If you’ve made the decision to have weight loss surgery, you likely understand the details about the procedure you’re about to undergo including the preparation, the surgery itself, and the recovery process. What is crucial for weight loss surgery patients to understand, however, is that the road to weight loss does not begin and end with the surgery itself. The surgery is a tool to help patients lose weight. But what they do with that tool is up to them and will ultimately determine if they are successful. What you do following weight loss surgery is as important as the surgery itself and it’s important for patients to understand what they need to do to support weight loss following surgery including:

• Diet. Obviously food intake is paramount to weight loss. This does not change following surgery. Weight loss surgery only changes the amount of food that a patient is able to ingest at once. But listening to your body about portion control and making healthy food choices is still up to you. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, you should also consider working with a nutritionist to help you put together a healthy eating plan and learn what choices are best for supporting your weight loss.

• Exercise. Exercise is always important but it’s especially critical in supporting weight loss following surgery. In addition, exercise will help maintain energy levels and help promote a healthy heart and body.

• Support. The weight loss journey can be a challenging one. Even with friends and family around you who love and support you, it’s still easy to feel alone. Only those who have gone through weight loss surgery can truly understand what you are going through. Peer support is essential to achieving success. Luckily, there are a variety of support groups available for those who are going through the process of weight loss after surgery. Make sure you take advantage of this support.

Weight loss surgery is an act of self-care. Undergoing surgery isn’t the easy way out of obesity and if you’ve made the decision to have surgery you understand that the challenge of surgery is worth it to have a healthier life. Make sure you support that choice for surgery – and a healthy life – by making the changes that need to be made in your lifestyle.