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What comes your way when you choose a Gastric Bypass? What is the pre-surgery process at the hospital like? And how do you prepare well for the operation?
In this interview, Remco shares how he prepared for this life-changing choice. He also tells how he drastically changed his eating and lifestyle habits even before the procedure, and what that brought him.
In the previous episode you told us you chose a Gastric Bypass. What did you feel after making the decision?
“I found it really nerve-racking. I was so curious about how I would look afterwards. I wasn't happy with how I looked. And I wanted to see my nephews and niece grow up. On top of that, I had a desire to have children at the time. If I were to raise a child, I wanted to be able to play and kick a ball around with him or her. But I was already tired after a few flights of stairs in the apartment building where I lived. When I got the green light, I also felt positive excitement. Like: now it's really going to happen.”
Why did you choose a Gastric Bypass and not one of the other operations?
“Mainly because of my bowel problems. I had suffered from them for years. I could do very little; sometimes I was in bed for days from the pain. That had a big impact on my work and private life. With a Gastric Bypass, your small intestine is shortened and rerouted, so I could possibly get rid of my bowel complaints.”
“I ate everything I liked, all day long. Sometimes I had food delivered 5 times a week. At the hospital I found out I was sometimes taking in as many as 4,000 calories a day.”
What did you hope the operation would bring you?
“With that Gastric Bypass I'll lose weight for good, I thought. But I also know people who gained weight again after the operation. It all comes down to your mindset. Even though it's not a decision you take lightly, for me the operation was the first big step towards a healthy weight.”
And then the whole process begins.
“Yes, I had my surgery at the hospital in Tilburg. There you speak with all kinds of specialists, like a dietitian. They want to know what, how and when you eat. But also what your highs and lows are when it comes to food. That really made me aware of what I eat and why I choose it. I ate everything I liked, all day long. Sometimes I had food delivered 5 times a week. At the hospital I found out I was sometimes taking in as many as 4,000 calories a day.”
“Ik at voornamelijk uit gewoonte. Ik kan me voorstellen dat als je een emotie-eter bent, sneller terugvalt in oude patronen en je eerst op een andere manier hulp nodig hebt.”
Then you speak with a psychologist. How does that go?
“Together you look at where you come from and whether you have processed things. Like, in my case, a depression. You also discuss your eating behaviour. Do you eat out of emotion, or is it a pattern? I ate more out of habit. Your body gets used to so much food and asks for it, even though you're not hungry but just have cravings. I'm quite an open book and found the conversations with the psychologist pleasant. I can also imagine that if you're an emotional eater, you fall back into old patterns more quickly and first need help in a different way. It really is about the mental side, too.”
Can you tell us more about that?
“Looking back, I'm very happy with the decision and with how I approach it in my life. If my mental side hadn't been in order, I wouldn't have been able to feel so proud. My advice is to always ask for help and work on your mental health. That is truly important.”
Besides the mental side, the physical side is essential too.
“Absolutely. The surgeon discusses the different operations with you. He checks whether you are healthy enough for surgery and whether there are complications. Besides my bowel complaints, I suffered from heartburn, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. On top of that, you get all kinds of measurements and scans.”
“I wanted to get used to the new eating pattern in advance. I had already done some research, read labels to know where a lot of sugar hides, and I started eating several times a day.”
What did you start doing yourself to prepare?
“I wanted to get used to the new eating pattern in advance. I had already done some research, read labels to know where a lot of sugar hides, and I started with 7 eating moments* a day. I paid attention to my proteins and started eating breakfast, which I never did before. And I went for smart food swaps. Chicken fillet on bread instead of jam or chocolate spread. Hummus instead of butter. A bowl of yoghurt with unroasted seeds and nuts, fruit in between. What's best to eat is different for everyone, of course. That's why the guidance from the hospital is so valuable.”
Because you want to learn to eat differently, not start the next diet.
“Yes, because you have to keep up this new eating pattern for the rest of your life after the operation. That's why I try to eat everything; I don't deny myself anything. I eat desserts too, though I choose the healthier version. I check what's in the product and I test how something sits. I still eat the occasional portion of fries, even now that I've had surgery, but a small one. Thanks to these changes in food and more exercise, I already lost quite a bit of weight before the operation.”
What would you say to people who are waiting for a stomach reduction?
“It helped me to get started in the time between signing up and the procedure. I also speak to people with a stomach reduction who didn't do that. They are only now realising how tough it is after the operation. So start now. Move more, begin the new eating pattern and several eating moments spread over the day. That way it becomes a routine and you can experience what it does to you and your body.”
The interview was originally a Dutch FitForMe podcast. Using AI, the interview was translated and written down so that Remco's story could be shared with all FitForMe customers.
