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:
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.
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Weight management is the most important issue after surgery or any large weight loss. Ii agree, the number on the scale is a small measure of your success and fluctuates throughout the day. My scale is a list of all of the things that i can do now that i could not do before. It's a matter of mindfulness. I am hoping to become a mindful eating coach to give back to those who go on this journey and help them succeed.