Does Caffeine Help or Hinder Weight Loss; And What Effects Does It Have Post-Bariatric Surgery?

There are a few things that most of us can’t live without. Fresh air, water, TV binge-watching, our families, and coffee. Maybe not in that order.

Some of us love the taste of coffee, others are pretty sure they’re dependent on the caffeine pick-me-up, while others have gotten used to it as an integral part of their daily ritual. However, coffee and caffeine fit into your life, there’s no denying it holds a significant impact and is likely one that’s hard to give up. But does it need to be given up, and how does it fit in when we’re trying to lose weight or living the post-bariatric surgery lifestyle?

While there Is no concrete evidence that caffeine either helps or hinders his weight loss, there are plenty of studies that can argue how it fits in with a healthy lifestyle.

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What Happens When You Cut Too Many Calories?

Messaging these days can be a little confusing. And perhaps that’s the understatement of the century.  Everywhere you look there’s a new diet or exercise directive that seems in direct contradiction to one that came out just weeks before. No carbs/all carbs, no fat/fat with fat snacks, no sugar/just artificial sugar, juice only/no juice because there’s no fiber, intermittent fasting/you must never skip breakfast.

What is a thinking (and eating) person to do?

The first thing to do is to assess your unique situation, because you are one body, one metabolism, and one genetic make-up. You are different from everyone around you, so treat yourself as such.

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What Is Dumping Syndrome (And Why It Helps You Succeed)

Gastric bypass surgery reconstructs the anatomy of your stomach and reroutes the intestine. The fact that your stomach is smaller, and your digestive tract changes means that your body must adapt to new systems and processes. Sometimes, the surgery can cause dumping syndrome – when food and drink pass into the sensitive small intestine too fast (also called rapid gastric emptying).

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Patient Spotlight – Amy Discusses Post-Bariatric Diet & Exercise

You may have seen me story on our testimonials page, and what a story it is! Amy has a very particular story in that her gastric sleeve surgery was performed immediately before the coronavirus lockdown, and she was forced to recover and lose her weight without the full breadth of support that patients would normally have. Her story and success shows that if you are fully committed to your post-operative diet and lifestyle changes, the possibilities for regaining your health and normal weight are virtually unlimited.

In fact, Amy lost over 140 pounds, following her postoperative diet, and dedicating herself to a new and improved life. In this blog post, we will feature a few pearls of wisdom that Amy shared with us during a subsequent interview at the VIPSurg offices in Las Vegas.

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When to Buy New Clothes After Bariatric Surgery

When you start to notice that your jeans are a little (or very) loose, it is an exciting moment – change is finally happening! Your first instinct might be to open your laptop and browse the internet for new clothes or speed over to the mall to have a shopping spree. Jumping to spending a pretty penny on a whole new wardrobe is a big investment. Is it the right time? When is the right time to buy new clothes?

Buying New Clothes After Surgery

The feeling of wanting to splurge on new clothes is common. However, your body is just beginning to change! Focus on the essentials that you need. The size and shape of your body is going to continue to change as the months tick by, so you do not want to overzealously purchase clothes that will no longer fit in a few weeks – remember that you will be losing between and 1-3 pounds per week.

Buy clothes that are your current size. Not past and not presumed future. You may want to buy something a couple sizes too small. But you don’t know how clothes will fit your body as the numbers on the scale tick down. There is no reason to buy something that may not fit how you pictured and cause unnecessary disappointment.

If you are nervous that you may experience weight regain, as we all are, focus on your present state and whip out some old pictures or clothes to see how far you’ve come. Focus on positive change and remember on where you are in your journey. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

After you buy the essential staples to your closet, reconsignment or thrift stores are a great place to look for budget-friendly purchases. Thrifting can be a fun way to purchase things you wouldn’t normally wear and expand and diversify your style. Plus, if it doesn’t fit in a few weeks, just turn around a re-donate it with less guilt.

If you still feel the inkling to treat yourself to something big, treat yourself to something timeless. A beautiful accessory, a new set of golf clubs, concert tickets – these are all things that will bring joy without an end-date. Try to avoid congratulating yourself with food, of course.

The Bottom Line

Your bariatric journey does not end after surgery – it is just the beginning of a whole bunch of exciting, but difficult changes. Allow yourself to be excited and maintain a positive perspective on your present self. There are ways you can buy new clothes and give yourself fun and productive rewards along the way that don’t break the budget.

If you are interested in bariatric surgery or what life looks like after the procedure, set up an appointmentwith us today! VIPSurg has years of experience helping people get the most out of their bariatric journey.

3 Myths About Gallstones

If you’ve had gallstones at some point in your life, you’re not alone! Between 10-15 percent of Americans have experienced gallstones – almost one million people are diagnosed a year. Gallstones occur when your digestive fluids harden into a stone-like formation and deposit in your gallbladder. They can vary in size, and for many, they do not cause any symptoms at all.

So, now what? You might have a gallstone and you don’t even know it. Do not worry, we have taken the time to calm your jitters by busting a few myths about gallstones.

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Don’t Ignore Abdominal Pain

Pain in the abdomen can be interpreted as being caused by several things. Whether you think you ate too much that last meal or it is that time of the month and you think you have cramps – we tend to guess and brush off the cause of stomach pain. Although you know your body well, and can usually pinpoint the cause, there are some abdominal pains that you should not ignore.

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Bariatric Surgery Revisions and Conversions

When a patient gains weight after their primary bariatric procedure – usually several years after surgery, if ever, we evaluate whether it is simply a lifestyle issue, where the patient is not compliant with their post-operative lifestyle, or whether the procedure needs to be converted or revised to offer better weight loss potential.

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The Importance of a Pre-operative Psychological Evaluation

Many patients don’t realize the importance of their psychological evaluation before bariatric surgery and, in turn, do not take advantage of the professional assistance that they can receive. In fact, many patients believe that the need for a psychological evaluation means that there may be something wrong with them. That is decidedly not the case.

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Does Walking Burn Off Belly Fat?

Let’s get right to it, walking is a great exercise for anyone, at any age, with just about any ailment. The exercise guidelines that we as a practice provide, include a significant amount of walking, which will start immediately after the surgical procedure. In fact, while you’re still in the hospital recovering, you will be encouraged to get up and walk around the hospital floor to get blood moving. This helps avoid blood clots and minimizes the risk of infection.

This walking will continue in the early recovery stage once you are home. You will be asked to walk progressively further each day. This will increase your mobility, help your medium-term recovery and ultimately kickstart you are postoperative exercise plan.

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