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Five Tips to Reset Your Fall Weight Loss Strategy
Posted by: In: Bariatric Fitness, Bariatric Success Program, Bariatric Success Story, Blog Post, Gastric Sleeve, WFPB, whole food plant based 08 Oct 2021 0 comments Tags , , , , , ,

By Dr. Seun Sowemimo

The start of a new season is a great time to refresh your fall nutrition and fitness routine. For those considering or already in the process of weight loss surgery, a new start toward health and wellness may already be underway.

During office visits with my bariatric patients this week, I recommended adding a few updates to their nutrition and fitness routine. For example, it’s good for the body to recalibrate metabolism to a different form of exercise (i.e. change from walking to playing tennis or try a Zumba class, for example).

It’s also a delicious season to enjoy whole foods, like right-off-the-vine fruits and vegetables, which are overflowing from our local farmers’ markets right now.

Pick up a few new things, try a new recipe. For example, I was never a fan of tofu. But my wife found a recipe that mixed it with a great sauce, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans and some other vegetables; it’s now one of my favorite meals. (Never say never!)

I’ve outlined five recommendations below to hit the reset button and keep your weight loss strategy interesting and challenging. Boredom is never good. 

1. Expand your food horizons

Try a new supermarket to discover some healthy new foods to freshen up your fall recipes. Our family rule is that we must stop at every roadside or farmer’s market to sample their fresh foods. Forgo your usual supermarket and visit a Trader Joe’s, Aldi or Whole Food market. Patients have told me that TJ’s offers great healthy frozen food options and the produce prices at Aldi cannot be beaten. Both of these chains also offer several European items, which can be fun to try.

READ: “Five Bariatric Friendly Recipes to Try This Fall” by Lori Skurbe, Prime Surgicare Bariatric Dietitian

2. Set a new stage

While you refresh your nutrition and exercise plan, take a few hours to get your surroundings organized as well:

  • Make your home clean and clutter-free. Pick a room that drives you crazy — a closet, your desk, the garage (I can relate here…) and get rid of what is not needed or broken.
  • Wash your car inside and out.
  • Paint a room a different color.
  • Rearrange your furniture.

3. Change up your exercise regime

Depending on where you are in your weight loss journey, you may be surprised to learn that you can participate in some fitness activities that were too taxing or dangerous prior to your weight loss.  Last week, a sleeve patient who has lost 75 pounds in 6 months, picked up a tennis racquet for the first time in 20 years. She said she played horribly but loved every minute of it. When was the last time you rode a bike or played a little badminton in the backyard?

4. Try whole food plant-based nutrition

Consider trying a whole food plant-based diet that revs up your metabolism, energy level and weight loss. Make those new recipes you’ve been collecting and add in the rich foods of fall, such as pumpkin and other squashes.  Real foods, derived from plants, not boxes or packages, offer unmatched disease-fighting vitamins, minerals–and fewer calories. They can also boost your immune system’s virus-fighting ability. Many of our bariatric warriors reaching goal weight have transitioned to WFPB eating and love it.

5. Day Trip Somewhere New

Haven’t visited the Shore in the fall or day-tripped to New York or Philly in years? Get out of town for the day and see some new sites. Been meaning to try water aerobics? Find a course that fits your schedule and ask if you can sample a class at no charge. NOTE: Bring a mask to any city you visit and review/prepare to meet Covid-19 requirements to enter restaurants and other sites in both cities before you go. Fitness centers also have their own safety protocols to keep members safe.

Bottom line–While you are losing weight and regaining good health, make sure you have some fun along the way.

Post a comment below about how you’re changing up your daily routine this fall. I’d love to hear from you!

Bariatric surgery success requires more than an operation

If you have tried multiple diet and exercise plans and have not achieved the level of success you are looking for, join me at our next free patient webinar where my team and I introduce the safest bariatric options – gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, revising a lap band to a more productive bariatric option.

Are you ready to come in and talk about your health and weight goals? Great! Your Prime Surgicare team is looking forward to partnering with you on this life-changing journey.

