort and guilt.

3- You will need a to-go box. Don’t hesitate to ask for one as it’s better either not to throw the rest of your food or try eating it while you’re satiated.

4- Avoid alcohol after surgery. You can still have alcohol after weight loss surgery, but not as much as you could before.

5- Ask for the accurate size of the food portion and if it’s too much, order half a portion.

6- Avoid soups. Most people think soups are healthy but the fact is because they are low in protein and high in fat, soups are not good choices for bariatric surgery patients.

7- Order veggies as your side.

8- If you need drinks, avoid sweet beverages. Instead, you can drink water or unsweet tea.

9- You are allowed to eat out, but try to limit it to once or twice a week.

10- Avoid these: fried, butter, butter sauce, alfredo sauce, etc …)

11- Avoid dressings, especially creamy sauces. You can have tomato-based sauces and even that, ask it on the side, not covering your entire meal.

Can I have one of the world’s cuisines?

When you think about eating out after bariatric surgery, you might just want to go for a cuisine instead of a specific food. It’s very common to hear “let’s go out and eat Chinese” or “should we go for Italian?” The world’s cuisine is very rich in food and there are many options to fulfill your cravings. Let’s check them one by one and see the best option for every cuisine.

1- Italian food

Your meal should mostly contain protein with almost no fat like grilled chicken. It is better to avoid creamy sauces and order tomato-based sauces instead. You should also avoid carbs such as pasta, pizza, and garlic bread. Here’s an idea of what you can choose from the menu:

Appetizer Menu	Entrees	Sides
Grilled calamari	Whole wheat noodles	Grilled or steamed vegetables
Steamed mussels	Grilled fish	Lemon juice
Minestrone soup	Marina sauce	Marina

2- Mexican food

Mexican food generally includes carbs such as chips, tortillas, and rice. You can especially ask the waiter not to bring chips. Here’s more or less what you can eat at a Mexican restaurant:

What You Can Eat	Entrees	Sides
Ceviche, chicken tortilla soup, seafood soup	Fajitas	Black or pinto beans
Taco salad (minus the shell), churrasco, black beans, salsa, burrito bowls without the rice		Pico de gallo
Pescado veracruzano, siete mares

3- Chinese & Japanese food

Generally, Asian food is best known for noodles/ramen and good hot spices. However, they also have a lot of good options for protein-rich and nutritious foods. Here is what you can have at a Chinese restaurant:

Appetizer Foods	Entrees	What to Avoid
Egg drop	Steamed entrees	Fried egg rolls
Wonton soup	Sauce on the side	Lo mein
Hot and sour soup	Chicken or shrimp	Sweet and sour meals
Mixed vegetables with tofu	Steamed vegetables	Rice

Here’s what you can go for at a Japanese restaurant:

Appetizers	Entrees	Sides	What to Avoid
Miso soup	Sashimi	Wasabi	Tempura
Cucumber salad	Nigiri	Low-sodium soy sauce	Dynamite
			Rolls with mayo

Be Alert for These on the Menu!

If you see any of these words on the menu, just skip to the next option:

• Cheese sauce
• Butter-wine sauce
• Fried
• Baked or cooked in butter
• Cream sauce
• Fried with cheese
• Deep-fried

This means you MUST avoid:

Alfredo, escalloped, parmigiana, sautéed, Tempura, Hollandaise, and béarnaise.

Studies demonstrate smoking after bariatric surgery has low or no effects on weight loss outcomes. However, it causes serious problems for patients including increased risk of ulcers, pulmonary complications,  infections, strokes, and heart attack, and also reducing the pace of wound healing.

Not quitting in the preoperative period also weakens your lungs and will result in respiratory complications. If you have a history of smoking, quit at least one month before the surgery and make sure you’re ready not to smoke ever again.

Post-Operative Effects of Smoking after Bariatric Surgery

If you’re a smoker, I definitely recommend you to quit not just before the surgical procedure, but after it as well. By undergoing bariatric surgery, you take a big step towards a healthy lifestyle. But smoking increases the risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, the ones that we’re trying to eliminate using bariatric surgery.

