The list of things to prepare before your surgery can be a long one. It includes: visits to different healthcare professionals, figuring things out with your work, making plans for buying the foods you need during your liquid phase, following pre-surgery diets, and so on. Besides preparing for the time directly around your surgery, there are many other long-term questions to consider before your big day comes.

What are you hoping that surgery will help you accomplish? The most common answer here is: to be healthier. But what are you going to do with your improved health? What would you like to change in your life by losing weight? After thinking about it for a moment, many people decide that the things they would like to achieve are either not in their lives at the moment or not easy or comfortable to do because of their weight. These can range from seemingly small things like crossing your legs and buying clothes at any store to much bigger things like no longer having diabetes and running a marathon. So, what are some of the non-scale victories you hope to accomplish after surgery? Here are some tips for getting your bucket list started:

• Write down both small and big goals.
• Be honest with yourself about what you want and don't sell yourself short.
• Jot down things that happen during the day that might become easier as you lose weight.
• Talk to some friends and family for inspiration if you'd like!

Keep in mind, weight loss doesn't fix everything. While we all know this, there are a number of things that many people think weight loss will improve, it's not a guarantee. Below are a few of the common goals that fall under this category:

'I do not want to feel like I have obesity.'

This is a tough one. It can take people many years before they can recognize themselves in a smaller body. This is because the feeling of being obese is phenomenological and does not have to be connected to your weight. For example, someone with anorexia nervosa might see herself as overweight while the people around her see an extremely thin person. A few ways to help yourself realise that you have indeed lost weight include:

• Wear clothes that fit you well.
• Keep an outfit in the biggest size you have and put it on from time to time.
• Take full body pictures before and after surgery.
• Purposely do things that would have been uncomfortable for you before losing weight. For example, choose booths over tables at restaurants.

'I am not treated well at work/school/home/out in public, and I hope this changes.'

Weight loss often leads to people treating you differently including strangers, friends, colleagues, and even family members. This is often a bittersweet experience. As one patient said about people treating her with more kindness and respect: “It's a way better way to live, but hurtful, too. I didn't realise how I was being treated differently just because of my weight.” To elaborate on this, many people find that it's easier to get a job or promotion once they lose weight. Passersby often start saying “good morning!” or holding doors for you that didn't before. Strong friendships or romantic relationships can get even stronger. On the flip side, jealousy from friends and family can put a strain on relationships and even break them up, especially if there was already tension before surgery.

While there's not necessarily a way to foresee how social interactions and relationships will change after surgery, know that you are still YOU! You cannot control how people react to your weight loss. What you can do is be who you are and communicate with others if you find their reactions hurtful or disrespectful.

'I want my weight loss to improve my emotional state/mental illness.'

Mental wellbeing may improve after bariatric surgery, but mental illness itself is seldom explained by someone's weight alone. Past traumatic experiences will still have occurred. Problems with family or friends will still be there, as will financial stressors and other things that life throws at us. If you are already working with a mental health care provider, make sure to talk to them about your decision to have surgery, so they can support you on your journey. If you are not working with someone but know you could use extra support, don't hesitate to reach out. Another thing to keep in mind is that certain medications absorb a little differently after surgery, especially with the Gastric Bypass. Make sure to work with your prescribing provider if you take medications for psychological conditions in case you need to have your doses adjusted.

'I don't want to be in chronic pain anymore.'

Pain is tricky. Some people feel pain relief very quickly after surgery both because of weight loss and decreased inflammation in your body overall. Part of the reason pain can decrease so quickly is that for every kilo you lose, 4 kg of pressure is taken off your knees along with 6 kg off your hips! However, pain related to certain types of arthritis and bursitis may not improve as much as you would hope after surgery. As for back pain, sometimes it's better, sometimes it's the same. New pains can also show up as your body adjusts to carrying the new you.

Unfortunately, pain that's related to nerve damage is usually not affected at all. Other conditions that cause pain, such as fibromyalgia, rarely improve and may actually worsen.

One more thing to consider when it comes to pain is how well certain things fit you after surgery. For example, have your feet changed shape enough that your shoes don't fit right? Do you have a chair that you always sit in that isn't as comfortable as it used to be? The ergonomics of life can change as you lose weight, causing new pains in some cases. So maybe all you need is a new pair of shoes when that new knee or hip pain shows up!