Positive Relationships
Ongoing weight loss lifestyle support
Most bariatric surgeons will tell you that ongoing support before and after
surgery is essential for success. It's important to surround yourself with
people who support your new lifestyle and will help you reach your weight loss
goals. Beyond supportive family members, friends, and coworkers, it's a good
idea to connect with a network of people who have had bariatric surgery. Your
bariatric clinic can help put you in touch with other patients and weight loss
surgery support groups that will assist with your ongoing support. (These
groups are often run through a bariatric clinic.)
To learn more about the support you can expect from a bariatric clinic and to
hear from patients who have had weight loss surgery, we encourage you to attend
a free weight loss surgery information seminar.
Find a bariatric surgeon
near you.
Recruiting your weight loss surgery support network
Think about the kinds of people you want on your support team. You'll need
people who can help you deal with new challenges and feelings, cheer you on as
you reach each weight loss goal, support your new eating habits, encourage
you, exercise with you—and most of all, celebrate your achievements.
Talk with family and friends about how they can help. Start by sharing our "How
to Support Bariatric Patients" tip sheet with them. It includes examples
of how they can be supportive and empower you to succeed.
The REALIZE mySUCCESS® Program can help you identify
an effective weight loss support team. It also provides access to
information and tips provided by other patients.
Talking to your friends and family about your decision
To help your friends and family understand your decision to have weight loss
surgery, you may have to explain why you've chosen surgery instead of diet and
exercise to reach your weight loss goals. They may not know that diet and
exercise haven't worked for you in the past. They may not understand that
obesity is a disease and that bariatric surgery is more effective for
long-term weight loss than other traditional methods.
Coping with emotional and physical changes—and how people behave toward you
Weight loss surgery will affect your life in many ways. It's important to be
prepared for potential changes that can affect you and the people around you.
It's not uncommon for bariatric patients to feel depressed. This can happen if
bariatric surgery changes your relationship with food. For example, patients
who used food as a way to cope with emotions or stress have reported feeling
like they lost a friend after surgery. Some patients who lose weight find they
feel uncomfortable with new romantic or sexual attention. Other patients who
lose weight may have to deal with jealousy from family members and friends or
efforts to sabotage their weight loss plan.
To help you deal with these situations, focus on your positive relationships.
REALIZE mySUCCESS® can also provide you with tools to identify
challenging situations and develop methods to help you follow through with
your plan to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. REALIZE mySUCCESS®
is designed to meet the unique needs of bariatric patients and can help you
through a number of challenges you may face.
Learn more about the
power of REALIZE mySUCCESS®.