In addition, bariatric surgery patients who are also smokers need to know whether their smoking habit before the surgery affects their post-operative life or not. Let’s look into a study to find the answer. According to a study, Smoking in bariatric surgery: a systematic review, smoking is highly associated with long-term, post-operative complications, marginal ulceration, and bone fracture to name a few.

Moreover, smoking was identified as a risk factor for an increased mortality rate. It also affects the severity of other postoperative complications such as pulmonary and wound complications.

Now that you have the big picture, let’s dig into the most common postoperative complications due to smoking before and after weight loss surgery.

1. Pulmonary Complications

The lungs of smokers are already damaged and it takes 1 to 12 months for them to function normally. After weight loss surgery, you might experience breathing difficulties and a compromised immune system.

If you restart smoking after surgery, even if not instantly after the operation, you will put your lungs at the risk of infections, pneumonia, or other respiratory complications.

2. Ulcers

Smoking adults are already at risk of ulcer formation. Bariatric surgery is one of the factors that increase the risk of ulcers in all individuals. So, the probability doubles in smoking patients.

Your body heals ulcers usually by pumping blood to the stomach. But if you’ve undergone gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, your stomach is smaller than its original size which decreases your body’s ability to heal ulcers.

Smoking also causes ulcer medication treatment disfunction, so you cannot use medications either.

3. Blood Clots

The poor blood circulation resulting from weight loss surgery increases the risk of blood clots for gastric bypass patients. Less than 1% of patients experience the entrance of blood cots into the lungs and heart and eventually, pulmonary embolism.

The ability to pump blood is even less in smoking patients which increases this number for them. Blood clots in smoking bariatric patients causes blood pressure, strokes, and heart attack more than in nonsmoker patients.

4. Wound Healing and Infections

The blockage of veins causes decreased blood flow in smokers. As a result, the healing process after the bariatric procedures slows down which brings about a lot of concerns for wound infections in smoking patients.

This is a logical concern because if there is not enough oxygenated blood is pumped into the surgical wound, the healing does not go as usual and will cause infections in the sections where intestines were cut and stapled. This is obviously a matter of concern in gastric bypass and sleeve surgery patients.

Effects of Smoking on Weight Loss after Bariatric Surgery

One of the main concerns of bariatric patients is that if they keep smoking, will it affect their weight loss outcomes and cause weight regain?

There is no definite answer to this question as we know smoking has different effects on the weight loss of different individuals. Some smokers lose weight after quitting and some others gain weight. Again we can check research that has studied the effects of smoking on the weight loss of bariatric surgery populations.

One study that particularly observed the impact of smoking on weight loss outcomes after bariatric surgery demonstrates that smoking habits are “not associated with weight loss outcomes after bariatric surgery.”

However, the main concern about smoking is not its effect on response rates and weight loss outcomes, but on the mortality rate of weight loss surgery patients and how it increases the risk of surgical complications. Due to this reason, patients are seriously encouraged to quit smoking even before the surgery and never try it again.

Gastric Bypass and Smoking

As you know, in gastric bypass a new stomach pouch is formed in your body. Smoking causes the narrowing of the entrance of this pouch. The result will be severe pain, vomiting, and nausea.

Tobacco causes a decrease in the blood flow to your stomach pouch because it shrinks the blood vessels. The carbon monoxide produced when smoking affects your blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen. As a result, the slow healing after bariatric surgery becomes a long-term concern.

Can I Use a Nicotine Patch or Gum?

Nicotine leads to a reduced blood supply and increases the risk of all the complications that were described in this article. So, the answer NO. Avoid any product that contains nicotine.

Conclusion

The effect of smoking on your post-operation life depends on your medical records as well. But do not think that the complications mentioned above are just for a short time after surgery and you can restart smoking years or months after surgery. The same points are true about consuming alcohol after surgery.

I have seen patients that started smoking years after the surgery yet again experience some of these complications.

In very severe cases, I have seen the death of patients as a result of smoking. So, please, if you really care about your health and are ready to start your journey to have a healthier life, quit smoking long before you have your bariatric surgery and never ever start it again 🙂

The Obalon gastric balloon is a type of balloon used for the treatment of obesity.  As I’ve mentioned before in the guide about gastric balloon procedures, people who do not have very severe obesity do not need to undergo invasive types of bariatric surgery. Instead, having gastric balloons temporarily in their bodies helps them lose weight.

