Frequently Asked Questions

Weight Loss Surgery FAQ’s

Exercise and Healthy eating are the best things you can do for your health. Daily physical activity can prolong your life and maintain your weight. However, when you are overweight, diet and exercise by themselves are not effective weight loss solutions. Medical studies have shown that obesity is a hormonal problem. Unless you address this hormonal imbalance it is very difficult to lose excess weight and maintain weight loss. When you diet, you increase your hunger and decrease your metabolism; you feel hungry all the time and you burn less calories. Consequently, it becomes very difficult to burn excess fat and loose weight. Today, the only effective solution to reversing your hormonal imbalance is weight loss surgery like gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy. Once you undergo surgery and loose weight, adopting a healthy eating pattern and a workout routine will allow you to maintain weight loss. Hope this helps.

You will start loosing weight immediately following surgery. Weight loss will continue for approximately a year or two after which you reach a stable weight.

Pregnancy should be avoided for 2 years after surgery during which you are experiencing rapid weight loss. Weight loss is associated with fertility improvement. Pregnancy and delivery complications significantly decrease after weight loss surgery.

Any surgery carries a certain risk. Dr. Darido makes sure to explain the risks and benefits of every bariatric procedure that he offers. Dr. Darido is very proud of his safety record in bariatric surgery and makes every effort possible to ensure you have a safe and pleasant experience at Houston Weight Loss Surgery Center.

Weight loss surgery like sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass is very successful in eliminating excess weight. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle, studies indicate that long-term excess weight loss occurs in as many as 85% of patients

First rule in exercising: don’t hurt yourself. Don’t strain your joints and tear your muscles. Start by stretching and include flexibility training in your daily routine. After stretching, warm up your muscles and start with aerobic exercise. At the beginning you may only be able to do 10 mins at a time. Gradually your endurance will improve and you can exercise longer. Add resistance exercising to maintain and improve your muscle tone and mass. Avoid heavy lifting to prevent injury. Again always start with lower weights and gradually increase the intensity or length of your training.

For those who have joint pain swimming/water aerobic exercises are easy on the joints and highly recommended.

Following surgery your stomach size is small and you are unable to drink a full glass of water at once. If you don’t sip on water frequently throughout the day you may become dehydrated. Dehydration occurs when your body does not get enough fluid to keep it functioning at its best. Your body also requires fluid to burn its stored fat calories for energy. Carry a bottle of water with you all day, even when you are away from home; remind yourself to drink even if you don’t feel thirsty. Drinking 64 ounces of fluid is a good daily goal. You can tell if you’re getting enough fluid if you’re making clear, light-colored urine 5-10 times per day. Signs of dehydration can be thirst, headache, hard stools or dizziness upon sitting or standing up. You should contact our office if you are unable to drink enough fluid to stay hydrated.

60-80 grams of proteins are needed daily to maintain your muscle mass. During the period of rapid weight loss, in the first 6 months after surgery, your body needs a constant supply of dietary protein to prevent muscle mass wasting. Your body cannot absorb more than 30 grams of proteins at once. Try to include proteins in each meal. If you don’t provide enough protein in your diet, the body will take its protein from your muscles and you can become frail. Meats, eggs, dairy products, and beans are common protein sources in everyday foods. Protein extracts made from soy, brown rice and whey are commonly sold in stores. Protein shakes or bars may offer additional ways to meet your protein needs.

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