THE TEN COMMITMENTS (Gastric Bypass Edition)

(These are not mine, I got them from my packet at the Surgeons office)

1. Commitment to Life Long Supplementation.
2. Commitment to Changing Your Total Food-Life
3. Commitment to Life and an Extended Support System that will understand your need to always follow a Bariatric Recovery Diet.
4. Commitment to Small Portions and Chewing your Food WELL at every meal. Three Meals a Day, Protein First, No Snacks. No Calories in between meals.
5. Commitment to and ACTIVE, HEALTHY lifestyle with Regular Consistent, Daily Exercise. 
6. Commitment to Separating Foods From Fluids.
7. Commitment to taking time to Re-Learn How to Listen to and Trust Your Stomach.
8. Commitment to Meeting all your Protein Needs
9. Commitment to Drinking ENOUGH Water 
10. Commitment to a Low Fat Diet 

So if you have had weight loss surgery (like me) it puts us at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiency mainly B12, Folate and Calcium. There will be others that your doctor can identify by lab work.

Vitamins Gastric Bypass Patients Should Take:

Multivitamin-  a good multivitamin is important to cover all nutritional bases, especially just after surgery when you are very limited in your diet. Still, this should be continued for life.

B-12- Vitamin B-12 is essential to growth and cell reproduction. Your Nervous system is dependent on vitamin B-12, which is mainly found in animal foods. this vitamin requires acid in order to be absorbed. Although the body stores a large amount of B-12, this type of deficiency has been documented after gastric bypass surgery.

Calcium and Vitamin D- In order to maintain bone strength, and avoid osteoporosis, it is necessary to take a calcium supplement. Most people require 1200mg of calcium per day. Calcium Citrate is more easily absorbed, because it does not depend on gastric juice. Calcium must also have extra Vitamin D.

Vitamin D- in addition to calcium supplement with Vitamin D, this is a fat soluble vitamin that must be taken everyday after bariatric surgery.

Bariatric can be a very empowering tool, but it is still only a tool. It facilitates weight loss: If the behaviors which have lead to your obesity initially are not changed the risk of regain and poor outcomes in the result. The process is often uncomfortable. It means learning to say "NO" and nurture yourself in new ways. Weight loss surgery involves the intense and often ongoing examination of these eating triggers.

-Personal Preference             -Temptation            -Time of Eating

-Familiarity                            -Convenience         -Availability

-Social Reasons/Peers           -Economy

-Values and Beliefs               - Rewards or Consolation/Comfort

Your daily minimum is 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. This is a critical component of a successful surgery. Exercise 5 1/2 hours per week for best weight loss and maintenance. Exercise must become a lifelong habit or weight gain will result.

No liquids for 30 minutes before, during or 90 minutes after a meal. No juice, no liquid calories, and no carbonation. (I personally drink a swallow, just to wash my food down)

Each meal should take about 15 minutes. It is very important to learn to eat mindfully.

Eating protein first at every meal. Hi-Protein low fat foods include Fish, Poultry and Low Fat Diary Products. Red meat is excluded for the first six months after surgery. ((that was easy for me)

The greatest long-term potential nutritional complication is weight regain. Behaviors such as binge eating, grazing and eating in response to emotion can lead to weight gain. Patients who do not lose weight or who regain most of lost weight are unable to modify their eating habits during the first year.