Switching the Focus: “Weight Loss” to “Weight Management”

By Maria Tadic, Registered Dietician
Inova Bariatric Surgery

Many patients who have had bariatric surgery look forward to many health improvements along their journey – decreasing medications, increased mobility, improvement in comorbid conditions and of course weight loss.  Losing that excess weight is frequently the top priority for patients.  Even as a dietitian, I can get caught up and focus just on the overall weight loss for patients.  Truthfully, it’s not just all about the weight loss.  It’s about weight management.

Weight management of course includes weight loss, but takes that concept a few steps further.  Weight management is the combination of lifestyle changes that include a balance of healthy eating, physical activity and sound mental/emotional health in order to help you maintain a healthy weight.  There’s also a proactive part of weight management.  It’s the active monitoring or management of your weight.  This can include keeping track of food diaries, blood work or weekly physical activity.   All of these things together define weight management.

If you think that you’re a little too caught up in the weight loss numbers or the numbers on the scale, trying switching your focus to a more weight management view.  Your end goal should not be weight or a specific number on the scale – it should be the incorporation of and maintenance of a variety of lifestyle changes.  Remember, successful treatment of overweight and obesity requires a lifelong effort of the patient to maintain lifestyle changes.   Check in with yourself and ask:

• How’s my diet? Am I eating enough fruits and vegetables? Am I maintaining adequate protein?
• How much physical activity am I participating in? Am I meeting the minimum amount?  Can I increase the time or intensity?
• Do I like how my clothes fit? Do I like the image in the mirror?  Do I like how I feel?
• Have my comorbid conditions resolved or improved? Have I decreased the amount of medications I have to take?
• Has my relationship with food improved? Do I feel more in control of my dietary choices?
• Am I happy with my current lifestyle and is it easy for me to maintain?

Remember, the number on the scale is just that – a number.  And it’s just a very small part of weight management.  That number cannot define you as healthy or unhealthy, big or small, happy or unhappy.  It’s the combination of things like being able to walk a 5 k, discontinuing most or all of your medications, being happy with your image and how your clothes fit, being proud of your improved diet and of course feeling healthy inside and out!  All of these things together will not only manage your weight, but make you a healthy, successful bariatric patient.