1. Stay hydrated daily with 8 cups of water

While consuming liquids other than water works just as well, try to avoid sugary soft drinks, typically sodas and other carbonated beverages. It's best to drink liquids on their own, prior to a meal. After surgery, liquid in your new system may give a sensation of fullness even if you haven’t eaten recently. The goal is to stay hydrated while avoiding dumping syndrome, which is the unpleasant result of combining too much liquid and solid food at the same time.

 2. Eat protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, nuts, and eggs

Rather than consuming a few large meals to satisfy hunger, consider eating several small meals throughout the day. After surgery, your stomach can only hold around a small cup of food at a time, so smaller meals will be most comfortable. You could create your own meals at home, or check out a variety of recipes out there for bariatric patients, especially weight loss recipes that can help you reach your weight loss goals.

3. Keep active up to 30 minutes each day

Any time spent exercising is better than no time, so don't worry if you have to start off slowly. As you begin to begin stamina, you can start to increase your workout time to a maximum of 45 minutes. Participating in cardio or aerobic exercises will help you feel comfortable and build bonds with your workout partners, while reaching your weight loss goals. Once you feel a good foundation of cardio fitness, you can begin to strength train to build muscle mass. Muscle increases your metabolic rate, helping you lose weight faster and easier.

4. Supplement with key vitamins and minerals

After surgery, your body won't absorb nutrients the same way it used to. While losing weight is your goal, you want to also ensure you are at your healthiest with a full spectrum of nutrition. Gathering enough vitamins and minerals from food will be difficult as your stomach is smaller than it used to be. Make sure to supplement with a Multivitamin that contains Vitamin A, B1, B6, B12, D3, Folate, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Copper, Selenium, and Zinc. It's also important to take a Calcium Citrate supplement separately, as this is a bulkier ingredient that is most comfortable on your system when taken on its own.