The Person Behind the Weight Loss

A closer look at who gets bariatric surgery, and the personal characteristics

Bariatric surgery has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, especially in light of the fact that obesity has become a national health concern that impacts a total third of the US population. As many people learn the hard way, once you are struggling with being overweight or obese, losing the weight isn’t easy. This is why so many people look for tools that can help them achieve lasting weight loss, but not all solutions are the same.

Bariatric surgery offers an answer to obesity, offering individuals an opportunity to take a fresh approach to living a healthy lifestyle with ongoing medical assistance to help you overcome the obstacles that often prevent lasting weight loss.

Knowing if weight loss surgery is the right choice for you will come from learning more about your options. Talking with your weight loss surgeon and hearing the stories and people who have used weight loss surgery to overcome obesity can help a lot as you try to make your decision. There isn’t just one type of person who will benefit from weight loss surgery, but there are some behavioral and psychological characteristics that are common to those who do tend to succeed in reaching their goals after this procedure.

The Characteristics that Lead to Success

Here is a quick list of the type of behavioral and psychological characteristics that are commonly found among those who are successful in losing weight after bariatric surgery.

• High levels of personal motivation: Those who are most successful after weight loss surgery are those who have a high level of personal motivation to succeed. This may come from family needs, health needs, or other personal factors.
• Low tendency towards alcohol: Alcohol itself is unhealthy and high in sugar and calorie content, which means that drinking alcohol can contribute to weight gain, but aside from that drinking tends to promote unhealthy decisions, like eating foods you know you shouldn’t eat. Aside from this, research shows that regular use of any substance, including alcohol or drugs, is often an indication of reduced success with bariatric surgery.
• Regular engagement in physical activity: Those who begin exercising before bariatric surgery are shown to be more successful at losing weight following their weight loss procedure.

If you are considering weight loss surgery, then your best bet is to have a talk with your weight loss doctor about your options. Engaging in healthy behaviors before your bariatric procedure can help you set yourself up for success as you work towards your ultimate weight loss goal.