About Seun Sowemimo, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Dr. Seun is a top NJ bariatric surgeon and the medical director at Prime Surgicare, with offices in Freehold and Jackson, New Jersey. He is board-certified and Columbia and Yale University fellowship-trained in advanced laparoscopic, bariatric and general surgery.

To learn more, visit his YouTube channel or call Prime Surgicare at (732)-414-2707.

How Danielle Lost 99 Pounds in Seven Months
Posted by: In: Bariatric Success Program, Bariatric Success Story, Blog Post, Gastric Sleeve, WFPB, whole food plant based 17 Sep 2021 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Danielle Santana typifies many Monmouth County, NJ women—she has a flourishing full-time career with a New York City law firm, is happily married and has two active teenage children. She also recently set up a new household after the family relocated from Staten Island to New Jersey.

The only thing holding her back was a battle with weight. Fortunately, at age 44, Danielle didn’t have any obesity-related health issues. But at a petite five feet tall, her weight, which surpassed 240 pounds at one point, left her feeling chronically exhausted.

“Ten years ago, I lost 75 pounds,” Danielle recalls. “But over the years, I slowly gained it back—and more.”

Sound familiar?

Turning to the Facebook community for bariatric surgeon recommendations

Danielle earnestly tried traditional diets—Weight Watchers, Paleo, Keto and Body for Life. She lost some weight, but the process was painfully slow, and she eventually regained the weight, as most dieters do.

“I wanted a more permanent solution to lose the weight once and for all,” Danielle recalls.

She started looking for bariatric surgeon recommendations on local Facebook groups, including Howell Happenings, and a name came up again and again—Dr. Seun Sowemimo.

Danielle checked out his website and read his bariatric client interviews about people who lost weight—and most importantly—kept it off.

“Dr. Seun has an online webinar you can join where you learn everything about the process. After I watched it in November 2020, I made an appointment with him and started the process immediately.”

In February 2021, Danielle had gastric sleeve bariatric surgery and never looked back.

By September 2021, her weight had gone from 243 pounds (she lost 20 pounds before surgery working with Prime Surgicare bariatric dietitian Lori Skurbe) to 144 pounds.

Wearing size 20 Petite/2XLsize before surgery, Danielle now wears size 8 Petite/Small.

Using Covid-19 as an asset versus a roadblock

Most impressively, Danielle achieved this success during the restrictions of Covid-19.

“Honestly, the pandemic has given me more free time to focus on my nutrition and my fitness,” she explains. “I’m working remotely, so the time spent commuting to Manhattan can be spent exercising or preparing healthy meals.”

Speaking of meal-planning, in addition to choosing surgical weight loss to jumpstart her health journey, she adopted a whole food plant-based diet, with guidance from Dr. Sowemimo, who has subscribed to a WFPB diet for nearly three years.

“I’ve been reliant upon eating meat my whole life,” Danielle notes. “I was very wary at the beginning but so grateful I transitioned.” Today, the busy professional feels less bloated and appreciates that her daily energy level is even higher than when she lost nearly 100 pounds.

 

“For me, food fuels me through my days and eating a plant-based diet doesn’t make me feel like I need to sit on the couch and recover after a meal.”

 

Danielle often turns to Pinterest to discover new plant-based recipes that even her teenagers will eat.

Danielle’s three favorite weight loss tech tools

Danielle needs to be as time-efficient as possible, so she relies on three key apps to manage her weight and fitness goals.

  1. Baritastic

 “Prime Surgicare introduced me to this soup-to-nuts bariatric app that I use to track my food, water, weight, measurements–even my vitamins. It also offers continuous exercise challenges and organizes your entire program into one cohesive app.”

2. Apple watch

“I use my watch to drill down to measure and record my movement/exercise and how many calories I burn. Since I spend hours at my computer every day, I set my watch to send reminders when it’s time to get up and move around.”

Danielle walks 3-5 miles most days, charting 12,000-18,000 steps daily.

