The first few months to years after surgery are usually referred to as the "honeymoon" phase. This is when some patients find that they can lose weight and keep it off despite not having good eating and exercise routines. This is because the metabolic changes the surgery causes play a starring role in the beginning. But in the long-run, the weight curve can swing upwards if you don’t establish healthy routines.

It is important to remember that everyone going into surgery has a different set of conditions they are working with, so some will lose more, some less. Your choices make a difference of course, but how the surgery affects your body physiologically can affect weight loss even more. For example, some people will have strong feelings of hunger after the operation, while others are hardly hungry at all. This is why weight maintenance often differs for people as well.

Weight maintenance is perhaps the most daunting piece of weight loss. After all, while many people have lost weight a lot of over the years, it’s been the keeping it off part that hasn’t stuck. Statistically, about 50% of patients will regain a small amount of weight after surgery, about 5% of what they lost. For many, this amount of weight gain actually works out for the better because to keep that extra 5% off could mean feeling extra restricted and deprived. It’s better to gain a little and have some wiggle room in your lifestyle than feeling like you are tied to a strict structure.

Even though weight regain is statistically quite low, we’ve all heard stories about or know someone personally who has gained back quite a bit of weight. Are you struggling with weight regain or simply nervous about it? Below are habits that can help you maintain your weight loss for good.

• Eat protein with every meal and snack
• Focus your intake on protein, vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains.
• Plan your meals and snacks
• Avoid high sugar and highly processed foods
• Eat at regular intervals. Typically 3-5 times per day works well, depending on portion size, exercise, and individual needs.
• Drink at least 1.5-2L of water/day
• Weigh yourself once a week
• Pay attention to how your clothes fit, and wear clothes with a waist
• Separate foods and fluids
• Take your bariatric vitamins and minerals
• Exercise! The recommended amount of exercise to maintain weight loss is 250-300 minutes per week, which equals 35-45min/day. This can seem like a lot, but remember, you can split up this time throughout the day. Exercise is one of the main indicators of weight maintenance, so the more you can work up to this level of exercise, the better.