Dt. Carol
Bariatric Dietician & Content Writer
A Journey Beyond Weight Loss
After bariatric surgery, weight loss may become the primary goal for many people trying to lose weight, especially those who have recently undergone bariatric and metabolic surgery.
Bariatric surgery is certainly a transformative journey, but its importance goes beyond just weight loss.
“Bariatric surgery is first and foremost a health transformation. It’s important to celebrate each step in your journey towards health.
Celebrating the weight loss journey, there will be times when the weight loss process happens quickly and times when it slows down or stops.
The most important thing is to focus on other wins.
A win without the weighing scale is an improvement in your health and happiness that results from a change in your life that would have gone unnoticed if you had focused solely on the scale as a measure of your success.
“Wins that don’t scale are often the ones that stay with you forever and can be shared with loved ones,” If you’ve recently undergone bariatric and weight loss surgery, this is 9 scaleless wins to celebrate.
1. Improved Health Signs -
One of the most important non-scalable wins is a positive change in your overall health.
Bariatric surgery improves diabetes and other medical conditions, even before significant weight loss, which is a metabolic intervention that induces potentially optimal hormonal changes in health transformation.
Losing weight can reduce your risk of developing other serious health problems such as heart disease and cancer. These achievements are more than just numbers in a report. They also mean healthier, more celebrated lives.
2. More Energy -
Eating more nutritious foods can have a positive impact on your mood and energy levels. This makes sense because your body can no longer digest large meals. Enjoy the feeling of completing tasks without feeling tired or out of breath. More energy means more time to spend with loved ones and pursue activities you love.
3. Clothing Achievements -
Feeling great in a smaller clothing size is an amazing triumph that should never be overlooked. Your wardrobe will change, and every time you wear a smaller size, it’s a cause for celebration.
4. Improving mobility, flexibility and strength -
Bariatric surgery can improve joint health and reduce stress on the body, allowing you to enjoy the physical activities you can think it’s impossible. Over time, you can build strength and improve your fitness. Patients can walk or run, climb mountains, swim, or try a new adventure sport.
This feeling of autonomy and competence is accompanied by improved mobility and strength.
5. Inner Happiness -
An important but often overlooked win is improving emotional well-being. As your body transforms, so does your mental health.
Increasing confidence, reducing anxiety and improving self-esteem can make you happier and more fulfilled.
6. Improve quality of life -
This journey is about enjoying life to the fullest. Celebrate all the small and significant improvements in your daily life.
Whether it’s spending time with loved ones or bravely venturing into new activities, every day is an opportunity to celebrate the steps you took to get where you are today.
7. Share with your community of supporters -
Last but not least, don’t forget to share your wins with your supporters, whether it’s friends, family or a group support. Celebrating together can boost your motivation, create stronger bonds, and inspire others on their journeys.
8. Improve sleep schedule -
One study found that people who successfully lost about 15 pounds also improved their sleep quality. Research shows that reducing belly fat has a particularly positive impact on sleep quality.
9. Improved Coping Mechanisms -
Studies have shown that weight loss is associated with better memory, increased concentration and faster mental processing. Ultimately, positive changes in your health can help your brain function better. When people are stressed by illness, conflict, loss or trauma, their eating habits change.
Stress eating, sometimes called emotional eating, is linked to the release of dopamine, a chemical linked to the reward center in your brain. As a result of your weight loss, you may have retrained yourself to use healthier stress management techniques, like exercise or mindful eating.