3. Forks Over Knives

“Based upon the plant-based foods you choose, they create a weekly customized menu and for you and your family. It takes the confusion about what to shop for and what to make for meals every day. Their app creates my food shopping list, so there’s no need to walk down the aisle with the fake, processed junk food.”

The road ahead—preparing for goal weight

Just seven months after weight loss surgery, Danielle is already faced with reaching her goal weight. “When I lost weight 10 years ago, I clearly remember that I was wearing a size 6,” she recalls. “That is an incredibly important milestone for me and you can bet I’ll get there.”

When she reaches her final goal weight (or size), we will revisit Danielle to garner additional tips and tools from her start-to-finish bariatric success arsenal. Stay tuned!

Tired of the weight loss/weight regain cycle?

weight loss surgery njIs your weight gain holding you back from living your best life?

If you’re located in the metro New Jersey/New York region, reach out to our team of experienced bariatric experts by calling (732) 414-2707.

We’ll confirm relevant medical insurance and set-up your private consultation (telehealth or in-person) with Dr. Seun Sowemimo or Dr. Jolita Auguste to discuss your weight challenges and set a goal for the future.

Prime Surgicare’s Bariatric Success Program offers a full range of support services to help you reach–and maintain–your weight for years to come.

Let’s get started!

Weight Loss Surgery Linked to Improved Covid-19 Outcomes
Posted by: In: Blog Post, COVID-19, Gastric Sleeve 30 Aug 2021 0 comments Tags , , , ,

Dr. Seun Sowemimo

By Seun Sowemimo, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Carrying too much weight adds chronic stress to the body, including debilitating the immune system, in addition to increasing risk for cardiovascular issues, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that obese people experienced more severe symptoms of Covid-19, longer recoveries and higher death rates.

This month, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) reported new university study findings that obese people who had bariatric surgery as a treatment modality for obesity could experience better outcomes from COVID-19.

Doctors studied 620 Covid-19 patients, including 130 who had previously undergone bariatric surgery, and a control group of 496 patients with obesity of similar age and gender who were eligible for these surgeries but had not undergone them. Improved outcomes were cited even for bariatric patients who were still clinically obese after surgery.

As an obesity specialist, the findings of this study come as no surprise to me.

July 2020: Outdoorsman Loses 94 Pounds in 8 Months after Gastric Sleeve

A gastric sleeve patient’s family stricken by Covid-19

(This is not an employee or patient at Prime Surgicare).

In the spring of 2020, one of my 2019 bariatric patients was diagnosed with Covid, along with several family members who did not survive. She was understandably panicked by her own diagnosis.

While many of her family members also suffered from obesity, her previous bariatric surgery– and subsequent weight loss of nearly 100 pounds–significantly reduced the severity of her symptoms to the point she did not require hospitalization. Thankfully, she went on to make a full recovery.

How bariatric surgery protects people against Covid-19

Patients who lost excess weight after bariatric procedures–gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, gastric banding–experienced these outcomes:

  • Less likely to be hospitalized
  • Less likely to need a mechanical ventilator for breathing
  • Less likely to die in the hospital (even though many of them were still clinically obese)

The study found less obese patients were also released from the hospital faster, and those who were admitted to the ICU spent fewer days there, according to a report in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.

Keep in mind, the research cited here is one of multiple global clinical studies which have uniformly come to the same patient outcomes–there is overwhelming evidence that severely overweight people who had bariatric surgery ultimately reduced their risk for severe Covid-10 symptoms and those who were diagnosed experienced faster recoveries.

Dr. Seun with Debi Elliott, LPN, a gastric sleeve success story.

Dr. Seun on YouTube: Find Out How Nurse Debi Lost 118+ Pounds during Covid-19

Weight loss can help mitigate obesity-related diseases

If you are considering a surgical weight loss solution, there has never been a better time to focus on strengthening your immune system by mitigating the stress of obesity on your body and essential organs.

In contrast to 18 months ago, hospitals are very equipped to offset any virus exposure for patients. From my firsthand vantage point, the hospital can be one of the most sanitary environments for anyone seeking medical care.

