When The Honeymoon Stage Is Over

You’ve lost 100 pounds, now what? 

As a bariatric patient, the first year is when you will see the greatest weight loss. It’s what I like to call the honeymoon stage. Everything is beautiful, exciting and fun during this stage. You feel on top of the world because you are dropping pounds so quickly. It is a wonderful place to be and it’s hard to imagine what life was like before this. You will see yourself in a new light and all of the changes taking place will give you the best feeling in the world. It truly is a beautiful place to be.

However, there will come a time when that stage is over. As you get further out, things will become a little more challenging. The weight loss will slow down and your body will begin to adjust to the new way of living. You will be able to eat more, which will take more self-discipline. Things that seemed to be easy during that first year will become harder. You might even find yourself regretting having the surgery. Many people stop following the guidelines once they get to a certain point on this weight loss surgery journey. It can be extremely easy to fall off the wagon after that first year.

You can get to a healthy place though. Just because the honeymoon stage is over, doesn’t mean you have to let go of everything you had during that period. There are still so many wonderful things that come with this surgery if you follow the process. You might not have everything you did during the honeymoon stage, but you will still have plenty of things to celebrate. Non-scale victories continue even after that first year. The honeymoon stage might be amazing, but what is even more amazing is being able to maintain your weight loss years later. 

Bariatric surgery is a lot like a marriage. You will have good days and hard days, but if you hold on tight to what you know works, you will have what you want. The honeymoon stage might be the most exciting, but just like 20 years of marriage shows, commitment and loyalty are key to success. By committing your life to your weight loss surgery journey and always putting it first, you will continue to see victories and celebrations. 

Enjoy the honeymoon stage while it is there, but be ready to put more energy in the farther out you get. You will succeed if you make this a priority and continue to nurture it, just as you would nurture a marriage.