Gastric Bypass Surgery Arkansas: Comprehensive Program Is The Key To Permanent Weight Loss

Dr. Clay Wellborn, a bariatric surgeon in Little Rock, Arkansas, describes how gastric bypass surgery is just one part of a comprehensive weight loss program for the patient. Gastric bypass patients’ physiology and nutrition should be assessed both before and after the surgery. Monitoring diet becomes crucial after the procedure because the body absorbs fewer calories and can no longer properly digest many of the fats and sugars it did before. Gastric bypass surgery has already proven itself to be an extremely successful tool for long term weight loss. The weight loss following gastric bypass surgery is owed to more than just the surgery itself; it involves a lifestyle change that is part of a comprehensive program and a bariatric weight loss team that is equipped to help. The procedure is the jumping off point but complete success involves changes in nutrition and exercise for the patient. To begin the journey to effective and lasting weight loss, patients attend a nutrition seminar and are assessed by a dietitian so eating habits before and after can be monitored and managed. The team will also do a full assessment of the patient’s exercise physiology both before and after the procedure.

In gastric bypass surgery part of the small intestine, where most calories are absorbed after passing through the stomach is bypassed. By bypassing part of the lower intestine, the stomach also becomes smaller than it was before the procedure. Having a smaller stomach means you feel full faster and consequently eat less than you did when your stomach was still its original size. Less food means less caloric intake and the bypass also reduces the amount of calories absorbed by the lower intestine. All of this leads to fewer calories over all and subsequent weight loss by the patient.

Because the patient is now limited in the amount of food they consume, diet becomes even more important than ever. After gastric bypass surgery you will have to take more time to eat, chewing food thoroughly at each meal. Also, because the stomach itself can now only hold a few ounces of food you will be limited with beverages as well. You will not have room for a drink and a meal; therefore, no drinks are suggested for 30 minutes before or after each meal. Protein is also an important component of your daily diet. It is generally recommended that 60 to 70 grams of your diet consist of protein in the form of low fat after the surgery. Because part of the lower intestine is bypassed, the body has a more difficult time digesting fat after the procedure and too much can cause nausea for patients. The same can be said for sugary foods. Sweet snacks that the body tolerated before are now likely to cause significant upset.

Exercise also becomes much more vital after gastric bypass surgery. Because you will be consuming and absorbing fewer calories your body could essentially start to react as though it was starving. As it starts to look for new ways to get energy it can begin burning muscle instead of fat. The best way to counteract this is to begin exercising as soon as possible after the surgery. Exercise works to alter the metabolism and guide the body toward burning fat instead of muscle thus helping you lose weight more rapidly.

As gastric bypass surgery is a very effective weight loss surgical solution, it is very important to fully research and become knowledgeable of all aspects of the procedure before surgery. It is also imperative to find a comprehensive program that has a multidisciplinary bariatric team to assist you through the entire journey, before and after surgery.

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