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Connect and Grow Magazine -November 2023 Edition 3
You are more than a number!
Welcome to our first article on weight management, including pre and post-bariatric surgery. Each month, we will provide some tips and strategies for weight management.
When it comes to weight management, considering having bariatric surgery, it is important to always seek medical advice and professional input; I cannot stress this enough.
If you are reading this, then there is a chance you have a goal to release some weight and then keep it off.
The words you use when you speak about your weight, goals, health and fitness all impact the outcome you achieve.
Words can be empowering or they can keep you stuck. for example, when you speak about what you want, you are often letting the world know you don’t have something, and the interesting thing is that when you continually do that, you are focusing on what you don’t have rather than what you are working towards. Have you ever noticed when you say, “ I want to lose 5kgs by Christmas, that you some how no matter how hard you work, just don’t seem to achieve that goal? You may get close, however, but not quite there.
A couple of words that you could consider changing when it comes to speaking about your weight and goals are:
“Want” - when you replace the word “ want” with “ choose”, you are empowering yourself, as it is your choice, and it also removes the focus from what you don’t have to what you are doing!
The word want is keeping you in need of improvement.
The word choice is that you are always choosing what you would like.
Lose/lost - when you replace I lost with released and lose with release, you are again shifting the energy and power of the words. What do you think of when you use the word lost or lose? For example: “ I lost my car keys!” if someone said that to me, I would ask them where they last saw them, let’s find them.
When it comes to weight, the kilos, the centimetres, we don’t want them back once we release them; we let them go.
Try to for yourself, say it allowed, and remember the words; the statements are to hold value and make sense to you, as this is your goal and journey.
These two examples are a place to start.. and can be applied to any aspect of your life.
Bariatric Surgery
f you are considering having bariatric surgery, or have had it know that your words and mindset are important!
The word change that I have covered still apply to those who have had bariatric surgery, as they still hold the same energy, the difference is being aware that weight release post bariatric surgery is very different to those who have not had the surgery.
Not everyone agrees with surgery as a solution to weight release and management, however at the end of the day this is a discussion for you and your doctor. for you to make an informed decision.
Food portion sizes post-bariatric surgery will be smaller, and you will also be asked to take a multivitamin. The multivitamin is extremely important as the body requires the nutrients to function at its best. Due to smaller portion sizes and some foods taking longer to break down, nutritional deficits may occur.
Also, could you keep an eye on your energy levels and mood? Sometimes, fatigue and brain fog are present, especially in the beginning post-surgery. You may also find that you become emotional or irritable; this is all the changes you are going through, and being patient and kind to yourself is important. Most of these symptoms settle down in time, and if they don’t, please seek medical input.
Keeping stress to a minimum is also important, and knowing your habits when you are stressed also helps you create positive changes where required. If you were a stress eater or didn’t eat a lot when stressed, you will still have this habit post-surgery; however, it will not help you manage your stress. Meditation can be a great tool for reducing stress; in the wellbeing section of the magazine, we have shared a link to the meditation that may be useful.
You may find this podcast episode useful to listen to:
Written by Jacqui Grant
(C) 2023 Connect and Grow Magazine - November 2023 Edition 3
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general use only. Always follow the direction and guidance of your medical professional.