Patients who manage to lose weight consistently with gastric balloons lose about 50% to 60% of their excess weight. Gastric balloons have different types and the Obalon gastric balloon is one of the most popular ones. Let’s take a closer look at its features, the operation time, for how long it should stay in your body, how it is removed, and patient qualifications.

What Is Obalon Gastric Balloon?

It is a weight-loss method that includes the placement of 3 different gastric balloons placed in the patient’s stomach. These balloons, which are placed in the stomach of overweight patients, fill approximately ¾ of the stomach. As a result, you will feel full in a short time and reduce the portions you consume.

The main purpose of this procedure is to reduce your meal portions and adopt healthier habits with the help of intragastric balloons within a certain period of time. Balloons do not reduce or eliminate the calories of the food you consume.

Obalon Gastric Balloon Content

The content of the Obalon gastric balloon mainly consists of gelatin capsule and gas, both of which are harmless to your stomach. After you swallow the balloon, the balloon is inflated with gas using endoscopic methods.

Is Obalon Gastric Balloon FDA Approved?

Obalon gastric balloon got FDA approval in 2016 and still is accepted as FDA approved. The FDA certificate, which is based in the USA, is one of the important documents stating that the process is reliable. In addition, the Obalon gastric balloon procedure has CE approval.

How to Place the Balloons?

Obalon gastric balloon is placed in your body by swallowing. The steps of this procedure are as follows;

• The procedure required no anesthesia. The patient sits on a chair or in an appropriate area.
• You will need to swallow the balloon with the catheter attached to you. You’ll swallow the gel capsule with the help of a glass of water while your doctor holds the catheter with the tip out.
• After you swallow your capsule, an ultrasound examination is done to check your stomach and make sure the capsule reaches it.
• Then, the pill is filled with gas with the help of the catheter, which is kept outside your body. 
• When the gas filling process is completed, the doctor removes the catheter and you can continue your daily life as soon as the process is finished.

Your second balloon is placed approximately 1 month after insertion of the first balloon, and your third, or the last one is placed approximately 2-3 months after the second one.

The Operation Time

The Obalon gastric Balloon operation time is approximately 10 minutes. However, since placing a single balloon is not enough, you will spend an average of 30 minutes for all your operations in total.

The biggest advantage of this operation is that you do not need to rest in the hospital at all. When the operation is completed, you will be discharged and get back to your life. 

How Many Months Should the Balloons Stay in My Stomach?

The minimum duration for this procedure is 6 months. However, this period starts from the placement of the first balloon. In other words, your first balloon will stay in your stomach for 6 months, your second balloon will stay in your stomach for 5 months, and your third balloon will stay in your stomach for about 3 months.

How to Remove the Obalon Gastric Balloon?

The balloon is not disposed of naturally. So, when the treatment period comes to its end, patients should go to the hospital and where a bariatric doctor removes the balloon using endoscopic methods.

Obalon Gastric Balloon Requirements

To be qualified for Obalon gastric balloons, you must have the following conditions:

• If you have tried to lose weight with exercise and diet before but have not seen any results, you may prefer it. However, it is not a method you can try if you have performed any type of bariatric surgery before and it was unsuccessful.
• Your BMI should be between 30 and 40. Extremely obese patients cannot experience the expected weight loss with this method.
• You must be at least 22 years old. Patients younger than 22 are not recommended to perform this procedure.
• You need to be open to making serious changes in your eating habits and lifestyle. Although the balloon will remain in your stomach for only 6 months, the treatment program determined is for 12 months. You should be committed to the entire treatment program.

To solve a problem, first, you need to know its causes. Obesity, as a serious risk factor for many diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, high blood glucose, liver cancer, and many more health issues, is a big challenge for almost 650 million adults in the world. But to overcome this barrier, first, you need to know the types of obesity, especially based on causes because then you will know what is causing obesity and if you change or eliminate it, you will get rid of obesity forever.

Types of Obesity Based on Causes

Each overweight or obese individual has their own conditions and the causes of obesity differ from person to person. For instance, a person is overweight mainly because there’s a lot of stress in their life and their way to cope with stress is eating. The solution for this individual is to find other ways for stress management and replace them with nervous-eating.

