After having bariatric surgery, you have to make adjustments to your habits to account for your new appetite and weight loss. The lifestyle changes around bariatric surgery affect your diet, activity levels, and daily habits to help you lose weight.
Even though these changes are good for your health, it can make social activities feel more complicated than before due to the restrictions. Although going out and being social may seem stressful, here are some tips and tricks to help manage everything from a dinner out to new hobbies.
Dining Out After Bariatric Surgery
How to Navigate a Menu
The biggest concern about eating at a restaurant after bariatric surgery is finding a meal option that fits into your new diet. Many menus come with temptations from previous eating habits, like fried foods, lots of cheese, or creamy sauces. To keep your focus on your new diet, try to find an entree that centers on protein first, such as chicken or fish. Then you can add sides like steamed vegetables or a side salad to avoid fried options like french fries.
Portion Control
One of the most common issues with eating out is portion control. Many restaurants serve meals that have two to three portions worth of food on a single plate. To reduce the portion size, there are a few methods you can use, such as asking for a to go box early to put the excess food in, or asking them to put half your food in a to-go box before they bring it out
You could also ask the server if the meal is offered in a smaller lunch portion. If you have a friend that is also wanting a smaller portion, you could offer to split a meal between the two of you.
Social Drinking Adjustments
After bariatric surgery, your reduced stomach size causes you to lose weight faster. The rapid change in weight will affect your alcohol tolerance. Also, your stomach may not have as much time to break down alcohol as it moves through your body, allowing your body to absorb more alcohol.
When drinking socially, make sure to take it slow and reduce the number of drinks you have. Monitor how you are feeling throughout, and if it feels like you are experiencing the effects of alcohol more than you’d like, make sure to drink water to ease the symptoms.
Managing Social Pressure
When you are getting back out and socializing with friends and family, it can be hard to fight peer pressure. Many social gatherings are filled with celebration for birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, and more. During celebrations, there usually is overindulgence of food, desserts, and drinks.
With the social expectations around food at gatherings, it can be easy to experience unintentional peer pressure in the form of comments or suggestions from others. If friends or family are pushing you to overeat, make sure to politely refuse and explain that you already feel full. When someone questions your food or drink choices, don’t shy away from saying that you have made changes to your eating habits for the sake of your health. Just because you have made changes does not mean that they have to, so encourage them to enjoy their food and not worry about you.
Addressing Intrusive Questions and Comments
As with any surgery, people are curious about the details. Depending on your preferences, you may need to set new boundaries about what questions are appropriate and what details you are comfortable sharing.
Creating boundaries can be difficult in any situation, and boundaries around your health and weight can feel sensitive. To start setting boundaries, you will want to decide if you want to be open about having bariatric surgery. Some people are not comfortable with sharing that they have had bariatric surgery, and it is absolutely okay to want to keep your personal medical information private and just between you and your doctor.
If you decide to disclose that you had bariatric surgery, think through potential questions you could be asked about your surgery. You could be asked a range of questions from recovery details to how they can help support you. Establishing a list of questions you do not want to answer early can help make it easier to say you do not wish to discuss a topic when you are asked later on.
Although we always hope people will be supportive and kind when asking questions, there are some instances where questions can be offensive. For example, here are a few offensive questions people are asked after bariatric surgery:
- How did you lose so much weight?
- Isn’t bariatric surgery the easy way out?
- Did you only change your eating habits?
Each of these questions can be answered in a variety of ways depending on how much information you are comfortable disclosing. If you are not discussing your bariatric surgery, you can use two different methods. One option is to place a firm boundary that you do not want to discuss your weight and change the subject. If they persist after you express your boundary, politely excuse yourself and move to another area if possible to avoid more questions.
Another option is to express that you have been working hard to lose weight and you appreciate them noticing a change. This method may allow you to discuss lighter topics on different changes you have made to lose weight without having to discuss your surgery, such as new recipes you’ve tried to incorporate more veggies or protein.
If you decide to be open about your surgery and receive intrusive or rude comments about it, do not be afraid to address what was said and how hurtful it was. Sometimes hurtful comments are not intended to be harmful, so use your judgment in each situation.
Rebuilding Confidence in Social Settings
Confidence can be difficult to find after bariatric surgery due to the changes your body is going through. Weight loss after surgery can happen rapidly, which can cause you to experience body dysmorphia, which can occur when your mind struggles to keep up with your new appearance. If you notice that you are feeling confusion around your weight changes, talk to your doctor about therapy options.
Self-confidence and self-love is a constantly evolving process, especially when losing weight. Not every day will be the same, and it is okay to have good and bad days. Just make sure you focus on your overall progress compared to where you started. Confidence will take time, so be patient with yourself.
There are no expectations for you to rush into social events. Weight loss is as much an emotional journey as it is a physical journey. It is okay to gradually expose yourself to social environments as you adjust to your new body. If you are struggling to get out of the house, try to find a trusted relative or friend who is willing to go with you to help provide emotional support.
Finding New Hobbies and Interests
In order to get the most out of your bariatric surgery, your doctor may suggest different ways to get active in addition to diet and other lifestyle changes. This can open a door to new activities, hobbies, and social circles that you didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy before surgery. Yoga, dancing classes, hiking, pilates, and other physical activities can help incorporate exercise into your life in fun ways.
If you are unsure on how to start a new hobby, you can always look into group classes or local clubs that allow you to get into a new interest while entering a new social circle that shares the same interest. Meeting new people this way can help you socialize without the need of having food present. You can also have the additional benefit of less questions about your weight changing this way, since your new friend circle may not notice the changes the same way your family would.
It is also important to manage your stress levels as you go through your weight loss journey. You can use stress relief to try out other new hobbies such as painting, writing, or meditation to help relax your mind. Creating a calm and peaceful environment can help clear your mind so you can continue to focus on your other health goals.
Bariatric Surgery with Nashville Bariatrics
If you are considering bariatric surgery for weight loss, our experienced surgeon, Dr. Patrick Davis, at Nashville Bariatrics can help. Dr. Davis can help you find the best surgical option for your goals and consult on your next steps in your weight loss journey.
We provide self-payment options and financing plans for patients without insurance coverage or whose procedures are not covered.
Set up a consultation today to discuss how bariatric surgery can transform your life.
Visit Nashville Bariatrics at 393 Wallace Rd Ste 301, Bldg A Nashville, TN 37211, or call us at 615.425.0550.
Dr. Davis and his team are ready to guide you toward a healthier lifestyle.