One of the reasons why obesity is such a huge health concern is that it often goes hand-in-hand with other major health problems. More than one-third of adults in the U.S. are obese, which means that many people already have or are facing the risks of developing serious weight-related conditions.

Taking care of your health by managing your weight is one of the best things you can do to maximize your opportunity to live a long, healthy, and enjoyable life.

In many cases, losing weight improves these other conditions significantly if not completely. But for those with a body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher, losing weight with diet and exercise may not be possible. Weight loss surgery may be necessary to help you lose weight initially, thus starting you on your journey toward better overall health.

Health Conditions Likely to Improve With Weight Loss 

What health conditions are we talking about specifically? 

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest health risks of obesity. While some people are genetically predisposed to diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is frequently linked to preventable causes, like obesity. It occurs because being obese puts extra stress on cells, which affects insulin receptors. Common symptoms of diabetes include extreme thirst, frequent urination, headaches, and infections that take a long time to heal.

High Blood Pressure

Having too much body fat means your heart has to work harder to circulate your blood. This puts pressure on the walls of the arteries. High blood pressure doesn’t always result in obvious symptoms, so you should talk to your doctor if you’re at risk for this condition.

Sleep Apnea

This is a serious condition that causes you to stop breathing for a few seconds at a time. Sleep apnea not only reduces your quality of sleep, but it can also deprive your brain of oxygen, which can result in life-threatening health problems.

Cancer

Everyone has some risk of cancer, but being obese can significantly increase the risks, particularly specific types of cancer, such as kidney cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. 

Heart Disease

One of the better-known complications associated with obesity, heart disease continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Heart disease is a broad term used to describe conditions such as a heart attack, stroke, high cholesterol, and several other conditions. 

Osteoarthritis

The additional weight and strain that an obese person puts on his or her joints can lead to a number of conditions, including osteoarthritis. This condition is defined by the wearing down of cartilage in the joints, leading to pain, reduced mobility, and numbness throughout various parts of the body.

Why It’s Important to Have Weight Loss Surgery Now

Obesity is considered a progressive disease because the excess weight gain causes a number of hormonal and metabolic changes. These changes increase the risk for even greater fat accumulation over time, making it difficult to fight using diet and exercise alone. The conditions mentioned above can possibly be managed to some extent through medications, but they will most likely not improve or go away without weight loss.

We are so thankful to have the opportunity to offer several weight loss surgery options that can save lives! At Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery, we work to educate our patients on their options, as well as life after surgery. 

To learn more about how to improve your health, schedule a consultation with BMI Surgery today!

The caring group of professionals at Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery will help you get started on your weight loss journey and stay with you every step along the way. Dr. Long and his team specialize in all types of bariatric surgery, including gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass, and the LAP-BAND. Visit us today at http://www.bmisurgery.com/ or give us a call to set up a consultation at 205-833-6907. 

The road to weight loss after surgeries, such as gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or the LAP-BAND is different for everyone, but after working with thousands of patients in the Birmingham, Alabama, area, we have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t.

At Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery, we do our best to provide you with all the tools you need to be successful. This includes a pre-op diet plan, post-op diet plan, recovery information, guidance on exercise, and much more. Following these plans is crucial for recovery and weight loss, especially in the long-term. 

Mistakes to Avoid After Weight Loss Surgery

We know it’s a challenge though, and it’s not hard to make little mistakes along the way. Rather than dealing with mistakes after the fact, the best approach is to try and prevent mistakes from occurring in the first place. Being able to do that starts with knowledge of those common mistakes! Here are some of the top ones we see.

Eating too much

Most people know that you won’t eat nearly the same volume of food after undergoing weight loss surgery, but the specifics will vary. In general, you can expect to eat only three or four bites before you feel full. Eating even one bite too many may be too much, and you could feel sick after that extra bite. Remember that you can save your meal and come back to it when you get hungry later.

Not chewing each bite thoroughly enough

This is a new concept for many people, but it’s very important in the early days of recovery. You will need to chew each bite to an applesauce consistency before you swallow. After a while it will get much easier to eat and get things down without any issues, but in the beginning, you need to chew thoroughly and take it slow. By chewing to an applesauce consistency, you’re ensuring that the food goes down more easily and doesn’t get stuck. 

Eating and drinking at the same time

This is also often an adjustment, but important as well. There are two reasons you will want to eat and drink separately. First, as mentioned above, you can only eat three or four bites at a time, so you don’t want to fill up with fluids. Plan on drinking about thirty minutes later, once your food is digested. The second reason is to help avoid dumping syndrome, which you can read more about here. 

Not taking important vitamins 

Depending on which surgery you had, you may need to take particular vitamins and supplements to make sure you are getting complete and proper nutrition. We will also recommend vitamins to help your body recover from surgery and maintain the best health possible. Taking our recommendations that are specific to you and your situation is key.

Not focusing enough on good nutrition

Since your caloric content will be constricted after surgery, it’s vital that you pack your diet with healthy nutrients. Your body won’t function well if you use your calories to only eat potato chips or other foods that have no nutritional value. You may think that a tiny handful of nuts, chips, crackers, or candy won’t affect your diet, but these foods pack a lot of calories in small portions. Also remember that protein is especially important after surgery.

