5 ways for more balance after weight loss surgery

1. Go for healthy food and drinks

Before your stomach reduction, you were able to eat large portions and every kind of food. Although, your body wasn’t so happy about that. After surgery, you’ve changed your eating and drinking habits and you’ve to stick to a healthy routine:

• Eat 6 small portions during the day
• Vary in healthy foods to absorb different nutrients as much as possible
• Take enough protein and eat them first (meat and fish), second carbs (potatoes and rice), and veggies
• Prepare your food (meal prepping) to make sure you can always get a healthy meal
• Don’t eat and drink at the same time, wait for 30 minutes
• Eat mindfully and slowly so you’ll feel when you’re satiated
• Is your stomach full? Are you feeling pain or nauseous? Stop eating or drinking immediately.

2. Go for the right multivitamins

Nutrition is the most important resource for vitamins and minerals. Sources of vitamins and minerals are veggies, fruits, dairy, meat, and bread. After weight loss surgery you eat less. Less food means a reduced intake of vitamins and minerals. Besides, your body absorbs fewer nutrients. This is because your digestive system works differently than in people with intact digestive systems. Unfortunately, this is permanent. To prevent deficiencies and complaints, you need multivitamins every day. FitForMe multivitamins are specially formulated for your surgery type and keep you in balance.

3. Go for more exercise

Do you know the great feeling after a workout? It feels good when you did go to Zumba, even though you preferred watching tv at home. That issue at work that gives you a headache? After a walk for an hour or so it feels less heavy. Why is that? Your body releases endorphins by exercising. Endorphins are hormones that boost your mood and improve your sense of happiness. But being active does even more for you. It’s important for your heart, vessels, energy metabolism, muscles, bones, and joints. Do you want to stay fit and balanced? Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes on a daily base.

 4. Go for more rest

More rest? But you’ve just read that exercising is healthy. True! But there can’t be balance if you don’t take time to relax too. That sounds believable, right? But it’s not easy. Most people think that they’re relaxing by watching Netflix or scrolling on social media. But the nervous system doesn’t unwind (read this to find out what too much stress does to your body ). So, what is relaxation? Skip the blue screens and go outside into nature. Take a warm bath, read a good book and go to bed early. Or hop on the yoga mat and focus on your breath.

5. Go for a healthy mindset

Weight loss surgery isn’t a magic trick. It’s not a quick fix. Besides surgery and a healthy lifestyle, your mindset (mental health) is key. Because balance is about the body and the mind. What do you think about life? How do you think and feel about yourself? And how do you handle stress? The surgeon doesn’t remove past pain, problems, and traumas. Therefore, it’s valuable to dive into this. Talk to someone you trust or ask a professional for help. That is super powerful and not something to be ashamed of.

One step back, two steps forward

Finding balance after weight loss surgery takes time, patience and trust. A few steps forward, sometimes one backward. Don’t give up. Stick to your routine and keep going with your healthy habits. Having a bad day? Don’t be too hard on yourself. The next day you’ll be back on track.

Always keep in mind: you’re not alone. Questions or something to share? Feel free to reach out. Our dieticians are here for you. Contact us here.