Before & After Weight Loss Surgery

What To Expect Before Weight Loss Surgery

Before surgery, you will consult with your doctor at the Marina Weight Management Center in greater Los Angeles. Together, you will explore your weight loss goals and medical history.

Surgery is a dependable way for qualified patients to achieve sustained weight loss, but you should have exhausted other diet and exercise options and expended effort to lose weight before considering surgery.

If surgery is recommended, we will work with you:

• to confirm insurance benefits and
• to obtain approval from your health insurer

If your insurance company does not provide coverage, we can provide affordable financing options to help you cover the costs of surgery. Once the operation is scheduled, you will begin preparing for the diet and lifestyle changes that come with bariatric surgery. You may also want to discuss the possibility of plastic surgery before you begin the process: some patients have extra skin after the fat underneath has disappeared, and cosmetic procedures exist to fix this problem.

Prepare Mentally for Weight Loss Surgery

You will also have a conversation with our clinical psychologist. This ensures that whichever of the available bariatric surgeries you choose — the most popular in Los Angeles is lap band surgery, though we offer alternatives that may be better suited to you — you are approaching weight loss surgery with an understanding of the benefits, risks, and necessary life changes.

You should take this opportunity to discuss support groups, as well — support groups are a powerful tool in coping with post-surgery changes and making sure you achieve optimal results that last.

What To Expect After Weight Loss Surgery

• Your eating habits will change dramatically.
• Weight loss surgery means you will not be able to eat as much, and you may react badly to certain foods.
• You will need to pay close attention to the nutritional value of the food, making sure you get enough protein and vitamins.
• You will have to exercise more, and more often. But you will likely lose a lot of excess weight quite rapidly after surgery.

Over time, activities will become easier and you should become more energetic, and the symptoms of any obesity-related medical problems may lessen or go away altogether. The benefits are worth the trouble.

Dieting After Weight Loss Surgery

Our bariatric program includes a staff dietitian whose role is to assess the nutritional needs of each patient, then to develop a nutrition plan that will help effectively and healthily achieve weight loss goals. After surgery, you will be placed on a liquid diet. Over the following days/weeks, you will gradually transition back to solid foods.

Over time, weight loss surgery works primarily by helping the patient control his/her food intake. Some surgeries go further, preventing the body from absorbing all the calories it takes in; such as the gastric bypass. To arrive at an optimal post-surgery weight while maintaining adequate nutrition, you will have to favor protein. You should also prioritize fresh fruits and vegetables, cooked in a low-fat way if possible.

Workout Plans After Weight Loss Surgery

Our physical therapist helps weight loss surgery patients with motion and mobility before surgery so that after surgery they can lead an active, healthy lifestyle. She also assists patients in creating customized exercise plans to help them meet their goals for improved health and sustained weight loss.

In general, your exercise habits should begin before surgery. Before leaving the hospital, you will be required to move around a little. Afterward, you will begin by walking around the house several times per day, and then you will embark on a progressively more active exercise regimen, to be decided upon with your doctor. Cardiovascular exercise is important, as it burns calories stored in fat and promotes weight loss.

IMPORTANT: Always consult your doctor or a qualified health professional before increasing exercise or starting a new exercise plan.

Weight Loss Surgery Patients

Many patients in Los Angeles have experienced success at the Marina Weight Management Center. You could be our next Success Story. Read stories, see photos and watch videos of Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital patients. If you are a Marina Weight Management Center patient who would like your story featured on our website, fill out our contact us form and someone will contact you shortly.