Not drinking enough water

Drinking plenty of water or other healthy liquids is one of the most important things you can do after surgery. Water helps every part of your body function well, and it will help your body heal, provide energy, and aid in weight loss. As mentioned above, you should not drink water with meals, but at separate times throughout the day.

Too much alcohol

While alcohol does not provide any nutritional value, it does contain calories. Each gram of alcohol contains 7 calories that the body has no use for. It is especially important that gastric bypass patients to avoid alcohol, because this surgery causes alcohol to enter the bloodstream at a more rapid rate.

Drinking carbonated beverages

Many carbonated beverages, such as soda, contain high levels of sugar. We do not ever recommend sugar as a source of calories as it can quickly lead to weight gain. Carbonated beverages can also cause dehydration after weight loss surgery, and they can make it difficult to distinguish between gas pain and more serious pain right after surgery. The acid in many of these drinks can also cause gastric erosion over time.

Let BMI Surgery Help You Avoid Mistakes After Weight Loss Surgery

We are always so proud of our patients for deciding to change their lives by having weight loss surgery. It’s the beginning of the journey though, not the end. We will be here every step along the way to help you avoid mistakes and be successful!

Find out more about the weight loss surgery options at Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery.

The caring group of professionals at Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery will help you get started on your weight loss journey and stay with you every step along the way. Dr. Long and his team specialize in all types of bariatric surgery, including gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass, and the LAP-BAND. Visit us today at http://www.bmisurgery.com/ or give us a call to set up a consultation at 205-833-6907. 

Over the years, we have heard it all at Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery. Myths, misconceptions, and rumors abound when it comes to weight loss surgery. In this article, we will clear some of these up and provide you with the truth about what to expect before, during, and after surgery.

Weight Loss Surgery Myths

The first thing we want to make sure everyone understands is that weight loss surgery is just the beginning. It’s the first step of what will be a long journey to better health, and it takes a major commitment on your part to maintain. When you succeed, the reward and feeling of accomplishment is HUGE!

Myth #1: Weight loss surgery is dangerous

Studies have shown that the risk for weight loss surgery is about the same as a routine gallbladder surgery. Every surgery does carry some risks, but recent advances in techniques and technology, including taking a minimally invasive approach, make weight loss surgery a very safe option.

Myth #2: If you diet and exercise, there’s no reason for surgery

Diet and exercise are important, and that is all it takes for some people. However, it’s not enough for others, especially those with other health conditions or those who are extremely obese. The fact is, surgery is an important tool that can help people lose weight, but making healthy choices is necessary to keep that weight off.

Myth 3: Weight loss surgery is a quick, easy fix

Surgery is the first step in a weight loss journey. It is not quick or easy. You will go through a pre-procedure process to prepare, undergo the surgery itself, recover from your surgery, and then you will have a stringent diet and exercise plan to follow for several months. Even after your initial weight loss in the first year or so after surgery, continuing to eat healthy and exercising will continue to be a part of your life in order to maintain your weight loss.

Myth #4: Most people gain the weight back

After weight loss surgery, you may lose anywhere from 50 to 100 pounds in the first year. Long-term studies have shown that 10 years after a procedure, more patients have kept the weight off when compared to patients who have lost weight without surgery. Again, it does take commitment and work, but for those who follow through, regaining weight is not common.

Myth #5: Surgery leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies

There are different types of weight loss surgery. Some do change the way the body absorbs vitamins and minerals, and deficiencies can happen. This side effect is preventable by using supplements after surgery. In your follow-up care, we will do regular testing to check vitamin and mineral levels to make sure this does not happen.

Myth #6: You can’t have children after weight loss surgery

We do typically advise patients not to get pregnant within the first two years after weight loss surgery, so this is a consideration for some. This is because the intent of surgery is to induce weight loss, while the opposite happens during pregnancy. But the surgery itself does not affect the ability to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term at all.

Myth #7: Insurance won’t cover weight loss surgery

In many instances, insurance does cover weight loss surgery. Coverage varies from state to state and company to company. You do need to meet certain requirements for insurance to cover the surgery, and the process may take longer when you must qualify for coverage. Even without insurance, many of our patients find that our surgeries are affordable when paying out of pocket.

Myth 8: Weight loss surgery means a long hospital stay and recovery time

When taking a minimally invasive approach like we do at Birmingham Minimally Invasive, there is no need for long stays in the hospital. Some surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis, or there may be a one or two-night stay required. You will have a much shorter recovery time as well due to our minimally invasive approach. Exact recovery time will depend on your starting weight and other health conditions you may have. 

We hope you will always be open with us in asking questions and confirming myths or rumors you may have heard. Remember, every person and their situation is unique so what a friend or colleague experiences may not be what you will experience. We love working with each individual patient to come up with a plan that’s tailored to specific needs and goals.

