Regrets After Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery was by far the best decision I have ever made. For someone who was almost 400 pounds, it saved my life. I was able to get off all medications and my weight-related health issues disappeared. I went from a size 28 to a size 6 and lost over 160 pounds. The surgery truly gave me a fresh start. However, it was not always rainbow’s and butterflies. There were some mistakes that I made that caused me to regain a significant amount of my weight back. I want to share with you the regrets that I have after weight loss surgery in hopes that it will prevent you from doing them and regaining your weight.

1. I added soda back into my diet. This was probably the biggest mistake I made after surgery. I went a good year without any soda but decided to let it back in thinking I could control it. I was wrong. I thought I could just take a few sips and be happy, but through time I was drinking an entire can at a time. This is a huge regret I have because it played a role in my regain and now I suffer from that addiction again. 
2. I stopped tracking my meals. I was never really good at this and I regret not taking it seriously. It really changes the way you look at food when you have to write down everything you consumed in a day. If you do this early on, you will create a healthy habit of doing so throughout your entire weight loss journey. 
3. I didn’t work out. For the first year or so, I did not do anything physically active. I was losing weight fast because of the tool, but I could have lost more and gotten healthier if I would have started going to the gym right from the beginning of this journey. Working out has so many benefits and I regret that I didn’t add it in sooner. I probably would not have had the regain if I would have developed a healthy routine before surgery. 
4. I stopped seeing my surgeon. I truly regret this because I feel like your surgeon plays a huge role in your success. They are the experts in the field and can help you when you are struggling. If you are stuck on a plateau, they can help guide you through that. They are there to support you, not just on the operating table, but after surgery as well. 
5. I didn’t have a big support system. Now I will say, I did have friends and family that supported me. However, I did not take advantage of the bariatric community that is out there. I was unaware of all the support groups and conferences that exist in the bariatric world. I regret not finding friends earlier to help me during my hard times. 

This surgery is an amazing tool, but it needs to be treated just as a tool, not a fix-all. There will be things you do wrong, as we are all human and make mistakes. Make sure you don’t get caught up in the things I mentioned above. I truly regret not taking this surgery more seriously. I wouldn’t be where I am today with regain if I would have followed the guidelines. I messed up, but I am on the path again towards success. If you have regrets after your procedure, don’t get too caught up in it. Recognize it, figure out a plan, and then do something about it. This journey does not ever end. It is a lifetime commitment towards a healthier you. Do not ever give up. You got this!