Successful WLS Patients Make Right Their Nutritional Wellness

It seems there are two schools of behavior patients follow after gastric bypass surgery:

The first are the patients who realize WLS is a second chance to make right their nutritional wellness and they exchange the eating habits and poor food choices that made them obese for a smarter way of eating. These patients become champions of healthy ingredients and wholesome eating making conscious choices for how they fuel their bodies. They are non-stop learners in constant quest for information to aid in their health and wellness. They are actively engaged in their own nutrition to improve their health and make strong their bodies against disease. These patients have tremendous success in long-term weight maintenance following massive weight loss.

The second are the patients who rely solely on the restrictive and malabsorptive nature of the gastric bypass to lose weight. They half-heartedly follow the program during the phase of rapid weight loss and little by little the old habits that made them obese sneak back into their daily living. You'll hear these patients say, "I can eat anything I want, just less of it" and they laugh. But the joke is on them because sure enough, these patients will regain weight and suffer from poor nutritional health.

Perhaps the people in the "old habits" school think it's a waste of effort or energy to try and eat healthy ? after all, we eat such little portions. Perhaps they think health food is seaweed and tofu and icky stuff like that. Perhaps they simply don't have the information necessary to affect positive healthy change in their diets.

Dr. Bernard Jensen in "Guide to Body Chemistry & Nutrition" writes, "The old saw "what you don't know can't hurt you" just isn't true when it comes to body chemistry, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Ignorance leads to poor nutritional choices, chemical deficiencies and the kinds of diseases that prey on an undernourished body and shorten the life span. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes all take a terrible toll on life in this country, and all three of them are strongly influenced by food patterns and lifestyle habits. . . The right kind of knowledge can always lead us to a better life."

Dr. Jensen writes, "Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine, and let your medicine be your food." In my opinion, the kitchen is more important to our health than the doctor's office or the local hospital. If food selection, preparation and cooking are done wisely, intentionally and properly, very little time will need be spent visiting health care facilities." Dr. Jensen, by the way, wrote "Guide to Body Chemistry & Nutrition" at age 92.

Before WLS surgery I believe it is fair to say many of us "let food be our comfort" and indeed we were well comforted ? that's why we needed surgery. If we can change that thought to "let food be our medicine" and treat it as such, perhaps our relationship with food will improve, our bodies will become healthier and the quality of life will exceed expectation.

It has been noted by many a bariatric counselor that patients are resistant toward learning a healthier way to live. One nurse told me, "Some people want to have doctors take care of them. They don't want to take responsibility for their own lives." But she noted the patients who are eager to learn good nutrition do not regain weight, do not fight the emotional demons of weight fluctuations and they enjoy boundless physical wellness. They never suffer from obesity again.

Dr. Jensen states, "There are arguments, disagreements, people defending their right to eat what they love. I tell them I don't blame them and encourage them to make the change because it's the right thing for them to do."

Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

Livin gAfterWLS is a no-nonsense resource for people Living After Weight Loss Surgery. Our community is growing in numbers even as we are shrinking in pounds. Together we support one another in this lifestyle, that it turns out, is NOT the easy way out.

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often. To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.

---

Burning Fat vs. Burning Calories

To lose weight and get in shape you must have... Read More

How to Lose Weight: Food for Thought

When it comes to weight loss, most of us would... Read More

Go for Scientific Weight Loss

Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a... Read More

Why Do You Say You Want To Lose Weight?

How many of your New Year's resolution start out with... Read More

A Before and After Look at Tummy Tucks

If you have a protruding abdomen, loose skin as a... Read More

Hypnosis, Weight Control, and The Thought That Wont Go Away

You've decided it's time to lose some weight. A lot... Read More

Top 5 Reasons Why Women Over 30 Dont Lose Weight And Keep It Off

Have you heard about it lately? Everywhere you look, women... Read More

Weight Loss - Long Term Success Starts In Your Mind

Making the Decision:Whether you are interested losing ten pounds that... Read More

Fast Weight Loss for Special Occasions

Losing weight quickly is not advisable as most of the... Read More

Why Did I Do That? How to Deal with a Lapse in Your Weight Loss Efforts

A bad day or even a bad week is not... Read More

Weight Loss? 2 Skills You Need

If you have been dieting, there is a good chance... Read More

Weight Loss for Good! - The # 1 Secret!

The only way you will ever follow through on an... Read More

Are You Stuck Losing Weight?

Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this... Read More

Weight Training for Weight Loss

Weight training combines building muscle tone and working the cardiovascular... Read More

Stop Putting Life Off Until You Lose Some Weight

No One I Know Looks Like a Bathing Beauty, so... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #5

Wow! You must be on fire by now burning and... Read More

The Band Fill--Adjusting Your LapBand

A fill is nothing to be worried about. The actual... Read More

Loose 10 Pounds by Drinking Water?

Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More

Anger: The Unexpected Emotion After Gastric Bypass Surgery

The words I read made me furious. There it was,... Read More

Tell Me - Do You Really Like Being Fat?

Once upon a time, I fretted about going to a... Read More

Faster Fat Loss Thats Healthy

I received a telephone call from a lady last week.... Read More

5 Tips to Keep Your Mental Health in Shape as You Diet

Losing weight and going on a diet can be quite... Read More

Abs: How to Get a Sexy Six Pack?

There are many factors responsible for abdominal fat like processed... Read More

7 Tips to Help You Beat Your Sugar Habit

Are you often overcome with an urge to splurge on... Read More

The Number One Secret Of Successful Weight Loss

There's one thing that most people forget about when it... Read More

3 Secrets Your Diet Book Wont Tell You

Are you wondering why you're not losing weight? If you're... Read More

Top 5 Weight Loss Strategies From A Top Level Personal Trainer

You are ready to shed those energy draining, body crippling,... Read More

Want Power Before Will Power

The problem isn't that you don't have enough will power... Read More

Walking for Fat Loss?

With obesity and disease increasing dramatically, many fitness experts are... Read More

How To Select A Weight Loss Program

Choosing a weight loss program may be a daunting task.... Read More

The Diet Dilemma. Why Diets Dont Work

Let's face when it comes to overweight and obesity there... Read More

3 Day Diet -- Make Believe Diet Plans

The 3 day diet mixes certain types of foods that... Read More

Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery

Let's face facts; obesity is ripe today in America and... Read More