Some people deal with excess weight because of hormonal imbalance. What’s the solution? Visiting a specialist, taking medical tests, and medication and treatment for hormonal balance.

 1- Excessive Intakes of Food

This is the most common reason for obesity and it’s caused by individuals eating too much food containing fat and sugar. When your body absorbs more calories than it needs and you don’t do enough exercise to burn the extra amount, you start to gain weight.

To address this issue, you need to find a systematic solution to control your appetite. Healthy eating habits and exercise are two main factors in the termination of obesity. You can follow the eating guide for bariatric patients. You don’t have to follow the liquid diet and pureed foods, especially at the beginning, but phases 3 and 4 give you helpful instructions on what to eat and how to eat.

Meeting a dietitian is very much recommended.

2- Nervous Eating

Eating more than what your body needs usually has psychological reasons. One of the ways people react to stress, anxiety, or depression is eating.

To resolve obesity caused by nervous eating you need to visit a psychologist and find other ways to control your stress.

Doing other relaxing activities such as yoga and meditation helps a lot. You might find yourself too busy to devote some time to these activities. But the time and energy stress takes away from you is even more. Moreover, less stress boosts your efficiency.

3- Genetics

This situation occurs in families whose genes include a single gene that causes an inheritance pattern of obesity. MC4R is the most common gene that results in obesity. If the children of a family are affected by this gene, they become extremely hungry and overeating brings about obesity.

So far, researchers and doctors have found 50 genes associated with obesity. However, most of these genes had very small effects.

Don’t get disappointed because it doesn’t mean you can’t control your genes. According to a study, individuals with one of the common genes that causes obesity, the FTO gene variant, could control and reduce the risk of obesity by physical activity. Also, some proteins affect gene expressions. So, there’s a way to control the genes. Just visit a specialist, take the tests, and follow their prescription.

4- Hormonal Imbalance

The type of obesity that is caused by hormonal changes usually occurs in women during the adolescence or menopause periods.

Drinking and smoking are the two main activities that intensify this situation. Lack of exercise also prevents your body from regulating body fat distribution.

Hormonal imbalance is observable in the results of check-up tests. During sensitive periods of your life, you should be alert of probable obesity and your inclination toward unhealthy habits such as overeating.

5- Lack of Activity

This happens when your physical activity reduces due to changes in your lifestyle. For instance, if you start a 9 to 5 desk job while your previous one required a lot of activity.

Athletes who have to stop working out face fat storage, especially in the parts of their bodies that were more active before.

To avoid gaining weight in these situations, you should break your meals into small portions of healthy food and feed your body every one or two hours. Also, set alarms to do short, simple activities such as walking in the middle of the day during your breaks or lunchtime.

Types of Obesity Based on BMI

Despite all the controversies, BMI (Body Mass Index) is still one of the major criteria for categorizing obesity. BMI is a value derived from the mass and height of a person.

• BMI less than 18.5 ==> underweight
• BMI between 18.5 and 25 ==> normal weight
• BMI between 25.0 and 30 ==> overweight
• BMI 30 or higher ==> obese
•  

Based on these categories, there are three types of obesity:

• Class 1: BMI of 30 to < 35
• Class 2: BMI of 35 to < 40
• Class 3: BMI of 40 or higher. Class 3 obesity is sometimes categorized as “severe” obesity.

An Average Adult Body Mass Index (BMI)
Height	Weight Range	BMI	Considered
5′ 9″	124 lbs or less	Below 18.5	Underweight
	125 lbs to 168 lbs	18.5 to 24.9	Healthy weight
	169 lbs to 202 lbs	25.0 to 29.9	Overweight
	203 lbs or more	30 or higher	Obesity
	271 lbs or more	40 or higher	Class 3 Obesity

Note: BMI is not the only factor that determines you’re healthy or not. An expert health care provider can check your health status by performing a series of medical tests.

For patients who want to undergo bariatric surgery, BMI is a determining factor.

Final Word

Obesity is not caused solely by one factor, but it’s a multi-faceted situation that can be influenced by both genes and environmental factors.

To be able to get rid of it, you need to find the true sources of your gain weight and try to solve them while getting help from professionals. Bariatric surgery is also one of the options obese individuals have, but it’s absolutely not the first one and it’s not for everyone. Find out whether you’re eligible for weight loss surgery or not.