As the number on the scale starts to change after weight loss surgery, your weigh-ins can be exciting experiences. Watching the pounds fall away can be highly motivating—if you follow the guidelines we provide, you’ll start to see clear progress that will make it easier to stay focused on moving forward.
However, your overall body weight is only one way to see how much good you’re doing by losing weight. Weight loss can also make huge changes to the way you look and the way you feel, and paying attention to important changes like these is a great way to motivate yourself to reach your goals.
Remember to pay attention to weight-free signs of progress like:
- The way your clothes fit. As you lose inches from your waist, hips, neck and arms, you may notice your clothes feeling looser. When you notice that you’re able to slip a pair of pants on more easily than before, or go to a tighter loop on your belt, this is a concrete sign that your efforts are working. You may find that you have to go out to buy new clothes after surgery, and this is a great way to reward yourself for a job well done.
- The way you move. Getting rid of fat and replacing it with lean muscle can help you perform every task better. While you grow stronger and shed pounds, take note of how much simpler it is to do things like household chores and walking up stairs. Weight loss can make your whole life easier and open up doors to activities you may have never thought yourself capable of.
- The medications you take. Weight loss surgery can help you resolve a variety of obesity-related illnesses. After bariatric surgery, many people find themselves able to reduce or discontinue their use of medicines for things like high blood pressure and diabetes. When you’re told that you can finally stop using medications that you may have taken for a long time because of your weight, it can be a liberating experience that shows just how much your health is improving.
Changes in your weight are an important measurements of your progress after weight loss surgery, but remember that losing weight isn’t just about that number on the scale—it’s also about becoming healthier, feeling better and getting more out of life.