It’s the New Year and you’re hearing it everywhere, people making plans to own this coming year and the “New Year, New Me” mantras. You’re feeling optimistic about what's to come. Besides you're already shedding pound from your procedure. When setting those resolutions keep an open mind, the best practice is to be practical. It can be easy to get carried away and become an extremist but that’s setting yourself for a failure that could diminish your confidence. Instead, let us help you fine-tune those resolutions with the New Year resolutions you need to keep after WLS.
The holidays can be a bittersweet time after a procedure. You may be feeling happy because of the season and excited to show your progress. Or you may be feeling the anxieties of having to be around the holiday foods and drinks. We get it. You could be battling head hunger or maybe you just wanted to enjoy the holidays without having to explain yourself to others. It’s important to be true to yourself by setting boundaries. Preparing simple statements for those uncomfortable moments will help to calm any anxieties the holidays may bring. For example, if you get the side eye from a relative for choosing to skip the alcohol during the champagne toast, a simple “I’m on medication” will do the trick. People tend to back off when you mention medications. Remember, you don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Your journey is yours alone, you choose with who and when to share your story. The holiday pressure should never be the reason for something so personal to be shared.
- Start Small
Most new year resolutions are forgotten in a few weeks. Why is that? At the beginning of the year, we are hoping that at the stroke of midnight we will be perfect people who do everything right. But the truth is our less than perfect lives continue. We still have to navigate through our everyday stressors. The key to keeping a resolution is to set them small and build upon them. If you want to take exercise seriously after weight loss surgery, begin by walking 20 minutes a day for the first month. Then add to that the next month, maybe introduce a 5-minute jog to the 20-minute walk. These goals will look small but the confidence of completing your goal will propel you towards huge strides!
- Weekly Support
Being in a supportive environment is key! Make going to support groups with other bariatric patients a normal occurrence. You’ll build a strong bond that will encourage healthy decisions. Be sure to seek bariatric-related blogs or forums to learn about tips ranging from food to how to cope with topics like body dysmorphia. Also, seek social media accounts that are supportive of your new lifestyle. It’s important to keep in mind that your diet doesn’t just include what you eat and drink, it’s also what you see and do.
- Drink Your Vitamins
Give your body the additional support it needs by not skipping out on your vitamins and supplements. This is the time to revitalize your body, and skipping them will cost you more in the long run. I say this from experience, skipping the vitamins caused me to become anemic and that led to numerous blackouts and hair loss. You can prevent all of this by simply taking your vitamins. It can be easy to forget them, we get busy, we feel great but the reality is they’re too important to miss. Sit them in a place you’ll see them every morning as you’re getting ready for the day. Or keep a set of vitamins in the office as a way to never forget.
I think you’re ready! Regardless of whether you decide to incorporate these into your resolutions this year or not, we want to see you succeed. The new year resolutions you need to keep after weight loss surgery are clear. Be sure to set your boundaries and share your story on your own terms. Start with small resolutions you can build on and reach out for the weekly support you deserve. Lastly, take your vitamins. If you’ve got some other helpful resolutions be sure to share them with us in the comments.