It’s becoming more and more important to maintain a supportive network of like-minded people who are facing the same struggles in achieving a healthy weight, as well as keeping track of your own progress. People are looking for more convenient ways to stay on track, in addition to turning to a weight loss surgeon in Naples for medical help. So, it’s no wonder that technology has become the latest ally in accompanying you on the path to reaching your goal.

Your own laptop or smart phone is one of the most valuable resources you have to help you form a support network. According to a number of studies on weight loss, people are more likely to succeed if they feel accountable to someone, and the internet is home to several virtual support groups. The process of actually telling another person what your goals are makes it more difficult for you to slack off; and it becomes more and more difficult the more you get to know them! Support groups also give you a platform to exchange advice, frustrations and encouragement.

Of course, there’s more to losing weight than encouragement, and everyone who visits a weight loss surgeon in Naples will leave with a plan of action that involves monitoring your progress. After a complete health assessment, you’ll be better able to consult a specialized app for a diet that targets your needs. Whether it’s a virtual pedometer that tracks the number of steps you take, an online calorie counter or a video diary that records the ups and downs of dieting, technology is a large aspect of the new face of a successful weight loss plan.

Although it is important to start out slow, you can work with your surgeon, primary care physician and weight loss team to determine the intensity at which you should work out and the pace at which you can increase your physical fitness level. Wanting to do too much too soon might cause adverse and potentially threatening side effects, while not doing enough might not have a significant effect on your health.

Working out does not necessarily mean grueling hours on your treadmill or at a gym. Here are a few tips to consider to stay active at the fitness level that your surgeon recommends for you.

• Very light activity: Walk your dog, check the mail, cook your favorite meal, make some tunes on your instrument of choice, anything that gets you to move a little.
• Light activity: Take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood, pull out your vacuum cleaner and do some light cleaning, play with your little ones, make a golf date, anything keeps you active without tiring you out.
• Moderate activity: Get your heart beating with a brisk walk, pull out your gardening gloves, go for a ride or move your feet to a beat.
• High activity: Get your heart racing with a power walk or run, grab some friends and play a sport like basketball or take a hike.

The benefits of activity after lap band surgery exceed weight loss. Losing weight actually can improve your whole body’s well-being, so get moving! You’ll be surprised just how fun and gratifying it can be.

What Makes Walking Better Than Other Forms of Exercise?

Many surgeons would agree that walking is the best form of exercise following lap-band surgery for numerous reasons. The ability to walk is rarely limited by safety concerns, as it is one of the safest forms of exercise. Just 30-60 minutes of walking at a brisk pace will cause your body to redirect nutrition toward building lean muscle and maintaining strong bones. This will increase weight loss by speeding up the metabolism, which can dramatically lower the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Walking also improves circulatory function, as the repetitive flexing of leg muscles helps blood travel against the pull of gravity. A strong circulatory system aids in stress relief by improving blood flow to the brain. This can also help relieve anxiety and depression, elevate your mood and decrease reliance on pain medicines. Other exercises offer similar benefits, but walking does it while minimizing risk of injury.

How Often and When Should I Walk?

Like any exercise, walking is most beneficial when done regularly. Just how regularly will be most beneficial depends in part on your caloric intake. A nutritionist can help in determining the amount of exercise most beneficial to you. Find a time in your schedule when a daily walk is realistic and stick to your exercise routine.

Some people have trouble meeting their goals because their goals are not realistic. Changing your diet and eating healthy food has helped many people lose weight, but some people cannot decrease their calorie intake without constantly feeling deprived and thinking about food. It is also difficult to know the right combinations of food to eat for weight loss if you don’t have access to a dietitian.

Exercise is great for your body, but most heavy people struggle with exercise because they get tired and short of breath very easily, and feel that the results they are getting are not worth the effort they are putting in. Walking is wonderful exercise, but it can be difficult for large people to walk outside where people are likely to judge them by the way they look. Anyone who is starting an exercise program should consult with a personal trainer who can recommend the best exercise routine for their body.

Struggling with weight loss can be a challenge, but gastric weight loss surgery in Bonita Springs has helped hundreds of people reach their goals for weight loss and feel good about their bodies. Restricting calories and getting more exercise has helped hundreds of people lose weight, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Being healthy is the goal, and sometimes it takes surgery for patients to achieve the amount of weight loss they would like. It is important for each patient to talk to their doctor about their individual situation before making the decision to undergo weight loss surgery.

Since you have to eat right and exercise after surgery, it is best to discuss your goals with your doctor prior to your operation. The same doctor that is performing your surgery can provide you with advice about how much weight you should lose, and how fast you should lose it. Seeking a medical professional’s advice will help to clear up any misconceptions you might have about your weight loss journey.

Instead of trying to lose a certain amount of weight every week, it is better to ask your doctor how much you should lose overall. Then, make a plan to lose a certain amount every month or couple of months. In this way, you have a chance to gradually build up to your goals so that you can lose the proper amount of weight.

After a weight loss surgery in Naples, you have to be focused on the overall goal–which is losing weight. Setting a long term weight loss goal prior to your surgery date, and getting started on your healthier lifestyle before undergoing bariatric surgery is a great way to get a jump start towards your new long term weight loss goal.

In a recent study, researchers analyzed the results of patients who had undergone bypass surgery. Patients from the same bariatric surgeon and surgical team were followed from 1999 through 2006. The study involved 492 people who were morbidly obese with BMI’s of 34 to 49.9, and 133 who had a BMI of 50 or over. 24 patients had BMI’s of over 60. While the actual weight loss of the case group averaged out to 15 BMI units, or about 30% of their original body weight.

