In a recent study done by the WHO, we can see that around 1 billion people are obese worldwide. This lifestyle can lead to many future health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, etc. You may consider a gastric sleeve operation if you want to break this cycle and start a healthier lifestyle.
During this surgery, a part of your stomach will be removed, leaving you with a “sleeve.” The sleeve will significantly impact your hunger and calorie intake, causing you to lose weight and lower your appetite. However, for this surgery to be successful, you will need more than just the surgery.
The success rate of such surgeries is around 80% – 90%, but the recovery and the weight loss depend on the aftercare. Here are some things that make gastric sleeve surgery successful.
Take your time with solid foods
After undergoing surgery from reliable gastric sleeve surgeons, you will have to live off liquids for some time (usually around two weeks). At that point, you can start eating solid foods again but don’t rush into your favorite foods right after the recommended period. Take your time and start slowly with solid foods.
You may be craving your favorite meal or feeling a bit hungry after the surgery, but it is crucial to plan your meals and not put less pressure on your stomach initially. It’s advisable to start with one solid meal a day and work your way up.
You will have to begin dieting right after the surgery, so follow it and slowly incorporate solid foods into your recovery diet.
Avoid sugar in any form
As you will only be able to consume liquid foods for some time after the surgery, you should avoid any foods that contain sugar. For example, you may feel thirsty and want to reach out for your favorite fruit juice, but these juices also contain sugars and can slow down your recovery after the surgery.
Moreover, your surgery may not be as successful if you start consuming sugars afterward. Even though you may need sugar for instant energy, you should avoid sugar since it may impact your success.
Moreover, sugar won’t bring any nutrition to your body and can only make you hungrier. If you are dedicated to your weight loss journey, avoid sugar to see the results faster.
Don’t consume alcohol
When you get on your feet after a gastric sleeve surgery, you may be ready to enjoy the things you have enjoyed before. You may be invited to a ceremony or a celebration where they will serve drinks, or you simply want to spend your free day with a beer or a cocktail.
Alcohol is one substance that can increase your appetite, thus leading to weight gain. People who consume alcohol have slower metabolisms usually – anything you eat or drink afterward will be stored as fat in your body. Alcoholic drinks also contain a lot of artificial sugars, which can contribute to fast weight gain.
Besides, alcohol is never a good idea since it can harm your health. If you want to make your gastric sleeve surgery successful, you should avoid alcoholic drinks and opt for a healthier option, such as a healthy mocktail.
Eat a lot of protein
Protein is known to be the food for the muscles, so if you want your body to keep losing fat and gaining muscles, you should incorporate proteins into your diet. These nutrients will make you feel fuller for longer after each meal. If you consume enough proteins, you can control your meals better.
However, you should consume proteins according to your body’s current mass. The recommended daily protein intake is anywhere from 0.5 grams to 1 gram per kilo, depending on how active you are.
Remember, protein is an excellent way of being in control of your hunger and making sure that you don’t overeat. This step is essential for gastric sleeve surgery recovery, and you might even lose fat and weight faster if you consume enough protein.
Stop binge eating
When you recover from your surgery, you may feel like you can eat anything you like throughout the day and still lose weight, but this is not the case. If you have a goal to reach, you shouldn’t eat everything and all the time to lose weight.
In short, you cannot completely rely on the surgery itself – you must take matters into your own hands and change your habits. One of the most common habits is binge eating – eating when you are bored and not hungry. Instead, you should listen to your body and fulfill its needs – eat when you get hungry, not because you don’t know what else to do.
To help you with this step, you should ask yourself whether you are really hungry when you reach for food and be honest with yourself.
Conclusion
Gastric sleeve surgery has the highest success rate in the world of weight loss. However, to make this come true, you should also follow some of the rules after the surgery to make it successful. Numerous patients have used these tips to make their gastric surgery recovery successful and lose weight. You are responsible for your body and should take good care of it.