Why do people regain weight after bariatric surgery?
It is common that after significant weight loss following bariatric surgery weight can start to creep back on. On average, people can regain around 15-25% of that already lost weight.
This can be very disheartening for patients.
Weight regain can happen due to variety of reasons:
| Problems leading to weight regain | Common examples |
| Anatomical | Gradual enlargement of the stomach pouch or outlet. |
| Physiological | Slow body metabolism, limiting the fat-burning and increasing fat storage ability. Menopause. |
| Psychological | Depression, lack of self-esteem, difficulty in changing the old habits. |
| Behavioural | Lack of exercise, wrong food choices, grazing/snacking patterns of food consumption. |
Source: RACGP
Strategies to improve your eating behaviour
Here is how we may help you improve your approach to eating.
| Problematic eating behaviours | Description | Strategies |
| Chaotic eating | Lacks structure; no formal eating pattern. | Create structure, including approximate eating times spaced throughout the day; prioritise eating within the day’s activities. |
| Skipping meals | Going long periods without food, which can result in overeating later. | Planning of meals, with suitable snacks or easy options for the individual’s situation. |
| Poor food choices | Highly processed, fried, and fast foods; falling back on previous habits. | Identifying easy food choices with less processing; encouraging patients’ interest in food preparation and quality (eg cooking classes). |
| Grazing | Small portions of food eaten over an extended period of time. | Discrete meals of one-cup volume at meal-times. |
| Night eating | A significant proportion of calories are ingested after the evening meal. | Ensure adequate and even food spacing throughout the day. |
| Excessive portion size | Eating beyond ‘satisfaction’ resulting in ‘fullness’; this continues to drive excessive intakes. | Reduce and maintain smaller portion sizes, ideally one-cup volume at meals. |
| Alcohol intake | Alcohol is rapidly absorbed following bariatric surgery, resulting in disinhibited eating and lack of satiety from liquid calories. | Limit alcohol intake; alcohol problems can develop after surgery in those who previously experienced no problems and all care team members should be alert. |
| Mixing fluids and foods | This may stretch the capacity of the stomach and cause early gastric emptying. | Avoid fluids in the immediate pre-meal period and for 30 minutes after. |
Source: RACGP
Our approach to weight regain after bariatric surgery
- A specialist post-operative care program. Over 12 years supporting bariatric surgery patients, we have perfected our approach with a scientifically proven program which ensures minimum procedure complications and improves long-term weight loss success.
- A team of medical experts for post-operative care. A team which includes a bariatric physician, psychologist, and dieticians, offers deeper knowledge of the best evidence-based treatments proven to keep weight off for good.
My Weight Loss Specialists program to guide your success and prevent weight regain
- Regular follow ups with bariatric physician Dr Daiva guide you towards your weight loss goals.
- Specialist insights that pinpoint developing medical and nutrition issues.
- Medical expertise to explain each stage of your weight loss and help you set reasonable expectations and goals.
- Dietician support to keep your healthy-eating and activity regime on track.
- Bariatric psychologist offers counselling, which gives the toolkit to support your emotional and mental health and improves your relationship with food as you combat a new way of living.