After having weight loss surgery, there’s one thing you can definitely expect to hear about when it comes to your recovery, and that’s protein. Eating enough protein is crucial after weight loss surgery. Your body needs additional protein during the period of rapid weight loss to maintain your muscle mass. Protein is also required for a healthy metabolism. If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will take the protein it already has from your muscles, causing you to become weak.

This is why having a strong diet strategy and plan will go a long way to ensure that you know what to eat after weight loss surgery and you make the right choices regarding your nutrient intake. 

Tips for Getting Enough Protein After Weight Loss Surgery

Protein is the building block of muscles and a fundamental aspect of any healthy diet. It affects the human body in many different ways and helps build and maintain muscle mass. It’s also a source of energy. Eating enough protein will help keep your hair, skin, and nails healthy. Holding onto more muscle can help minimize sagging skin that is common after surgery as well.

After weight loss surgery, the number of calories you can eat per sitting and per day will be greatly limited. When you do eat, you need to make the best choices and get maximum nutrient value out of every bite. 

When it comes to protein, this will likely mean looking at your meal a little differently. While you will have your own customized diet plan, your goal will probably be 60 to 80 grams of protein every day is to help minimize muscle loss. 

These are some of the basic strategies we recommend after any type of weight loss surgery:

1. Focus on protein first. When sitting down to a meal or snack, start with protein. Other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, will still be a part of a healthy diet, but your priority should always be protein. For the first few weeks after surgery, you’ll get most of your protein from shakes; then, you will slowly reintroduce solid foods.
2. Fill your plate with high-protein foods. Examples of high protein foods include meat, chicken, fish, tofu, milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese, beans, nuts, and quinoa. Low-fat or non-fat milk, cheeses, and yogurts will help reduce the number of calories and fat in your diet. Choose leaner cuts of meat to save on calories as well.
3. Eat protein with every meal. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack, make sure you always eat protein. Not only will this help you meet your daily requirement, but it will also help keep you full and satisfied.
4. Consider adding protein powder. There may be instances when you can add a high-quality protein powder to foods that do not otherwise contain high amounts of protein. Protein shakes using protein powder are often a favorite of our patients, and you may also consider a protein supplement.

After weight loss surgery at Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery, we don’t send you home to figure all this out on your own. You will work with a team of nutritionists and dieticians who will provide you with a very specific plan. Each person is different, and therefore each plan may be adjusted somewhat. We encourage everyone to follow these guidelines as closely as possible for the absolute best outcome and sustained weight loss over time.

Heart health is always important, especially if you are obese since heart-related comorbidities are more likely to be present. So what exactly does “heart disease” mean? According to the CDC, this refers to several types of heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack. About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year.

However, there are many things you can do to improve your heart health! For those who are obese, this will probably start with losing weight.

Signs, Symptoms, & Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until you experience signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia. When these events happen, symptoms may include:

• Heart attack — Chest pain or discomfort; upper back or neck pain; indigestion; heartburn; nausea or vomiting; extreme fatigue; upper body discomfort; dizziness; and shortness of breath
• Arrhythmia — Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations)
• Heart failure — Shortness of breath; fatigue; or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins

High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are major risk factors for heart disease. Several other conditions and lifestyle choices can also put you at a higher risk for heart disease, including:

• Diabetes
• Overweight or obese
• Unhealthy diet
• Physical inactivity
• Excessive alcohol use

If you’re obese, you should always be looking for signs of heart failure, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and an irregular heartbeat.

Losing Weight to Improve Heart Health

If you’re extremely obese, losing weight can mean “less heart disease, less diabetes, and less cancer,” according to the American Heart Association. 

Losing weight can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke; improve associated risk factors, and help improve cholesterol levels. Moderate weight loss of even 10% in those who are obese can improve heart health and other conditions. When it comes to your heart, the significant impact of weight loss on the cardiovascular system is decreased stress on the heart, which leads to improvements in its structure and function.

We know that taking action to lose weight and improve your health may seem overwhelming. You may have had trouble losing weight or maintaining weight loss in the past, but there are a few things you can do that are really pretty simple. 

The main areas to focus on include:

Changing your diet. 

It’s simple to say but not always simple to do. On a very basic level, to lose weight, you have to reduce the number of calories you consume. Tracking everything you eat is often helpful in the beginning and can be eye-opening. Reducing calories by 500 per day should help you lose about one pound a week.

Increasing physical activity. 

For those who are extremely obese, a workout routine may not be possible yet. But by increasing daily movement, you will help your body burn more calories and prime it for more activity later. It works well for many to increase physical activity after experiencing about 10% weight loss.

Weight loss surgery. 

Sometimes changing your diet and increasing physical activity isn’t enough, and this is where weight loss surgery comes in. The American Heart Association recommends surgery for those who are healthy enough for the procedure and have been unsuccessful with lifestyle changes and medication. 

This is where Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery comes in to help you determine if weight loss surgery is right for you. Our three most popular options include gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass surgery, and the LAP-BAND. We have seen these surgeries change people’s lives over and over again by improving not only heart health and other conditions but by giving them their quality of life back.

If you’ve been on the fence about scheduling an appointment to talk with us, make it your mission to come to see us soon!