I invite you to remotely attend one of my live webinars to learn more about the bariatric journey, find out if you qualify and determine how much weight you can lose in the first six months after surgery. Call our team of friendly bariatric experts at 732-414-2707 to learn more or schedule an appointment with Prime Surgicare.

Barbara Maintains 120-Pound Weight Loss Years after Sleeve Surgery
Posted by: In: Bariatric Success Program, Bariatric Success Story, Blog Post, COVID-19, Gastric Sleeve, intermittent fasting, whole food plant based 20 Aug 2021 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Even during the pandemic, Jackson resident Barbara Santino focused on weight management

 

Barbara is shown before she had gastric sleeve bariatric weight loss surgery performed by Dr. Sowemimo in Freehold, NJ.

Barbara asked for her picture to be taken on the day of her bariatric surgery in 2017.

In 2017, Barbara Santino’s primary care doctor, Dr. Vinod Shetty, suggested she consider surgical weight loss when the scale tipped over 300 pounds. He recommended she contact Dr. Seun Sowemimo at Prime Surgicare.

“I had been overweight at significant times in my life and was determined to finally get the weight off once and for all,” she recalls.

She checked Dr. Sowemimo’s patient reviews, signed up for his bi-monthly bariatric Support Group meeting and stayed for a seminar designed just for people considering weight loss surgery.

“Dr. Seun is like a wonderful, old-fashioned doctor but in modern times,” she says. “He really gets to know you and cares deeply about your weight loss journey and success. Today, he’s truly like family to me.”

Shortly after Barbara had gastric sleeve surgery, she had a concern and called Dr. Sowemimo on Sunday at 7 am. “I felt awful calling, but I was uncomfortable and needed his guidance,” Barbara says.

Dr. Seun called her back within the hour with a solution to her issue.

Now happily retired, Barbara has kept off the 120 pounds that she lost, even during the stresses of Covid-19. She hasn’t reached her weight loss goal yet, but she continues to make steady progress.

Pivoting her weight loss strategy during Covid-19

 

gastric sleeve patient barbara list 120 pounds after weight loss surgery in central new jersey

Barbara is an avid distance walker and enjoys trips around the Manasquan Reservoir almost daily.

When fitness centers were closed during the pandemic, Barbara was forced to adjust her exercise plan.

“I started walking around the Manasquan Reservoir, which is about five miles, and it has become a daily passion that I rarely miss,” which she says takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

Most days, she cumulatively clocks about 15,000 steps.

Barbara says the walk gives her time to think, express gratitude and appreciate nature during all four seasons.

Dr. Seun explains the key asset of Barbara’s success

“While Barbara was very frustrated by her weight when we first met, she was also full of hope and genuinely motivated to do the required work,” Dr. Sowemimo recalls.

“People who are overweight later in life often think it’s ‘too late’ for them to lose a significant amount of weight, but that’s absolutely not true,” says Dr. Seun.

 

“We’ve seen many people in their 50s and 60s lose hundreds of pounds after surgical weight loss and truly gain a new lease on life.”

Dr. Seun Sowemimo

 

Prime Surgicare’s Bariatric Success Program provides each client with a personalized roadmap designed to maximize the potential for safe, fast and sustained weight loss.”

Using new tools to offset weight gain

 

In 2020, Barbara hit a weight loss plateau and turned to Dr. Seun for guidance.

“Dr. Seun explained that he had lost weight by intermittent fasting and thought it could also help me lose the weight and keep it off for the long-term.”

This year, I started intermittent fasting and felt like this is a great tool to help me continue to lose weight,” Barbara says. She stops eating after 8 pm and doesn’t eat until after her daily walk, around noon each day.

Referred to a 16:8 intermittent fast, she eats healthy food during an 8-hour window every day. During the fasting period, she tries to drink plenty of water and exercises in the morning for a maximum fat burn.

Intermittent fasting is one of Prime Surgicare’s exclusive new weight loss strategies available soon on Teachable.com, a self-guided online learning system.

She makes an effort every day to keep moving, no matter what. If the weather doesn’t permit her to walk around the Reservoir, she’ll park the farthest distance away from her destination to add as many extra steps a day as possible.

