Weight is a numeric characteristic that plays a really big part in our relationship with our health and the way we perceive our bodies. To better understand this relationship and make it as healthy as possible, we have to keep in mind that weight is just a number.
After a bariatric procedure, this number will start to get lower and lower and it can be really promising and bring us a lot of joy, but after a while, it’s normal and expected for it to settle. You have to remember that your weight doesn’t just represent fat tissue. It is an addition of everything that makes your body, muscle, bone, skin.
We will reach a point where your number might seem fixed or stay in the same range for a while, but it doesn’t mean you’re no longer losing fat. Remember that your health journey after bariatric surgery doesn’t just target your weight. It’s a multidisciplinary process, and by this point both your psychologist and nutritionist have prepared you for this.
You’ve learned to listen to your body, you’ve improved your relationship with food, you’ve worked on your physical health and hopefully increased your daily activities with walks and workouts. This number may mean your weight isn’t changing, but you are changing what makes up that number.
Your body is replacing fatty tissues with muscle, your skin is readapting to its new environment. You may not see changes in the numbers, but you will still see it in the way your clothes fit, your energy levels throughout the day, the quality of your sleep, your mood and mental stability, the way you know when your body is full and doesn’t need more food, the way you handle anxiety inducing situations, among other things that maybe you haven’t been paying attention to.
Think back to the person you were before your surgery, the environment you found yourself in. Now, think of where you are now, and how your situation has changed. All of these changes are big, important and deserve recognition. You did it. You are doing it!
So, next time you go to check your progress after your bariatric procedure, remember to look at all the progress, not just the numbers.
If you or a loved one are interested in starting your health journey or scheduling a free online evaluation, contact us at +1 619-330-4169 for personalized information, or click here to learn more about who we are and what we can do for you.
