When changing eating habits and exercising fails to bring satisfactory results, bariatric surgery is often the last resort for patients with advanced obesity. But while many people see it as a sure way to achieve dramatic weight loss quickly, various factors can lead to complications ranging from a weight loss plateau to weight regain. That’s why it’s important to be realistic about the entire process and its effectiveness and learn more about the possible reasons for not losing weight after weight loss surgery. This way, you’ll be able to take all the necessary and medically backed steps to achieve the desired results while taking care of your health at the same time.
What Is a Gastric Sleeve Procedure?
Gastric sleeve surgery is a type of bariatric surgery that aims to help patients limit their food intake by limiting the capacity of their stomachs. This effect is achieved by surgically removing up to 80% of the pre-surgery stomach. The smaller stomach size forces you to consume smaller portions, helping you develop new eating habits and, in effect, lose weight.
7 Reasons Behind Not Losing Weight After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
#1 Bad Eating Habits
Undergoing bariatric surgery alone isn’t enough to fight obesity, and it has to be complemented by implementing healthier eating habits and a healthy lifestyle. Losing weight requires changing portion sizes and the type of foods you eat. You’ll be given a detailed post-surgery diet plan by a dietitian, and you must adhere to it, especially when it comes to the size and frequency of the meals you eat. The first weeks following the operation require a liquid diet, but even after switching to solid foods, you need to pay attention to what you eat and avoid spicy and heavy meals.
#2 Unhealthy Lifestyle
You need to realise that bariatric surgery is only one step of your weight loss journey, not its final stop. Falling straight back into old habits that led to your problem with excess body weight in the first place can take away all the benefits of gastric sleeve surgery and result in regaining the lost pounds quickly. And remember that it’s not all about having a balanced diet! Your physical and mental state go hand in hand, so make sure to stay active, and if you feel that the weight loss process puts a strain on your mental health, don’t hesitate to look for specialist help as well.
#3 Failing to Follow Your Doctor’s Recommendations
While bariatric surgeries, including gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, are commonly recognised as very safe and effective procedures, it’s important to keep in mind that all surgical interventions carry a risk of complications. Luckily, you can limit it significantly by following your doctor’s orders and suggestions before and after surgery.
- Take medications, vitamins, and supplements for as long as recommended, and don’t go off them before consulting a medical specialist first.
- Follow your surgeon’s and dietitian’s advice on the type and amount of food you should eat to lose weight following surgery.
- Exercising and being physically active is a great option if you’re looking for significant weight loss, but introducing a challenging and strenuous exercise routine too soon after surgery can be detrimental to your health. Ask your doctor about the type of activities appropriate for each stage of your recovery.
#4 Lack of Exercise
One of the most frequently cited reasons for obesity is lack of exercise. A sedentary lifestyle that’s slowly becoming the new norm for our society means that many people consume more calories during the day than their bodies can burn. That’s why physical activity is an essential part of a healthy and effective weight loss process. Of course, you need to be careful with the type of activities you choose, especially during the healing period, but even simple things such as taking a walk instead of driving to work can be really beneficial. And once you fully recover, try to find time for regular exercise in your daily routine.
#5 Consuming More Calories Than Your Body Needs
The aim of this new diet is not only to facilitate weight loss but also to ensure that your body gets enough protein and vitamins to heal properly, thus limiting the risk of complications. To keep on losing weight, stick to recommended meals and avoid heavily processed and calorie-laden foods such as fast foods, snacks, and sweets. Pay attention to the signals your body is giving you – you should stop eating once you feel full. Otherwise, you’re just consuming more than you really need and, in effect, can not only stop losing weight but actually start gaining lost weight again.
#6 Not Giving Your Body Enough Time to Heal
You cannot expect to lose all the excess weight overnight simply because your stomach was surgically reduced. In order to get reliable information on how much weight you can lose and how fast, you should talk with your doctor before the operation. Give your body time to adapt and heal. It’s important because by putting too much strain on your organism and trying to speed up the weight loss process by eating less than recommended or exercising harder, you can actually achieve the opposite results and end up not losing weight after gastric sleeve surgery.
#7 Other Health or Emotional Reasons Behind a Weight-Loss Stall
If you’re following the doctor’s recommendations to the letter, but you’re still experiencing a weight loss plateau, it’s possible that there are other physical or mental health factors affecting your results. In such a situation, it’s best to consult your doctor and look for potential causes such as hormonal issues, stress, sleep problems and post-gastric sleeve surgery complications.
At KCM Clinic we provide patients with comprehensive care and support throughout their weight loss process and post-gastric sleeve surgery convalescence. You can count not only on our professionalism and expertise but also on the latest surgical techniques for optimal effectiveness and minimal risks.