While bariatric surgery is one of the first steps you can take to losing weight and becoming healthier,
weight loss still depends largely on your ability to make major lifestyle changes; such as eating small portion sizes, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising on a regular basis. Because these habits may be fairly new to some bariatric surgery patients, weight loss can often become difficult as patients change their lives to accommodate these healthy habits.
One of the best ways bariatric patients can improve their chances of weight-loss success is to join a weight-loss support group and connect with other patients who are going through similar experiences. To encourage and promote weight-loss success, many bariatric surgery programs across the United States now offer their patients the chance to join a weight-loss support group, in which patients can receive long-term pre- and post-surgical support.
If you have recently undergone bariatric surgery, or are considering having the surgery to lose weight, here are three additional benefits to joining a weight-loss support group.
1. You’ll have access to a solid support system
A weight-loss support group is the ideal environment in which to share your struggles, frustrations, and concerns about your health and weight loss following surgery. On the flip side, a weight-loss support group is also a great place to share your victories, accomplishments, and milestones. Like you, the people who attend weight-loss support groups are also trying hard to lose weight and become healthier, so most will understand exactly what you’re going through.
If the weight-loss support group you attend is located at a health clinic or hospital, you’ll most likely have access to health care professionals who can intervene and provide you with professional help and support if needed.
2. The members of a weight-loss support group are reliable
Everybody needs someone to lean on during the more challenging times in our lives. When you’re trying to lose weight, the members of a weight-loss support group can make you feel better when you’re having a tough time sticking to your diet, maintaining your fitness routine, and just trying to shed pounds in general. While our friends and family can empathize with our situations to a certain degree, it can be difficult to truly connect with those who don’t understand the daily struggles associated with weight loss, and that’s where a weight-loss support group can be invaluable.
3. A weight-loss support group can help you relieve stress
There may be times throughout your weight-loss journey that you become fed up and stressed out with your weight-loss progress, especially if you feel as if you’re working really hard and doing everything you possibly can to lose weight. In times of stress, a weight-loss support group can help you cope, relax, and feel better about yourself after you’ve been given time to vent and share your weight-loss barriers with others in the group. Lowering stress will actually aid you in your weight-loss efforts, since the stress hormone cortisol tends to drive weight gain.
If you are interested in weight loss surgery, check out MBL’s Ultimate Guide To Weight Loss surgery.