Check Us Out On YoutubeLearn more about intermittent fasting and the benefits of plant-based nutrition on Dr. Seun’s YouTube channel:

 

Keeping a Health Journal

Barbara is dedicated to keeping a daily journal where she jots down the most important facets of her day, which often include:

  • Expressions of gratitude
  • Daily food journal
  • Exercise recap

“Journaling helps me to reflect on my day and make a plan for tomorrow,” she explains. “It’s a wonderful way to honor your days.”

Barbara Santino

 

Looking back on her bariatric experience, Barbara shares her insight for people considering a surgical weight loss solution:

“I encourage everyone to understand the process of this surgery fully and to do your research. Knowledge is power, always. For me personally, I wish I hadn’t hesitated so long to take this step. Not only is this surgery life-changing, it is also life-saving.”

Is 2021 the year you start your weight-loss success story?

 

Is your weight gain holding you back from living your best life?

If you’re located in the metro New Jersey area, reach out to our team of kind and respectful bariatric experts by calling  (732) 414-2707. We’ll confirm relevant medical insurance and schedule a private consultation (telehealth or in-person) to talk with Dr. Seun Sowemimo or Dr. Jolita Auguste about your weight challenges and set a goal for the future.

Prime Surgicare’s Bariatric Success Program offers a full range of support services to help you reach–and maintain–your weight for years to come.

Let’s get started!

Weight Regain: Is a Bariatric Revision Right for You?
Posted by: In: bariatric revision, Blog Post, COVID-19 23 Jul 2021 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , ,

By Dr. Seun Sowemimo, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Bariatric revision can be a weight loss solution to curb weight regain after covid-19
After more than a year of living inside, we’re finally opening the door and getting back to living life fully again.

But the unrelenting stress of Covid-19 caused some people to gain weight due to:

• Fear and chronic stress
• Indefinitely delayed life plans like weddings, school, vacations
• Financial pressures or job loss
• Worry about family and friends
• Limited access to fitness activities due to lock-down
• Battling Covid or caring for diagnosed loved ones

People who had bariatric surgery also faced these stressors; others delayed the removal or replacement of gastric lap-bands that no longer supported their weight loss.

If your weight gain is less than 25% of your maximum weight loss after weight loss surgery, call us to schedule a Back-on-Track appointment to discuss non-surgical options to take off the extra weight. Your solution may be as simple as scheduling nutrition visits with Lori Skurbe, our staff bariatric dietitian, and reviving a steady exercise routine.

But if your weight gain is more significant (30 pounds or more) or steadily increased even before Covid-19, a bariatric revision can jumpstart weight loss again.

First and foremost–Don’t beat yourself up about weight gain–it’s been an immeasurably difficult year for everyone.

The important thing is not to resign yourself to where you are right now but to take action and resume control of your health.

Prime Surgicare is a Judgement-Free Zone

This is not the time to be embarrassed or feel that you have failed. Obesity is a disease that can affect every aspect of your health and your life. It is a chronic medical condition that can literally determine your lifespan.

We don’t judge, especially after bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

Your Prime Surgicare team is here to help you–especially when times are challenging and you need extra support.

Since April, we’ve seen a steady stream of patients and new patients who are ready to battle back and lose the added weight. For people who have regained more than 30 pounds after a bariatric operation, revision bariatric surgery can be an ideal opportunity to reignite weight loss to get the scale moving downward again toward a normal BMI.

What is a Bariatric Revision?

Revision Surgery by weight loss surgeon, Dr. Seun Sowemimo of Monmouth County, New Jersey

Revision bariatric surgery alters or repairs a previous operation. Most of the revisions we perform at Prime Surgicare are for patients who:

  • Experienced significant weight regain
  • Experienced medical complications
  • Unable to manage the lap-band’s ongoing maintenance requirements (ongoing office visits)

These patients often opt for a re-sleeve or change from their original procedure to gastric bypass.