In addition to the weight loss, there were some startling findings. The results showed that patients with an initial BMI of 50 or more, showed remarkable progress with obesity related conditions. Among the conditions most improved were blood glucose, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea, joint pain, gastroesophageal reflux and hypertension. Even when patients remain obese or morbidly obese after surgery, many of these conditions showed great improvement.

About 95% of the patients showed an improvement or the disappearance of their sleep apnea. An additional 75% of the patients showed remarkable improvement in the aforementioned areas.

Doctors and medical professionals are cheered by this study’s results; doctors have long advocated that weight loss surgery is about health improvement, not just weight loss. That is exactly what this study proves.

One reason it is important to have emotional support is that when you limit the foods you can eat, you may be losing a heavily relied on emotional crutch. While emotional eating is severely unhealthy, many people overeat for comfort. It is important to find emotional support through relationships when you are no longer able to get it through binging on favorite foods.

You will also need someone to share your victories with and to keep you motivated when you are down. A dedicated weight loss program can often be stressful and grueling. Having someone to remind you how far you have come and to cheer you on when it gets rough can be invaluable. Plus, it helps to have someone who understands your personal situation.

It is also helpful to have someone that is committed to the same goals you are. The smaller meals you must eat after weight loss surgery are more pleasant when they are shared with a friend who has the same dietary restrictions. A brisk walk on the beaches of Cape Coral feels more like a fun outing and less like a grim commitment when you are accompanied by a friend. And, you are more compelled to show up for that exercise class when someone else is depending on you to be there!

How does weight loss surgery help me to lose weight?

Two basic approaches provide weight loss help in bariatric surgery. First, restrictive procedures reduce the size and opening of the stomach to limit food intake and hunger. Second, malabsorptive procedures reroute the intestines so fewer calories are absorbed by the body.

What are my bariatric surgery options?

Gastric bypass surgery and adjustable gastric banding (Lap Band) surgery are the two most popular surgical procedures for weight loss help. Other surgical procedures include biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch, biliopancreatic diversion, vertical banded gastroplasty, and extend distal gastric bypass.

How much weight can I lose with weight loss surgery?

Gastric bypass patients lose up to 70 percent of their excess body weight within two years on average, with a 10 percent weight regain. Lap Band surgery patients see a slow and steady weight loss over a two to three year period before stabilizing or seeing a minimal weight regain. Both gastric bypass and Lap Band patients see about the same amount of weight loss at the five year post surgery mark.

What are the requirements and qualifications for weight loss surgery?

Bariatric surgery is not cosmetic surgery; it’s a last resort procedure to treat morbidly obese individuals. Patients must have been unsuccessful in losing weight after sincerely trying other non-invasive methods including dieting, exercise, commercial diet programs, dietary counseling, and medically-supervised programs for weight loss. To qualify technically, an individual must have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more or a BMI of 35 or more combined with other obesity related health issues, which includes diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, or heart disease.

Which weight loss procedure is the best choice for me?

Your weight and medical history will assist your Ft. Myers physician in making a recommendation as to which procedure is best for you. You should educate yourself on the different procedures so that you know the risks, benefits, and lifestyle changes to expect after surgery. It’s a good idea to talk to other patients who have had similar procedures. Support groups are a great way to connect with other people in your area who have gone through the same process that you are approaching. Once you are adequately informed, you’ll be better able to choose the procedure that is the best choice for you.

• Your Initial Consultation – Preparing for your initial evaluation and consultation includes having a list of all your medications with you. Some medications may interact with weight loss surgery, so they may need to be adjusted. Additionally, certain medications may need to be crushed for a few days after surgery. You and your surgeon will also discuss your complete medical history, as well as any anesthesia complications you or family members may have had.
• Prior to Your Procedure – Compile the recommended supplies needed for your recovery at home. Ask a friend or family member to drive you home after your bariatric surgery; if possible see if you can have someone stay with you for a few days after your surgery. Stop smoking for at least a month before surgery and discontinue drinking alcohol for 48 hours prior to surgery. Find a support group that can provide weight loss help and support during your recovery. You might also want to consider getting a medical power of attorney, living will, and advance directive prior to your operatopm. Finally, pack a hospital bag with personal items, including comfortable clothing to wear after your surgery. Make sure you bring your insurance card with you to surgery, but leave extra credit cards and valuables at home.

• Weight-loss expectations – Gastric banding patients can expect to lose about 50 percent of their weight, while sleeve gastrectomy patients can see a 60 percent reduction. Gastric bypass patients see the most weight loss of the three procedures, losing about 70 percent of their excess weight.
• Rapid or Slow and Steady – Gastric bypass and sleeve patients see the quickest weight loss results, while gastric banding patients see more of a slow and steady weight loss.
• Follow-up Availability – Gastric banding patients must be available for follow-up care because the gastric band needs to be adjusted as time goes on. Gastric bypass and sleeve patients don’t need as many follow-up appointments.
• Reversibility – Sleeve gastrectomy cannot be reversed. On the other hand, gastric banding can be both reversed and adjusted, which makes it a favorite option in the eyes of many.
• Weight Loss Reliability – Both sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass patients usually see the typical weight loss expected for each procedure. With gastric banding, the weight loss can be more uncertain. Although the expected weight loss with gastric banding is 50 percent, some individuals lose 90 percent, while others lose little to no weight.
• Foreign Object in Body – Some people dislike knowing they have a foreign object inside of them. When a weight loss surgeon inserts a gastric band, it stays inside the patient’s body for a lifetime or until removed, at which time weight loss will no longer be assisted.
• Fear Factor – While there have been numerous studies regarding the effectiveness of gastric banding and gastric bypass bariatric obesity surgery, there is less research available for the gastric sleeve procedure.