>>> Read more about how Alaina Garofalo Hickman changed from the lap band to the gastric sleeve and lost 100 pounds eight months after surgery.

Revision Surgery General Criteria

To be considered for revision weight loss surgery, you should have one or more of the following qualifications:

  1. Significant weight regain
  2. First bariatric procedure is more than 3-5 years old and/or is no longer performed
  3. Poor overall weight loss results
  4. Complications from the original operation such as:
  • Staple line compromised (Roux-en-Y).
  • Stomach has dilated over time.
  • Persistent vomiting or dumping
  • Ulcers
  • Slipped lap bands (see below)

 

Gastric Lap Band Slippage

In the past few years, we have helped many patients who eventually sustained health issues and reduced weight loss or significant regain related to their lap bands. Today, we no longer insert lap-bands at Prime Surgicare.

Complications can include:

Food Consumption Changes
You may notice a decrease in appetite, being able to eat more than usual or unexplained discomfort during and after eating.

Nausea or Vomiting
When the band on your stomach slips, it can be difficult for food to pass through. This may feel like there is food trapped in your prolapsed stomach, causing your body to want to expel the trapped food, leading to vomiting.

Acid Reflux
Feeling heartburn-like symptoms is a sign that your stomach acids are coming back up your throat from the stomach (esophagus). This can lead to chest pain, bloating, burping, choking at night during sleep and other GI discomfort.

Abdominal Pain
Some patients with gastric banding slippage describe it as “something isn’t right” in their stomachs. They can complete normal daily tasks but don’t feel healthy.

READ: Learn more about lap band removal at Prime Surgicare

If You Gained Significant Weight After Bariatric Surgery, Call Us

 

Let’s have an in-person talk where you bring us up to speed about your situation. Then, together, we will formulate an action plan for the future.

Contact Prime Surgicare’s bariatric team at 732-414-2707 to make a prompt appointment at or Jackson or Freehold offices to discuss your future weight loss goals and identify options that will help you achieve your ideal weight quickly and safely.

If you are new to bariatric surgery or need a refresher about the process and different weight loss surgery operations, register for one of our Zoom-based free monthly bariatric webinars for more information.

How to Keep Your Weight in Check this Summer
Posted by: In: Bariatric Fitness, Blog Post 09 Jul 2021 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , ,

By Dr. Seun Sowemimo

After living through 2020, we’re all justifiably ready to kick back, let loose and enjoy every minute of this summer. But for people who need to carefully manage their weight–before, during or after weight loss–this season can be as tricky to navigate as the holiday season. And summer is three months long–not just a day or two.

The good news is you can enjoy an icy treat, eat a burger (ideally a plant-based burger 🙂 and not face catastrophic weight gain.

You should have a treat, you should enjoy yourself.

But don’t let it get out of hand.

Losing or maintaining weight loss is not rocket science, I promise you–

Too many calories yesterday? Add on an extra mile to your bike ride today.

If you over-indulged over the weekend, be extra strict with your Monday – Friday nutrition plan.

If you exceed your calorie limits, reduce your calorie intake and boost your exercise for the next two to three days.

Lori Skurbe, our staff dietitian, offers more great ideas for summer weight loss:

 

  • Bring a dish to a picnic or BBQ that is both healthy and tasty–a fresh fruit salad, marinated grilled vegetables or chicken are always welcomed.
  • Use the smallest plate available for your meal. After you eat, see if you really need a second helping.
  • Eat your healthy protein first — whether it is grilled chicken or a turkey burger patty.
  • Drink plenty of calorie-free beverages. It is easy to become dehydrated post weight loss surgery and even easier in the hot, humid summer months. Make sure you have plenty of water or 0 calorie, non-carbonated beverages available.
  • Watch those “slider foods”! Slider foods are usually excessively high-carb snack foods–chips, popcorn, crackers, cookies–that do not offer much nutrition, do not keep you full very long and go down way too easy — hence the name slider foods…
  • Take a look at what is being served at the picnic or BBQ and plan your meal in advance. Remember to follow your bariatric meal plan — protein first, then vegetables, then a carb.
  • Get active! Plan physical activities during summer outings – volleyball, badminton, horseshoes or just go for a walk. Not only will you burn extra calories, you will also have fun and get away from all that tempting food!

Finally, why waste calories on alcohol?

Don’t fall prey to peer pressure to drink alcohol, which wastes too many calories.

Carry your red Solo cup around–just keep it filled with non-sweetened iced tea or water.

You’ll feel much better tomorrow morning 😉

If the long Covid-19 era or recent events in your life have thrown you off course and you need help, call our Prime Surgicare weight loss team at (732) 414-2707 and schedule an appointment; we’ll strategize a back-on-track plan together that will work for your lifestyle and get the scale moving downward again!

How Your Bariatric Dietitian Can Help Prepare for Your Bariatric Revision
Posted by: In: bariatric revision, Blog Post, Dietitian's Corner, gastric bypass, Gastric Sleeve 07 Jun 2021 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , ,

Lori Skurbe, Prime Surgicare Bariatric Dietitian

By Lori Skurbe, RDN, CDCES, MPH, Prime Surgicare Bariatric Dietitian

Did you have weight loss surgery–gastric band (lap-band), gastric sleeve or gastric bypass–before Covid-19 and regained a significant amount of weight?

You’re not alone. Many WLS patients have regained some weight over the years, but during the unprecedented stress, fear and long-term stay-at-home order during 2020, many bariatric warriors faced weight regain beyond what they can overcome alone. Changes in employment, home schooling and the virus affecting so many family and friends left many of us resorting to old bad habits to cope, rather than our WLS tools.

As a result, some may have stretched out their pouches, allowing for eating larger portions of food. People with gastric bands may find they no longer reduce hunger or they are causing chronic gastric complications.

If this resonates with you and you have experienced significant weight regain, some of our patients are preparing for a bariatric revision procedure.

Check your current BMI and learn more about bariatric revision surgery

Setting the Stage to Start Losing Weight Again

As with all WLS procedures, your diet and exercise are still of utmost importance. As part of the revision process, you will meet with our bariatric dietitian to get back on track and prepare you for your revision surgery.

Medical insurance requires patients to see a Registered Dietitian (RD) for a certain number of visits before having the next surgery making meetings with the bariatric dietitian a very helpful time to hone in your nutrition and exercise habits, so you get the most out of the next operation you are having.

Is your lap-band no longer working for you? Dr. Seun Sowemimo explains a more modern solution to surgical weight loss:

Your Pre-Op Bariatric Revision Nutrition Visits

5 Things to Ask at Your Bariatric Dietitian Appointments — by Prime Surgicare dietitian, Lori Skurbe.

Your one-on-one bariatric nutrition appointments with me will be a chance to evaluate what contributed to the weight gain, your current eating and exercise habits and create personalized strategies to prepare for long-term weight maintenance starting today--no waiting until after your revision operation!

You will gain these valuable bariatric tools during our visits:

  • Get back to basics – protein-based, low fat, low calories meals
  • Become more mindful of your current eating habits – start to log your food intake
  • Start regular physical activity, if not already active
  • Learn about proper vitamin and mineral supplements and get labs done to check vitamin and mineral levels
  • Understand proper hydration
  • Review cooking tips
  • Explore dining out guidelines
  • Review transitional diet used right after your surgical revision operation
  • Avoid grazing/snacking and erratic eating patterns
  • Rein in emotional eating

You will also follow up with me after your surgical weight loss procedure to make sure you are on track, steadily losing weight, and taking your prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements.

Starting Fresh with a New Bariatric Strategy

Make no mistake–It requires a lifetime commitment to optimal nutrition and regular physical activity to lose weight–and sustain that weight loss–which is why it is so important to make the most of your pre-surgery and post-surgery nutrition visits.

We welcome you to this new journey and would be happy to offer our guidance.

Contact our friendly and respectful bariatric team at Prime Surgicare by calling (732) 414-2707 to schedule your private consultation within the next 10 days! Appointments are available via telehealth or in our Freehold or Jackson offices.

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